Parashara: the Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra · Chapter 6 of 9

#Significators, arudhas and argala

Several chapters of the BPHS teach methods also found in the Jaimini Sutras (Jaimini Book). Historians suspect some were absorbed into the BPHS later; they are part of the modern text and widely used.

#Arudha padas (BPHS 29)

The arudha of a house shows its image — how its matters appear to the world.

• The rule (29.2–3): count from the house to its lord; count the same number again from the lord; the sign reached is the arudha.
• The exceptions (29.4–5): if the arudha falls in the house itself, take the 10th from it; if it falls in the 7th from the house, take the 4th from it.
• Planets have arudhas computed the same way from the signs they own (29.6–7).

The arudha of the ascendant (arudha lagna) shows the person's public image; it is used in many raja yogas (chapter 5).

#Upapada (BPHS 30.1–6)

The upapada is the arudha of the house "following" the ascendant — normally the 12th — and is read for marriage and the spouse. (Santhanam's note records a variant from a Jaimini commentary: the 12th for odd ascendants, the 2nd for even.)

#Argala (BPHS 31.2–9)

Argala ("bolt") describes intervention in a house's affairs:

• planets in the 2nd, 4th and 11th from a house (or planet) exert argala on it;
• planets in the 12th, 10th and 3rd respectively obstruct it;
• the 5th is a secondary argala, obstructed by the 9th;
• three or more malefics in the 3rd give an argala that cannot be obstructed;
• for Rahu and Ketu, count backwards.

#Movable significators (BPHS 32.1–17)

Rank the planets by the degrees they have travelled in their signs (then minutes, then seconds); for Rahu, use 30° minus its degrees. The highest is the atmakaraka (significator of the self), then the amatyakaraka (minister — career), bhratri (siblings), matri (mother), pitri (father), putra (children), gnati (kin and rivals) and dara (spouse) karakas. Some authorities merge the mother's and children's significators (seven karakas); the text says Rahu is included always, or only when two planets tie. If two tie, a karaka is missing and the fixed significator stands in (32.1–17).

#Fixed significators (BPHS 32.18–21)

The father: the stronger of the Sun and Venus; the mother: the stronger of the Moon and Mars; Mars also for sisters, younger brothers and brothers-in-law; Mercury for maternal relatives; Jupiter for the paternal grandfather; Venus for the husband; Saturn for sons; Ketu for several relatives.

#The karakamsa (BPHS 33)

The navamsa sign of the atmakaraka is the karakamsa. The BPHS reads the results of planets in and around it — especially for the person's nature, spiritual life and calling — and judges raja yogas from it as well as from the ascendant (chapter 39). In the text, the chapter is framed as a dialogue in which the sage Lomasha appears — one sign that it may be a later addition.

#Summary

• Arudha: count from the house to its lord and as far again; if it falls in the house, take the 10th; in the 7th, take the 4th (29).
• Upapada, the 12th house's arudha, for marriage (30).
• Argala from the 2nd, 4th, 11th (and 5th), obstructed by the 12th, 10th, 3rd (and 9th) (31).
• Movable significators by degree — atmakaraka highest (32.1–17); fixed significators (32.18–21).
• The karakamsa, the atmakaraka's navamsa (33).

#Exercises

1. The ascendant is Aries and Mars is in Cancer. Find the arudha lagna by BPHS 29.
2. Which house's arudha is the upapada?
3. Which houses obstruct the argala of the 2nd, 4th and 11th?
4. Planets' degrees in sign: Sun 5°, Moon 22°, Mars 14°, Mercury 28°, Jupiter 9°, Venus 17°, Saturn 2°. Which is the atmakaraka? The darakaraka (seven karakas)?

Answers: 1. Cancer is the 4th from Aries; the 4th from Cancer is Libra, the 7th from Aries, so take the 4th from Aries: Cancer. 2. The 12th's. 3. The 12th, 10th and 3rd respectively. 4. Mercury (28°); Saturn (2°).