In the previous two posts I sought to explain the astrological chart in Jyotish (Hindu Astrology). I tried to give a clear idea of how the chart has a reality in space projected from the earth and that the 12 houses in the chart representing different aspects of ones life are essentially directional. We studied the placement of the Zodiac Signs in the 12 Houses for an individual who we selected for our case study. We then studied the regions of the chart and the ownership of the Signs by planets which has a central significance in Jyotish astrology. Finally we studied the placement of planets and their value as emerging for the chart in question. the idea was to give interested lay men some understanding of a complex discipline. I now propose to give a House by House assessment of the individual chart in question. For those who have not seen the earlier posts it may be useful to do so to be able to follow the presentation now being made.
The First house is called the ‘Lagna’, the connection, in Jyotish astrology. It shows the connection of the incarnating soul to the mortal world. It is also called the House of birth and the ‘Ascendant’, meaning the Zodiac Sign which ascends on the horizon at the birth of a particular subject. It represents the bodily vehicle which the soul has been assigned to inhabit, to discharge the fruits of its past Karmas and to engage in fresh Karmas in the course of its journey of 48 million incarnations (according to Hindu scriptures) to eventual enlightenment and reunion with the Absolute Essence – truth, Consciousness and Beauty (Satyam – Shivam – Sundaram). The nature of that vehicle consisting of the body and mind, is represented by the First House; its shape, appearance, size, health,character, temperament and personality. It also represents the early stages of life and longevity of the subject.
Our chosen subject was born in the Sign Cancer ( not according to the solar calendar, where the Sign at birth in which the Sun was at birth is taken as the birth Sign, but according to the Hindu system of astrology, where the Zodiac Sign rising at birth on the horizon is taken as the birth Sign), the Kark Rashi or Cancer in this case. The very fact of birth in Cancer confers a sensitive and creative nature, mild and introverted, friendly, slender of build, potential; to be prosperous, intelligent, spiritually inclined, compassionate and generous. Lord Rama’s birth sign is also believed to have been Cancer. The ancient scriptures provide the key to these interpretations. This emerging picture based on the Zodiac Sign in the first House, will however be modified and amplified by other factors introduced by planetary influences.
The consideration of the First House is always most important. As they say, well begun is half done. If the First House is ‘spoilt’, it becomes an impossible task for the rest of the Horoscope to repair the damage. If the elements going to influence the First House are positive it will be a real head start for the life of the subject in question.
We have seen that the Moon is going to play a positive role in this Horoscope. Not only is it only the Lord of the Ascendant (Cancer), the sign at birth in the First house – it is also the ‘Strongest’ planet for the chart, determined on the basis of complex calculations of position, location, strength and association with other planets, but the First House has been adjudged the strongest house for the chart. Together they make for a powerful birth. We need to probe deeper. The Moon is located in Aries at birth in the Tenth House. This is good because Mars ( we saw in the earlier posts) is a powerful planet for the chart, and it is the owner of the sign Aries in which the Moon is a tenant in the tenth house( see illustration of chart above). The reason why Mars is powerful for the chart is because it owns two Signs located, one in a ‘Triangular’ House, the Fifth ( part of the holy triangle of 1st, 5th, and 9th, the most auspicious Houses in all charts) and one in the Central area (called Angular Houses). Furthermore it itself is located in the ninth House, the most auspicious house in the Holy Triangle and in the chart. According to scriptures, a planet owning one of each becomes most auspicious for extending benefits to the subject of the chart. These positive attributes acquired by Mars tend to pass on from owner of a Sign to the tenant – from Mars here, to the Moon. The Moon as owner of the Ascendant Sign Cancer in the first House receives these positive Martian attributes and passes them on to the Sign it owns, Cancer located in the First House. This becomes a superb flow of positive martian energy flowing from the ninth House of Fortune and Spirituality and past good Karmas, to the Moon and the constellation it owns and in which the subject is born.
This principle of ‘flow’ is important in Hindu astrology. One is always on the look out for the channels being established through which positive and negative energies may flow through any given chart.
Now one has to look around for other factors and influences to build further on these positive attributes or detract from them. The next important consideration is planets ‘aspecting’ (looking at ) the First House and planets aspecting the owner of the Sign in the first House.
Venus from the seventh House (180 degrees) is looking at the First House (see chart above). The Venus aspect is benign, because it is located in Capricorn, owned by Saturn which is a friend, therefore Venus is a tenant in a friendly House. when you’re in the house of a friend you are happy and in a good positive state of mind. Venus is also in an ‘exchange’ of Houses with its friend Saturn, meaning that both friends are in each others’ Houses as tenants. this in astrology is considered a ‘special relationship’, which makes both more than happy. This positive energy from Venus then ‘flows’ into the first house to enrich it. Saturn, the friend’s philosophic nature thus passes from it to its friendly tenant Venus and onwards to the first house it is aspecting.
Jupiter is also aspecting Venus in the seventh House. Jupiter is significator of wisdom and knowledge and it passes these attributes to Venus and onwards to the First house. Thus the subject of the chart receives all these positive energies in its First House making it likely to be philosophical, learned and wise on account of the Saturn and Jupiter aspects and glamorous on account of the venus aspect on the first house. He is likely to have a life full of luxuries, refined sensibilities and artistic sense, lover of fine arts on account of their combined flow of energies through venus to the first House.
However, Saturn’s aspect on the First house is likely to be troublesome for the subject’s health, particularly in childhood ( as the First house represents health in early life) though its malefic influence is modified by the ‘special relationship’ formed with Venus through ‘exchange’ of houses, its conjunction with Jupiter ( both sitting together in the same House, the eleventh) and its being aspected by Mercury from the Fifth house. Furthermore as Saturn owns the Eighth House of longevity and death (Aquarius being located there which it owns – see chart above) and also aspects its own Sign in the house there, it promises a fairly long lifespan for the subject. According to scriptures, Saturn in its own house or aspecting it ceases to be a ‘killer'(Marak). If these modifications were not available, its aspecting of the House of birth would have led to the death of the subject in infancy. Yet essentially, Saturn remains malefic, even if it makes the subject more philosophically inclined and for Cancer ascendants in the Natal chart, remains an eventual ‘killer’ i.e. in the end in one of its phases (more about phases) later when the normal lifespan is ending it will be the initiator of death. In any case it portends poor heath for the subject. However in aspecting the First House, along with the modified malefic influence, it also carries the positive energy of jupiter with which it is conjunct (in same House) and Mercury with which it is in mutual aspect each looking at the other. Thus its philosophical nature with poor health) combined with jupiter’s knowledge and wisdom an Mercury’s skills with speech and writing are also passed onto the First House and help min shaping the subject’s abilities in these areas.
There remains a fuller consideration of the Moon as Lord of the ascendant, first House. a powerful and well placed Moon will give the subject prestige and power, make him a leader or administrator and involved with governance. The Moon is also significator of the mind, from creativity to lunacy. in our case study the only aspect on the Moon is that of Rahu, the Northern Lunar node, from the second house. Rahu is a deviant planet and produces a deviating mind. If the Moon was weak in the Natal chart it could lead to mental illness but as it is the most powerful planet with Mars ( in the ascendant phase on the eve of full-moon), it becomes insatiable curiosity, need to investigate and always look for a quest. But Rahu’s aspect creates an urge to taste variety, even when it is prohibited.
We have seen that those born in Cancer have a pleasant and amiable personality. The influence of Mars, as the Moon is located in its Sign, gives this pleasant personality aggressive traits, a pushing nature and vigour and zeal.
Thus from an analysis of the First House a preliminary pen picture emerges. the positives outweigh the negatives. this is a lucky man. More about him in the analysis of the second House.
astrological aspects
Search for The Soul - Indrajit Rathore 