Last Updated on May 20, 2022 by astrologerbydefault

A short post today in response to a question. What is samaagam?

There are basically five types of interactions of the planets depending on the distance between them. 

Samaagam – When a Tara graha starts coming very close, 5deg or less, to the Moon or exactly on the same degree as the Moon this is called a Samaagam. Samyak agama, an optimal or perfect coming towards. This is a good thing to have in your chart and generally gives good results but these results have to be properly understood in order to actively use them in life. Samaagam समागम means an encounter, association, union, approach, junction, gathering, company, etc in Devbhasha Samskrutam. Sun or Rahu/Ketu do not get into Samaagam.

Combust – As you know when any non-luminous planet, Tara graha, gets too close to the Sun it gets combust, Asta अस्त. This means that the Sun slowly starts evaporating this graha and starts absorbing its qualities into himself. The planet gets totally combust when both are on the same degree, it ceases to exist and the Sun becomes a composite of the Sun+planet (post here). Moon or the Rahu/Ketu do not get asta.

Nitya yog – And we have the Nitya Yog नित्य योग to exclusively define the relationship between the Sun and Moon, the two luminaries of Jyotish. These yog are calculated using the distance separating the Sun and Moon in the sky. This is an important part of the daily Panchangam readings.

Conjunction – When any two of the Tara graha, non-luminous planets, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, start coming closer to each other it starts a graha yuddha or planetary war (post here). And their coming together is called a conjunction Yuti युति.

Eclipsed – When either of the seven graha are with Rahu or Ketu, the astral planets, this condition is called ‘grast’ ग्रस्त. Rahu or Ketu have seized, captured, taken, surrounded, absorbed, possessed, eclipsed, eaten, swallowed or are tormenting these graha.

There is not much available on the samaagam interpretations, this is from what I have seen in my life.

In your practice, you will see the Moon with some other planet very often. But then you naturally think on how this other planet is affecting the Moon. eg if you see Saturn and Moon together, you will interpret this as mental fear etc, ie the effect of Saturn on the birth Moon. You will rarely analyse how being this close to the Moon is affecting Saturn and what he signifies in your life. This is what Samaagam analyses.

• eg in one example the chart had Moon samaagam Saturn. The mother was all that this combination generally signifies, overworked, chronically ill, no time for looking after child etc. And the person also was prone to fears etc which Saturn causes. But after the birth of this child, the mother suddenly got very high promotions in her job, she was overworked etc no doubt but she got very high recognition from her organisation etc. And when this person crossed 36yrs of age, ie when both Moon and Saturn got maturity, he too was able to gain a very significant promotion in his job, his emotional issues resolved and his health recovered, sort of a new life on several fronts. 

Then Moon is your mind, emotions, astral self etc. But more pertinent to Samaagam is that the Moon is really good at transferring energy. His main job is to take the energy from the source of all energy ie the Sun and reflect just that energy to you which you can actually use. He acts as a filter and removes all the harsher aspects of the Sun and allows only that part of the solar energy which nourishes, nurtures, sustains and comforts you. He gives you what you need. 

So when a Tara graha, a non-luminous planet gets really close to the Moon, he gets very close to the main source of the filtered energy, the energy he needs. And the Moon very easily transfers this to him. This tara graha gets a sustained supply of the energy he needs to perform his functions in your life. Here we are examining the effect of the Moon on the other planet. This is the subtle meaning of the Samaagam. (For the other way around, ie the effect of the planet on the Moon refer this post)

Being with the Moon energises the Tara graha concerned. If you remember the planetary friendships table (post here), Moon does not consider any of the other graha-s to be his enemies. They may consider him as a neutral, enemy or friend, but this feeling is from their side. Thus the Moon supports all the graha-s who are in Samaagam with him. If this Moon is powerful, ie exalted, with high Ashtakvarga scores, high Shadbala scores, gains more power from the Navamsha etc he can supply more positive power to the other graha.

I have observed that the Samaagam gives better results when the Moon and the other planet are on the same degree and both are of similar strength. Good results are also seen if Moon is the winner of the planetary war, ie advanced more into the sign than the other tara graha but close to him, about 5deg seems to be the limit.

In fact if you get a Samaagam in your prashna kundali it generally indicates a positive answer. Eg if your question was related to money and Venus is samaagam Moon this indicates that the answer is favourable.

If you have this in your birth chart then the things indicated by the planet approaching Moon will also remain positive in your life. For Samaagam with benefics like Jupiter, Mercury and Venus, this can also give rise to Gaja-keshari yog if its additional conditions are fulfilled. But even if the samaagam is with the natural malefics like Mars and Saturn, the keywords of these planets will be made gentler or softer to some extent. Moon is a peace loving, comfort loving and gentle graha. He might get agitated by the presence of these malefics so close to him but if it is your need he can modulate the energies of his filters to reduce their malefic effect in your life. ie for such a person if this Moon is strong then the negative effects of Mars / Saturn will be reduced in life. This will happen more visibly after the Moon matures (post here).

So if you get a chart with the Moon very close to another tara graha, do analyse how the other planet is benefiting by this proximity. There are not many books on Samaagam, thus is a good subject for research (post here)