LEARN ASTROLOGY - LESSON 53

"How to Judge PERSONALITY & STATUS"

The personality of a person, comprising of one's physical appearance, intelligence, and powers of understanding/expressing, is analyzed from the first, third, second and fifth houses.  Outward appearance, which comprises of one’s stature, complexion, features, proportion of limbs, etc., is judged from the ascendant.  The personality as a whole is analyzed with the help of the ascendant, its lord and planets associated with them; other planets signifying various personality traits depending upon their strength are also considered.  In cases where there is no mooltrikona sign in the first house, the role of the lord of the ascendant is played by the lord of the third house containing the mooltrikona sign.  And if there is no mooltrikona sign in the third house, too, then the role of the lord of the ascendant is played by the lord of the second house.

The planets rule different personality traits.  The Sun rules the qualities of administering and leadership; the Moon rules the qualities of understanding, hospitality and imagination; Mars rules the quality of controlling through physical and rational power; Mercury rules the qualities of discrimination, confidence and analysis; Jupiter rules the qualities of benevolence, kindness, sincerity, morality, discipline and generosity; Venus rules the qualities of etiquette, understandable disposition, club-ability, team spirit and benevolence; Saturn rules the traits of sincerity, security, savings and leading workers. Rahu rules ambitiousness, risk orientation, fearlessness and manipulations; and Ketu rules spiritual pursuits. All these positive traits grow when the planets are strong. These positive traits turn negative if the ruling planets are weak, badly placed and afflicted. The strong affliction of Rahu on weak planets turns the person greedy, over-ambitious, deceptive, immoral, dishonest, clever, and crafty.  The strong affliction of Ketu on weak planets causes serious setbacks on the material plane.

General health, status and span of life depends upon the ascendant, its lord and the significator for vitality, the Sun.  For health the lord of the sixth house, if containing a mooltrikona sign, becomes an additional prime determinant.  For longevity the lord of the eighth house, if containing a mooltrikona sign, becomes an additional prime determinant.  If the ascendant lord is strong and well placed with a strong Sun, and favorable planetary periods operate, a person enjoys name and fame in life.  The planets occupying the ascendant and associating with its lord and significators, the Sun and Mars, exert great influence on the personality of the native depending upon the functional nature of these planets. The planets influencing the ascendant indicate different physical personality traits covering stature, complexion, build and disposition.  The Sun indicates a square body, majestic appearance, powerful speech, scanty hair, honey colored eyes, light brown complexion and makes a person courageous besides bestowing the administrative capabilities.  The Moon indicates fair complexion, pleasant speech, caring and easy going attitude and depending upon its strength indicates a corpulent or slim body.  Mars indicates a short stature and stout body, red eyes, thin waist and reddish complexion.  Mercury indicates attractive features, well-proportioned body, large eyes, witticism and fair complexion.  Jupiter indicates golden complexion, impressive and magnificent disposition, thin brown hair, tawny eyes, large body when found strong in the nativity.  Venus indicates a charming appearance, sharp and beautiful facial cuts, beautiful and large eyes, dark bright and slightly thick curly hair.  Saturn indicates an emaciated body, long stature, brown and sunken eyes, protruding teeth, dark complexion, prominent veins, wrinkles, long hands and face.  When Saturn is weak it indicates lazy and melancholic nature, coarse and excessive hair.  

The strong planets bless with good physique while the weak planets do not allow the physique to be well grown. Comprehending Systems' Approach is pertinent as each horoscope is a unique entity in itself and the planetary configurations with reference to relative placement of planets hardly stand any chance of repetition.  Even in the case of twins the planetary influences change as the most effective points (MEPs) of various houses change and the transit effects on such different MEPs are different on different timings.

Say for example, there is a prolonged stationary impact of Rahu and Ketu on a particular degree which is the MEP for one of the twins causing serious setbacks while the other twin may feel the impact of this prolonged stationary impact of Rahu to a lower extent which could be anything between 70% to 100% lower. Transit is an integral part of the Systems' Approach for Vedic Astrology. The triple transit triggering influence of functional malefic planets over the most effective points of the houses as well as planets, which are weak and afflicted in a nativity, causes sufferings.

Many points will come up during the course of discussing the illustrations.

CHART 7: Male born 14th December, 1946, 0927 Hrs. 77E13, 28N39.

The sign Capricorn rises in the ascendant. Saturn, Mars, Moon, Mercury and Venus become functional benefic/favorable planets.  The Sun, Jupiter, Rahu and Ketu become functional malefic/unfavorable planets. Saturn and Mercury act as Sun-like planets.

No planet influences the ascendant closely. Saturn here plays the role of the lord of the ascendant. Saturn is well placed and mildly afflicted by Ketu. The sign Capricorn gave him fair complexion. The exact affliction to the strong Venus and weakness of the Sun gave tendency towards baldness early in life.  Saturn gave thick eyebrows and a thin stature.  Saturn's mooltrikona sign is in the second house and as lord of the second house it rules family, wealth and status in governmental circles.  The strong Mercury placed in the house of gains in the nativity acted as a Sun-like planet. The Sun ruling inheritance, easy gains and longevity is placed in the house of gains. The native enjoyed a position for influencing decisions of government as he was born in a family involved in politics without occupying a formal position in government.  The ascendant of the dasamsa is occupied by its lord in the state of exaltation. Jupiter closely afflicts strong Venus in the tenth house. The strong affliction to the lord of the tenth house also tells upon the longevity of the person. The significator for vitality, the Sun, occupies the eleventh house.    Due to the affliction to the weak Saturn, the significator for longevity, weakness of Mars and the Sun and exact affliction of the functional malefic planet Jupiter to the lord of the tenth house, the native died at the young age of 35 years in an accident during the sub-period of afflicted Venus in the main period of the Moon.  The Moon being the dispositor of Saturn is placed in the eighth house and Venus is in exact degree conjunction with Jupiter, the lord of the twelfth house, ruling losses and end of life.  The weakness of the fourth house, as its lord is combust and badly placed in the twelfth house, the placement of the Moon in the eighth house and the weakness of the Sun brought early death of father and caused problems to the mother from time to time.    

CHART 8: Male born 31st August, 1956, 0933 Hrs. 77E13, 28N39, India.

The sign Libra rises in the ascendant. The planets Sun, Moon, Mars, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn become favorable planets. Besides Rahu and Ketu, Mercury also becomes a malefic (unfavorable) planet. Jupiter acts as a Sun-like planet.

Venus is well placed in the ninth house but is weak due to old age.  Both the ascendant and the ascendant lord are not influenced by any other aspect.  The native is handsome, has a well-proportioned tall body and occupied a senior position in the higher echelons of the state administration. The placement of the strong Sun and Jupiter in the eleventh house indicate gains of a high magnitude through government. The lord of the fifth house, Saturn, is well placed in the second house ruling good academic education and status. The lord of the tenth house, a strong Moon, is well placed in the ninth house ruling fortune. Jupiter, though weak due to combustion, also acts as a Sun-like planet in this nativity.  The placement of debilitated Rahu in the second house of the rasi chart and Rahu in the ascendant of the dasamsa indicated that the native may resort to earnings through manipulative means and lose his reputation.  The weak Jupiter in the rasi chart and debilitated Jupiter in dasamsa are not in a position to keep the native within ethical means.  The seventh lord in the fifth house gave a marriage to the native with self-initiative and emotional involvement.

Ketu afflicts Mercury with a close aspect.  During the sub-period of Ketu in the main period of Saturn the native was involved in scandals, got arrested and lost his assignment and reputation.

CHART 9: Male born 26th September, 1936, 1045 Hrs. 77E10, 31N06, India.

The sign Scorpio rises in the ascendant and the planets Jupiter, Sun, Mercury, Moon and Saturn become the functional favorable planets.  The planets Mars, Venus, Rahu and Ketu are functionally unfavorable planets. Jupiter and the Moon act as Sun-like planets.

There is no mooltrikona sign in the first and third houses. So, Jupiter acts as the lord of the ascendant for identification of the personality of the native. Jupiter is placed in the ascendant. Mars influences the ascendant with an exact aspect.   Saturn, the lord of the fourth house, occupies the fourth house and casts an exact aspect to Jupiter, placed in the ascendant.  The native was blessed with a short stature and thin build.  The distance of Jupiter from the most effective point of ascendant has not allowed Jupiter to influence the stature of the native. The close influence of Mars to the most effective point of the ascendant gave an assertive attitude.  The native took up career in an educational field for a medicine course, as a specialist, in a state medical institute.  The ascendant of the dasamsa is aspected by Jupiter and Rahu signifying teaching and drugs.  The onset of the period of Saturn gave tendencies for expanding in the fields of the property business.  The twelfth house is strong due to placement of its lord in it which helped native with foreign residence and rich earnings from a foreign land with slight occasional tensions caused due to the affliction caused by the aspect of Ketu. The Sun and Mercury are well placed in the eleventh house indicating good gains through professional matters.

CHART 10: Male born 4th October, 1945, 1945 Hrs. 76E46, 30N23, India.

The sign Aries rises in the ascendant in the horoscope. The Sun, Moon, Mars, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn are the benefic (favorable) planets. Mercury, Rahu and Ketu act as functional malefic (unfavorable) planets.  Jupiter acts as a Sun-like planet.

Mars is strong and placed in the third house.  The native has an average stature, thin body and is extra energetic because of the strong ascendant lord being close to the most effective point of the house of initiatives.  The native has reddish complexion and a long face.  The sixth lord, Mercury, though combust, retains some strength, as it occupies its sign of exaltation in the sixth house itself.  The placement of the Sun and Jupiter in the sixth house being primary and secondary significators for father and children and vice-versa have given lots of struggles and problems to the native both on account of his father and son.  Due to the affliction of Mercury to the Sun and combust Jupiter, he suffers from cardiac disease and blood pressure.  He was also operated upon for appendicitis.  As Mars aspects the ninth house, the native took an active part in leading a faction of society for the building of a temple.  The weak Jupiter and the Sun could not exert strong moral pressure on the native.

CHART 11: Male born 10th April, 1948, 0400 Hrs. 77E13, 28N39, India.

The sign Aquarius rises in the ascendant. The planets Saturn, Mars, Sun, Venus and Jupiter function as favorable planets. Rahu, Ketu, Moon and Mercury function as unfavorable planets. Mars and Venus act as Sun-like planets.

The native is of an average build, has thick eyebrows, pronounced nerves, weak eyesight, etc. giving clear-cut physical attributes resembling Saturn, the lord of the ascendant.  The close influence of Mars on Saturn in the sixth house kept the stature of the native short and gave him an aggressive temperament.  From the seventh year of his life, he started the main period of strong Venus, which gave him an education in the professional field of finance ruled by Venus.  The functional malefic planet, Mercury, close to the most effective point of the second house created many problems for the native on the family front.  The strong Jupiter, ruling the house of gains, blessed the native with a good job.  The ascendant, its lord, significator for vitality, secondary significator for vitality and the lord of the eighth house all are weak which have given the native diseases of tuberculosis, blood pressure, jaundice, hypertension, etc. and do not speak well for sound health and full life span.  

CHART 12: Male born 28th January, 1947, 0430 Hrs. 73E53, 18N31, India.

The sign Sagittarius rises in the ascendant. Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, Sun, Mercury and Venus are the functional benefic (favorable) planets. Besides Rahu and Ketu, the Moon is the only other functional malefic for the Sagittarians. Saturn acts as a Sun-like planet in this case. 

The ascendant is not aspected by any planet.  The ascendant lord Jupiter is placed in the twelfth house in the state of infancy.  Saturn becoming an additional significator for personality is badly placed in the eighth house.  The Sun and the secondary significator for vitality, Mars, occupy the second house with Mars being combust.  Mercury is combust and under the exact afflicting aspect of Rahu.  The native has a tall stature and his complexion is tending towards dark as the ascendant lord occupies the sign Scorpio.  The physical health of the native started giving him concerns during Rahu’s main period.  The mental health of the native and his righteous conduct are not good in view of the weakness of the fifth and tenth lords and the position of Jupiter in the twelfth house.  The native is licentious by nature.  Due to the placement of the strong Sun, the lord of the ninth house, and Mars along with the tenth lord Mercury in the second house, the native holds an executive position in a bank.

CHART 13: Female born 20th August, 1950, 0655 Hrs. 74E40, 30N55, India.

The sign Leo rises in the ascendant.  The planets Sun, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn are the functional benefic planets while the Moon, Rahu and Ketu are the functional malefic planets.  Mercury, Venus and Mars act as Sun-like planets.

The ascendant is occupied by the Sun and Saturn and is aspected closely by Jupiter from the seventh house.  The native has a beautiful square body, an oval face and is well proportioned with slightly above-average height.  The influence of Jupiter on the ascendant makes her appearance majestic and commanding. The influence of the lord of the fifth house gives scholarly pursuits. She is ambitious and likes to enjoy royal life.  The Sun brought her into contact with the govt. and Jupiter in the education department.  The weakness of Mercury delays achievements in matters of status. Venus is weak due to placement in the twelfth house. The initiatives in her life are for pleasures and enjoyment, and the native is imaginative and enjoys married life happily.  There are no close afflictions in the nativity.  The traits of the Sun and Jupiter are quite pronounced.  The well placed lord of the ascendant with functional benefic planet Mars closely aspecting bhagya sthana, ensures a long lease of life with good health.  A weak area of life is nervous tension due to Mercury being in the state of infancy.