As the Sun stands for predicting events, we take Mesha as the Medhini lagna or the lagna for the world. The 2nd and 7th lord Venus is a Maraka for Aries. But it is in the 12th making it auspicious (Bhavartha Ratnakara 1-7). In this chart Venus is not auspicious because it has gone into retrogression in the 12th. So its Maraka properties are retained. Mars as lagna lord and lord of the 8th is in 11th aspected by the 10th and 11th lord Saturn from an inimical sign. Jupiter also turns a Maraka for Aries, for it is in the 10th from Aries (Bhavartha Ratnakara 1-3), in its sign of debility and conjoined with Rahu.

It is important to note here that Mercury, the lord of the 6th (diseases) is in the lagna with the sun and is just relieved of combustion. Mercury, who has the lordship of the 3rd house also, is in the asterism of the Maraka Venus (Bharani). The 6th house receives the aspect of the 8th lord Mars and also aspect of Jupiter from the 10th. Thus it is seen that the 6th house is considerably afflicted for the world as a whole. Had Mercury been combust at the time of New Year solar chart, we can expect an eclipse of this affliction by the Sun. But that is not to be so. The spread of some fatal disease is therefore indicated.

Identifying the disease
Let us see the kind of disease the afflicted 6th house is capable of giving. We usually go by the parts of the body indicated by Kala purusha for prediction of diseases for an individual. Here the prediction is for the world as a whole. The Solar chart must therefore cover all living things and not just man. We have two indicators in Astrology to determine the other sources. One is the Dhaatu- Moola - Jeeva indicators of planets as given in texts like Jinedramala and the other is the forms of animals associated with different signs as given in the Ayadivarga of the Vasthu Shastra.

If we go by the Jeeva indicators, the planet Mars is the signifactor for pigs. The inimical aspect of Mars on Virgo indicates an affliction connected to pigs. In this connection we can find an interesting relevance from western astrology too. Neptune plays an important role in causing epidemics. It is seen that whenever Neptune joins Saturn in Leo or opposes it from Aquarius, epidemics had broken out. In this year chart, the opposition of Neptune and Saturn is there. In addition, the close encounter of Neptune with Mars also has happened at the dawn of the Solar New Year. Neptune at 15-05 degrees Aquarius was crossed by Mars a few days before the start of the New Year. Mars as signifactor of the jeeva- pig has thus received an additional malfeasance from Neptune.

Coming to the Ayadivargas, the animal indicators of this system seems to be definitely reliable. Standard texts of Vasthu indicate certain forms for the signs, as how the signs are indicated by the limbs of kaalapurusha in general horoscopy.

The Ayadhi varga indicators can be depicted as below (this chart is used in prasna also)