Rare Planetary Aspects in Vedic Astrology!

Aspects form an important area of play when analyzing horoscopes under the realm of Vedic Astrology. It is believed the planets cast their vision on the 7th sign from where they are placed apart from certain planets which are said to have special aspects. Listing below the usually accustomed aspects which are associated with the planets

Sun - 7th Aspect

Moon - 7th Aspect

Mars - 4th, 7th and 8th Aspect

Mercury - 7th Aspect

Jupiter - 5th, 7th and 9th Aspect

Venus - 7th Aspect

Saturn - 3rd, 7th and 10th Aspect

Rahu - No Aspect (Note: Some schools consider 5th, 7th and 9th aspect similar to Jupiter and sometimes even 12th as Rahu always moves in reverse direction)

Ketu - No Aspect (Note: Some schools consider aspects only for Rahu and not for Ketu but there are also other views that it holds the same like Rahu ie 5th, 7th and 9th aspect similar to Jupiter and sometimes even 12th as Ketu always moves in reverse direction)

Let's look at it from the planets in the solar system. The sequence goes about as Mercury -> Venus -> Earth -> Mars -> Jupiter -> Saturn -> Uranus -> Neptune -> Pluto

If you consider the order above, it is clear that the inner planets to Earth viz Mercury and Venus only possess 7th aspect. Moon who is always orbiting around the earth is also relegated to just the 7th aspect and replacing the Earth with the Sun from the parlance of Geo-centric system, it also possesses only the default 7th aspect. Rahu & Ketu which are in essence derived from the Moon's orbital path around the Earth do not possess any aspect. It may also be considered as possessing the same 7th aspect but since Rahu & Ketu are in essence only one object with Rahu representing the head and Ketu depicting the tail, the aspects aren't factored into account.

However the outer planets from the Earth viz Mars, Jupiter and Saturn have extra special aspects on top of the usual 7th aspect which the inner planets from Earth possess. We are not taking into account Uranus, Neptune and Pluto as they are beyond the scope of Vedic Astrology.

The sages have also advocated a partial aspects theory which is not used much in practice. As per this methodology, each planet influences a certain visionary scope apart from it's usual full aspect. The designated planet however is given full aspect responsibility in that territory as seen below:
4th & 8th Aspect - Each planet has 75% aspect (Mars alone has 100%)
5th & 9th Aspect - Each planet has 50% aspect (Jupiter alone has 100%)
3rd & 10th Aspect - Each planet has 25% aspect (Saturn alone has 100%)

Few other branches of astrology such as Nadi Astrology, Lal Kitab Astrology, Jaimini Astrology again have their own say in defining aspects. In Nadi, each planet is said to influence heavily on planets placed in trine to them. The 2nd & 12th aspect is also considered extensively with the 2nd being considered highly powerful for a planet in forward motion as it's believed to go and touch the planet in the next sign and likewise for planets in retro motion, the 12th forms high weightage. The 3rd, 7th, 11th trine are also given a smaller slice of aspect percentage and in effect only the 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th to a planet doesn't really have much of a say with respect to aspects. Lal Kitab also has it's own unique measure of aspects. As per it, the planet in 1st house aspects planets in 7th house but the vice versa doesn't hold true. Also there are percentages given to the extent a planet placed in a particular house has on other houses. Jaimini is more to do with the signs and it's believed each movable sign aspects every other fixed sign except the one next to it and likewise each of the fixed signs aspect all the movable signs except the one next to it. The Dual signs aspect each of the other dual signs.

On exploring the subject further on planetary aspects associated with Vedic Astrology, I got to figure there are some extra hidden aspects given to some of the inner planets Sun, Venus and also Rahu & Ketu apart from the usual 7th aspect. This is also backed up by one old Tamil text called "Jothida Arichuvadi" which delineates the aspects of planets by means of a sloka. Listing below the aspects of all planets including the unknown rare ones:

Sun - 3rd, 7th and 10th Aspect

Moon - 7th Aspect

Mars - 4th, 7th and 8th Aspect

Mercury - 7th Aspect

Jupiter - 5th, 7th and 9th Aspect

Venus - 6th, 7th and 8th Aspect

Saturn - 3rd, 7th and 10th Aspect

Rahu - 3rd, 7th and 11th Aspect

Ketu - 3rd, 7th and 11th Aspect

This may not match the solar system logic of all outer planets being given special aspects and inner planets being given just the default 7th aspect but we must also adhere and realize the fact that Vedic Astrology works largely on planetary energies. The reasons figured out for these extra aspects pertaining to Sun, Venus, Rahu&Ketu are as follows:

Sun (Extra 3rd and 10th aspect):
As per mythology, Sun happens to be the father of Saturn and we are well aware of Saturn possessing 3rd and 10th aspect. The dad is expected to have the same aspectual tendency as per his son and hence the proverb ''Like Father Like Son'' holds good here with Sun also possessing the special 3rd and 10th aspect.

Venus (Extra 6th and 8th aspect):
Venus represents 'Yoni' which translates to sexual organ. This portion is always protected by the left side and right side thigh. Even if any serious calamity takes place, it's the two sides to the left and right that always enable to protect the womb. These are the 6th (left) and 8th (right) aspect holding and protecting the 7th (yoni).

Rahu & Ketu (Extra 3rd and 11th aspect):
Both Rahu & Ketu are nodal points derived from Moon. Moon is said to rule the zodiac sign of Cancer whereas it's Mool Trikon (office of responsibility) sign is Taurus. When you count forward or backward from Cancer to Taurus you get 3,11 and hence Rahu/Ketu are believed to possess 3rd and 11th aspect.

It is interesting to note that as per this logic all the planets except Moon & Mercury have special aspects designed for them. Also if we look at the signs being aspected, all houses are being touched upon except 2/12 axis. Incidentally coming to the 2nd and 12th aspect, it is largely believed that the son of Saturn namely Mandi which is predominantly used in Southern part of India is said to have an aspect of one house before and after it's placement along with default 7th which effectively and indirectly means all houses aspects are considered if Mandi is also included in the mix. 

1st - Placement of the planets
7th - Default aspect for all planets
3rd - Sun, Saturn, Rahu & Ketu
11th - Rahu & Ketu
4th - Mars
10th - Sun & Saturn
5th - Jupiter
9th - Jupiter
6th - Venus
8th - Mars & Venus

2nd - Mandi

12th - Mandi

Houses of Foreign in Vedic Astrology - A brief Insight!

Going abroad and moving to a foreign land is generally construed as a huge upliftment especially from an Indian context but however transcending back in time centuries ago that wasn't really the case. Back in the good old days, if a person wasn't able to stay in the place of his birth, it was referred to as 'Paradesam'. It was seen like as if the individual was relegated to a backward position and moving out meant that he didn't have the requisite fortune to enjoy the fruits of his homeland. He was seen as a 'Paradesi' which when translated loosely refers to a stranger or wanderer indicating movement and to put it curtly not blessed to reap the rewards from his home land. This is however a far cry from the meaning witnessed in today's day & age where anything associated with a foreign settlement is seen with pride and a sense of achievement.

When it comes to Vedic Astrology, quite a number of houses are referred in relation with foreign or abroad with the 12th house being the foremost followed by few other houses such as 10th house, 7th house, 9th house, 3rd house and even 8th house. Let's take a look at how most of these house impact and come into play when we talk about moving away from our place of birth.

12th House:
Why is the 12th house pretty important from the context of 'foreign'? For this we need to understand an underlying meaning about the Lagna Bhava and from that the effect of 12th will make more sense. The Lagna Bhava or Ascendant is the position of the zodiac which rises in the eastern direction at the time of birth. Hence the 1st house is essentially considered as the place of birth. The 12th house from any house is said to denote negation or loss to that particular house. Thus in essence the 1st house denotes our physical self and the 12th from the 1st house which is the 12th house tells us about going away from our physical standpoint. So in general any foreign place will come within the ambit of 12th house as it's basically the loss of the first house of physical existence.

10th House and 7th House:
Now, coming to why other houses get linked in the framework of foreign. The single most prime determinant of 10th House happens to be 'Profession' and if at all there is a reason for moving to a foreign place especially for permanent or temporary settlement it would obviously most likely be only connected to profession. When we go for foreign trips or honeymoons or pilgrimages etc we often return back within a stipulated period but only when it comes to work/migration we end up staying for a longer duration. The 7th house can be linked from a marital angle where a person after marriage may end up moving to another land. However the inherent holding reason of why the 10th and 7th house come into the picture is essentially a play work of how the sky is mapped and zodiac is defined. We have already corroborated the Lagna or 1st House to denote our place of birth. The 1st house denotes East and the farthest point from the East is the West which will end up falling in the 7th house. Since 1st house denotes physical place, it clearly indicates 7th to be farthest place much akin to east and west being placed opposite to each other. Now 4th house happens to be everything connected to home and your domestic environment. Applying similar logic, the 7th from the 4th happens to be the 10th house which logically showcases 10th house to be the farthest from home.

9th House and 3rd House:
Many a time these 2 houses also come into the fold. The reason is because 9th house denotes long distance travels whereas 3rd house indicates short journeys. The 9th also demonstrates higher education and pilgrimages. For education purposes it is plausible of moving away from homeland but however it doesn't really indicate a settlement and of course when it comes to divine pilgrims it's definitely only for a stipulated period of time where you're bound to return back. The 3rd is to do with short travels and can be clubbed under the category of fortnightly foreign trips for official purpose with regard to employment or unofficially via an enjoyment trip with friends. And likewise a honeymoon is also a short journey indicating a 3rd house characteristic.

8th House:
The reason largely to the reference of 8th house is because 8th from any house indicates problems to that house and being 8th from the 1st house, it may indicate that a person is better off moving away from his comfort zone. Hence the 8th also indirectly plays a role in moving to a far off place.

Thus, we see a number of houses coming into the framework when looked at the realm of moving away from birth place. Apart from all these houses, movable and strong water dominated signs also come into the fray and in general planets like the nodes and retro grade planets connote a strong away from home connection. Hence with just a placement such as Lagna Lord going to 12th house denoting a foreign settlement may end up being a futile exercise. We need to look deeper also factoring the Desh Kaal Patra (Place, Time, Individual) in understanding if a promise of moving away from homeland exists. Thus, let's briefly summarize the houses and their connection to foreign movement.

12th House - Denotes loss to the 1st house of physical existence. Also signifies "Going to another place".
10th House - Farthest house from 4th house of Home and Domestic Environment. Also signifies Profession and hence can be inferred as working in a distant land away from home.
7th House - Farthest house from 1st house of physical existence. Also signifies journey. Is also the house of marriage and hence can be linked to going away to another land after marriage culmination.
9th House - Indicates Long distance travels. Can be in the form of higher education or a pilgrimage.
3rd House - Indicates short journeys. Can be as a trip with friends & family or a honeymoon to another destination.
8th House - Denotes problems to the 1st house of physical existence. Could mean moving away from comfort zone as problems might be inevitable in physical environment of birth location.

Synastry Matching - Compatibility of Zodiac Signs

The age old question of which Zodiac sign is compatible with which Zodiac sign has always raised eyebrows and is always a topic that arouses a lot of interest. Though there is no one stop solution to this, we can do it by exercising some caution to the wind and adopting a restrained approach by looking at a few definitive factors. It's of course a different matter when other planetary positions come into the fray. However for synastry matching, it's best to consider each others Ascendant as it determines the physical characteristics and also a slight consideration of Moon is perhaps pertinent as it is to do with the mind and denotes the mental framework.

The three best ways to analyse synastry would be by looking at the following factors:
Based on Nature - Movable or Cardinal, Fixed or Static, Dual or Mutable
Based on Element - Fire, Earth, Air, Water
Based on Planetary Relationship - Mars, Venus, Mercury, Moon, Sun, Jupiter, Saturn

Blending the three I believe one will be able to establish some sort of perception and arrive at a conclusion whether at all the two signs in question bond in any way or not. Let's categorize these 12 zodiac signs based on the 3 factors mentioned.
Aries - Movable / Fire / Mars
Taurus - Fixed / Earth / Venus
Gemini - Dual / Air / Mercury
Cancer - Movable / Water / Moon
Leo - Fixed / Fire / Sun
Virgo - Dual / Earth / Mercury
Libra - Movable / Air / Venus
Scorpio - Fixed / Water / Mars
Sagittarius - Dual / Fire / Jupiter
Capricorn - Movable / Earth / Saturn
Aquarius - Fixed / Air / Saturn
Pisces - Dual / Water / Jupiter

It is also a good ploy to look at some key words associated with these 3 factors:
Based on Nature:
Movable - Promoting Change, Enterprising, Outgoing, Restless, Taking Control, Over Active
Fixed - Resistance to Change, Focus, Practical, Firm, Persistence, Stubborn,
Dual -  Constant Change, Flexible, Adaptable, Fluctuating, Indecisive, Inconsistent, Balance

Based on Element:
Fire - Action oriented, Outgoing, Impatient, Forceful, Enthusiastic, Impatient, Careless
Earth - Responsibility, Hard working, Organized, Practical, Stable, Reserved, Critical, Steady
Air - Socially Active, Communicative, Tolerant, Nervous, Superficial, Aloof, Eccentric
Water - Feelings, Imagination, Sensitive, Artistic, Intuitive, Psychic, Moody, Secretive, Unrealistic

Based on Planet:
Mars - Action, Energy, Strength, Spirit, Movement
Venus - Passion, Pleasures, Relationship, Taste, Artistic
Mercury - Intelligence, Creative, Calculative, Analytical, Logic
Moon - Emotions, Nurturing, Mind, Moody, Imagination, Psychology
Sun - Courage, Ordering, Leadership, Soul, Ego, Status, Authoritative
Jupiter - Wisdom, Teaching, Traditional, Philosophical, Expansion, Benevolent
Saturn - Hard working, Persevering, Conservative, Patience, Justice, Discipline

The synastry matching come under 7 pairings and when extended turns up to a total of 78 possibilities. The different pairing axis are as follows: 1/1, 2/12, 3/11, 4/10, 5/9, 6/8 and 7/7. Each of these axis has 12 combinations each except for the 7/7 matching where there are only 6 possibilities. Let's look at all the different combinations making up the sum total of 78

1/1 Axis:
1) Aries - Aries
2) Taurus - Taurus
3) Gemini - Gemini
4) Cancer - Cancer
5) Leo - Leo
6) Virgo - Virgo
7) Libra - Libra
8) Scorpio - Scorpio
9) Sagittarius - Sagittarius
10) Capricorn - Capricorn
11) Aquarius - Aquarius
12) Pisces - Pisces

2/12 Axis:
13) Aries - Pisces
14) Taurus - Aries
15) Gemini - Taurus
16) Cancer - Gemini
17) Leo - Cancer
18) Virgo - Leo
19) Libra - Virgo
20) Scorpio - Libra
21) Sagittarius - Scorpio
22) Capricorn - Sagittarius
23) Aquarius - Capricorn
24) Pisces - Aquarius

3/11 Axis:
25) Aries - Gemini
26) Taurus - Cancer
27) Gemini - Leo
28) Cancer - Virgo
29) Leo - Libra
30) Virgo - Scorpio
31) Libra - Sagittarius
32) Scorpio - Capricorn
33) Sagittarius - Aquarius
34) Capricorn - Pisces
35) Aquarius - Aries
36) Pisces - Taurus

4/10 Axis:
37) Aries - Cancer
38) Taurus - Leo
39) Gemini - Virgo
40) Cancer - Libra
41) Leo - Scorpio
42) Virgo - Sagittarius
43) Libra - Capricorn
44) Scorpio - Aquarius
45) Sagittarius - Pisces
46) Capricorn - Aries
47) Aquarius - Taurus
48) Pisces - Gemini

5/9 Axis:
49) Aries - Leo
50) Taurus - Virgo
51) Gemini - Libra
52) Cancer - Scorpio
53) Leo - Sagittarius
54) Virgo - Capricorn
55) Libra - Aquarius
56) Scorpio - Pisces
57) Sagittarius - Aries
58) Capricorn - Taurus
59) Aquarius - Gemini
60) Pisces - Cancer

6/8 Axis:
61) Aries - Virgo
62) Taurus - Libra
63) Gemini - Scorpio
64) Cancer - Sagittarius
65) Leo - Capricorn
66) Virgo - Aquarius
67) Libra - Pisces
68) Scorpio - Aries
69) Sagittarius - Taurus
70) Capricorn - Gemini
71) Aquarius - Cancer
72) Pisces - Leo

7/7 Axis:
73) Aries - Libra
74) Taurus - Scorpio
75) Gemini - Sagittarius
76) Cancer - Capricorn
77) Leo - Aquarius
78) Virgo - Pisces

With respect to Nature, the similar nature signs get along with each other as they possess a similar characteristic. In general Movable may not get along with Fixed signs as their characteristics are different but both Movable and Fixed signs maintain some sort of association with Dual nature signs as it is known to be a judicious mix of the two and maintains the balance. Fixed with Dual can be a little better than Movable with Dual especially as the negative tendencies of the two can multiply when pecked together. Coming to elements, apart from their own elements, it's a general rule of thumb that Fire signs and Air signs always go well and same is the case with Earth and Water signs. Fire in general isn't compatible with Water signs and when compared with Earth signs they are of contrary nature causing heads to turn. Earth and Air signs usually tend to lack an understanding and when it comes to Air and Water signs it is seemingly better when aligned but disagreements can flare up due to the logical side of Air going in a different tangent with respect to the emotional thinking of water signs. When addressing planetary relationships, we can group the 7 planets into two categories viz Deva Guru Jupiter led group comprising of Jupiter, Mars, Sun & Moon and the Asura Guru group headed by Venus which includes Venus, Mercury and Saturn. The Deva Guru planets are generally good with each other and the same holds true for the signs ruled by the Asura Guru planets. Zodiac signs owned by Deva Guru ruled planets hold an inimical relationship with those ruled by Asura Guru planets and vice versa.

Hence while doing a synastry compatibility check, it is paramount to keep all these factors into account. Blanket statements passed such as 1/1, 5/9, 7/7 axis all being samples of great matches may not always be the case. For instance both Aries personalities under 1/1 group could lead to excess fire and overload of movable energy while on the other hand perhaps two Taurus personalities may hold better as Earth signs are generally more stolid and can hold up even though it can be too one-dimensional. Sometimes even a 6/8 combination such as Virgo & Aquarius may end up being a decent choice as the planetary rulers are friends and also a fixed with dual sign placement can strike a better balance if the Earth and Air bonding can maintain a cordiality. Within these 6/8 axis itself some are better than the others for eg Scorpio & Aries match can be more fruitful than say a Leo - Capricorn match.

Though, there are numerous classifications associated with zodiac signs, I singularly feel that the nature, element and planetary relationships hold the key in establishing the finer side and dissecting the zodiac signs at an intricate level to understand the level of compatibility which the zodiac signs possess.

Pancha Bhoota, Pancha Tattva and Pancha Anga - The 5 Elements ruled by the 5 Planets

Though there are 9 planets that are considered within the framework of Vedic Astrology, only 5 are real planets with the Sun being a star, Moon a natural satellite and Rahu/Ketu being astronomical points derived from the Moon's orbit around the Earth. Thus the remaining 5 left aside are Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn and these form the fulcrum for the Pancha Bhootas.

The Pancha Bhootas represents the 5 basic elements which is said to be the genesis for cosmic creation. These elements are Fire, Earth, Ether, Air and Water and said to be governed by the 5 planets as mentioned below:

Fire - Mars

Earth - Mercury

Ether - Jupiter

Air - Saturn

Water - Venus

Let's briefly look at each of these elements and why they are being governed by a particular planet. The sequence on which the elements are formed are Ether -> Air -> Fire -> Water -> Earth 

Ether: (Also Sky or Space)

The one keyword signifying Ether is 'Availability'. The nature of it is Sound, sense organ is Ears and it denotes a Vaccum state. The characteristic of Ether is is to make things available and basically indicates the availability of space around for it to grow. In Vedic Astrology, there is no specific sign allotted for Ether and it is believed that every house has an element of Ether entwined to it. Since Jupiter is the planet of wisdom, torchbearer of knowledge and also happens to be the largest planet in the solar system known for being expansive by nature, it is associated to be the Governor of Ether.

Air: (Also Wind)
The one keyword signifying Air is 'Movement'. The nature of it is Touch, sense organ is Skin and it denotes a Gaseous state. Characteristic of Air is motion or movement and there are 3 types of movement viz - collecting, holding and distributing. To make anything move, the effort to be taken is the job of air element. In Vedic Astrology, the 3 Air Rasis are Gemini, Libra and Aquarius. Saturn
is the furthest planet in the solar system and windy by temperament. Saturn is the controller of Prana (Breath) by providing the Air and hence ends up being the Governor of Air.

Fire:
The one keyword signifying Fire is 'Creation'. The nature of it is Form, sense organ is Eyes and it denotes a Energy state. Characteristic of Fire is to go up and rise. It is about putting shape to an object and distinguishing it's form and features. The job is to gain knowledge, being authoritative and to perform action. In Vedic Astrology, the 3 Fire Rasis are Aries, Leo and Sagittarius. Mars being the natural aggressor and depicting all fiery energetic traits gets to be the Governor of Fire.

Water:
The one keyword signifying Water is 'Application'. The nature of it is Taste, sense organ is Tongue and it denotes a Liquid state. Characteristic of Water is to build or give happiness as it is the best solvent. It collects, spreads, observes, synthesizes and applies to check if what was formed makes sense. It signifies pleasure by applying what has been formed. In Vedic Astrology, the 3 Water Rasis are Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces. Venus being the natural preserver of happiness and depicting all watery fluid traits is the Governor of Water.

Earth:
The one keyword signifying Earth is 'Preservation'. The nature of it is Smell, sense organ is Nose and it denotes a Solid state. Characteristic of Earth is to take care of small things and make into bigger things. It is steady in nature and unless external force is applied it does not move. Accumulating and increasing the learnt knowledge is a feature of Earth element. In Vedic Astrology, the 3 Earth Rasis are Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn. Mercury being the harbinger of logic and learning providing a foundation for the resources accumulated happens to be the rightful Governor of Earth.

Thus, if you look at it from a broad point of view, the Pancha Bhoota elements are associated with the characteristics that are exhibited by planets. However there is another feature which each of the planets denote which defines the innate nature or Tattva of these elements and that classification is entirely different as can be observed.

Mars relation to Earth:
Mars is said to be the Son of the Earth and is the closest planet that can be considered for living beings to exist apart from Earth. All Land related things that are fixed and rooted to the ground are all mostly ruled by Mars and it's rightfully called the Bhoomi Karaka carrying most of the Earthly significations.

Venus relation to Fire:
Venus is the signifier of Beauty and we are aware that Fire element arises by putting shape to an object. The light of fire is reflective and takes a form or feature that defines the inner passionate nature of Venus. Fire element is also to do with creation and there is a saying ''Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," which means beauty doesn't exist on its own but is created by observers. Also the brightest planet of the solar system happens to be Venus clearly bringing out the innate nature of Fire.

Mercury relation to Water:
Mercury defines intelligence and is said to be a youthful planet. It is the only planet that has a mixture of all the three humors making up the ayurvedic elements of Vaata, Pitta and Kapha. This certainly defines that Mercury is associated with a certain refined taste and artistic ability to portray it's talents. Also looking at it from the solar system, Mercury though being closest to the Sun is said to possess water in it's craters. All this perhaps defines the water element that is brought out by Mercury.

Jupiter relation to Air:
Jupiter is the planet of expansion and known to be the planet that is known to impart knowledge. Even the ancient temple Guruvayur split as Guru = Jupiter and Vayu = Air is dedicated to Lord Krishna and there is a popular statement stating Lord Krishna to be the greatest teacher. This is also justified by the fact that 'Teaching' happens to be one of the prominent significations of planet Jupiter. Also in the solar system Jupiter happens to be the largest planet and said to be a gas giant establishing it's gaseous nature that defines most Air related things.

Saturn relation to Ether:
Saturn defines a state of emptiness and is also a signification for separation. We know that Ether is everything that is associated with a Vacuum state. The 10th house is associated with Karma and it is also known to be the highest point in the sky called as the Mid Heaven and we know that the natural ruler of the 10th sign in the Zodiac happens to be Saturn. Among the Navagrahas, Saturn also happens to be the furthest planet in the solar system and consists of a magnetic field of mass with several Moon rings around it making it extensive and widespread. All these indicate that Saturn rules most of the Ether related significations.

Summary in a Nutshell:
- Ether characteristics are exhibited by Jupiter but Ether related significations are denoted by Saturn
- Air characteristics are exhibited by Saturn but Air related significations are denoted by Jupiter
- Fire characteristics are exhibited by Mars but Fire related significations are denoted by Venus
- Water characteristics are exhibited by Venus but Water related significations are denoted by Mercury
- Earth characteristics are exhibited by Mercury but Earth related significations are denoted by Mars

Alternatively, it can also be said that;
- Mars is Fire element by nature (One can think of Anger, Energy, Domination) but implies Earth significations (such as Landed Properties, Construction, Roots)
- Venus is Water element by nature (One can think of Sentiment, Happiness, Imagination) but implies Fire significations (Beauty, Passion, Creativity)
- Mercury is Earth element by nature (One can think of Intelligence, Logical, Organize) but implies Water significations (Application, Synthesis, Taste)
- Jupiter is Ether element by nature (One can think of Expansion, Life Force, Availability) but implies Air significations (Teaching, Learning, Knowledge Gathering)
- Saturn is Air element by nature (One can think of Movement, Unorthodox, Efforts) but implies Ether significations (Such as Distance, Separation, Karma)

Thus if you look at it from a larger picture including the zodiac signs which are assigned to each of the planets, it may be interesting to note that almost all the elements are associated with the planets;
- Mars owns a Fire (Aries) and a Water (Scorpio) sign, it is Fiery by nature and indicates Earth related things
- Venus owns a Earth (Taurus) and Air (Libra) sign, it is Watery by nature and indicates Fire related things
- Mercury owns a Air (Gemini) and Earth (Virgo) sign, it is Earthy by nature and indicates Water related things
- Jupiter owns a Fire (Sagittarius) and a Water (Pisces) sign, it is Ethery by nature and indicates Air related things
- Saturn owns a Earth (Capricorn) and Air (Aquarius) sign, it is Airy by nature and indicates Ether related things

Panchanga Planetary Rulers:

Panchang represents the 5 limbs of Time and each element of the Panchang is also ruled by a certain planet. Listing below the planetary rulers with a brief synopsis of each of these elements that are prevalent in the Panchang:
Vara - Jupiter
Nakshatra - Mars
Tithi - Venus
Yoga - Mercury
Karana - Saturn

Vara : Solar Day Transiting at Birth
It is said that Knowledge of Vara brings Life. Few of the characteristics that Vara signifies can be categorized as Vitality, Health, Happiness, Characteristic, Life Force. We know the natural Jeeva Karaka is Jupiter and hence it takes the primary responsibility of the Vara element.

Nakshatra : The constellation of Moon transiting at Birth
It is said that Knowledge of Nakshatra removes sins. Some characteristics that Nakshatra signifies can be classified as Laying foundation, Preserving knowledge, Consolidation, Growth. This talks about roots and ground level knowledge which is signified by Mars and hence it takes the primary responsibility of the Nakshatra element. Also a Nakshatra based ancient text 'Kumaraswamiyam' that imparts the knowledge of Nakshatras which as legend goes is directly interpreted by Lord Muruga (Karthikeya) is known to be the deity of planet Mars. Hence the relation of Mars and Nakshatras.

Tithi : Every 12 degrees of angular distance at which the Moon moves away from the Sun
It is said that Knowledge of Tithi brings prosperity. Certain characteristics that Tithi states about is Passion, Pleasures, Relationship, Desires. This is under the ownership of Venus and hence it takes the primary responsibility of the Tithi element.

Yoga : Sum total of Sun + Moon amounting to 13 degrees 20 minutes each
It is said that Knowledge of Yoga removes immunity from diseases. Yoga's characteristics speak about general well being, fulfillment of needs etc. This is under the control of Mercury and hence it takes the primary responsibility of the Yoga element.

Karana : Every 6 degrees of angular distance at which the Moon moves away from the Sun
It is said that Knowledge of Karanas leads to success. Karanas characteristics include Work getting accomplished, providing a direction in life, making things happen. Saturn rules Karma and is the natural ruler of the 10th house of profession. It is also known to be the 'Karya Siddhi' which translates to tasks being completed. Hence Saturn takes the primary responsibility of the Karana element.

Note: There are also other views with respect to the Panchanga planetary rulers. 
Alternate Planetary Panchang Rulers - 1
Vara - Mars
Nakshatra - Mercury
Tithi - Venus
Yoga - Jupiter
Karana - Saturn
Since Vara is all about energy it is said to be characterized by the Mars element. Nakshatra is all about relating to the mind and so there is a school that believes Mercury should be the harbinger behind the same. With regard to Yoga, it's all about auspiciousness and hence Jupiter by default takes centerstage in owning the same.

Alternate Planetary Panchang Rulers - 2
Vara - Mars
Nakshatra - Saturn
Tithi - Venus
Yoga - Jupiter
Karana - Mercury
The above list is based on the elements at play. Vara is said to be ruled by the fire element hence Mars takes ownership. Nakshatra is about the ability to think and dissect which deals with the air element and hence ruled by Saturn. Tithi is all about water and so Venus lords it. Yoga is associated with Ether and hence Jupiter takes rulership and Karana denotes earth element and hence associated with Mercury.

In essence, the panchanga elements can also tend to signify the following key words with Vara stating about health/well being (Arogyam), Nakshatra on knowledge/intelligence (Arivu), Tithi about wealth/prosperity (Selvam), Yoga mentioning completeness/satisfaction (Niraivu) and Karana speaks about efforts/perseverance (Muyarchi).

Chinna Chinna Vannakuyil - A Mastery touch of Bass!

This was one of the earliest tracks that completely baffled me especially with respect to usage of Bass. The bazooking harmony which goes in parallel with the main tune has some sort of magical tonic and has always left me in bewilderment with the cohesion effect of how everything unifies and creates a picturesque synergy. This again is just one among a bunch of tip of the iceberg creations that involve the bass component. Many of Raaja's vintage compositions sprinkle bass in profusion and though these tones more or less play a supporting role, they elevate the content of the main melody by a significant notch. They sound so rich simply stand alone and when combined with the song reaches proportions of enormity that emanates a feeling of ecstacy when listening to the number.

This particular song apart from the employment of the trademark bass, Janaki Amma also does an astute job touching all the right chords and traversing on a merry ride along the way. The soundtrack is studded with treasure in abundance and this song surprisingly is the underplayer. However in terms of class it well and truly deserves itself to be held in high esteem.

I attempted a portion of the song beginning from the Charanam portion and connecting back to the Pallavi. There are some lovely little phrases which are a bit difficult to render but just attempted whatever I could to the wee best of my ability. This is a small labour of love to the creaters of this masterpiece who both happen to celebrate their birthdays on the same day - Director Mani Ratnam and Musical Wizard Ilaiyaraaja.