Venus with mars

I guess I understand.

But since mercury is the planet of managing what we have, and of "packaging" and defining things. Of maintenance (since it is related to Vishnu), I have trouble seeing how Jaimini sees it as a manifestor.

I'm not actually disagreeing with Jaimini or you/y'all. I like these philosophical conversations. Thinking and learning out loud. Venus ruling water and air is the essence of life. Venus is the seed or germ. I know why Jaimini sees it as representing the father. I also see how Venus is involved in death and birth and recycling of the life force on Earth. 

I guess shukra, prenatal jing and chi, cannot simply be created. It is inherited, passed on, given, and/or spent/wasted, exchanged, or recycled in genetics, and in our relationship with the environment. But I guess that is not the same as simply manifesting bhavas, events, and tangible things.

I can definitely understand how Jupiter is a manifesting planet though and that is even true on a literal level, as Jupiter probably jump-started life on Earth in the early days of the solar system when it was close.

And it has taken me a long time to get acclimated to authentic traditional Jyotish's attributions to Mercury vs modern "pop Vedic Astrology" and also western astrology.

I like the mysteries of the "basics" and the philosophical foundations of astrology, and the "how" of it all the more than the advanced stuff. It is less boring.

All manifestations are ultimately created by the sun. I think it is because Mercury is closet to the sun and because Jupiter actually moves the sun around in its orbit, so these are so intimately connected to the sun the creative force.