The effect of ascendant © Sarajit Poddar, SJC

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The Effect of Ascendant on Native Sarajit Poddar (2005)

he ascendant is the sign which rises in the eastern horizon at the time of birth of a person. This is one of the most influential houses in the horoscope along

with the 10th house, the house of karma, which defines the purpose of our birth. While Lagna signify all the resources with which we are sent in this world, the 10th house signify the way we utilize them. Hence the ascendant or the Lagna Bhava defines our personality, may it be the physical feature, or the intelligence or our attitude. However, while studying the influence on the Lagna, one needs to consider the influence on two more lagans, the Surya Lagna (the sun sign) and the Chandra Lagna (the Moon sign). This is because; Sun represents our soul, whereas Moon represents our Mind. Since we are the product of Soul, Mind and Intelligence, we need to consider all the three, while enumerating various influences on our personality. For this reason, these three form the tripod of our life. Adding to its importance, various classics recommend seeing both Lagna and Moon for the physical features, the heart and mind; and Lagna and Sun for the personality/ nature of the person. Here we shall study the influence of various Ascendants on the physical features as well as personality of the person. Though various authors have given the effect of various ascendants on the native, this article strives to take a approach of deriving the same using broad principles. Although the principles can not be exhaustive, they can serve as broad guidelines, which shall help us delineating the effects.

Physical Features Principle I: The Tattva of the sign shall influence the physical features. The effect of various Tattva on the physical features is as follows:

Planets Physical features

Fire Robust physique and strong skeletal structure

Earth Stout and muscular

Air Thin and Emaciated

Water Plump and soft muscles with accumulated fat

Principle II: The Lord of the sign shall also influence. The physical characteristics of the planets are given in the BPHS (Ch. 3), which is as follows: रक्तश्यामो िदवाधीशो गौरगातर्ो िनशाकरह्। नात्युच्चान्गः कुजो रक्तो दवूार्श्यामो बुधस्तथा॥१६॥ raktaśyāmo divādhīśo gauragātro niśākarah | nātyuccāngaḥ kujo rakto dūrvāśyāmo budhastathā ..16..

गौरगातर्ो गुरुग्न्ययह् शुकर्ह् श्यावस्तथैव च। िकर्ष्णदहेो रवेः पुतर्ो गे्नयते ि जस म॥१७॥ gauragātro gururgnyeyah śukrah śyāvastathaiva ca | kriṣṇadeho raveḥ putro gneyate dvijasattama ..17.. The Slokas mentioned above gives the complexion ruled by different planets. Persons born with different Lagna/ Moon sign shall have different complexion based on the following:

Planet Complexion & physical features

Sun Dark red complexion

Moon Fair complexion

Mars Reddish complexion, short stature

Mercury Excellent skin and brownish complexion (like dry grass)

Jupiter Fair complexion with golden yellow tinge

Venus Dark complexion

Saturn Black complexion (very dark)

The colour or complexion is a very relative concept and varies based on race, geographical area etc. For example the Caucasians cannot be compared with Indians, Asians or Africans in terms of skin complexion; thus while determining the complexion and physical features, one need to take this into consideration. Nature & Characteristics of Planets Further Maharishi Parashara, describes the nature of the planets in the following stanzas: जीवसूयन्दर्वह् सत्त्वम् बुधशुकर्ौ रजस्तथा। सूयर्पुतर्भरापुतर्ौ तमह्पर्िक्र्तकौ ि ज॥ २२॥ jīvasūryendravah sattvam budhaśukrau rajastathā | sūryaputrabharāputrau tamahprakrtikau dvija ..22.. मधुिपन्गलद्र्क्सूयर् तुरसर्ह् शुिचि ज। िप पर्िक्र्तको धीमान्ह् पुमानल्पकचो ि ज॥ २३॥ madhupingaladrksūryaścaturasrah śucirdvija | pittaprakrtiko dhīmānh pumānalpakaco dvija ..23.. बहुवातकफह् पर्ाग्य न्दर्ो ब्र् तनुि ज। शुभद्र्न् धुवाक्य चन्चलो मदनारह्॥ २४॥ bahuvātakaphah prāgyaścandro brttatanurdvija | śubhadrnhmadhuvākyaśca cancalo madanāurah ..24.. कर्ोरो रके्तक्षनो भौम पलोदारमोितकह्। िप पर्िक्र्तकह् कर्ोिध क्र्शमध्यतनुि ज॥ २५॥ krooro raktekṣano bhaumaścapalodāramoortikah | pittaprakrtikah krodhi krśamadhyatanurdvija ..25.. वपुह्शेर्ष्थह् ि ष्तवाक्च ितहास्यरुिचबुर्धह्। िप वान्ह् कफवान्ह् िवपर् मारुतपर्िक्र्तस्तथा॥ २६॥ vapuhśreṣthah śliṣtavākca hyatihāsyarucirbudhah |

T

The effect of ascendant © Sarajit Poddar, SJC

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pittavānh kaphavānh vipra mārutaprakrtistathā ..26.. ब्र्ह ातर्ो गुरु ैव िपन्गलो मो र्जेक्षने। कफपर्िक्र्तको िधमान् सवर्शा िवशारदह्॥ २७॥ brhadgātro guruścaiva pingalo moorddhajekṣane | kaphaprakrtiko dhimān sarvaśāstraviśāradah ..27.. सुिख कान्तवपु शेर्ष्थह् सुलोचनो भ्र्गोह् सुतह्। का कतार् कफािधक्यो अिनलात्मा वकर्मोधर्जह्॥ २८॥ sukhi kāntavapu śreṣthah sulocano bhrgoh sutah | kāvyakartā kaphādhikyo anilātmā vakramoordhajah ..28.. क्र्श्दीघर्तनुह् शौिरह् िपन्गद्र्ष्त्यिनलात्मकह्। स्थोलदन्तो अलसह् पन्गुह् खररोमकचो ि ज॥ २९॥ krśdīrghatanuh śaurih pingadrṣtyanilātmakah | sthooladanto alasah panguh khararomakaco dvija ..29.. धुमर्करो नीलतनुवर्नस्थो अिप भयन्करह्। वातपर्िक्र्तको धीमान् स्वभार्नुस्तत्समह् िशखी॥ ३०॥ dhumrakaro nīlatanurvanastho api bhayankarah | vātaprakrtiko dhīmān svarbhānustatsamah śikhī ..30.. The meaning of the above slokas is given below: The Sun

Has honey-coloured, golden Brown or Tawny eyes (madhu pingala drk)

Has Sqarish Face (Chaturasrah) Has bilious temeperament (pitta prakrti) Is intelligent (Dhiman) Has limited hair (Puman alpaka)

The Moon

Is extremely windy and phlegmatic (bahu vata kapha)

Is Learned (Pragnya) Has round face (Brtta) Has good looking eyes (Subha Drk) Has sweet speech (Madhu vakya) Fickle-minded (Chanchal) Is Lascivious and eager to associate with

opposite sex (Madana Aturah) Mars

Has fierce and blood-red eyes (krura/ raktetasana)

Unsteady or wavering (chapala) Has bilious temperament (pitta prakrti) Is angry (Krodhi) Has thin waist and physique (Krsah Madhya

Tanu) Mercury

Is admirable (vapush) Is splendid and beautiful (Strestha) Has beautiful skin/ skin without blemishes

(shlishtvak)

Is fond of humor (hasya ruchi) He has a mix of all the three humours, i.e.,

bilious, phlegmatic and windy Jupiter

Has a big body (Brhat Gatra) Has Tawny hair and eyes (Pingala

murdhajeksane) Is phlegmatic (kapha prakrti) Is Intelligent (Dhiman) Is expert in all Shastras (Sarva shastra

visharada) Venus

Is charming (sukhi kanta) Splendorous physique (vapusshreshta) Has beautiful eyes (sulochana) Is poetic (kavya karta) Is Exceedingly phlegmatic (Kapha adhikya) Is also windy (Anilaatma) Has curly hair (vakra murdhaja)

Saturn

Has an emaciated and long physique (Krsha Dirgha Tanu)

Has tawny eyes (Pingala Drsti) Is of windy in temperament (anilaatmakah) Has protruding teeth (sthula danta) Is lazy (alasa) Is Lame (Pangu) Has coarse hair over the body (khara roma)

Nodes

Rahu has smoky appearance (Dhumra akara) Has bluish body (Nila tanu) He resides in forests (Vanastha) He is horrifying (Bhayankarah) He is of windy temperament (vata prakrti) He is intelligent (Dhiman) Ketu is akin to Rahu

The Guna of the planets The gunas determine the inherent instincts and driving factors of the planets. They bestow similar gunas based on their influence on a native. The gunas of the planets are given below:

Gunas Planets Effect

Sattvik The Sun, the Moon and Jupiter

This represents knowledge, wisdom, and philanthropy.

Rajasik Venus and Mercury This represents passion and drive.

Tamasik Mars and Saturn This represents ignorance and lethargy.

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Principle III: Along with the Lagna and Moon sign, the Navamsa needs to checked for better understanding of the physical attributes of person. Various texts like Nasta Jataka, Saravali etc. has given the characteristics of people born with different Navamsa and need to be studied. In my opinion, the Lagna has more say over the facial features; Moon has its say on the physique (body) and the Navamsa Lagna over the complexion of the native. However, this is not conclusive; the readers might check different combinations and form their own conclusion. It is cumbersome to remember the effect all the 108 Navamsas on the physical features and we must find a common thread among the Navamsas for understanding. Prithuyasha in his monumental classic Horasara has given few dictums, which make this easier. Principle IV: For Further Finer analysis, one must find the effect of birth in different Hora and Drekkana. This can be studied from classics like Saravali and is not included in the scope of this article.

The effect of ascendant © Sarajit Poddar, SJC

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Nature of Ascendant Though the persons in this world cannot be classified under 12 categories, there is however some pronounced similarities between persons born with a particular Lagna. For one, who is a keen observer, these underline similarities in the way people born under a particular ascendant would tend to surprise him. This effort to classify humans into categories based on the underline similarities is not unique to Jyotish and is a common phenomenon in Human Psychology. Though the placements of planets in the horoscope shall modify the horoscope quite considerably, this however, does not diminish the importance of studying the nature of people born under different ascendant as this forms the basis for the further analysis of a horoscope. Although many authors both classical and modern, have given the results of ascendants, my effort is more towards finding some consistent principles which would eradicate the necessity of mugging up the same. Principle I: The Nature of a person shall predominantly defined by the planet lording the ascendant and also the trines. Principle II: The lordship of the Ascendant shall get modified based on the nature of the trinal signs and the relationship of different planets with these trines. For illustration, if Pisces falls in trine, the native becomes platonic in love affairs as Venus attains exaltation there. They also abhor formal learning and believing in attaining wisdom, since Mercury gets debilitated there. These are some of the significations of Scorpio, Pisces or Cancer Lagna. We shall see these in more details in subsequent section. Principle III: The attitude of the native towards various aspects of life can be judged from the lordship of the houses, governing the said aspect and the relationship between the sign and the karaka governing the said house. For illustration, Aquarians are the bravest of all others, since, the 3rd from Aquarius is lorded by Mars (karaka of war) and Sun gets exalted there and the sign itself is a fiery sign, showing the strong influence of Agni (fire) on the third house and the resultant courage. Principle IV: The progression of the zodiac represents the progression of human life through different stages from childhood to old age. Like different age groups can be identified by peculiar characteristics peculiar to that group; people ruled by different zodiacal signs can be identified with such characteristics, which gain prominence in a particular age group. For example, Arians are more headstrong and determined like a small child, whereas Pisceans are like old wise men.

Principle V: The symbols assigned to different signs of the zodiac have their own meaning. They represent the characteristics that are found the persons ruled by that signs. Hence it is important to study the symbols seriously, to know the nature of the persons ruled by it. For example, a Scorpion looks very calm and quite from outside, however truly it is not, it might be scheming from inside and find the opportune moment to attack its prey with its sting and paralyze it completely. Hence these characteristics would be predominant in Scorpio ascendants i.e., they might calmer from outside, however, never dare to mess up with these persons.