BADHAKA STHANA AND ITS LORD, IN

JYOTISHBYROHINIRANJANCrystal Pages August 2011

INTRODUCTION:Badhaksthana is a rather
interesting concept that shows up in Brihat Parasar Hora
Shastra and other jyotish reference texts. Prashnamarga goes
intosome more details than BPHS does and introduces
the concept of using the arudha lagnaas opposed to lagna and
introduces other concepts that increase the numbers of
housesthat can be treated as badhak sthanas which is perhaps
something not to be taken literally,at least not from the natal
chart perspective which most definitely Prashna Marga is
notabout! The same caveat goes for the adage that
badhakadhipati (lord of badhaka sthana)is bad only if it is
Kharesh (lord of the 22
nd
drekkana from lagna, considered a verymalefic planet).Simply
stated a certain house is considered a zone of obstacles and
results in blocking or diminishing the capabilities of a planet
when it is placed in that zone in the horoscope(natal, annual,
horary, etc). Some choose to consider this concept in finer
vargas or divisional charts too, although it is not explicitly
recommended or indicated in ancienttexts. Another extension
implicates that the lord of the zone known as badhakesha
or badhadhipati is a negative planet. Again, this is a modern
interpretation and has practicaldifficulties when astrology is
applied to real charts (applied astrology as opposed toacademic
astrology).BADHAKSTHANA:This zone of obstacles
is determined based on the dynamic property of the rising sign.
Signs have been described to be of three dynamic natures

or states:1.Fixed or Sthira: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio

and Aquarius2.Movable/Cardinal or Chara: Aries, Cancer,
Libra and Capricorn3.Dual/mutable or Dwiswabhava:
Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and PiscesWhen the first house
(rising sign) is a fixed sign then the 9
th
house is taken as the badhaksthana; when the first house
contains a movable sign then the 11
th
house isconsidered to be the badhaksthana; and when the rising
sign is mutable then the 7
th
sign isconsidered the badhaksthana.This scheme makes a
specific chara sign badhaka when the first house holds a fixed
sign,and makes a specific fixed sign badhaka when the first
house contains a movable sign. Inthe case of mutable signs, the
badhakasthana is always another mutable sign. From
the perspective of the dynamic state, this makes perfect sense,
because the state of fixedand movable are opposite and would
tend to slow the other down or push too much andthus be
counterproductive and obstructive. The mutable signs being
transitory and beingin a state of flux moving between fixed and
movable states are on the one handconsidered to be opposite
at least some of the time during which the elements are in th
mutually opposite dynamic state but can also be in the same
state and in such instancesactually promote one another. We
need to think of this in the following way: If Gemini isrising,
then Sagittarius will be the badhaka sign. Both of these can be in
a fixed statealternating with the movable state thus giving
Gemini
F

, Gemini
M
, Sagittarius
F
andSagittarius
M
. Similar two sub-states would need to be considered with Virgo
and Pisces.Statisticians can perhaps derive the mathematical
probability of the duration of these substates and the chances of
the two signs remaining in similar vs opposite sub-states, but
we just need to understand the concept and not overanalyze the
postulate

With Taurus rising, Capricorn becomes the badhaksthana where

rahu, sun, gulika andretrograde mercury are placed. Lords of 2
nd
,4
th
and 5
th

placed in badhaksthana denotedenial of peace from home and

family. Placement of 8
th
lord in 4
th
and 4
th
lord in 6
th
therefrom further add to the obstacles experienced by the
individual in the form of imprisonment and a life as a fugitive.
Despite the very high intellect and great moral prowess and
valour, Netaji had a difficult life and a mysterious death. In
August 1945when he died, the dasa of Jupiter and rahu were
operating. Jupiter is not only the lord of 8
th
but also placed in the 8
th
house of the drekkana as lord of the 22
nd
drekkana.Furthermore it is placed in the star of Venus (lagnesha)
who has a nakshatra exchangesambandha with Jupiter. Rahu is
placed in the 8
th
house in navamsha and in badhaksthanain D1. Rahu is placed in
nakshatra of mars (marak) and being placed with gulika
in badhaksthana, with mars in lagna and Saturn in maraksthana,
the violent and mysteriousnature of death makes sense. Rahu
represents mysteries. His last few years (moon, marsand rahu
bhuktis in Jupiter dasa) were involved in consolidating his
military activities butnot with its full impact. Moon is in the star

of sun (in badhaksthan) where the dispositor of moon (mercury)

is also placed hindering with the full expression of success.
Potentialsunfulfilled. Notably, the pada of gains also falls in
the badhaksthana and denied personal
or lasting worldly gains to Netaji despite a strong lagnesha in the
10
th
and yogakarakaSaturn in the 7
th
house although these did ensure a lasting place for him in the
annals of Indian History as one of the most notable Great
Indians of all times!

n this individuals chart rahu (pitrikaraka; hence representative

of 9
th
house matters,including father, spirituality, higher education
etc.) is in the badhaksthana. DuringSaturn-rahu period, she

contracted an illness that changed her life and resulted in

aspiritual opening of a significant kind as she experienced an
opportunity to explore andconcentrate on her psychic gifts
which became her career and brought into her life a partner
(Mercury- mercury period mercury is with 7
th
and 12
th
lord Venus and giving itcancellation of debility. Her partner was
a foreigner. Earlier, during Saturn-Jupiter, shehad experienced
legal battle during which she risked losing her house (Jupiter is
in the 4
th
and in the 8
th
from rahu. Jupiter is placed in Satabhisha asterism ruled by rahu
andexpressed the obstructive effect of
rahu.BADHAKESHA:Where badhakesha (lord of badhaksthana
or badhaka house) is placed indicatesresponsibilities and lessons
as well as opportunities for karmic learning! The teachersusually
come well-prepared and the lessons while at times difficult or
stressful arerendered easier if one can open up with love and be
prepared to give-in, give and give-up! Detachment and surrender
are the best ways to dissolve karmas and that is perhapsone of
the properties of the badhakesha! Now in certain ascendants,
badhakesha wouldalso be a yogakaraka by virtue of being a lord
of a Kendra and Kona. Examples would bemars for Leo rising,
Venus for Capricorn, Saturn for Taurus rising. When a planet
has both qualities, as in these cases, positive properties due to
yogakaraka nature but thechallenging function as badhakesha,
then both effects fructify based on dasha, and onemust do a

careful examination through strengths, associations etc, as

opposed to jumpingto hasty conclusions. The sign and nakshatra
dispositors of the badhakesha must bestudied to get valuable
insight during such an analysis. The dispositors are the planets
ruling the sign and nakshatra in which the badhaka is placed. By
way of illustration, if a badhaka is placed in last part of Aries,
the dispositors will be Mars (sign dispositor) andsun (nakshatra
dispositor). The house in which the dispositors are placed can
give theindication of the nature of lesson, if in 12
th
through expenses or losses, if in the 10
th
adelay or resistance to promotion and in receiving
recognition.CONCLUSION:Badhakasthana and badhakesha
(lord of badhak sthana) is an important consideration inJyotish
delineations; however, like other astro-factors, it should not be
applied hastily asa make or break factor and must be treated and
considered intelligently and in a balancedmanner in jyotish
readings. In jyotish, many positive and negative factors are
mentioned,none must be taken in isolation. After all, one robin
alone does not announce the arrivalof spring season!