BADHAKA STHANA AND ITS LORD, IN JYOTISH BY ROHINIRANJAN Crystal Pages August 2011 INTRODUCTION: Badhaksthana is a rather interesting

ng concept that shows up in Brihat Parasar Hora Shastra and other jyotish reference texts. Prashnamarga goes into some more details than BPHS does and introduces the concept of using the arudha lagna as opposed to lagna and introduces other concepts that increase the numbers of houses that can be treated as badhak sthanas which is perhaps something not to be taken literally, at least not from the natal chart perspective which most definitely Prashna Marga is not about! The same caveat goes for the adage that badhakadhipati (lord of badhaka sthana) is bad only if it is Kharesh (lord of the 22nd drekkana from lagna, considered a very malefic planet). Simply stated a certain house is considered a zone of obstacles and results in blocking or diminishing the capabilities of a planet when it is placed in that zone in the horoscope (natal, annual, horary, etc). Some choose to consider this concept in finer vargas or divisional charts too, although it is not explicitly recommended or indicated in ancient texts. Another extension implicates that the lord of the zone known as badhakesha or badhadhipati is a negative planet. Again, this is a modern interpretation and has practical difficulties when astrology is applied to real charts (applied astrology as opposed to academic astrology). BADHAKSTHANA: This zone of obstacles is determined based on the dynamic property of the rising sign. Signs have been described to be of three dynamic natures or states: 1. Fixed or Sthira: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius 2. Movable/Cardinal or Chara: Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn 3. Dual/mutable or Dwiswabhava: Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces When the first house (rising sign) is a fixed sign then the 9th house is taken as the badhaksthana; when the first house contains a movable sign then the 11th house is considered to be the badhaksthana; and when the rising sign is mutable then the 7th sign is considered the badhaksthana. This scheme makes a specific chara sign badhaka when the first house holds a fixed sign, and makes a specific fixed sign badhaka when the first house contains a movable sign. In the case of mutable signs, the badhakasthana is always another mutable sign. From the perspective of the dynamic state, this makes perfect sense, because the state of fixed and movable are opposite and would tend to slow the other down or push too much and thus be counterproductive and obstructive. The mutable signs being transitory and being in a state of flux moving between fixed and movable states are on the one hand considered to be opposite at least some of the time during which the elements are in the

mutually opposite dynamic state but can also be in the same state and in such instances actually promote one another. We need to think of this in the following way: If Gemini is rising, then Sagittarius will be the badhaka sign. Both of these can be in a fixed state alternating with the movable state thus giving GeminiF, GeminiM, SagittariusF and SagittariusM. Similar two sub-states would need to be considered with Virgo and Pisces. Statisticians can perhaps derive the mathematical probability of the duration of these sub states and the chances of the two signs remaining in similar vs opposite sub-states, but we just need to understand the concept and not overanalyze the postulate. EXAMPLES PORTRAYING THE BADAHAKASTHANA INFLUENCES:

With Taurus rising, Capricorn becomes the badhaksthana where rahu, sun, gulika and retrograde mercury are placed. Lords of 2nd, 4th and 5th placed in badhaksthana denote denial of peace from home and family. Placement of 8th lord in 4th and 4th lord in 6th there from further add to the obstacles experienced by the individual in the form of imprisonment and a life as a fugitive. Despite the very high intellect and great moral prowess and valour, Netaji had a difficult life and a mysterious death. In August 1945 when he died, the dasa of Jupiter and rahu were operating. Jupiter is not only the lord of 8th but also placed in the 8th house of the drekkana as lord of the 22nd drekkana. Furthermore it is placed in the star of Venus (lagnesha) who has a nakshatra exchange sambandha with Jupiter. Rahu is placed in the 8th house in navamsha and in badhaksthana in D1. Rahu is placed in nakshatra of mars (marak) and being placed with gulika in badhaksthana, with mars in lagna and Saturn in maraksthana, the violent and mysterious nature of death makes sense. Rahu represents mysteries. His last few years (moon, mars and rahu bhuktis in Jupiter dasa) were involved in consolidating his military activities but not with its full impact. Moon is in the star of sun (in badhaksthan) where the dispositor of moon (mercury) is also placed hindering with the full expression of success. Potentials unfulfilled. Notably, the pada of gains also falls in the badhaksthana and denied personal

or lasting worldly gains to Netaji despite a strong lagnesha in the 10th and yogakaraka Saturn in the 7th house although these did ensure a lasting place for him in the annals of Indian History as one of the most notable Great Indians of all times!

In this individuals chart rahu (pitrikaraka; hence representative of 9th house matters, including father, spirituality, higher education etc.) is in the badhaksthana. During Saturn-rahu period, she contracted an illness that changed her life and resulted in a spiritual opening of a significant kind as she experienced an opportunity to explore and concentrate on her psychic gifts which became her career and brought into her life a partner (Mercury- mercury period mercury is with 7th and 12th lord Venus and giving it cancellation of debility. Her partner was a foreigner. Earlier, during Saturn-Jupiter, she had experienced legal battle during which she risked losing her house (Jupiter is in the 4th and in the 8th from rahu. Jupiter is placed in Satabhisha asterism ruled by rahu and expressed the obstructive effect of rahu. BADHAKESHA: Where badhakesha (lord of badhaksthana or badhaka house) is placed indicates responsibilities and lessons as well as opportunities for karmic learning! The teachers usually come well-prepared and the lessons while at times difficult or stressful are rendered easier if one can open up with love and be prepared to give-in, give and giveup! Detachment and surrender are the best ways to dissolve karmas and that is perhaps one of the properties of the badhakesha! Now in certain ascendants, badhakesha would also be a yogakaraka by virtue of being a lord of a Kendra and Kona. Examples would be mars for Leo rising, Venus for Capricorn, Saturn for Taurus rising. When a planet has both qualities, as in these cases, positive properties due to yogakaraka nature but the challenging function as badhakesha, then both effects fructify based on dasha, and one must do a careful examination through strengths, associations etc, as opposed to jumping to hasty conclusions. The sign and nakshatra dispositors of the badhakesha must be studied to get valuable insight during such an analysis. The dispositors are the planets

ruling the sign and nakshatra in which the badhaka is placed. By way of illustration, if a badhaka is placed in last part of Aries, the dispositors will be Mars (sign dispositor) and sun (nakshatra dispositor). The house in which the dispositors are placed can give the indication of the nature of lesson, if in 12th through expenses or losses, if in the 10th a delay or resistance to promotion and in receiving recognition. CONCLUSION: Badhakasthana and badhakesha (lord of badhak sthana) is an important consideration in Jyotish delineations; however, like other astro-factors, it should not be applied hastily as a make or break factor and must be treated and considered intelligently and in a balanced manner in jyotish readings. In jyotish, many positive and negative factors are mentioned, none must be taken in isolation. After all, one robin alone does not announce the arrival of spring season!

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