Arudha Lagna

Introduction – Arudh means riding, overriding, controlling anything (in a border sense) God’s are basically referred to as वृषभारूढ़ (Riding a bull – Shiva) सिंहारूढ  (Riding a lion – Devi) अश्वारूढ़ (Riding Horse – warriors in king’s army) सिंहासनारूढ़ (Riding/Sitting on the throne – King) thus we see Arudh means the one seated upon and in a broader sense it will decide where the thing will go. Because the one riding elephant will decide where the elephant will go. thus arudha is a very important consideration in house judgement in the Jaimini system of astrology. (it is also used in the Parashari System of astrology but I personally advise keeping a distinction between them) [Graha arudha is extensively used in Parashara and Rashi Arudha/Bhava Arudh in Jaimini] Readers should be very clear here that in Jaimini Astrology Rashi and House are the same thing and there isn’t any confusion like Chalit or Bhava Chakra in Jaimini.

Complications and Confusion – Jamini Sutras have three Sutras for Arudha in Chapter 1 Pada 1 Shloka 30-31-32. Before this Shloka 1.1.29 is for Antardasa in Mahadasa and Shloka 1.1.33 is for KaTaPaYaDi and instructs us to decode everything written in this classic from the KaTaPaYaDi system.

Relevant Jaimini Sutras are – यावदीशाश्रयं पदमृक्षाणाम 1.1.30, स्वस्थे दाराः 1.1.31, सुतस्थे जन्म 1.1.32 all are very clear on meaning of Shloka 1.1.30 that means “The arudha of any Rashi is as much away from the lord of the Rashi as he is from the Rashi under consideration” for an example if Lagna is Leo and Sun be in Aries Arudha of Lagna will be in Sagittarius (Because Lagnesha is 9 houses away from Lagna we took 9 houses from Lagnesh to arrive at 5th house) Now comes the next two Sutras 1.1.31 and 1.1.32 they are interpreted in different ways while most of Scholars are of the opinion that these two deals with  exceptions in Arudha Pada counting and translate them as “if lord of the sign is in 4th sign from it then the 4th sign itself becomes the arudha” and “if the lord is in seventh sign from it then 10th sign becomes arudha” whereas Neelkants (an ancient commentator whose form of Chara Dasa Calculation id Very famous and widely in use) interprets next two shlokas as illustration of principle of master shloka 1.1.30, and interprets as if lord of Janma lagna is placed in 4th (स्वस्थे) the 7th house (दाराः) becomes arudh lagna and if the lord of Janma lagna be in seventh house (सुतस्थे) then lagna (जन्म) becomes arudh lagna. whereas other commentators take their Numeric (KaTaPaYaDi value where स्व means 4 and  स्थे means to be, and दारा means 4. in 1.1.32 they take सुत as 7 and स्थे  means to be and जन्म means 10) Value. I have a small confusion that sage says when in 4th house take 4th to be Arudha and when in 7th house takes 10th to be Arudha but he never says do this if resulting arudha is there. let me explain what is done is when Lord is in the 1st or 7th house 10th house is taken to be Arudha and when in the 4th or 10th house 4th house is taken to be Arudha. But sage only instructs us that when in 4th take 4th to be Arudha and when in 7th take 10th to be Arusha (If we take KaTaPaYaDi Value) and never talks about lord in same or 10th sign. that can mean (keeping 1.1.30 in mind) that when lord in same sign becomes Arudha when in 4th Rashi the same 4th Rashi becomes arudha and when in 7th Rashi 10th Rashi becomes arudha and when in 10th Rashi 7th Rashi becomes arudha. sage never mentions if arudha happens to be in 1st house take 10th house as arudha and when arudha happens to be in 7th house take 4th house as arudha as it was done by commentators who when arudha comes to 1st house by having Rashi lord in 1st and 7th makes 10th house as arudha and when it comes in 7th house with lord’s placement in 4th and 10th house makes 4th house arudha. Has sage said that to first find arudh and then make exceptions? No. he just gave special rules for two houses and this way, following the interpretation given by me. one can see that Arudha falls in all kendras from a house and there is nothing like arudha can’t be in so and so houses (Usually with exceptions Arudh never comes in 1st and 7th house and without exceptions it never comes in 4th and 10th house)  Jaimini never mentions Arudh can’t be in so and so houses. Why all commentators ignored this I don’t know.

Where to look – When we are confused about any principle we must try to find the same topic in other classics of the same subject. but the problem here is there are very few books on Jaimini astrology.  many of them are kept secret and is not available to the general public.

An Ancient Scholar’s View – He gives 6/7 main Shlokas on Arudha findings and many Shlokas on prediction from Arudha. In fact, his 2nd chapter is completely devoted to Arudha whereas other chapters also this topic in parts. One must view that in earlier shlokas of Jaimini he only said how Arudha is counted and haven’t said about Arudha Lagna (Main Arudha/Prime Arudha – which is generally taken to be Arudh of Lagna only which Krishna Mishra doesn’t seem to follow)

Shloka 2.1 and 3.2 – ओजेविलग्ने तु तदेव लग्नं युग्मे तु तत्सन्मुखमामनान्ति! तत्रापि तत्सप्तमयोर्बलानि – तत्सम्मुखयोर्बलानि निर्णीय विद्वान प्रवदेत फ़लनि! “If the ascendant is an odd sign take it as the ascendant. if the ascendant is an even sign take its sanmukha sign as ascendant. See the stronger between this Lagna and its Sanmukha sign and then make this ascendant (Stronger between Lagna and Sanmukha is Ascendant)

Shloka 1.9 – पदं पुर्वोत्तार्धे विपर्यस्ते – विलग्नाधिपतेवर्दन्ति प्रधानमन्ये तु विलग्नराशेः! बलाबलं दैवविदूह्य पश्चात पदं विनिर्दश्य – विनिश्चत्य – वदेधथाथर्म! Translation – First it is important to find out Arudha Lagna of the ascendant lord and of the Ascendant decide the stronger of the two.

Shloka 1.10 – पदप्रवृत्तिर्न च राहुतः स्यात् बलाधिकाच्चापि न केतुतश्च! धरासुतश्चाकर्सुतोअप्यधीशौ दसाविपाके बलवानधीशः! Translation – For the count of Arudh Lagna let not Rahu be taken into account as the lord of Aquarius although it is said that both Saturn and Rahu own Aquarius. Similarly for the count of Arudh Lagna let not Ketu be taken into account as the lord of Scorpio although it is said that both Mars and Ketu own Scorpio. In predicting Dasa results the stronger between Saturn and Rahu could be considered for Aquarius and the stronger between Mars and Ketu could be considered for Scorpio Dasa.

Shloka 1.11 – खेटे तथा स्वर्क्षगते चतुर्थं पदं भवेत् सप्तमगे च रिःफम! अन्यत्र  च स्वर्क्षगते तदेव पदं विलग्नाधिपतेवर्दन्ति! Translation – If the lord of the ascendant occupies the ascendant or 4th house, the 4th house becomes arudh lagna. if the lord of the ascendant occupies the 7th house then the 10th house becomes the arudh lagna. if the lord of the ascendant occupies his own house other than the ascendant the own house becomes the arudh lagna.

Shloka 2.4 – पदं समानीय विचक्षणेन प्रदक्षिणेनैव विचारणीय ः! भावा नयुग्मे च तदन्यथास्युः पदक्रमोअयं विबुधैः प्रणीत ः! Translation – An astrologer should examine the results of the Bhavas in the regular order from the Arudh Lagna. but if the Arudh lagna is an even sign he should judge the bhavas reversely. This Padakrama is told by Pundita (learned men)

Building upon Shlokas -What is Ascendant from which comes Arudh Lagna. Rising Ascendant may differ from this.

Step 1 – Find out lagna and its Sanmukha Rashi. (Sanmukha Rashi is a concept from Rashi Drishti which we will touch in another article) Sanmukha Rashi is 8th from the Movable sign, 6th from fixed signs and 4th either direct or reverse (Direct for Gemini and Sagittarius and Reverse for Virgo and Pisces) from Dual signs.

Step 2 – Find stronger between them: Use Jaimini’s first source of strength which consists of some rules and the next rule will only be applied when the former fails to decide stronger.

Jaimini rule of Strength 1 – The sign where Atmakaraka is placed is stronger (Finding Atmakaraka is different that we will touch in another article). 2 – Sign with more number of planets are considered strong. 3 – If the same number of planets are situated see their dignity to decide stronger in ascending order of Own Rashi – Mool Trikona – Exalted. 4 – Consider the natural strength of signs which in ascending order is Movable (Weakest) – Fixed – Dual (Strongest).

Step 3 – Of the stronger sign find Arudha and see where the lord of the sign is placed and find Arudha of that sign too (Of the sign where the lord of this ascendant – found in step 2 is situated)

Step 3.1 – Don’t use nodes as co-lord of Aquarius (Rahu) and Scorpio (Ketu) use only their regular lords Saturn for Aquarius and Mars for Scorpio to find Arudha Lagna with a rule in mind that if the lord of the sign is in own sign then the same sign becomes Arudha Lagna.

Step 3.2 – Although sage says when the planet is in lagna or 4th house take the 4th house. I will advocate based on Jaimini sutras to take the Same house as Arudha when the planet is placed in its own Rashi be it in lagna or anywhere else. when the planet is in the 4th house take the 4th house to be Arudha. When a planet is in the 7th house take the 10th house to be arudha and when the planet is in the 10th house counting the same number of houses from the house lord take the 7th house to be Arudha.

Step 4 – Of these two Arudha (of lagna – found in step 3) See which one is stronger and take that as Arudha Lagna.

Analysis – To read bhavas from Arudha Lagna use Prakriti Chakra reckoning (which says count direct for odd signs and reverse for even signs)

In the end – Jaimini is a vast and cryptic system of astrologer and I am just a learner trying to understand this system. all statements made in this article is my personal opinion based on my understanding and logic that can be faulty at paces and may lack perfection. I requested learned readers to enlighten me at places where I must have made mistakes knowingly or unknowingly.

From this article, one can see that no there is nothing like Arudha can’t be in a particular house. it can be everywhere including all Kendra’s and 2 (Capricorn) 12 (Aquarius) 6 (Scorpio – Taurus) and 8 (Aries -Libra) houses.

In my humble opinion if arudha was not meant to be in certain houses it must not be given this much prominence in Jaimini astrology.

Updated on 12th February 2018

After a lot of testing, I am of the opinion that this method of the Sanmukha sign is not to be used. See the table below to understand the real method of calculating Arudha Lagna. All other things remain the same. A separate article will be written on “Fundamentals of Jaimini astrology” explaining all these principles.

Shri Ramakrishna Arpanamastu
(C) Shubham Alock
11th February 2018