POWER OF THE SUN

In vedic astrology the planetary periods play a major role in explaining the trends in life. In this article, the 120 year dasa cycle is explained and its application demonstrated in terms of Sun major period and Sun sub-period influences as per the SAMVA USA chart (Perpetual Union) .

The Vimosattari dasa-bukhti cycle consists of the major periods of 9 planetary bodies in vedic astrology. The major periods of individual planets are of the following order and length.

Planetary periods and their duration in years
Sun: 6
Moon: 10
Mars: 7
Rahu: 18
Jupiter: 16
Saturn: 19
Mercury: 17
Ketu: 7
Venus: 20

Each major period is divided into bukhtis or sub-periods, which follow a prescribed order and are of unequal length. The influence is critically tied to the functional nature of each planet in the chart, i.e. if the planet rules a functional benefic or a functional malefic house. There is no way to quantify the relative influences of the major and sub-period operating. The influence is to be read as per functional nature and influence in the natal chart.

In the SAMVA USA chart, the influence of each planet may be described in the key words below. The description is not finite as each planet has a functional influence in the chart based on the house that it rules as well as a general influence. The house of its placement and aspects are also important. The aspects may be to other houses, to other planets or from other planets. The combined influences of the planet manifest in the national life, both as a permanent natal influence and as a highlighted temporary influence due to transits of the planets and the operation of periods.

Sun: Wealth, status, banks, currency, President, authority, easy gains and foreign affairs. A strong and influentially placed Sun gives strength to the above indications but also periodic problems.
Moon: Self, fame, income, currency and ideals. A strong an well placed Moon, giving powerful sense of self.
Mars: Military, police, fame, industry, know-how confidence and foreign trade. A country with plenty of technical know-how, strong marital class and daring in enterprise. Rahu: Manipulation, government, foreign trade, conflict and upheavals. Vested interests and manipulation in some areas of life.
Jupiter: Conflict, war, financial stability, religion, judiciary and communal harmony. Adamant when challenged and creative avenues for resolving conflict.
Saturn: Easy gains, obstacles and endings, disruption to wealth, status, creativity, foreign affairs, income and Presidency. Easy gains but periodic problems for universities, the President and wealth.
Mercury: Enterprise, commerce, foreign policy initiatives and investor confidence. Initiative to expand business abroad and versatile in diplomacy.
Ketu: Sudden setbacks, violence, racial and ethnic strife, fixed assets and conveyances. Brings problems for racial and ethnic relations. Sudden upheaval in communal harmony.
Venus: Women, arts, housing, financial stability, communal harmony and war protests. Problems for housing. Communal harmony linked to financial stability (debts) or conflict (war).

Dasa cycle I
Sun April 9, 1776 to April 10, 1782
Moon April 10, 1782 to April 9, 1792
Mars April 9, 1792 to April 10, 1799
Rahu April 10, 1799 to April 9, 1817
Jupiter April 9, 1817 to April 9, 1833
Saturn April 9, 1833 to April 9, 1852
Mercury April 9, 1852 to April 9, 1869
Ketu April 9, 1869 to April 9, 1876
Venus April 9, 1876 to April 9, 1896

Dasa cycle II
Sun April 9, 1996 to April 10, 1902
Moon April 10, 1902 to April 9, 1912
Mars April 9, 1912 to April 10, 1919
Rahu April 10, 1919 to April 9, 1937
Jupiter April 9, 1937 to April 9, 1953
Saturn April 9, 1953 to April 9, 1972
Mercury April 9, 1972 to April 9, 1989
Ketu April 9, 1989 to April 9, 1996
Venus April 9, 1996 to April 9, 2016

Dasa cycle III
Sun April 9, 2016 to April 10, 2022
Moon April 10, 2022 to April 9, 2032
Mars April 9, 2032 to April 10, 2039
Rahu April 10, 2039 to April 9, 2057
Jupiter April 9, 2057 to April 9, 2073
Saturn April 9, 2073 to April 9, 2092
Mercury April 9, 2092 to April 9, 2109
Ketu April 9, 2109 to April 9, 2116
Venus April 9, 2116 to April 9, 2136

Let us examine more closely the historical events during Sun major period and the sub-periods in US history, as a guide to what to expect in the forthcoming Sun major period that begins in April 2016.

The SUN rules the following indications in the chart
Lord of 2nd house: Wealth, status, relation with neighbors
Placed in 7th house: Foreign affairs, tourism
General indications: President, government leaders, banks, currency, authority, order
Aspects 7th house: foreign affairs, tourism
Aspects 1st house: Self, fame
Aspected by 8th lord Saturn in the 5th house: Easy gains, inheritance, mining, obstacles, death
Aspect of Rahu to 2nd house: Manipulation of and crisis with regard to wealth and status

Importantly, the Sun is very powerfully placed and influential in the SAMVA USA chart. Its placement is consistent with USA being a country with major influence in the world and its leader, the US President being supremely powerful. That said, there are also problems in view of the aspects of Saturn and Rahu. Now let's examine the two earlier major periods of the Sun and see what influences where preeminent at that time. Remember, that the major period describes the trend, while transits signify the important events.

SUN DASA during the 1st dasa cycle: April 9 1776 to April 10 1782
Main results: Formation of the country on February 2, 1781. All the states agree on a principle of Westward expansion, which is linked to the aspect of 8th lord Saturn to Sun as 2nd lord of wealth (easy gains, inheritance). The colonists were victorious over the British Empire in September 1781, effectively ending the American Revolutionary War. This is linked to the powerful Sun. In doing so, the USA secured control over vast territories by the new nation. Again, this is linked to the aspect of the 8th lord to the 2nd lord.

SUN DASA during the 2nd dasa cycle: April 9 1896 to April 10 1902
Main results: Roughly one hundred years after its founding, the USA had grown in might on the world stage, although it was not quite yet at the zenith. Territorial expansion continued with Hawaii annexed and Utah becoming a state. The Treaty of Paris in 1898 gave the United States control of the former Spanish colonies of Puerto Rico, the Philippines and Guam. During this period, the USA also became a power broker in China, highlighting the influence of the Sun on 7th house of foreign policy. Gold was discovered in the Klondike in 1896. This was followed by the passage of the Gold Standard Act in 1900 ending a period of bimetallism which had resulted in a debasement of the currency. This is very much linked to the strong Sun as general indicator of currency, but also to the aspect of Saturn, which is the general indicator of mining things from the ground. President William McKinley, Jr. was assassinated on September 14, 1901, which is linked to the aspect of 8th lord of death to the Sun. During the second Sun major period, the Progressive Age was born, with relatively more communal harmony concerning earlier disputes over injustices or inequalities.

SUN DASA during the 3rd dasa cycle: April 9 2016 to April 10 2022
This major period is ahead of us. The US has become the preeminent country in the world and will likely retain this status for some more time. The influence of the strong Sun is expected to have a major effect on the national life during its period. An examination of the sub-periods in the national history is also instructive in this regard.

The Bukhti periods of the Sun during the 1st dasa cycle (1776-1896)

Sun/Sun: April 9, 1776 to July 28 1776
- (a pre-natal period) The 13 colonies declare independence and push into motion the legal creation of a confederate union.
Main results: Declaration of Independence is published. Influence of strong Sun on 1st house of self and 7th house of foreign affairs.

Moon/Sun: October 9 1791 to April 9, 1792
- The Bill of Rights is introduced, heralding a major advance in US civil rights.

Main results: The historical Bill of Rights, ensuring the civil rights of Americans comes into effect as part of the US constitution or governing rules on December 15, 1791. The Sun is the indicator of governing rules, the constitution. However, it is also the aspect of Mars as 10th lord to the Moon as 1st lord that is associated with this benign document and the tremendous fame of the USA in its founding days. After all, the Moon is in the 11th house of ideals. As Moon is 1st lord, it also reflects the self of the nation. With Cancer rising, the USA is a caring collective entity, but also quite idealistic.

Mars/Sun: May 4, 1798 to September 9, 1798
- Increase in power of federal government along with increase of states rights.

Main results: Passage of Alien and Sedition Acts (Mars influence) in 1787 countered by the drafting of the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions. In effect, the increased power of the federal state by the former was balanced with increased states rights (on behalf of individuals in the states) in the latter (Sun influence).

Rahu/Sun: October 27, 1813 – September 21, 1814
- Treaty of Ghent, ending War of 1812 is signed by the UK and USA. This treaty ended British efforts to restrict US foreign trade and to claim territories in America.

Main results: Treaty of Ghent signed on December 12, 1814 effectively settling the War of 1812. This is consistent with the Sun's powerful influence on the 7th house of foreign policy. The War was started by the USA to reverse international trade restrictions, an influence of Rahu on the 10th house of foreign trade in the chart, which was imposed by Britain (an outside manipulation). The war escalated into battle over British claims to American territories around the Great Lakes region, which involved thus 4th house issues, but Rahu also afflicts this house. Given the strong Sun and other placements, the USA was successful in reversing both efforts of British imperial power.

Jupiter/Sun: October 22, 1827 to August 9, 1828
- A new Federal tax on imports provokes controversy in some states
- Railroad construction expands, increasing access to new territories

Main results: A period of conflict (6th lord influence) due to tariffs by the federal government (Sun influence), involving foreign trade (a 10th house issue) but more so the need of the government to replenish its coffers. The highly protective Tariff of 1828 was vigorously protested. Opponents called it the "Tariff of Abominations" with South Carolina passing the Ordinance of Nullification in an attempt to nullify the federal law. Baltimore and Ohio Railroads begin construction, making vast stretches of land more accessible.

Saturn/Sun: April 1, 1843 to March 13, 1844
- President Polk elected, who favors the annexation of Texas
- State government of Oregon moves into sphere of US Federal government

Main results: Attempt to impeach President Tyler fails in 1843. The difficulty for the President is seen in the aspect of Saturn as 8th lord of obstacles to Sun. In the US presidential election of 1844 Democrat James Knox Polk defeated Henry Clay, a Whig, in a close contest that turned on foreign policy, with Polk favoring the annexation of Texas and Clay opposing. Again the issue concerns the influence of the 8th lord of easy gains, but also obstacles, on the Sun as 2nd lord of wealth. A new government of Oregon moves into the sphere of influence of the USA, which is further indication of this energy of the 8th lord aspecting the 2nd lord.

Mercury/Sun: July 4,1858 to May 10,1859
- Dispute over government authority in Utah resolved
- US foreign policy power increases
- Tensions grow concerning slavery in the USA

Main results: The controversial Utah War begun in 1857, an armed dispute between Latter-day Saint ("Mormon") settlers in Utah Territory and the United States federal government is brought to an end with a peaceful settlement which nonetheless secures the control of the US government over the territory. This situation relates to both the aspect of the 8th lord from the 5th house of "children" to the 2nd lord Sun in the 7th house. Mercury is in the 7th house, ruling also initiatives with "others." The "Treaty of Tien-tsin" asserted the nascent role of the USA as a colonial power, expanding its commercial ties, which is consistent with both Mercury and Sun being in the 7th house of foreign policy. Tensions mount between Northern and Southern states over opposing commercial interests, including tariffs and the practice of slavery. Many government leaders, ruled by the Sun, were strongly against the practice of slavery, but the efforts were nonetheless diplomatic as Rahu is on the MEP of the 10th house. Northern abolitionists deemed government efforts to gently prod Southern leaders as cowardly. This outcome is likely linked to the not so influential Mercury in the 7th house, being moderately combust the Sun in the SAMVA USA chart.

Ketu/Sun: November 6, 1870 to March 13, 1871
- Treaty of Washington settles territorial claims concerning the USA
- Voting rights of African Americans strengthened

Main results: The Treaty of Washington concluded in 1871 between the United Kingdom and the United States settling differences between the two governments with regard to the Dominion of Canada on the one hand and British claims to Alabama on the other. This involves both the Sun in 7th house and the aspect of the 8th lord to the Sun as 2nd lord in the 7th house. The four Force Acts passed by the Congress of the United States shortly after the American Civil War helped protect the voting rights of African-Americans. This is explained by the Sun aspecting the 1st house of self and the conjunction of Ketu to the 4th house, which is the primary influence in the chart to explain the racial and ethnic strife in the history of the country.

Venus/Sun: August 10, 1879 to August 9, 1880
- Civil rights advances, with Habeas Corpus legal reform
- Progressive tax changes introduced.

Main results: The Supreme Court affirms the use of Habeas Corpus, thereby increasing civil protection. The Knights of Labor, one of the most important American labor organizations of the 19th century, went public in 1879 with demands for an end to child and convict labor, equal pay for women and blacks, a progressive income tax and more reforms.

The Bukhti periods of the Sun during the 2nd dasa cycle (1896-2016)

Sun/Sun: April 9, 1896 to July 28, 1896
- Gold standard debated to strengthen the basis of the currency (dollar)
- Gold is discovered in Alaska

Main results: Intense debate about the Gold Standard for the currency (Sun) at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in July 1896. Gold is discovered in the Klondike on August 16, 1896, explained by Saturn's aspect to the Sun.

Moon/Sun: October 9, 1911 to April 9, 1912
- Two new states are added to the Union: New Mexico and Arizona.
- Standard Oil is broken up as a monopoly.

Main results: New Mexico becomes state on January 6, 1912 and Arizona on February 14, 1912. As before, this influence highlights the aspect of the 8th lord Saturn to 2nd lord Sun. The US Supreme Court upheld the lower court judgment and declared the Standard Oil group to be an "unreasonable" monopoly under the Sherman Antitrust Act on May 15, 1911 resulting in the company being broken up into smaller units. In the SAMVA USA chart, the 6th lord Jupiter aspects the Moon. The first ever Indianapolis 500 motor race was staged. The Moon is aspected by Mars as lord of the combative spirit from the 5th house of entertainment.

Mars/Sun: May 4, 1918 to September 9, 1918
- USA ends World War I and brokers a peace

Main results: US involvement in World War I is accelerated, which quickly brings an end to the war. President Wilson’s 14 point plan for the restoration of Europe serves as a vision for what ought to follow. The major period of the strong Mars in the SAMVA USA chart brought the power of the USA to the fore and the authority of the Sun in the 7th house was shown.

Rahu/Sun: October 27, 1933 – September 21, 1934
- The first term of a progressive new President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt
- Major changes in government and economic policies ("the New Deal") restore order and confidence during the Depression.

Main results: In December 1933, the Twenty-first Amendment to the US Constitution repealed the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which had mandated nationwide Prohibition. The prohibition caused significant problems for the law enforcement and legal system associated with the illegal production, distribution and consumption of alcohol in the USA. Hence, its repeal brought more order to the national life, albeit with alcohol again being allowed. The Rahu major period brought major problems with intoxicants and gangsterism. In the Sun sub-period the underlying causes of this problem, the Prohibition was ended and law enforcement activity was increased. The Rahu period also brought a rise (Roaring Twenties) and fall (Great Depression of the 1930s) to the economy. A share price bubble had been created in a rigged stock market. FDR introduced the New Deal in his first term. The "First New Deal" came with his inauguration on March 4, 1933. It dealt with groups; from banking and railroads to industry and farming. A "Second New Deal" in 1934-35 included the Wagner Act to promote labor unions, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) relief program, the Social Security Act, and new programs to aid tenant farmers and migrant workers. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (commonly known as the SEC) was created to enforce federal securities laws and regulating the securities industry/stock market. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) agency is created to improve housing standards and conditions. The Johnson Act was passed to prevent default nations from marketing their bonds in the USA. The Philippine Independence Act is passed, granting independence to the Philippines. Criminal John Dillinger is killed. The Indian Reorganization Act secured certain rights to Native Americans, including a reversal of the Dawes Act's privatization of common holdings of American Indians and a return to local self-government on a tribal basis.

Jupiter/Sun: October 22, 1947 to August 9, 1948
- Following World War II, the USA becomes leader of the “free world”
- The USA organizes economic and military resources at home and around the world to combat Communism, including the founding of international organizations.

Main results: After winning World War II, the US government set out to stabilize the countries most affected by the war according to its vision. Truman Doctrine is a set of principles of U.S. foreign policy laid out by President Harry S Truman in a speech to Congress on March 12, 1947. Truman declared that the United States, as "leader of the free world", must support democracy worldwide and fight against communism. The plan involved containment of Soviet communism and the Marshall plan for reconstruction of Europe after WW II, was its soft side. The plan developed at a meeting of the participating European states in June 5, 1947 began operations in April 1948 which lasted for four years. The US breaks the Soviet blockade of Berlin, which lasted from 24 June 1948 to 12 May 1949, by airlifting supplies to the city. The Berlin Blockade was one of the first major international crises of the Cold War. The National Security Act of 1947, which took effect on September 18, 1947, merged the Department of War and the Department of the Navy into the National Military Establishment, later renamed as the Department of Defense. The Organization of American States founded in May 1948. Under US leadership, the OAS pledged to fight communism in America. The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which is the foundation of the World Trade Organization (WTO), is founded on October 30, 1947. The World Health Organization is established by the United Nations on April 7, 1948. In Leaders of the Communist Party USA were indicted under the Smith Act July 20, 1948. All of these developments are linked to the strong Sun, but also highlight the influence of the 6th lord Jupiter on the 1st lord Moon in the SAMVA USA chart. This aspect of the major period lord, bringing a fixity of determination to the expression of US ideals in the world, was brought to the fore in the national and international life.

Saturn/Sun: April 1, 1963 to March 13, 1964
- President John F. Kennedy is assassinated on November 22, 1963 and is replaced by Lyndon Baines Johnson.
- Civil Rights act proposed on June 11, 1963 by President Kennedy is enacted on July 2, 1964 by President Johnson.
- The Beatles electrify American youth in early 1964.

Main results: On July 26, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which was founded by the USA as part of the Marshall plan, voted to admit Japan as a member, thereby extending important economic policy cooperation to this Asian economy. On August 5, the United States of America, United Kingdom, and Soviet Union signed a nuclear test ban treaty. On August 18, the American civil rights movement had a milestone when James Meredith became the first black person to graduate from the University of Mississippi. On August 28, during a 200,000-person civil rights rally in at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., Martin Luther King, Jr. gives his famous I have a dream speech. September 15, civil rights movement receives a setback when the 16th Street Baptist Church is bombed, killing four children at an African-American church in Birmingham, Alabama. On November 22, President John F. Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, Texas while riding in a motorcade. Transit 8th lord Saturn was exactly conjunct natal 2nd lord Sun in the SAMVA USA chart. Alleged lone assassin Lee Harvey Oswald is arrested, but he is then killed two days later, while in police custody, by Jack Ruby in front of TV cameras. November 24, the newly sworn in US President Lyndon B. Johnson confirms that the United States intends to continue supporting South Vietnam militarily and economically. January 8, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson declares a "War on Poverty" in the United States. On January 20, Meet the Beatles, the first Beatles album in the United States, is released. Two weeks later, on February 7, the Beatles arrive on their first visit to the United States, completely captivating the attention of young people and creating an excitement rarely felt in the national life. On March 14, a jury in Dallas, Texas finds Jack Ruby guilty of killing John F. Kennedy's assassin Lee Harvey Oswald. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was enacted on July 2, 1964, but was originally introduced by President John F Kennedy in his civil rights speech of June 11, 1963, in which he asked for legislation "giving all Americans the right to be served in facilities which are open to the public—hotels, restaurants, theaters, retail stores, and similar establishments," as well as "greater protection for the right to vote." The CRA was a landmark piece of legislation in the United States that outlawed racial segregation in schools, public places, and employment. The influence of Saturn and Sun in the SAMVA USA chart is strongly felt during this major-sub-period combination.

Mercury/Sun: July 4, 1978 to May 10, 1979
- US President Carter brokers a peace deal in the middle East.
- Following the tragic killing of San Francisco Mayor Moscone, a woman is elected to the position, Diane Feinstein
- USA establishes formal diplomatic relations with the Peoples Republic of China

Main results: On September 5, 1978, the Camp David Accords begin. The peace negotiations between Menachem Begin, Prime Minister of Israel and Anwar Sadat, President of Egypt are instigated by President Carter, reflecting both the strong Sun in the chart, but also the Mercury as planet and lord of communication in the house of foreign policy. The peace accords were signed on September 17. On December 10, Begin and Sadat win the Nobel Peace Prize. On October 10, President Jimmy Carter signed a bill into law that authorizing the minting of the Susan B. Anthony dollar. This new coin entered circulation on December 13. The Sun rules the currency. November 18, the Jonestown mass suicide, where Jim Jones leads his People's Temple in a mass murder-suicide; 913 die, including 276 children. November 27, in San Francisco, California, city mayor George Moscone and openly gay city supervisor Harvey Milk are assassinated by former supervisor Dan White. These awful events are linked to the stationary transit of 8th lord Saturn in the most effective point of the 2nd house in SAMVA USA chart. On December 4, Dianne Feinstein becomes San Francisco's first woman mayor, serving until January 8, 1988. This progressive event is linked to the strong Sun in the chart. December 19, John Wayne Gacy is arrested for the killings of 33 boys and young men, linked to the harmful aspect of transit Saturn in the chart that fall. On January 1, 1979, formal diplomatic relations are established between the People's Republic of China and the United States of America. This is consistent with the influence of the Sun in the 7th house of foreign policy of the US chart. March 19, the United States House of Representatives begins broadcasting its day-to-day business via the cable television network C-SPAN, increasing the public transparency of the work of the legislative assembly. This is also consistent with the strong Sun but also the communicative nature of major period lord Mercury as also lord of the 3rd house of communication.

Ketu/Sun: November 6, 1990 to March 13, 1991
- USA leads an international coalition of military forces to free Kuwait

Main results: On November 29, 1990, the USA got the United Nations Security Council to pass UN Security Council Resolution 678, authorizing military intervention in Iraq if that nation does not withdraw its forces from Kuwait and free all foreign hostages by January 15, 1991. On January 16, 1991, a US-led international armada attacked Iraq to liberate Kuwait, the so-called Desert storm, a blitzkrieg of unprecedented proportion. The Ketu major period is linked to sudden explosive events. On February 26, on Baghdad Radio Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein announced the withdrawal of Iraqi troops from Kuwait. March 5, Iraq released all Gulf War prisoners. On March 10, 540,000 American troops began to leave the Persian Gulf. The Strong Sun explains the US motivation to not engage in direct rule for its own sake. Rather the country relies on having an influence through its unspoken authority in the world. March 3, an amateur video captured the beating of Rodney King by Los Angeles police officers, stunning the country and resulting in changed perceptions of acceptable behavior in law enforcement. March 13, the United States Justice Department announced that Exxon has agreed to pay $1 billion for the clean-up of the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska.

Venus/Sun: August 10, 1999 to August 9, 2000
- Microsoft, the largest US software company, is found to violate US anti-trust laws
- US gives back the Panama canal, strengthening ties with Latin American countries
- US government shares technological advances with population

Main results: On October 13, 1999, the United States Senate rejected ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). On December 31, the Panama Canal comes completely under Panama's jurisdiction. March 10, 2000, the NASDAQ stock market index peaks at 5048.62, signaling the beginning of the end of the dot-com boom. April 3, in the legal case of United States v. Microsoft, Microsoft is ruled to have violated United States antitrust laws by keeping "an oppressive thumb" on its competitors. May 2, Bill Clinton announces that GPS access equivalent to the U.S. military would be available for regular citizens. June 1, the multilateral Patent Law Treaty (PLT) is signed. July 20, the leaders of Salt Lake City's bid to win the 2002 Winter Olympics are indicted by a federal grand jury for bribery, fraud, and racketeering.

Conclusion
While it is sometimes hard to disentangle period and transit influences in a chart as well as the ever present natal influences, it is nevertheless possible to discern certain salient influences during the Sun periods in the SAMVA USA chart. The Sun tends to bring out the authority of the US government at home, bringing order to the national life when it seems to be sorely needed, but also the massive influence and stature of this country abroad. Indeed, with such a strong Sun, the USA has earned the title of 'Superpower'. Moreover, as the Sun is the 2nd lord, which rules wealth, it is no surprise the country has also been termed an "Empire of Wealth." These energies find their way into the national life most prominently during the Sun periods.

References
Wikipedia articles on various subjects