Arudha Lagna in Vedic Astrology is your best PR guide

If I had to describe the concept of Arudha Lagna in one word, it is perception. And you know that perception is reality.

How do others perceive you? Are you seen positively or negatively? Do you feel blessed that people see you favourably? Or does it frustrate you that most people get the wrong impression about you despite your best efforts? It’s all down to your Arudha Lagna.

Many of you may be familiar with the concept of Lagna in Vedic Astrology. It’s also known as the Ascendant or the Rising Sign in the eastern horizon at your birth time. It’s depicted in your horoscope as the 1^st House/Ascendant. Arudha Lagna (AL) is the ‘alternative Lagna’ calculated based on your Ascendant.

WHAT IS THE NEED FOR ARUDHA LAGNA?

Why does Vedic Astrology feel it necessary to have an alternative Lagna? Because AL embodies one of the greatest truths about us: we are not always who we seem.

While the Lagna symbolizes the Self, your personality, traits, and appearance, Arudha Lagna denotes how others perceive you. In this digital era, everything is about perception. Everyone is thriving on perceptions: the rich, the famous, the infamous, celebrities and politicians, the notorious and the controversial; we have an opinion about each of them based on how they appear to us. That’s AL at work, spinning perceptions and images about individuals.

HOW IS ARUDHA LAGNA CALCULATED?

Look at where your Ascendant/Lagna/1^st House is in your birth chart/horoscope. 

Which planet is the Lord of the Ascendant/1^st House?

Where is this Lord (planet) placed?

How many houses away is it from the 1^st House?

Count that number from the House in which the Ascendant Lord is placed to find your Arudha Lagna.

Example:

You are a Virgo/Kanya ascendant. 

So, your 1^st House Lord is Mercury.

Mercury is placed in the 12^th House of your birth chart, 12 Houses away from the 1^st.

Count 12 from the 12^th House, and you arrive at the 11^th House.

So, your Arudha Lagna (AL) is the 11^th House.

EXCEPTIONS TO ARUDHA LAGNA

AL can never be in the 7^th House or 1^st House because these are called Satya Peetha. Satya Peetha is a place of absolute truth immune to Maya’s effect, so when the AL falls in any of these, it is invalid. In this case, Arudha Lagna will shift to the 10^th House.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ARUDHA LAGNA

As I said, Arudha is all about image. Every human has a two-faceted image, one for the world and one that is their true Self, and rarely do the two fuse into one.

We all have a view of how we want to be seen. Some people are highly conscious of their social image and go to great lengths to build it. For example, a person may seem brave until one incident rips the façade and reveals how timid they are. Or an individual comes across as pure, devout, and clean hearted until a dark scandal busts the myth. 

Some people are devious but are perceived as admirable figures. Their secrets remain hidden, and their dark streaks are invisible to the public. 

AL helps you understand the influences that shape perceptions about you. 

THE NUTSHELL PROPERTIES OF ARUDHA LAGNA

• A negative AL means nobody trusts you; people are always suspicious of you. It’s like you are standing in a room full of shadows; even if you are fair-complexioned, the light makes you look dark.

• A positive Arudha Lagna makes everyone trust you, even if you are deceptive. Imagine you are dark-complexioned and standing in beautiful light; it will make you look more attractive than you are.

• Arudha Lagna is like that quality of light. With the proper focus, correct lighting, and angle, you will appear beautiful even if you are not.

THE MOON’S ROLE IN ARUDHA LAGNA

Arudha Lagna is a Moon-influenced concept. The karaka or doer for AL is Moon or Chandra.

Before we talk more about the Moon’s influence, here is a snapshot of the three Lagnas in Vedic Astrology:

Lagna: The 1^st House.

Paka Lagna: The House where the Lord of the 1^st House is placed.

Arudha Lagna.

• Lagna is Self; its natural karaka is Sun. Lagnesh or Lagna Lord plays a big part in Arudha Lagna because Lagna is the seed of the Self.
• Paka Lagna is like the wisdom of Self, and its karaka is Jupiter.
• Arudha Lagna is who you want to seem like to the world (Maya), and its karaka is Moon.

The inter-operations of these three elements round up your image. Lagna is you, Paka Lagna is an embellishment of your image, and Arudha Lagna is what projects it to the world.  

Depending on the planets’ influences on Arudha Lagna, Lagna and Paka Lagna, your personality and its image either enjoy positive perceptions or face negativity.

Now let’s come to the role of the Moon in Arudha Lagna. If the Moon’s influence is negative, it can make you very insecure because Chandra rules social relationships and is obsessed with image. Any effect of the Moon on the AL makes the individual image-conscious, and if there is no influence, they care two hoots about image.

WHY YOU SHOULD CARE ABOUT ARUDHA LAGNA

Unless you live in a cave cut off from society, image and perception building gets you to success. Think of it like this: Arudha Lagna is your PR. It is your call to fame. Do you ever wonder how some people’s image gets the room talking even before they enter it? That’s the aura of perception.

Think of Shashi Tharoor. His image embodies eloquence, wit, and unsurpassed vocabulary. Why? Mercury is in his Arudha Lagna, which bestows admirable perception. Many people have excellent word power, but their image is not scintillating. If there is a positive influence on Arudha Lagna, it lends the individual shine.

Here’s another example: Bollywood singer Sonu Nigam has an exalted Moon in his AL. We know how socially popular and admired he is. 

WHY ARUDHA LAGNA IS A CRITICAL FACTOR FOR BUSINESSMEN

Engaging with target audiences, interacting with people, and expanding the loyalty base, it’s every business person’s dream to get the complete attention of their customer base. How can you enjoy it? What attitudes should you develop? Is there a positive or negative influence on your AL? What message is your AL relaying? What is it telling you to do? 

It is critical to know the answers to these questions to succeed.

 Arudha Lagna is image, and image, as we know, is about illusions, perceptions, 

and impressions. Therefore, knowing what you project into the world and whether it helps or hinders your success is the key to maximizing your potential and ambition.

LORD SRI RAM’S BIRTH HOROSCOPE AND IMPACT OF ARUDHA LAGNA

Lord Rama was born under Karka lagna, with Moon in Lagna. When the Lagna lord is in Lagna, it is Satya peetha. Therefore, his Arudha Lagna shifts to the 10^th House, Aries, occupied by an exalted Sun in digbala. 

What does this mean?

• His image or karma is like the perfect Surya; he is called the Maryada Purushottam and a Suryavanshi from the Solar clan.
• Lord Rama was the Perfect King, always putting society before his interests.
•  His AL laid down his karmic path.
• Essentially, AL tells you the karma you must fulfil to attain moksha.

I hope you have understood the role of Arudha Lagna and its impact on perception. Instead of hiring an image architect, know what your AL tells you. Be your own architect and build your best image through awareness.