Vedic Astrology

Ascendant or the rising sign is often considered one of the most important aspects of Vedic astrology. The sign which rises in the east direction at the time of the birth of an individual, as relatively seen from the place of the individual’s birth, is called the ascendant sign or the rising sign. Why Ascendant? The ascendant is the most important and powerful sign in the natal chart. In some cases, the Chandra Lagna (Moon Sign) is also considered important depending upon which out of the Moon and the Lagna/Ascendant is more powerful – in terms of its lord’s placement, whether it is a Waxing (Shukla Paksha) or Waning Moon (Krishna Paksha), the Shadbala of the sign concerned, etc. The reason why perhaps the sages of the old chose to have the Ascendant house (and the sign therein) as the most important house is that it is the closest (in terms of the celestial setup) to the individual concerned. Either that or the Moon would potentially decide the overall fate of the individual, along with the other planets, the placements, aspects, conjunctions, and so on. This ascendant sign and house, as mentioned, is regarded as the first house of the horoscope which indicates the overall personality of the individual. Ascendant not only shows the rising/first sign but also lays the sequence for the consecutive houses. Ascendant helps in calculating major events in the person’s life as a result of the signs falling in the subsequent houses and the planets placed in those signs. Many crucial future events are predicted by analyzing ascendants with other houses and the placement of their lords. This is also known as the first house or Tanu bhava which represents the physique of the person. The head, temperament, personality, behaviour, etc. and facets of each and every aspect of one’s life are associated with the ascendant, along with the houses specified to that aspect. For example, an astrologer cannot judge the career of a person merely by looking at the 10th house and its lord but also has to take into account the placement of the ascendant lord and the ascendant rising sign. Significators & The Analog Chart The Sun is the natural significator or karaka of the first house (irrespective of the sign falling in the first house) and the first house represents the body, appearance, personality, face, health, character, temperament, intellect, longevity, fortune, honour, dignity, prosperity, among many other things. Analogue Chart or Kaalpurush Kundali is the natural/default zodiac chart wherein the Aries sign falls in the first house, the Taurus sign falls in the second house, and so on. In an analogue chart or Kaalpurush Kundali, the first house represents the zodiac sign Aries ruled by Mars. Mars also rules the eighth house in the Analog chart where the Scorpio sign falls. Mars represents valour and when it is prominently placed in a chart – can render the individual short-tempered and impulsive. Saturn gets debilitated in the first house for Aries ascendant and hence the first house often represents all things which aren’t the significations of Saturn or those indicators which are outside of Saturn’s domain. Mercury and Jupiter get directional strength when placed in the ascendant sign. The Sun gets exalted in the Aries zodiac sign and works as a yoga karaka planet for Aries Ascendant, hence the placement of the Sun in evil houses isn’t considered negative by many authors, sages, and astrologers. The first house is always auspicious and its ruler is considered a functional benefic for the individual concerned. Areas of the First House/Ascendant The major areas of life or one’s persona that can be checked from the Lagna or the ascendant house are: Appearance – As the Ascendant represents the overall appearance of an individual, one can know about the individual stature, position, fame, and characteristics of the native. Reference houses are the second house, third house, and the house where the ascendant lord is placed. Health – It shows your health and indicates the disease and wellness in your future. It shows how healthy you are going to be throughout your life. Reference houses are the sixth house, the eighth house, the twelfth house, their lords and the relative placements, and the house where the ascendant lord is placed. Personality – It reveals your personality and what kind of aura and personality you will carry in your life and reveals the basic personality traits that a person possesses. Facial attributes – It reveals the structure of your face whether you have an oval or round or square-shaped face – it also depends on the zodiac sign and the placement of the ascendant lord and/or the planets if placed in the first house. However, one should, more importantly, consider the 2nd house, its lord (whether a benefit or a malefic) and its placement to ascertain further about facial contours. The natural Karaka of one’s face/beauty is Venus and the significator of the 2nd house is Jupiter – hence their positions/placements/aspects should also be considered. Intellect – It shows your intellect and mind and your thinking capability to solve problems and it indicates the native’s intellectual capacity. Reference house is the 5th house, the planets placed therein, and the placement of the 5th house lord in the chart. Also, the natural Karaka of the 5th house i.e. Jupiter and the natural Karaka of intelligence i.e. Mercury needs to be looked at. Prosperity and Fortune -The ascendant house also indicates the overall prosperity and fortune of an individual and any future prospects of success in terms of earning money/wealth. However, this consideration should be made only after involving the 2nd, 4th, and 11th houses, their lords’ placements, and any beneficial aspects. The significator of wealth, i.e., Jupiter too shall play a significant role in this determination. For success/fame, the positioning of the Sun and the ascendant lord should be considered. To conclude, for all the aforementioned aspects of life, the other houses/significators/lordships have to be analysed in accordance with the ascendant