Understand the 12 houses in Astrology: strengthen your Jyotish fundamentals
A birth chart consists of twelve houses in astrology, which represent all possible aspects of a human life. These houses are also called Bhava in Jyotish. They cover everything from a person’s birth and childhood to their youth, old age, and even life after death or salvation.
Each of the 12 houses holds a multitude of meanings and has specific significance in astrology, which are explained below:
Significance and Meaning of 12 Houses in Astrology
First House in Vedic Astrology: Beginning/starting, birth, risen one, physical body, appearance, sunrise, sense of identity, character, innate nature, ideals, principles, knowledge (person need not have taken formal education but knows), fame, strength, vigor, health, happiness/unhappiness, head.
Second House in Vedic Astrology: Family, family values, extended family, neighbors, accumulated or stored wealth (all kinds of material assets: jewels, paper assets, money, all other objects of material value), food, speech, ethics, capacity to last in sexual acts or sex drive, 2nd marriage, speech, right eye, face, storage things or places, tendency to accumulate, death trap, loss of vitality, master’s level higher education.
Third House in Vedic Astrology: Valor, bravery, drive, initiative, vitality, heroism, firmness and patience, courage, younger brothers/sisters, all kinds of written communication, act of sexual union, aggression, advice of guru (guru updesha), guru initiatory instructions (Diksha), short travel, death of father, fall of righteousness (Dharma), right ear, shoulder and hands, bad/disturbing thoughts that provoke aggression.
Fourth House in Vedic Astrology: Mother, land, property, house, home, home-country, vehicles, cattle, lower or underworld (patal), childhood friends, relatives, comforts, heart, purity, chastity, happiness, sense of direction in life, musical instruments, formal education(primary), midnight, Kali Gayatri.
Fifth House in Vedic Astrology: Power, following, children, subordinates, special instruments (yantra), sacred sounds (mantra), retained knowledge, brilliance of brain, abilities, judgment, wisdom, management, organization, planning, loss or gains of kingdom/ position, emotions, people one is emotionally attached to, stomach. Speculation: intelligent analysis of an uncertain situation. This house is called special wealth as it gives blessings in the form of abilities from good works done in past life.
Sixth House in Vedic Astrology: Service, servants, obstacles, overcoming the obstacles, litigations, fights, opposition, enemies, disease (of external origin), accidents, wounds, ulcers, celibacy, separation in marriage, stepmother, younger siblings of mother.
Seventh House in Vedic Astrology: Desire in general, sexuality, sexual partners, business, business partners, the external door of your personality or interaction with the others/world, long travel, things vanishing away or stolen away from native, sunset, death, sexual organs.
Eighth House in Vedic Astrology: Debts, loans, unearned wealth, inheritance (wealth of dead people), the wealth of partner, gains via lottery, gambling, occult knowledge (all which is not explicable by present-day “natural laws” or beyond ordinary understanding or called mysterious knowledge like Jyotish, palmistry, tantra, clairvoyance, etc..), hidden places/things, secrecy, secret services, secret groups, secret societies, sins, spying, research, transformation, changes, retirement, death/longevity, information about past and future lives, impediments, struggle, disgrace, failure, setback, disappointments, dissatisfaction, disease, uncertainties, trouble, tension, worries, loss of luck or misfortune, forts, fierce battle, holes, hard work, tapasya, toilet or cleansing places, evil (khar), anus or excretory organs, alternative sex, the break of marriage, severe tensions in marriage.
Ninth House in Vedic Astrology: Father, teacher (guru), boss (in the workplace), luck, religiosity, dharma, righteousness, law meritorious deeds, philanthropy, pilgrimages, responsibility, respect for guru/elders, higher education (bachelors level), long travel, place of worship (temple, church, mosque), global vision. This house is also called special wealth and gives blessings from good works done in past life.
Tenth House in Vedic Astrology: Achievements, success, career, honor, position or rank in profession, heaven.
Eleventh House in Vedic Astrology: Income, gains, benefits, profits, elder siblings, friends, friendship, growth, fulfillment of desires.
Twelfth House in Vedic Astrology: End, all rehabilitation centers or healing places (hospitals, jails, clinics, mother’s lap for a baby, bedroom/bed), bondage, ashrams, monasteries, hostels, donation, expenditure, losses, sharing, compromise, voluntarily giving up something, charity, humility or humbleness, commitment, bed pleasures (sexual activities), foreign land, travel to faraway places, travel in space, meditation, detachment, renunciation, moksha, liberation or independence, emancipation, feet, left eye, secret enemies, your astrologer, your life partner: whom you are committed to and with whom you share everything.
♦ The first, fourth, seventh, and tenth houses are called Quadrants, they are Shri Vishnu Sthana. They show effort. The 10th house is considered the strongest quadrant in any birth chart, then comes the 7th house, then the 4th house. Among quadrants, the first house is the weakest of all.
♦ The first, fifth, and ninth houses are called Trines, they are Laxmi Sthana. They show the blessings of mother Laxmi. The 9th house is considered the strongest trine in any birth chart, then comes the 5th house, then the 1th house. Among trines, the first house is the weakest of all.
An auspicious Yoga is formed by the combinations of quadrant and trine house lords. It is called Laxmi Narayan Yogas in Vedic Astrology. The ascendant or the 1st house is both a quadrant and a trine both, hence it is very auspicious.
♦ The third, sixth, tenth and eleventh houses are called Upachaya in Jyotish. They show growth
Watch Astrology Video Lesson on Upachaya.
♦ The second, fifth, eighth and 11th houses are called Panaphara houses in astrology.
♦ The third, sixth, ninth and twelfth houses are called Apoklima houses in astrology.
♦ The sixth, eighth and the twelfth houses are called Trik Bhavas in Jyotish. These are malefic houses and show difficult and undesirable things in life.
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