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In short
Shadbala, "six-fold strength", is the classical measure of how strong a planet is from six sources: position, direction, time, motion, natural rank and aspect. BPHS computes it in Virupas for the seven grahas, not the nodes. This app computes a simplified 0-20 point version and labels each planet Strong, Medium or Weak.
What the term means
Shadbala (also written Shad Bala) means "six strengths". It adds up six separate reasons a planet may be able to deliver its results: where it sits (Sthana), which direction its house faces (Dik), the time of birth (Kala), its motion (Chesta), its fixed natural rank (Naisargika) and the aspects it receives (Drik or Drig). The total is a single strength figure per planet.
Where the term comes from
BPHS Ch. 27 sets out the six components and their many sub-parts (exaltation, the seven vargas, odd and even signs, day and night, the fortnight and more), and says they are computed for the seven grahas from the Sun to Saturn: "The nodes are not considered." The result is measured in Virupas, and Ch. 27 Sl. 32-33 gives the totals each planet needs to count as strong, 390 for the Sun, 360 for the Moon and so on down to 300 for Saturn.
How this app computes it
- The engine uses a simplified 0-20 point version that its code cites to S. Kannan's Fundamentals of Hindu Astrology, Ch. VI: Sthana 0-10, Drig 0-3, Naisargika 0-1, Chesta 0-1, Dik 0-4 and Kala 0-1. These are not Virupas, so BPHS's required totals do not apply to it.
- Sthana is the planet's dignity score; a combust planet gets 0 for it. Where the source gives only a peak condition, the code says it interpolates and marks it.
- Totals of 13 or more are labelled Strong, 7 or less Weak, the rest Medium; the code calls these bands its own choice. Rahu and Ketu are not scored, and nothing is returned without an Ascendant.
- The same calculator also reports each planet's Ishta phala and Kashta phala.
A small illustration
For 19 January 1985, 11:14 IST, New Delhi, the Sun totals 11.21 of 20 and is labelled Medium. Jupiter totals 4.17 and is labelled Weak: it is debilitated in Capricorn and combust, so its Sthana is 0.
Pages that use this term
- Shad Bala calculator - the six parts and total for each planet in your chart.
- The 1st house (Tanu Bhava) - directional strength in the Ascendant, one of the six parts.
- Jupiter in Vedic astrology - how Jupiter's aspect moves other planets' aspect score.
- Sun-Mercury conjunction - a conjunction page that refers to it.
- When the birth time is unknown - Shad Bala is among the readings that need a time.
Related terms
- Vimshopaka bala - the twenty-point strength from the vargas.
- Panchadha maitri - the five-fold friendship behind the dignity score.
- Graha drishti - the aspects behind Drig bala.
Shad Bala calculator
Six components, one simplified score out of 20 for each of the seven grahas.
What it needs
Date, time and place
That is more than this article asks for - it only ever takes a date, and sometimes a time, and never a name or a birth place. So this one runs on its own page, which asks for exactly what it needs and stores none of it.
Run it on its own page