http://planetarytransformation.blogspot.

in/2006/05/m
ethodology-for-vedic-chart.html
A METHODOLOGY FOR VEDIC CHART
INTERPRETATION
The following is an attempt to lay down a general method to conduct
professional chart analysis. It appears to have worked well for the author in
his practice. Notably though, it need not be the best way to interpret charts
and the astrologer must find her own way when it comes to developing a
structure with which to unravel any given chart.
Some of the more general features of interpretation are being omitted for
fear of the paper becoming unwieldy but certain crucial aspects of Jyotish
interpretation are being explained since these are not very widely used.
The author is indebted to the works of Pt. Sanjay Rath, author, scholar and
Jyotish Guru of Sri Jagannath Center. It is through assimilating the writings
of Pt. Rath that the author has been able to progress from the
fundamentals of Jyotish to a somewhat deeper understanding.

ARUDHA PADAS:
The houses as reckoned from the Lagna/ Ascendant reveal the truth about
the native. This is metaphysical reality as distinguished from precipitate
existence or visible features of life. Doubtlessly, the visible always seeks

support from and derives validity within the framework of the invisible but
they are on a different level.
Arudha Padas of the various houses reveal the external manifestations of
a given house. Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (BPHS) details the
importance of the Arudha in a separate chapter altogether. Arudha Pada of
the Lagna is called the Arudha Lagna (AL) and shows the manner in which
a native is perceived. The difference between the Arudhas and Bhavas/
Houses as reckoned from the Lagna is the same as that between the
philosophical distinction between appearance and reality. The manner of
the calculation of the Arudha is as follows: take the number of houses that
a lord of a given house has moved from that house and then take as many
houses from the lord itself. The house arrived at is the Arudha Pada of the
original house. There are exceptions to this rule. The exceptions are based
on the fact that the Arudha of any Bhava cannot be in that Bhava or in the
7th therefrom. The reason for this is that the Arudha shows what is visible
to the world at large through their physical eyes. The Real Truth might not
always be visible to the physical eyes. Thus Arudha is Maya or the veil of
illusion, at least as taken from the standpoint of the Ultimate Reality. In
case the lord of a Bhava is placed in that Bhava, take the 10th therefrom
as the Arudha. In case the lord of a Bhava is placed in the 4th from that
Bhava, the 4th itself is the Arudha. In case the lord of a Bhava is placed in
the 7th from that Bhava, take the 10th from the Bhava as the Arudha of
that house. Truth and Appearance cannot coincide in the same Bhava or
even in the 7th as 1st and 7th Houses embody the Truth.
Various dicta in Maharshi Parashara's immortal classic show that
auspicious linkages between the Arudhas and the Bhavas as reckoned
from the Lagna confirm the strength of the chart at hand. If the innate
reality of the chart as seen in the Bhavas from Lagna matches well with

the Bhavas as reckoned from Arudha Lagna or Arudha Padas of good

house fall in appropriate places, then we can have many fortunate
elements in the chart. To illustrate some of the things said, one may
imagine the lord of the Lagna to be in the 2nd House from the Lagna. Thus
the Arudha Lagna shall be in the 2nd from the Lagnesh/ Lord of Lagna. In
other words the AL shall be in the 3rd House from the Lagna. This shall
open avenues for detailed interpretation of the personality of the native.
Depending on the sign in the 3rd, the native may be perceived in a certain
manner. This would also be contingent upon the nature of the planet
placed therein. The reader is aware that the 3rd House, like any other
Bhava embodies many things. Thus, it will take a detailed investigation as
to what precise feature of the 3rd House is associated with the visible
person of the native. It may be valour or cowardice, closeness with the
siblings, communications expertise, being a team man or even being
oversexed as the 3rd is also the apex of the Kama Trikona/ Trine pertaining
to Desires. Continuing with this minor example, we could also posit that a
natural benefic as the lord of Lagna is placed in the 3rd meaning that the
native is actually peace loving but if a natural malefic is placed in the 3rd
from the AL, that is in the 5th House from the Lagna, we might say that
despite the fact he is gentle in real terms, he is still perceived as a brave
and aggressive person. In this way the differences between the Bhavas
from Lagna and the Arudha Lagna can be understood.
The location of the Arudha Lagna from the Lagna will show where the
image is fed from and in which areas of real life it derives its strength and
classification. The location of fortunate Padas like the Bhagyapada (A9) or
the Arudha of the 9th House in good places from the Lagna augurs well for
the chart. The 9th House is fortune, luck and divine protection and the A9
will show the visible manifestations of these areas. Thus, if such a Pada is
in the Lagna for instance, it may mean that other features of the chart

notwithstanding, life shall always be associated with visible forms of

fortune or higher learning, association with the Guru, judges, lawyers and
with the objects that show the highest manifestation of human thought.
Suppose, that is such a chart, Shakata Yoga/ Location of Jupiter in the 6th
or 8th from the radical Moon or some other such negative feature is
present. One may still be sure that life will manifest luck whenever the
adverse features are not being overly activated by malefic transit or
Dashas.
To understand Arudha further, let us say that the 10th Lord in a chart is in
the 11th House. This is a reality scenario that would promise earnings from
self-exertions and suppose other features are favourable, could indicate a
very good Yoga for the career. The reason is simple. The 11th Bhava from
the Lagna would show the fulfillment of desires and all round gains. It is
the Bhava for networking and extroversion, where the native is able to feel
optimism and the pleasure element. This is important as pleasure is the
gloss of the world. Of course there are very many other features of the
11th House, like its location of 4th from the 8th Bhava of occult and hidden
knowledge, mystery schools, Jyotish etc. Thus the 11th would also show
formal study of the literature that is seen from the 8th House. Further if the
Atmakaraka (AK)/ the Graha farthest advanced by degrees in any sign is
placed here, or if the Rashi 10th Lord is associated with the 8th Bhava in
the Navamsha Chakra, the study of the occult or Jyotish Vidya is assured.
In this situation, the Arudha of the 10th House would always be in the 12th
House from the Lagna since the 10th Lord is in the 11th. A10 in the 12th
House from Lagna could show, on the one hand that the actual place of
work is being renounced by the real self. In a criminal chart it may mean
underhand activity at the place of work since the 12th House from Lagna
could indicate anti-social activity and crime. The other consideration would
be to see where the A10 falls relative to the AL. This would indicate the

visible link between the image of the native and the way his official place of
work is perceived in relation to him. Suppose that the A10 in this case
happens to fall in the 9th House from the AL. In this case, one of the
possible interpretations could be that for the world at large, the workplace
involves a heavy element of grace or that the native is thought to be lucky
in being where he is. The native on the other hand may have suffered
hardship as the A10 is in a Dusthana from the Lagna.
The lord of the A10 relative to the Lagna and the AL will also show several
things. If it is exalted and well-placed from the Lagna, it will show fortunate
application of creative intelligence/ energy as a Graha would do for the
purposes of attaining an adequate place of work that would prove worthy
for the real self. Suppose, the lord of A10 in this case is exalted in the 10th
House from Lagna. This will predispose the nativity to celebration of the
workplace in real terms as the 10th from Lagna is the zenith of the chart.
As the 12th Lord exalted from Lagna, it will instill either delay,
separativeness or some difficulty as well. As 12th Lord, it may send the
native off to foreign lands for official work. Just by way of information, if this
occurs for Simha/ Leo Lagna, Parashara says that the Moon as the 12th
Lord exalted in the 10th is a Rajayoga.
This exalted planet in the 10th from Lagna should also be seen from the
AL to show how the intelligence that appropriates the place of work is
being perceived by others who are aware of the life of the native. For
example, if this lord of A10 happens to be in the 7th from AL, it will give a
Rajayoga for undying fame according to Parashara. Exalted planets in the
7th from the AL show that personal interaction is elevated and the fame of
the native shall remain even after he has passed away. It could also show
either gain from partnerships as the world sees it or gains through the
marriage at a visible level.

It can be appreciated that these techniques take chart interpretation to

newer levels where additional information is forthcoming.
Upapada Lagna (UL) is the Arudha of the 12th House and shows the
external manifestations of the spouse. For subsequent alliances, the 8th
from the previous UL ought to be considered. The location of the UL and
the UL Lord both from the Lagna and the AL should be analysed. There is
a distinction between the UL and the Darapada/ A7. The UL pertains to
marriage as it is the Arudha of the 12th House which is loss of the matters
relating to the self. Marriage is a relationship that involves relegating one's
own self to the background in favour of the relationship. The Darapada is
the external manifestation of the matters of the 7th House, partners,
interaction and sexual behaviour. In the Rashi Chakra and the Navamsha,
the A7 will indicate details of the native's sexual life. If the UL is well placed
from the AL but the A7 is in a Dusthana, the couple may live together but
sexual happiness may be lacking in the relationship. If the Lord of the UL
is exalted in Rashi and Navamsha, it will indicate a spouse from a family
more elevated conventionally than that of the native. And vice versa. If
there is connection between the Darapada and the UL, the marriage may
have resulted from prior intimacy. Parashara has laid down rules to judge
the longevity of the marriage. While the UL shows the spouse, the 2nd and
the 7th Houses from the UL, just as they do for the Lagna, show the length
of that particular marriage. Thus, if the 2nd from the UL is afflicted by
malefics or debilitated Grahas, the length of the marriage is suspect. The
strength of these indicators ought to be checked in the Navamsha and the
Navamsha UL and other Padas should be evaluated independently of the
Rashi chart as well.
In the same way, the other Arudhas have to be judged from the natal
Lagna and the AL. The Dhanpada / A2 is the physical manifestation of

assets of a movable nature. Its location from the Lagna and AL is of

importance in judging the overall wealth of the chart. Thus, the Arudha
Padas are invaluable in estimating propensities in the chart.

THE CONCEPT OF ARGALA:

Argala means intervention or influence. The 2nd, 4th and 11th signs from
a particular Bhava have primary Argala on that place and the same can be
said for planets posited therein. The concept of Argala can be applied to
planets as well. The 5th and the 8th Houses have Secondary Argala and
this influence exerts itself it ways that are less conspicuous than those of
the Primary Argala. These Argalas are obstructed by planets and signs in
the same place from the original sign or planet under consideration,
counted in reverse. Thus, the Argala caused by factors of the 2nd House,
whether sign/ planet is obstructed by the factors of the 12th House from
the planet or sign, since it is but the 2nd counted in reverse. Similarly, the
Argala caused by the 4th is obstructed by the 10th House from the planet/
sign since the 10th is but the 4th counted in reverse. In the same way
obstruction for all Argalas, whether Primary or Secondary, should be
understood. The Argala caused by natural malefics causes Papargala or
malefic intervention and that caused by natural benefics is Shubh Argala
or benefic intervention. The Argala caused by signs and planets in the 3rd
from a reference point is called Special Argala and this cannot be
obstructed.
The importance of Argala is acute. Consider a chart with Dhanu/
Sagittarius Lagna rising. (Birth details withheld for reasons.) Though the
Lagna and the 7th are afflicted by exalted Nodes, the Vimshottari Dasha
sequence is Guru-Budh/ Jupiter-Mercury. Jupiter is the retrograde Lagna

Lord in Pisces in the 4th House causing Hamsa Mahapurusha Yoga and
Budh is the retrograde 7th and 10th Lord in the 10th House causing
Bhadra Mahapurusha Yoga. Even though Budh is the Badhakesh/
Obstructing agent for Dhanu Lagna, its exaltation in the 10th House ought
to be a very good placement. The Moon is exalted in a Vipreeta Raja Yoga
in the 6th House from the Lagna as the 8th Lord of the chart. Mars, the 5th
Lord of the chart is in the 11th House of gains and is excellently placed as
a natural malefic in the 11th House. Even though Sade-Sati has been
going on for the chart, the real source of the terrible financial and other
troubles in the chart is the Retrograde Saturn in the 2nd House. Saturn
has unobstructed malefic Argala on the Lagna. Thus health and the
personality would carry attributes of Saturn. It would also show a lot of
nicotine and alcohol consumption as Saturn in the 2nd House would
impact the personality from the 2nd House of food and other intake in a
malefic sign Capricorn. This is also the cause of non-accumulation of
wealth and movable assets. As the lord of the 2nd in the 2nd House,
Saturn, empowered as a retrograde malefic gives grave and controlled
speech, especially since Mercury, the significator of speech, is exalted.
The main point is that the malefic Argala of Saturn causes paucity of
money and makes the personality emaciated and otherwise Saturnine.
There is also a malefic Argala on the 4th House of family life, since Saturn
in the 2nd is in the 11th House from the 4th. This is obstructed by the
benefic Argala of the exalted Moon. The native may want to
psychologically transform the domestic environment and would probably
succeed since the Moon is more powerful than Saturn in exaltation. But
Saturn would also not be defeated easily due to its retrogression in
Capricorn. The wisdom and optimism of Guru wants to assert itself
through the Argala on the Lagna from the 4th House but the trade minded
and fickle Mercury corrupts the purity of Jupiter by obstructing the Argala.
This also manifests as verbal jugglery to get out of trouble at the cost of

principles. Mars has an unobstructed malefic Argala on the Lagna, making

for rage and violence in the personality.
Thus Argala explains some surprising features of life that may not seem
explicable merely by an analysis of some of the best Yogas in charts.

RASHI DRISHTI/SIGN ASPECTS:

These must be used along with the better known planetary aspects. All
mutable signs aspect each other by sign sight while all movable and fixed
signs aspect each other except the one adjacent. Thus, the fixed sign
Taurus would aspect all the other movable signs: Cancer, Libra and
Capricorn but not Aries since it is adjacent to Taurus. Sign aspects are
permanent influences and are a mode of awareness. Signs and planets
aspecting each other by sign sight are aware of each other and are thus
deeply conditioned by mutual influences. Planetary influences, by contrast
show the desire of the planet to influence things. To be sure, this is a
powerful way of life events unfolding but shall depend upon the power of
the aspecting planet. Thus, only when a planet is sufficiently strong/ weak
is its aspect felt properly. Sign aspects always make themselves felt.
NARAYAN DASHA:
This is by far the most potent predictive tool in the planetary periodicity
schemes along with the Vimshottari Dasha. This is a Dasha/ periodicity of
signs. Its computation is beyond the scope of this paper but the same can
be learnt from the appropriate text books. Narayan Dasha lays down the
plan that the Sustaining Forces have for the native. In that sense, they are
deterministic in nature. While the Vimshottari is individual centric, the

Narayan Dasha fosters events that visit the native regardless. The Dasha
is to be judged relative to the Lagna, Arudha Lagna and also with the
Dasha Rashi taken as the Lagna. The rising of the Rashi is also relevant.
For Sheershodaya Rashis/ Rising Head First, the results of the Rashi are
felt in the first one third of the period while the other two periods of a third
each of the overall period depend upon which of the following factors is
more benefic: the Lord of the sign on the one hand and the planets
conjoining or aspecting the Dasha sign on the other. Pisces gives results in
the middle third while the Prishthodaya Rashis/ Rising Hind First reverse
the sequence of the sequence given above. The transit of Saturn and
Jupiter relative to the Dasha sign can be relevant. Determination of
Antardashas/Sub-Periods is beyond the scope of the present effort. The
idea is to emphasise the importance of this Dasha. For example, in the
author's chart, Kanya/ Virgo Narayan Dasha started from June, 2004 but
since Shani was in Kantak position in the 10th House from the Dasha
Rashi, the results of the Rashi could not obtain fully. Kantak implies a
thorn, where even a lion walks with a limp. Kantak is the location of Saturn
in the first, eighth and tenth house from either Lagna, Moon, AL or the
Narayan Dasha Rashi. But just as Saturn moved out of Gemini, the 10th
from the Dasha Rashi and due to the transit of Jupiter, the Vimshottari
Dasha lord over the Mantrapada/ A5, certain important remedial measures
could be performed which led to obstacles being almost miraculously
removed. Narayan Dasha Rashi being in the 2nd from Lagna and 11th
from AL has brought gains and certain positives for the family. From the
Dasha Rashi, there is Hamsa Yoga and Bhadra Yoga as well as a
Dharmakarmadhipati Yoga/Yoga of the 9th and 10th Lords, in the 10th
House from the Dasha Rashi. This has been instrumental in dissolving a
work imbroglio that had persisted throughout the Sade-Sati, i.e., for 7
years and more.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS:
Jaimini astrology is to be applied simultaneously with Parashara's BPHS.
The Sutras/ dicta in Maharshi Jaimini's Upadesha Sutra (MJUS) are
invaluable for Jyotish practice. Insights into the Saptamsha/ D-7 chart and
Navamsha are just some of the examples that are dealt with in detail.
Certain features described in this paper are to be exercised in association
with the generally known factors like Yogas, placements of planets and
functional or natural status of Grahas. This might yield fuller chart
interpretations.
ANURAG SHARMA
ADVOCATE
NEW DELHI, INDIA.
WEB: http://www.planetarytransformation.blogspot.com/
MOBILE: 9350913639