The Horoscope & Its Constituents
The definition of a ‘Horoscope” as per English dictionary, means a diagram of the heavens, showing the relative position of planets and the signs of the zodiac, for use in foretelling the possible events and happenings both good or bad in a person’s life, a prediction of future events or advice for future behavior based on such a diagram, etc. It is mostly believed that a horoscope is a real way to divine the future, when the traits and circumstances are determined from the position of the planets at the exact moment of a person’s birth, or of any event having relevance to time. In astrological parlance, the word horoscope has a Greek root, ‘hōroskopos’, combining two words, Hora and Skopos. Hora indicates the “time or hour,” and the skopos, the “observer”. The horoscope is the chart of the heavens at a particular moment of time and place, indicating the scheme of the 12 signs of the Zodiac, with the planetary position in the various houses of the Zodiac at that particular moment of time and place. In this chart along with the various signs of the Zodiac, the relative position of the planets and the nakhshtras gets linked to these planets which in turn gets exhibited. This chart of the heavens is drawn for a particular epoch and place, which includes the birth of a newborn human life, an incident, thought or a query for a happening.
Ascendant or Lagna
As already mentioned, there are 12 signs of the Zodiac. The Zodiac sign which rises in the eastern horizon at the time of one’s birth, or any event, is called as the Ascendant or Lagna. It is the first house of the horoscope. The first house means the rising sign at the time of birth. Rests of the signs occupy the subsequent house in order of the sequence of the houses of Zodiac. To clarify it further it needs to be added here that the Earth rotates on its axis from west to east in about 24 hours. Because of this rotatory motion of the Earth, the entire Zodiac with planets and Nakhshtras located in it, appear to rise in the east and set in the west. As such all the 12 signs of the Zodiac, seem to rise in the eastern horizon one after the other in the 24 hours. As already mentioned above, the Zodiac sign which rises in the eastern horizon at the time of one’s birth, or any event, is called as the Ascendant or Lagna. The names of ascendants (lagnas), corresponds to the name of the sign (rashi) rising at a given point of time.
Various Forms of Horoscopes:-
There are three forms of horoscopes commonly in use in our country India. These may appear different in their form, but these convey similar characteristics. These are classifies as, North Indian Chart, South Indian Chart and the East Indian Chart. These are exhibited below- DOB; 26-07-2006, TOB;13:49:00, POB; Delhi
North Indian Chart
South Indian Chart
East Indian Chart
North Indian Chart:-
In this type of chart, the order of the houses is fixed. This type of the chart has 12 houses marked from 1st to the 12th house in its diagram in an anti clock wise manner. The ascendant is always in the first house at the top, being occupied by the sign rising at the eastern horizon at a particular point of time. The remaining signs are marked in a regular order in houses following the first house in an anti clockwise manner. Suppose the rising sign, which is the first house, thus the ascendant in this type of chart is Cancer, the 2nd , 3rd, 4th , 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and the 12th house, in an anticlockwise direction from the 1st house, will be occupied by Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus and Gemini signs respectively. This type of horoscope format is commonly used in the northwestern India. The planetary positions of that moment are found out and placed in the respective houses. Various houses in this type of chart are shown in the diagram above.
South Indian Chart:-
In this type of chart, the signs (lagnas) are fixed in a regular order. The houses vary as per the ascendant (lagna). The ascendant (lagna) is marked with the appropriate sign rising at the eastern horizon. The remaining houses are counted in a clockwise order. The ascendant is marked with two traverse lines like //. Suppose the rising sign, thus the ascendant in this type of chart is Cancer, the 2nd , 3rd, 4th , 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and the 12th house, from this sign in a clockwise direction from this sign the ascendant ( lagna), will be occupied by Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus and Gemini signs respectively. This type of chart is mostly in vogue in the south states of India. Various houses in this type of chart are shown in the diagram above.
East Indian Chart:-
This type of chart is a combination of the north Indian and the south Indian charts, where the signs (rashis) are fixed and the counting of houses is done in an anticlockwise manner. This type of chart is used in eastern states of India like Bengal and Orissa. Suppose the rising sign, viz, the ascendant in this type of chart is Cancer, the 2nd , 3rd, 4th , 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and the 12th house, from this sign in an anticlockwise direction from this sign the ascendant ( lagna ), will be occupied by Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus and Gemini signs respectively. Various houses in this type of chart are shown in the diagram above.
Nine planets become the occupants of the houses in these different charts as per the planetary positions of that event. These 12 houses signify certain significations, when the various signs (rashis) representing these houses, equally represent certain significations. Such a combination produces certain astrological results, which get further modified by the planets falling in these houses. Thus while coming to certain astrological predictive conclusions, it is imperatively essential to know the significations of these houses, the various planets and the signs.
These rashis have further significations for purposes of predictions and the effects of various
Planets in these rashis counts a lot in astrological assessments. It is as such necessary to know various characteristics of these the various houses ( Bhawas), rashis (signs) and Planets etc. This has been discussed in detail in the chapters that follow.