How to read houses in kundli

Understanding houses in kundli

By now, you must have understood the purpose of planets in astrology, how to read them, what they mean and everything else about them. Having done that, in the third part of “How to read kundli“ series, we will look at another aspect of kundli, i.e. houses in kundli.

Just like planets, houses in astrology too are of great significance. A kundli reading isn’t possible if it weren’t for houses as they form the base of the whole process. In fact, planets and houses in kundli are very much interrelated and need to be considered together to get the best and most accurate kundali predictions.

A physical or digital birth-chart (also called Kundli or Horoscope in India) is the best way to observe what houses in astrology look like; if you haven’t seen one. There are several different ways of portraying birth-chart in different parts of India. However, the concept of houses in kundli is similar in each and every type of kundli.

Houses in astrology are 12 triangular blocks confined into a square-shaped kundli chart. Each of these houses in astrology mean something or the other or represent something. For example, the fifth house of kundli is related to one’s children, the first house is the house of self, the second house, on the other hand, helps in making predictions about a native’s siblings and so on. Once you have understood the houses and their purpose, the process of kundli reading gets easier.

Houses and Zodiac Signs

While a kundli chart is a collaboration of 12 houses, it, on the other hand, also holds 12 zodiac signs. Note: each zodiac sign in kundli is denoted by a number. And all the 12 zodiac signs occupy one of the 12 houses in kundli. For example, in the picture given below, the number 11 is for the Aquarius sign.

Remember that the number that represents a particular zodiac sign remains the same (1 = Aries, 2 = Taurus, etc.) for all charts. However, the placement of numbers shall change with each and every kundli. Here are numbers that represent different zodiac signs in a kundli.

• Number 1 is for Aries
• Number 2 is for Taurus
• Number 3 is for Gemini
• Number 4 is for Cancer
• Number 5 is for Leo
• Number 6 is for Virgo
• Number 7 is for Libra
• Number 8 is for Scorpio
• Number 9 is Sagittarius
• Number 10 is for Capricorn
• Number 11 is for Aquarius
• Number 12 is for Pisces

Understanding houses in kundli

To understand houses in kundli, forget, for once, everything we have discussed above. Now all you need to do is notice the above chart and learn what do we mean by houses in kundli. The above given birth chart diagram can be decamped into 12 boxes. These 12 boxes are what we call houses in kundli.

To learn to locate the houses from 1 to 12, all you need to do is count anticlockwise. In the above chart (or any other chart), the first house is where the number 11 is placed. Then counting anti clockwise will allow you to identify all other houses in kundli. For example, the 2nd house is on the left of the first. The third house is on the left of the second house and so on.

Also, another important thing that you need to understand is the ascendant sign. An ascendant sign is what an astrologer takes into account when he or she makes your kundli. Ascendant sign is among the 12 zodiac signs but also different from zodiac signs.

In simple words, while your zodiac sign is based on your date of birth, meanwhile, your ascendant sign is the zodiac sign that was placed in the first house of your kundli at the time of your birth.

In the above chart, as number 11 (means Aquarius) is in the first house of the kundli, thus it is the “ascendant” sign.

Houses in kundli and their meaning

Each house in a person’s kundli denotes something or the other. The positive or negative effect of that house would depend upon the fact that what planet is placed in that particular house. To understand better, you need to first know what each house in astrology represents.

• First House: The first house in kundli is the house of “Self”.
• Second House: The second house in kundli rules over the “Wealth” and “Family” aspects.
• Third house: The third house is the house of “Siblings”, “Courage” and “Valour”.
• Fourth House: “Mother” and “Happiness” is denoted from the person’s fourth house.
• Fifth House: The fifth house is kundli is the house of “Children” and “Knowledge’.
• Sixth House: The sixth house is the house of “Enemies”, “Debts” and “Diseases”.
• Seventh House: The seventh house in kundli denotes the “Marriage” and “Partnership”.
• Eighth House: The eighth house is the house of “Longevity” or “Ayu Bhava”.
• Ninth House: It is a house of “Luck”, “Father” and “Religion”.
• Tenth House: The tenth house in kundli is the house of “Career or Profession”.
• Eleventh House: A native’s “Income & Gains” are denoted by the eleventh house of kundli.
• Twelfth House: The twelfth house in the kundli is the house of “Expenditure & Losses”.

Lord of each house

Lords of each house in astrology have a great significance too. The lord of a particular house can be one among the 9 planets. As lord, these planets bring their characteristics to a particular house. For example, let’s say the lord of the tenth house is Saturn, then the malefic effects of Saturn might reflect on your career (as the 10th house represents career).

On the other hand, as Saturn also denotes hard work, so as the tenth house lord, it may prompt you to work harder in life, thus allowing you professional success.

Another way to look at it is, for example, if the lord of the tenth house is Saturn, the effects of Saturn on your life will change if another planet enters the 10th house to sit with Saturn. Meaning, the Sun, Moon and Mars are the enemy planets of Saturn, so if these planets enter the 10th house, they might disrupt your career.

How to find the Lord of the house in kundli

The numbers written in the horoscope above denote zodiac signs, e.g. “11” can be seen written in the first house, which shows that the eleventh sign i.e. Aquarius is in the ascendant or first house. Similarly, the 12th sign or Pisces is situated in the second house. We have studied in the previous lesson that lords of Aquarius and Pisces are Saturn and Jupiter respectively.

Therefore, in astrological language, we will say that the lord of the first house is Saturn (because ‘11’ is written in the first house). In the same manner, the lord of the second house is Jupiter).

Final

Now we have all of it. We know what sign is for what house. What is the lord of the house, how to find it and also what house means what. Now, all you need to do is combine your knowledge from Lessons 1, 2 and 3 to easily read your kundli. How? Here is an example:

In the above chart, Venus and Rahu are in the 5th house of the kundli and the number 3, mentioned in the house, denotes that Venus is with the Gemini sign (3 = Gemini). We have learned in lesson 1 that the lord of Gemini is Mercury. Also, the fifth house is the house of Children and knowledge. Now all you need to do is find the relationship between house, planets and lords.

In this example, as Gemini, Mercury and Venus and friends of each other (learned in chapter 2), thus the placement is healthy and will certainly have a good effect on the aspect of the house i.e. children and knowledge.

However, as Rahu is also placed in the fifth house, thus the results could have changed to malefic as Rahu is a malefic planet. But the good thing is, that we have learned in the previous lesson (2) that Rahu and Venus are friendly signs and hence the placement remains positive.

Similarly, you can read the effects of other planets on different houses as well to understand how different aspects of your life are! Such as love, career, etc. are being affected.