As we’ve been moving through the Astrology Apprenticeship Program we’ve spent a lot of time focusing on determining if a house will be prosperous or annihilated. A recent question from one of our apprentice’s has prompted this writing. She had an excellent series of questions dealing with this topic.
Before we get to that let’s consider the source information that we have been using in our Bhavas and Houses class. Here is what Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra has to say about this…
“Prosperity or Annihilation of House: Predict prosperity of the house which is conjunct or is aspected by a benefic. Also when its lord is in Yuvavastha or Prabuddhavastha or in Kaumaravastha or in the 10th house, the bhava’s well-being is indicated. The bhava which is not aspected by its lord or whose lord is with a malefic planet or with one of the lords of evil and other such houses or is defeated in planetary war or is one of the three avasthas, viz, Vriddhavashta, Mritavastha and Suptavashta.” – Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, Chapter 11, verses 14-16.
Here Parashara states a method of analyzing influences to a house and its lord to determine the ability for that house to give what it represents to the native. As we’ve been learning in our class work, many of these texts do not spell out EVERY possibility. The ancient astrological writings intend that a student has the capacity to deduce or infer the full scope of possibilities.
Remember, the houses represent different areas of our life. Most texts and even most astrology schools agree on similar indications of each house. For example, if we want to know about a person’s potential status we look at the 10th house. If we want to know about how much courage they have, we look at the third house.
The following general house indications are based on Brihat Parasara Hora Shastra. They are in reference to what the houses represent in the Rashi. Contemplation on the indications of the house and how it can relate to the area of life indicated by the Varga in question will reveal how to use the vargas effectively as well.
- The 1st house represents the body, physique, how one appears to the world, the nature of the personality, vigor, vitality, weakness, joy, sorrow and innate nature or how one reacts to situations.
- The 2nd house shows wealth, grains or food we eat, speech, family, enemies, metals, and precious stones.
- The 3rd house shows our valor, servants, siblings, initiatory instructions, how we get along with our peers, our interests and hobbies, short journeys, parent’s death.
- The 4th house indicates conveyances, vehicles, relatives, mother, happiness, treasure, land, real estate and wealth from under the earth.
- The 5th house shows our ability to learn, grow, and make changes. It shows amulets, sacred spells, mantra, learning, the quality of the intellect, children, our ability to manage the affairs of life, and fall from positions.
- The 6th house indicates doubt, debt, delays, the maternal uncle, enemies, digestive tract, health, ulcers, acute illness and step mother.
- The 7th house represents the wife, other people, journey, trade, business partners, sexual partners, death, and things vanishing from sight.
- The 8th house is for longevity, battle, enemies, forts, wealth of the dead, hidden or secret knowledge, death, sex, sudden breaks and transformation.
- The 9th house represents fortune, grace, wife’s brother, religion, beliefs, brother’s wife, pilgrimages and visits to temples or shrines.
- The 10th house indicates royalty, karmic impact on the world, place, profession, honor, father, living in foreign lands and work.
- The 11th house is for gains, son’s wife, income, property, quadrupeds. It also represents titles and what we desire to accomplish.
- The 12th house reveals our expenses, knowledge about the enemy, results from battles, one’s own death, dreams, how we spend our money.
Here were the questions that were posed to me on this topic, followed by my responses. (**Note: the comment on Mercury and Jupiter were also part of our studies, as these principles are shared not only by Parashara, but also Sage Jaimini.)
Questioner: I want to make sure that I am clear on the criteria for prosperity and annihilation as I am writing my paper. Can you confirm that the list below is correct? Many items are inferred from the opposite list. The Mercury and Jupiter criteria were given by you in class.
Prosperity
- Is house conjunct or (rasi) aspected by a benefic?
- Is house lord with a benefic planet?
- Is the lord in an adult (Yuva) or teen (Kumara) state (Avashta)?
- Is the lord awake (Jagrat)?
- Is the lord in the 10th house?
- Is the lord aspecting its own house?
- Is Me or Ju in or aspecting house?
Annihilation
- Is house conjunct or (rasi) aspected by a malefic?
- Is house lord with a malefic planet?
- Is house lord old (Vriddha) or dead (Mrita)?
- Is house lord sleeping (Sushupti)?
- Is the house lord with an evil house lord (3, 6, 8, 11, 12)?
- Is house not aspected by its lord?
- Is house lord defeated in planetary war?
Since the house lord being with an evil house lord is listed under annihilation, can we add the house lord being with the ruler of an angle or trine under prosperity?
Answer: ***Yes.
Questioner: Why are we looking at the lord of a house being with evil lords for annihilation or in the 10th house for prosperity (lords vs houses)? This is not consistent.
Answer: ***It is. Evil lords get in the way of that house lord to accomplish its goals. If the house lord is busy fighting off enemies, he can’t mow the lawn, paint the walls and take care of the house.
Questioner: Why are we looking for the lords being with other lords for annihilation but the lord being in a house for prosperity?
Answer: ***Because if the lord of the house in question is in a good house, he has more fortune and grace. Now he’s set up so he has some extra cash to install that hot tub and pay a stonesmith to build him a nice patio on his house and install a lovely meditation room to worship the Divine in all it’s glory.
Questioner: If we are deciding to do things by inferring, I am wanting to look at the lord of a house being in a benefic or evil house and also if it is with the lord of a benefic or evil house. Is this going too far? Is so, why?
Answer: ***No, that is not going to far. It is exactly right.
Categories: astrology apprenticeship, Tropical Vedic Astrology
Asheville Vedic Astrology 
I do not know how to find the lord of a house , is it fixed ? and what is Rashi ?