The ABCs of Vedic Chart Analysis

by Hank Friedman

[Note: this is an article for the beginning Vedic astrologer.]

When one wants to approach a Vedic chart, the following steps can be very helpful to follow. As one grows in confidence and understanding, these steps become implicit and additional factors can be taken into account.

1. Evaluate the Strength of each Planet.

     Is the planet strong?

          Dig bala, vargottama, retrogradation, in own or exalted sign, and
               Moon 6,7, or 8 signs from the Sun.

     Is the planet weak?
                In sign of debilitation, combust (within 6 degrees of the Sun), in a planetary war, and
               Moon within 72 degrees of the Sun

Strong planets amplify the themes and qualities that they represent, and weak planets disrupt the themes and qualities that they represent.

2. Evaluate the Condition of each House.

     A. The Strength and Weakness of Houses.

          A house is strong if :

               It is occupied and aspected only by benefics &
                         its lord is in a good house, not weak, and not aspected by malefics

         A house is weak if:

               It is occupied and aspected by only malefics
                    & its lord is in a bad house, not strong, and aspected only by malefics

     Note: a malefic in its own sign or aspecting its own sign is not a negative influence on that house.

     A strong house's themes will manifest powerfully; a weak house's themes will be obstructed.

          Note: an unusual corollary of the above rule is that if a challenging house is weak, the challenges it represents are weakened. E.g. weakness of the 12th house may minimize expenses (but may also disrupt positive 12th house themes like sleep).

     B. A Congruent influence on a House or its theme.

     If a planet aspects both a house and its lord or if a planet aspects both a house and its significator

     Then that planet's effects will greatly influence the themes of that house.

     C. Assessment of Lagna.

          The condition of the Lagna is a powerful indicator of the success, resiliency, vitality, and practicality of the native.

3. Evaluate Yogas in the Chart.

          There are many yogas one can look for in a Vedic chart. For a yoga to be noteworthy, at least one of the planets forming the yoga must be strong.

          At the very least, look for:

          A. Pancha Maha Purusha yogas. True planets (Mercury through Saturn) in their own or exalted signs in an angle. These yogas create an amplification of the planet's nature and themes.

          B. Raja Yogas. The lord of a trine in mutual aspect with or in the same house as the lord of either a trine or an angle. These indicate success above the norm in the person's life, in the houses involved.

          C. Dhana Yoga. The lord of the 2nd or 11th house in mutual aspect with or in the same house as the lord of a trine or of the 11th or 2nd houses. These indicate financial gains.

          D. Parivartana Yoga. The lord of one house in the sign of the lord of another house and vice versa. This yoga can be fortuitous (if good houses are exchanged) or problematic (if one house is good and one bad) or good after hardship (if both are bad houses).

4. Evaluate the Dasa and Bhukti.

          Key points in Dasa analysis are:

          A. Evaluate the condition of the Dasa lord. Its strength, then its placement by house, the aspects it receives, yogas it forms, etc., all of which will affect how the Dasa will play out.

          B. Everything that the Dasa lord influences gets activated during its Dasa, e.g. the house it occupies, the house(s) it aspects, the house(s) it rules, the planets it aspects, the life themes it represents, etc.

          If a Dasa Lord rules or occupies or aspects a house whose themes it signifies, then that theme is greatly emphasized during that Dasa.

          C. When running the Bhukti of a planet that has a relationship with the Dasa lord -- mutual or unilateral, such as in the same or opposite houses, in the other's sign, yogas formed by both, etc. -- the themes represented by that relationship will be activated and it will be a very important time in the person's life.

          D. The house placement of the Bhukti lord relative to the Dasa indicates both the themes of and the ease of that Dasa/Bhukti. Bhukti lords 6,8, or 12 houses from the Dasa Lord can be problematic. (see the article on Dasa Bhukti relative placement by clicking here.)

5. Evaluate the Transits.

          The themes of the house occupied by transiting Saturn will be greatly emphasized.

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