Exalted Mars and the Principle of Reduced Results
An exalted planet should not automatically be considered
wholly beneficial merely because it is exalted. Nor should exaltation be
interpreted as producing adverse results. The classical approach is more
nuanced: the planet gains exceptional strength, but the houses and signs it
owns must still be judged according to their relationship with its exaltation
and Mūlatrikona signs.
Mars is exalted in Capricorn, which is the 10th from
its Mūlatrikona sign Aries, and the 3rd from its other own sign Scorpio.
This gives us an important principle. According to the principle found in Bhāvārtha
Ratnākara, when a planet is placed in the 3rd, 6th, 8th or 12th from a
sign it owns, the results of that sign may not manifest on the expected lines;
they may be reduced, modified or even contrary to expectation.
Therefore, while Mars becomes extremely strong through
exaltation, the results of its two signs do not necessarily receive equal
expression.
Aries Ascendant
For Aries Ascendant, Mars owns the Ascendant and the
8th house. Scorpio, the 8th house, is the 8th from Aries, while Mars is
exalted in Capricorn.
Thus, although Mars is the Lagna lord and gains great
strength by exaltation, the 8th-house significations represented by Scorpio
may not manifest as straightforwardly as expected. The exaltation
strengthens Mars itself, but the sign-based relationship indicates that the
results belonging specifically to Scorpio can be diminished, modified or
expressed in an unusual manner.
This distinction is important: a strong Mars does not
mean that every house owned by Mars must produce equally strong results.
Taurus Ascendant
For Taurus Ascendant, Mars owns the 7th and 12th
houses. Its Scorpio sign falls in the 7th house.
Scorpio is the 3rd from Capricorn, Mars's exaltation
sign. Applying the same principle, the significations of Scorpio—and therefore
the 7th-house matters—may produce less than their expected results or a
modified expression.
This provides an interesting connection with Laghu
Parāśarī. It does not treat Mars straightforwardly as a Maraka in the
manner one might expect merely from its ownership of the 7th.
The underlying principle, however, should not be confused
with the Laghu Parāśarī rule itself. Mars, as lord of a Maraka Kendra,
may relinquish some of its natural malefic intent because of Kendra lordship,
thereby becoming more neutral. Yet as 12th lord, Mars still retains the
potential to act as a killer when the appropriate conditions arise. This
accords with the principle that if the 2nd- or 7th-lord does not cause death,
the 12th lord may subsequently acquire the capacity to do so.
Thus, the conclusion should be drawn from the combined
functional role of Mars, rather than from one rule in isolation.
Cancer Ascendant
The case of Cancer Ascendant illustrates the
principle particularly well.
Mars owns the 5th and 10th houses. Its Mūlatrikona
sign Aries is in the 10th, while its other own sign Scorpio is in the 5th.
When Mars is exalted in the 7th house in Capricorn,
it becomes extraordinarily powerful. More importantly, Mars's exaltation gives
tremendous force to its 10th-house ownership, because Mars occupies a
Kendra and aspects its own 10th-house sign Aries.
As a result, an exalted Mars for Cancer Ascendant can be
exceptionally productive for:
- profession
and career,
- authority,
- action
and initiative,
- status,
- executive
ability,
- achievement
and accomplishment.
Mars as the 5th lord, however, has its Scorpio sign
in the 5th, and Scorpio is 3rd from Mars's exaltation sign Capricorn.
Consequently, the 5th-house significations may not receive the same
unqualified expression as the 10th-house matters.
This does not mean that exalted Mars destroys the 5th house
or denies its results. Rather, its 5th-house results can be less direct,
modified or dependent upon other supporting factors.
If Jupiter is also badly placed, the prospects concerning progeny,
intelligence, learning and other 5th-house matters can become more
vulnerable.
Exalted Jupiter in Cancer
Now consider the same Cancer Ascendant with Jupiter
exalted in Cancer in the 1st house.
Jupiter owns the 6th and 9th houses. Its 6th-house
sign Sagittarius is 6th from its exaltation sign Cancer. Therefore, by the same
sign-based principle, the 6th-house significations may not operate in their
expected manner.
This does not make Jupiter a bad planet.
On the contrary, Jupiter's exaltation in the Lagna gives
enormous strength to the 9th-house significations—fortune, Dharma,
higher knowledge and blessings of the 9th house. Its aspect upon the 5th house
further supports progeny, intelligence, learning and wisdom.
Jupiter's strength can also provide valuable support to an
exalted Mars, particularly when Mars is functioning strongly for the 10th
house.
Thus, the chart demonstrates an important distinction:
A planet can be exceptionally strong while the results of
one of the signs it owns are comparatively reduced or modified.
The Fundamental Principle
The mistake is to judge exaltation in isolation.
Exaltation tells us about the strength and capacity of
the planet. Ownership tells us what areas of life it controls. The relationship
of its exaltation sign with its own signs tells us how evenly that strength is
distributed among those areas.
Therefore:
Strong planet ≠ equally strong results for every house it
owns.
Likewise:
Reduced results from one owned sign ≠ a weak or
inherently harmful planet.
This is why the simplistic statement that “exalted
planets are bad” is far-fetched. Such a conclusion usually arises from
observing selected cases without understanding the classical fundamentals
governing strength, ownership, sign relationship, functional nature and
house results.
An exalted planet is, first and foremost, a highly
empowered planet. What it does with that power depends upon its lordships,
placement, aspects, associations, dignity and the specific houses and signs
through which its results are delivered.
The correct approach
A sound classical analysis should therefore proceed in this
order:
1. Determine the planet's intrinsic strength.
2. Determine its functional lordships for the Ascendant.
3. Examine where its Mūlatrikona and other own signs fall.
4. Examine the relationship of those signs to its exaltation sign.
5. Judge whether the results of each owned sign are direct, reduced,
modified or contrary.
6. Examine aspects, conjunctions and supporting or damaging influences.
7. Finally, synthesize the results rather than declaring the planet simply
“good” or “bad.”
This preserves the classical principle while avoiding the
misleading habit of making absolute judgments from exaltation alone.
