Start with The First House
The ascendant sets the stage
There is wide agreement among the classic Vedic texts and the leading Jyotish scholars that chart analysis starts with the lagna. The 1st house is known by several names: the lagna, the ascendant, the rising sign, Tanu Bhava / Lagna Sthan, and Janma Bhava.
The lagna is the fastest-changing variable in the chart. About every 2 hours, a new sign is seen on the easternmost horizon. The lagna degree locks in the rasi, the ascendant nakshatra, D9 lagna, and all the other varga lagnas. With each new sign in the lagna, the roles of the grahas shift as the signs shift to new houses, and hence each graha owns new houses. Grahas that own the positive houses, ie, the angles and trines, may configure into a variety of yogas, i.e., combinations that can lift one into success and wealth. Grahas that own trik and maraka houses carry a potential to create problems with health, wealth, and success. Without knowing the lagna, we are severely restricted in what we can know about a chart and the grahas in it
A great first house is a clue that the individual will be high functioning, the body is strong, with good health, giving a resilience, a centered and grounded quality to the individual who will be able to rebound from life's hard knocks, and one who can utilize what comes their way. A weak 1st house may indicate a low-functioning individual who struggles to manifest their goals and is more easily blown away when life's harsh winds arrive.
The lagna is not the only indication of success and a good life. Powerful grahas in powerful yogas can lift one up to success, even with a problematic lagna. A bright and well-placed Moon is also a great blessing that can enable a chart. A powerful lagna/lord in the navamsa chart can go a long way to helping a weak lagna in the birth chart.
We can see many characteristics of an individual through their lagna and its lord: the potential, capacity, level of knowledge, status, fame, honor, livelihood, virtue, victory over enemies, nature, character, temperament, wisdom, constitution, endurance, stamina, body, appearance, head, brain, hair, health, wealth, comforts and discomforts, self-respect, peace of mind, happiness and unhappiness, detachment, virtues and vices.
The karaka qualities of any grahas conjoining the lagna/lord, or that aspect of the lagna/lord, will be seen in the character of the individual. Also, the themes of the houses these grahas own will be seen in their life. For example, if the 10th lord is in the 1st, then career may be important. If a moksha lord influences, then spirituality may be important. We always look for confluence; the more factors we see pointing to something, the more confident we are in predicting something.
The karaka, i.e., significator, of the ascendant is the Sun. A powerful and well-placed Sun is an important indicator of lagna health.
The strength of the lagna is a major factor in assessing the potential, nature, character, and health of the individual. Look for factors for strength or weakness:
Strong = exalted, retrograde, own sign, friend's sign, aspected by benefics, in positive yogas. A house is dramatically strengthened by its lord aspecting it, or being in it, or exchanging with a positive house. Also, check how the lagna / lord is doing in the D9, ashtakavarga, and in Shad Bala? Vargottama is considered a key factor by some, especially if strong. A less-used principle is that a graha in its own nakshatra will gain strength, e.g., Mercury in Ashlesha.
Natural benefic influences uplift, stabilize, strengthen, and smooth the way to success with anything they touch. The natural benefics enhance and encourage the positive qualities of the houses, naakshhatra, and graahas they touch.
The lagna lord strong in an angle or a trine is a very desirable placement. Ideally, you want the lagna lord forming desirable yogas and under the influence of strong natural benefics. The lagna lord, strong and well-aspected, will enhance any house.
Weak = debilitated, enemy's sign, in a war, combust, weak in D9, and or shad bala, aspected by malefics, in trik houses.
Natural malefic influences on any house or graha obstruct, create issues, and pose challenges with anything they touch, especially when weak. Especially Saturn. Multiple malefic influences on any house or graha are a powerful clue that there will be notable problems in that domain of life.
Strong natural malefics in good houses, in good yogas, under the influence of strong natural benefics will bring positive results, enhancing the positive karaka qualities of the malefic and the houses he owns. But the aspects of a strong natural malefic will bring issues to the houses he touches. All of this applies to a lagna lord that is a natural malefic.
Houses 6-8-12, the trik houses, are obstructive, create issues, and pose challenges to the grahas in them and to the houses/grahas that are influenced by their lords. When the lagna lord goes to a trik house, the themes of the first house are detrimented and challenges related to the themes of that house will come in some form. The placement of the lagna lord in a trik will be more difficult if it is weak and or afflicted. And even more so if the 1st house is also afflicted.
Rule of thumb: ideally, you want natural benefits in angles or trines, natural malefics in upachya houses, trik lords in trik houses
Parasara also has a set of rules that say houses 3-6-11 are malefic, etc. I'm not getting into those rules here. The lagna lord is considered a benefic to all lagnas, even if he owns a trik or kendra.
The sign the lagna and lagnaa lord are in will also share its qualities, as well as the Nakshatra the lagna degree is in, as well as the lagna lord and the Moon.
The lagna of the D9 gives us information about the features and nature of the individual through the nature of the graha that owns it, and any grahas in it or aspecting it.
Jyotish loves to spin the chart. We can make the sign that the Moon or Sun is in the first house and see how the chart looks from there. When you see something very good, or very bad, and it repeats from the Moon lagna and the Sun lagna, then we are confident it will be significant in the person's life experience. We can also look from the Moon, the Arudha lagna, the Karakamsha lagna, the dasa lagna, and more.
YOGAS
Yogas are a central factor that should always be considered in every chart. A chart with a powerful lagna and powerful yogas and a dasa where the yogas are activated will give outstanding results in that dasa. Plentiful, strong yogas can lift the chart into the stratosphere and beyond. We see this time and again in the charts of people who attain high achievements in their lives.
Look for the planets that participate in the yoga to have strength. Usually, placement in an angle or trine is more powerful, though yogas in trik houses can give positive upliftment. For example is H6-8-12 can be related to finance, debt, and mortgage businesses. Houses 6-8-12 can be a career in healthcare. H6 can be related to law, police, and military careers.
Yogas made up of weak and afflicted grahas are likely to give limited or no results. e.g., a debilitated graha in a trik aspected by malefics.
Raja Yogas: Raja Yogas indicate success, status, and achievement. The easiest and most common are made when a lord of a kendra joins the lord of a trine. There are many, many RYs to be found in the classical texts of Jyotish.
PANCHAMAHAPURUSHA: Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, or Saturn, placed in a Kendra (explicitly from Lagna, not Chandra Lagna) in Own sign or Exaltation.
24 house yogas PHALDEEPIKA - these yogas apply to every house, but here I'm just giving the good and bad of the 1st house.
Auspicious Bhava Yogas take place when: The strong lord of any bhava goes to a positive bhava (non-trik) AND the Bhava is aspected or associated with (preferably with no influence of natural malefics) by strong natural benefics, AND/OR the lord is aspected or conjoined by strong natural benefics preferably with malefic influence.
Inauspicious Bhava Yogas take place when: strong lord of any bhava goes to a negative bhava (6 8 12) AND bhava ruled is influenced by malefics (preferably with no benefic influence) by strong or weak natural malefics AND/OR the lord is destabilized by strong or weak natural malefics – preferably with no benefic influence
1-Sloka 45 : The person born In the Chamara yoga will every day be growing in importance like the waxing Moon and will be of a virtuous disposition. He will become famous, a leader of men, long-lived and a store-house of prosperity.
1-Sloka 58 : The man born in an Avayoga will be insignificant. He will suffer from extreme poverty and will be short-lived. He will be humiliated, he will associate with the wicked, will be of bad behavior and will be deformed. is position itself will be shaky.
Hemmed: A house or graha that has a natural benefic on either side is uplifted and protected, while one that has natural malefics on either side is a stressor that will bring challenges.
Shubha Kartari – Benefics 2&12 from Lagna – result confers eloquence, good health, handsome appearance, much wealth, and fame. indicate the destruction of enemies during the dasa of the planet.
Papa Katari **– Natural Malefics in 2&12 from Lagna – 'Confers criminal tendencies, ill health, unwholesome food, excessive sexual urge, intention to grab wealth of others.'
Arista - ill health, detracts from results of RY and DY: connections of Lag/LL with 6 8 12L's, esp if in H6 8 12, adding maraka L's is even worse
Lagna/Chandra Adhi Yoga – PD When the benefic planets occupy the 6th, 7th and 8th places from the Lagna or the Moon, the Yoga. according to Vyas and other ancient sages Mercury, Jupiter and Venus may be separately In the three houses or two may be in one house and the third may be in any other house (amongst 6,7 and 8) and all the three may be together in any of these three houses to meet the requirements of these three houses to form this yoga..= is a commander (Superintendent of Police or Commander of an army), a minister or a ruler (of a District or State). He will be renowned, prosperous, wealthy, long-lived and large souled. will become lord of men, will always be wealthy, will have a large number of kinsmen and whom he will feed and will be victorious over his enemies.
Sareera Soukhya Yoga Jupiter, LL, Venus all in kendras = long life, wealth, political favor
Parvata Yoga – Phaldipika 5:35 When the dispositor of the Lagna Lord is in its own house or exalted, and in Kendra or Trine from Lagna
Jatak Parijat says this yoga is formed in 2 ways:
1-benefics in angles, nothing in H8 + 12, and one planet in H9
2-lagna lord and 12th lord in mutual angles, and aspected by friendly planets.
Shankha Yoga – A) 5th and 6th Lords in mutual Kendras and LL is strong
If House, Hora and Ghatik Lagnas, their Dreshkanas and Navāmśaas, or the said Lagnas and their Navāmśaas, or the said Lagnas and their Dreshkanas receive a Aspect from a Planet, a Raja Yoga is formed.
15. If the 3 Lagnas - natal, Hora and Ghatik are occupied by Planets in exaltation, or in own Rāśi, or, if the natal Lagna, the Dreshkan Lagna and the Navāmśa Lagna have exalted Planets, Raja Yoga is formed.
Kahala Yoga – PD 5:35 If the dispositor of the dispositor of the LL is in Kendra or Trina and in Exaltation or Own Sign.
Kahala Parashara **– a) 4th Lord and Jupiter in mutual kendras and LL strong.
Chamara Yoga – A) Exalted LL occupying a Kendra and aspected by Jupiter OR B) Two benefics conjoined either in that lagna, or in the 9th house or the 7th house, or in the 10th or benefics in 1 and 9 or 7 and 10. Result – This Yoga confers Kingship or honor through a kind, eloquence, wisdom, knowledge or several subjects including sacred scriptures and a longevity of 71 years.
Paijat Yoga - dispositor of lagna lord and navamsa lagna in a kendra or trine, in own house or exalted.
Phaladeepika states that if the lagna and its karaka are afflicted by malefics and its lord occupies a trikasthana, the person leads an ordinary life, is very poor, and is insulted by others
VARGOTTAMA ACCORDING TO PHALADIPIKA:
5.7. When the Lagna and the Moon both be In Vargottama Navamsas and when the Lagna be aspected by four planets other than the Moon, the person belonging even to a low family becomes a king.
6.7. Should at birth the lord of the Lagna being Vargottama be posited in a kendra or Trikona and the lord being Vargottama be posited in a kendra or the 9th in his own sign or his sign of exaltation, the native will become a king who will occupy a beautiful golden vehicle on the back of an elephant, with chowries adorning the two sides.
Paramahansa Yogananda
Yogananda has a natural benefic Moon in his lagna, with no malefic aspect. The Lagna Lord goes to a trinal house where it forms a Bhudhaditya Yoga for intelligence, in the house of teaching, mantra, initiation, and advising. Again, we see no malefic aspect. Benefits of angles generally support success and give an agreeable and likable person.
The yogakaraka Mars, lord of a moksha house, and a trine, goes to a moksha house where he joins a powerful moksha lord, Jupiter. They both make Rajaa Yogas with Saturn. The lord of the 10th goes to a moksha house where it gets dig bala and aspects back into the 10th. His 'career' was moksha, and his teachings live on around the world to this day.
Adolf Hitler
Hitler's 7th house is full of Yogas, affliction, and conflict, all influencing his lagna, lagna lord, and karaka. While we have one natural benefit on an angle, Venus is overwhelmed by the natural malefics. Mercury, by malefic influence, acts as a lesser malefic, malefic but not a bad ass malefic like Mars and Saturn. We also don't think of Sun as so bad, but the Sun here is also overwhelmed and destabilized, hence the Sun's more undesirable qualities are brought forth. Venus is outgunned and dragged down. Malefics on the angles are said to give a lack of charm and a disagreeable personality.
Raja Yogas- Venus/Mercury, Venus/Mars, Mars/ Saturn
Dhana Yogas ($)- Venus/Mars, Venus/ Sun, Mercury/Sun, Mercury/Mars, Saturn/Mars
Arista Yogas - laagna lord under the influence of a trik lord (here Venus is with our asspected by all trik lords), a maraka lord (here Mars is both maraka lords), and a natural malefic (here we have the influence of 3 natal malefics!) harms your health, wealth, and status.
Jupiter, in his role as a natural benefic, powerfully aspects the 7th from his own sign. Yogas are strengthened by a powerful Jupiter aspect.
Jupiter in his role as the lord of 2 dustana houses 3 and 6, strongly brings the warring themes of these houses to all that is in the 7th house.
While Mars loses a war, he is also creating Ruchaca Yoga, a major PANCHAMAHAPURUSHA yoga with Mars in his own sign at an angle. Mars is the planet of war, conflict, and violence. Mars Sun is a famous leadership yoga and can be a violent combination if afflicted, and Mars Mercury is famous for making a liar. Mars, as the lord of 2 maraka houses, has an additional power to disrupt. Now add that Saturn, aspects this hot mess.
Malefics destabilize, afflict, and create their problems in accordance with their karaka qualities, especially when 2 or more gang up on a house or graha. The lagna is aspected by 2 powerful natural malefics, the Lagna Lord is under the influence of 3 natural malefics, and this troubled mess all afflicts the karaka Sun.
The power in this house is amazing. You have all of these yogas, you have an exalted Sun, Mars in its own sign, Venus, the lagna lord, wins the war, and is retrograde! All of this influences the Lagna Lord, bringing the power and the chaos of the Lagna, the Lagna Lord, and the karaka Sun. And let's add that Venus is also the afflicted 8th lord.
These patterns of power and chaos repeat from the Moon, the Sun, the Arudha Lagna, and the karakamsha lagnas
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