What are Houses in a Vedic horoscope? Your ultimate guide.

How can a horoscope have a House? Is it a literal structure? No, and a House is merely a symbolic division of the 360-degree arc of the zodiac in the sky. 

Let’s do some math first. Take 360 degrees and divide it by 12. You get 30-degrees segments. Each segment is ruled by a zodiac sign called a Houses in a Vedic Horoscope or Bhava. There are 12 zodiac signs, one per House.

Table of Content

• What are Houses in a Vedic horoscope?
• Top Rules Houses in a Vedic Horoscope
• Horoscope Houses 1 to 6

Each House has specific qualities that influence your life depending on the planets in it, the aspects of the planets and the House’s overall strength. So, a Houses in a Vedic horoscope is an aspect of your life, personality, a path; looking at the 12 Houses is like seeing a snapshot of your life.

HOUSES IN A VEDIC HOROSCOPE: IN A NUTSHELL 

THE TOP RULES ABOUT HOUSES IN A VEDIC HOROSCOPE:

• Every house can be a place of exaltation or debility for a planet.
• Your houses in a vedic horoscope will tell you where you can stretch your luck or be restrained based on the planet’s status and aspects. 
• Every house 7th from any house can be an obstruction or opener. 
• Among the 12 Houses in a Vedic Horoscope, one or two will always give you trouble. Understand this and focus on things that are going good for you. For example, if you are not destined to have a child, instead of obsessing about it for the rest of your life, accept it, enjoy the other blessings in your life and cultivate gratitude.
• What planets are aspecting your Lagna or 1^st House that denotes YOU? It will tell you how the script is reading. Malefic aspects of Lagna can throw mud on your character.
• Planets in Lagna signify their specific characteristics. For example, the 4th House Lord in Lagna denotes mother. So, your mother plays a significant role in your life.
• You are expected to perform at many levels if there are many planets in Lagna. The good news? You could be a famous person because there are many expectations of you from others.
• No house is working independently, and every House feeds the next one. It’s the principle of bhavat bhavam in Vedic Astrology.

Let us see what each House represents.

Like Videos? Learn Houses in a Vedic horoscope 1 to 6 👇🏿

1^st House or Tanu Bhava

At the place and precise moment of your birth, the degree of the zodiac sign rising on the eastern horizon marks the First House, which is called your Ascendant House, 1^st House or Tanu Bhava. (Tanu means You. So, this House is about you).

The 1^st House, also called the Lagna, is the beginning of your life.

Karaka: Sun.

Some essential facts about the 1^st House:

• It depicts Your personality, physical characteristics, nature, traits and tendencies, general health, vitality, overall success, intellect, life’s purpose, ability, and how others have your first impression; all these can be gauged from the 1 House of the houses in a Vedic Horoscope. 

• The Lagna Lord: The Lord of the 1^st House is the Lagna lord. It plays a vital role in the Houses in a Vedic horoscope because it’s about You. If your Lagna Lord is in the Lagna or well placed, it is an excellent sign that confers prosperity and overall strength to your horoscope. The stronger your 1^st House, the more you will rise in life. Lagna is critical in deciphering intelligence. We need to study the planets in the Lagna or those aspecting it. If the Lagna lord is in or aspecting Lagna, it depicts fame.

• Almost every combination of you in your Houses in a Vedic horoscope is seen from the Lagna.

• Good news: If there are benefic planets like Venus or Jupiter in the Lagna, or they aspect the 1^st House, it’s celebration time. If there is an exalted planet in Lagna, it denotes integrity. Your fame is seen from Lagna. Fame is what? Your face. Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, 

• The not-so-good news: If malefics aspect Lagna or are placed in the Lagna, it’s a look-before-you-leap signal.

• Who’s home? The planets in Lagna signify specific characteristics also due to their Houses in a Vedic horoscope ownership. For example, if the 4^th House lord is in Lagna, your mother has a significant role in your life because the 4^th House, among other things, signifies mother.

• Is it crowded in there? If there are multiple planets in Lagna, you will have to play many roles and deliver on many expectations of others. The good thing? You could be famous because people have many expectations of you across spheres.

First vs First: The natural 1^st House of the zodiac is ruled by Aries. But your 1st Houses in a vedic horoscope could be any of the 12 Houses depending on your rising sign. Sun is the karaka of Lagna or 1st House.

2ND HOUSE OR DHANA BHAVA OR KUTUMBHA BHAVA

Many astrologers, about houses in a Vedic Horoscope, overemphasize the wealth aspect of the 2^nd House. But it is equally important to see it as the House of family bonds, lineage, and gotra, which can be vieweds as a symbol of abundance. The 2^nd House is also about family, familial bonds, and closeness as a form of wealth. A large family stays together, eating together, which is a higher concept of wealth. The 2^nd House is also about food as wealth; when you eat what you love and feel rich as a king! 

A TASTE OF WEALTH: Sri Krishna’s House in Gokul was considered very wealthy. Why? Because it had an abundance of cows, ghee, and milk. He was maakhan chor, after all. So, you can see how food is a form of wealth.

Karaka: Jupiter.

It depicts: Wealth in the person’s mind, which can be about money, acquisitions, investments, jewellery, savings, the inflow of finances, income, and bank balance. As per the houses in a Vedic Horoscope, Jupiter also represents eyesight, primary education, mouth, speech quality, indulgence, family heritage and inheritance.

Good news: The 2^nd House from the houses in a Vedic Horoscope, signifies family bonds that make a person feel rich or even food as a source of feeling enriched. If the resources, both material and familial, are given respect, it can increase well-being manifold.

Not-so-good-news: It is a maraka or killer house because indulgences or vices start from the 2^nd House and are directly involved with longevity and illness. 

Who’s at home? Benefice planets like Venus and Jupiter in the second House of the houses in a Vedic Horoscope. These houses in a vedic horoscope denote good speech, a sweet voice (Moon in the 2nd House), money-making capacity, and riches. 

3RD HOUSE OR PARAKRAMA BHAVA/HOUSE OF EFFORT

It is House of Effort. It is a highly significant houses in a vedic horoscope because it reveals how much effort you need to put into progress in life. I consider it a pivotal house for entrepreneurs and self-starters. It denotes your appetite for risk, adventure, and daring.

Karaka: Mars.

It depicts Siblings, courage, passion to work, activity levels, goals, zeal to work and activity levels, ears, writing skills, any skills that need the use of hands and arms, and hearing. It depicts your ability to bounce back (from setbacks). The 3^rd House from the houses in a Vedic Horoscope signifies your arms, so you can pick up a pen, a sword, or thoughts to fight and make a difference. Your ability to fight back is analyzed from this Houses in a vedic horoscope. Will you be calm or violent? Are you an army general or a pacifist? Both people are influenced by their 3^rd House. It shows the ability to think positively in a negative situation. 

Good news: When Lagna lord is in the 3^rd House, it is called Dhimanta yoga. A solid 3rd house gives you the wisdom to pick your battles. You can be down, but you are not out; the 3^rd House gives you that kind of perseverance. People with a strong 3^rd House or good planets can think out of the box in a crisis and emerge triumphant. A solid 3rd house allows for these positive mental shifts. 

Not-so-good-news: A weak 3^rd House may make you indiscriminate and lead you to make rash, impulsive choices that will mess up things. As a professional, you may make wrong decisions that affect your clients if you have a weak 3^rd House from the houses in a Vedic Horoscope. In that sense, you will become a liability to those who seek your advice. Or, as a writer, you will write something inappropriate and get into trouble.

KNOW WHEN TO QUIT: The 3^rd House is a upachaya House or a House of Growth. If you use it well, it will reward you. Sri Krishna was called Rannchhodji. The One who Left the Battlefield. Why? Because he picked his battles. Knowing when to fight is vital and a sign of wisdom.

Who’s at home? As per the houses in a Vedic Horoscope, Saturn in the 3^rd House is considered a good placement because malefics in upachaya houses in a vedic horoscope usually improve over time. Rahu in the 3^rd House is also considered a good placement. Of course, many analyses will bear fruit based on the House lordship and strength.

4TH HOUSE OR SUKHA STHANA (ULTIMATE HAPPINESS/FULFILLMENT)

What gives you deep happiness? It is seen from the 4th House. Pleasure can be a sense of contentment that draws from a peaceful life or a fulfilling life based on happy relationships and achievements. It opens a window to your moods and feelings. Among is a significant House to study how you feel about yourself.

Karaka: Moon.

It depicts Mother, motherland, vehicles, House, property, home environment, emotions, homemaking, happiness, comforts, heart, chest and lungs, feelings and private life, comfort (or lack of it), peace of mind, childhood, and early upbringing and childhood influences. Because it denotes heart, it’s about the matters close to your heart. What makes your heart smile?

Good news: A strong 4^th House or 4^th Lord or a benefic aspect on the 4^th Lord gives you all things that provide pleasure or happiness. Good cars, comforts, luxuries, contentment, joyous circumstances, and sustained happy emotions. 4^th House Moon in a male horoscope means his wife makes him good food and provides happiness through sustenance, or their perspective about their wife is as a nurturer. Food is a symbol of joy. 

Not-so-good-news: If there is a badhaka or a malefic in the 4^th House, you will not be happy with your mother/motherland. Too many planets in the 4th House create too many pulls and pushes. For example, Sri Rama had Shani/Saturn in the 4^th House, and he could not be anointed King because of his stepmother, and he went into exile for 14 years.

Malefics in this Houses in a vedic horoscope may make the native overly practical in outlook, bereft of softer feelings.

Who’s at home? Moon and Venus are karakas for the 4^th House. When they are in the 4th House, it’s a superb placement. But as these planets are Jala Tattwa, they can lead the person to take decisions from the heart, which is not always a winning formula.

Royal planets like the Sun in 4th or aspecting means enjoying expensive things. No ordinary car will do for you; it must be a Lamborghini or a Ferrari. 

If too many planets exist in the 4^th House, it creates conflicting states, desires, outcomes, and a chequered fulfilment. 

For example, Mars in the 4^th House means your mother is strict (this House represents the home environment, remember?)

5TH HOUSE OR PUTRA BHAVA/HOUSE OF SPECULATION/HOUSE OF FUTURE

We are all insecure about the future, and the 5^th House is about the future that makes us wonder about what will happen tomorrow.

It reveals inner security, doubts, and efforts to control or ally those fears. At all times, we are gambling with our 5^th House significations. When a father starts to save funds for his children’s education, it’s the 5^th House activating. When parents begin saving for their daughter’s marriage, it is this House at work.

Insurance brokers succeed because of our 5^th House. The more insecure we are, the more they will sell to us! We are engaging our 5^th House when we take a decision.

Karaka: Jupiter. 

It depicts Relationships, new beginnings, speculations, success in endeavours, children, students, early education, creativity, hobbies, and passion. The destiny of a parent’s offspring can be analyzed from here, as also past life’s good Karma. (The 5^th House is also called the Poorva Punya sthana). 

For a male, a child is a legacy, an inheritance, taking the lineage forward, so the 5^th House tells you about the man’s equation with children. The body part for the 5^th House is the stomach or belly, so it’s also about digestion, the digestion of knowledge too. All you consume in Lagna is digested here, helped by the fires of Leo, the Lord of the natural 5^th House.

Good news: A powerful 5^th House or 5^th Lord with a benefic aspect is a blessing. It is also a House of Dharma and one among the Dharma Trikon houses in a vedic horoscope (1, 5, 9). A strong 5^th House helps the individual take the right decisions at the right time, help people, spread compassion, and acquire wealth through proper means. It blesses them with good children. If its Lord is conjunct Kendra lords (1,4, 7, 10), it creates Raja Yoga.

Not-so-good-news: A weak 5^th House is like a damp squib; it had the potential but could not be sparked. 

Who’s at home? Malefics like Saturn can inhibit the positive aspects of this House.

THE HIGH FIVE: Wear a 5-Mukhi rudraksha for general feel-goodness and to strengthen the 5^th House. It is a remedy that works for all.  

6TH HOUSE OR RIPU BHAVA/HOUSE OF DEBT, DISEASES, PUNISHMENT, OBSTACLES 

It is the House due to which Brahma created you. Why? Because of the misdeeds that need to be cleared. 

This House leads to shadripus or ill deeds. It reveals the problems a person may face regarding finances and relationships. How many issues will you create for yourself? Check the 6^th House.

The 6th House reveals your root karma, so it’s also associated with your umbilical cord.

Karaka: Saturn & Mars.

It depicts: Responsibilities, work ethic, illnesses, debts, legal matters, challenges, competitors, setbacks, anxiety, ability to discriminate and avoid mistakes. 

Good news: A 6^th House aspected by a benefic is a blessing, and it helps mitigate challenges and supports the natives in maintaining their health. It is a house of service or work, so it also shows growth. 

Not-so-good-news: If there are no benefic aspects to the 6^th House, you will keep making bad decisions and messing up your life. Wherever the 6^th House Lord is placed, it activates enemies. As I said, this House shows growth. When you begin growing, it can make people envy you. So, the growth comes at a price. Also, growth makes the natives take up bad habits, and here come the shadripus. Can you see how you get trapped by your temptations?

Saturn cleverly pushes you towards growth and indulgences. So, be warned. If you use your growth well, you will succeed the right way or create more bad Karma.

PAY ATTENTION TO THIS: Tano tanne danda hara: A Sanskrit saying that you are the cause of your punishments, which is the essence of the 6^th House. If you are not careful, you will suffer. 

Who’s at home? Malefics like Saturn can inhibit the positive aspects of this House, and you need to check the status and strength of Saturn. The 6^th House is a upachaya House like the 3^rd. 

It has the power to punish or forgive depending on its qualities in the horoscope Houses in Vedic Astrology.

Do you have any further questions about Horoscope Houses in Vedic Astrology? Do ask and I would be happy to answer them personally!