The matters relating to children are to be seen from Saptamsa, this includes gender, sequence, when they are

born, any danger to their health/life, general wellbeing. A yoga formed with regard to the childs paka may be present in the child horoscope as well. 1) Identify the Saptamsa lagna. If the lagna is an odd lagna, we go clockwise. If the lagna is an even lagna, we go counter clockwise. 2) The first child is seen from the 5th house from the lagna - counting in the appropriate direction as in (1) For example =========== Aries (odd) as Saptamsa lagna - the first child is seen from Leo (5th in clockwise) Taurus (even) as Saptamsa lagna - the first child is seen from Capricorn (5th in counter clockwise) The subsequent children are seen from the 3rd from the 5th in the same direction. So for Aries the children are seen as Leo, Libra, Sagittarius etc., So for Taurus the children are seen from Capricorn, Scorpio, Virgo etc., This sign can be referred to as Paka 3) Find the lord of this house - Ensure we process Mars/Ketu for Scorpio and Saturn/Rahu for Aquarius. This lord is now referred as Pakesha. 4) Find the placement of this lord. (Pakesha) This placement is now referred to as Bhoga The general rule is as follows If the Pakesha placed in the following rasis then the gender is as below. 1) Aries gives male children 2) Taurus, Gemini gives female children 3) Cancer, Leo gives male children 4) Virgo gives female children 5) Libra gives male children 6) Scorpio gives female children 7) Sagittarius gives male children 8) Capricorn, Aquarius gives female children 9) Pisces gives male children The gender does follow odd/even for most part - except for Pisces, Aquarius, Gemini and Cancer where they are reversed.

5) Exaltation and Debilitation When the Pakesha is exalted or with exalted planets usually enhances the gender towards male. When the Pakesha is debilitated or with debilitated usually enhances the gender towards female.

6) Association of Pakesha. The following planets associating with Pakesha influence the following genders. Sun, Jup, Mars, Rahu gives male gender Moon, Venus, Ketu gives female gender Saturn, Mercury no net influence. When these associating planets are exalted or debilitated then also the gender influence gets changed accordings (exalted male, debilitated female) For example ======== for Leo Lagna; Jupiter as the first child indicator is placed in Pisces Jupiter alone - indicates male Jupiter with Venus (exalted in Pisces) - indicates male Jupiter with Moon (in Pisces) - indicates a female Jupiter with Moon (in Taurus moon exalted) - indicates a male 7) When Ketu is in the Paka - The final findings of gender is to be reversed. 8) Take the parivarthana into account as well For example say for Capricorn Ascendant The first child is seen from Virgo, lord Mercury. If Mercury is placed in Sagittarius - then we may conclude a male child. (Sagittarius) But if Jupiter is placed in Virgo - then the child may be a female child (Virgo) Here Jupiter acts like Mercury as gives results of Virgo. 9) Continue to count in steps of 3. Rahu in the paka can cause delay or even miscarriages or if more malefics are involved can stop any more children. Aspect of Jupiter or Venus on such a placement of Rahu usually help in tiding over. So if Rahu is placed in the 5th house (first child), there may be a few miscarriages or lost pregnancy. But if Jupiter is aspecting then the finally the pregnancy progresses well. Rahu/Ketu usually ends the sequence of children. 10) Find the number of children based on the Navamsas gained by the fifth lord. 11) To find out the happiness from children, Take the fifth lord in Rasi chart and see how it placed in the Saptamsa chart. Placement of this lord in dusthanas may indicate not much happiness from children. ===============================================

How do we find children from multiple marriages =============================================== To begin with the 5th is the 11th from the 7th (gain from the marriage) For Odd Ascendants - the 7th house is also odd, so the 11th house is in normal direction (Leo) For Even Ascendants - the 7th house is also even, so the 11th house is in opposite direction (Capricorn) This is why we take the fifth in clockwise or counter clockwise direction. For subsequent marriages take the 8th from the 7th as the basis and then check the 11th from there ensure clockwise or counter clockwise. For example Lagna Aries, First marriage - Libra. First child - Leo. Second child - Libra, Sagittarius . . . Second marriage - Taurus (8th from Libra) First child (from second marriage) - Cancer Second child - Virgo, Scorpio . . . Lagna Taurus, First marriage - Scorpio. First child - Capricorn. Second child - Scorpio, Virgo . . . Second marriage - Gemini (8th from Scorpio) First child (from second marriage) - Aries Second child - Gemini, Leo . . . *****************

(Ref: http://www.lightonvedicastrology.com/phpBB3_0/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3982#p19461 )