Facing One's Karma

By: Phyllis Chubb

Whether we like it or not, each of us must face our karma and whether we know we are doing it or not doesn't matter. Helping us to understand where our karma lies is one of the strengths of Jyotish.

Once we can accept our karma, through understanding our chart, dealing with the karma in a positive way becomes much easier. The understanding frequently allows us to be more constructive in the choices we make. This doesn't for a moment mean the pain or challenge experienced as a result of our karma becomes less. Understanding that areas of challenge are karmic and represent areas where we can grow allows us to see purposefulness in our pain. A birth chart clearly, and sometimes dramatically, shows the areas of life a soul has chosen to use for it's development.

It is foolishness to think that because a person knows where their lessons lie that happiness is immediately guaranteed. In fact, the most important areas for our growth usually have to do with those areas where we feel great loss or obstruction. For example, desiring marriage yet finding no partner or having a consuming desire to have a child while remaining childless are forms of karma that clearly show in a chart.

Before getting to examples of karma in charts it may be helpful to discuss the three broad categories of karma.

Types of Karma:

The three categories involve different intensities of karma. There are karmas that are fixed and for the most part cannot be changed without divine intervention. These are called dridha.

Then there are karmas that are fixed, but which have some small chance of being changed, called Dridha-adridha . Let us not be fooled into thinking that because these karmas have the potential of being changed that anything less than gargantuan and almost super human efforts, are required.

The last category is unfixed karma, called adridha , which can be changed by focused and sincere effort. These rather simple karmas can be changed relatively easily. For example, quitting smoking falls into this category.

Talking about the fact that karmas show in a chart is one thing, actually seeing examples of karma; especially truly fixed karma is something else.
Let us not assume all karmas are bad.

The acquisition of great wealth or power can also be fixed karma. What these situations share, whether good or bad, is the demand of how we are going to deal with the situations that lay before us. In short, the karma we face today is the result of yesterday's actions and the actions we take today make tomorrows karma.

What follows is an example of how the fixed karma showing in one individual's chart has followed her throughout her life.

A Situation of Fixed Karma:

This woman is neither famous nor wealthy, but she has achieved many goals and faced many challenges within her life. She has achieved a respected social standing and struggled spiritually, far beyond the level which most people face spirituality. She has become independent and self-sufficient, while all the time longing for something her karma has not allowed her in this life… marriage.

The Natal Chart

Date: March 4, 1936 Time: 15:55:00 Time Zone: 5:00:00 (West of GMT)
Place: 81 W 31' 09", 41 N 04' 53" - A small version of the chart pasted below - click on the chart to open the big one in a new window.

Since the major focus has been identified as marriage it is only to be expected that our eyes would seek the condition of the 7th house. Here we see both Venus and Mercury residing in the 7th house and the friendly sign of Capricorn. The papakatari yoga formed by Rahu being in the 6th house and Sun and Saturn in the 8th house also stands out.

This situation by itself will not prevent marriage as many an unhappy spouse can attest. What other factors have contributed to the denial of marriage for her?

Gathering Facts:

When starting the check for obstacles blocking any event in a person's life we can start with finding the badhak planet. The badhak planet is that planet which causes obstacles, miseries and sorrows in any chart. The rules for badhak identification are:

For moveable ascendants the lord of the 11th becomes the badhak;
For fixed ascendants the lord of the 9th becomes the badhak; and
For dual ascendants the lord of the 7th becomes the badhak.

In this case we see the Lagna is a moveable sign therefore Venus, the ruler of the 11th house Taurus, becomes the badhak. Given that Venus is the natural karaka of the 7th house the existence of an obstacle becomes evident. To add to the strength of this pattern, Venus is sitting in her 7th house which directly increases obstacles related to everything that house signifies.

For women the karaka of the 7th house is Jupiter and when we examine the well being of her Jupiter we see it is placed in the 5th house which at first glance doesn't look bad. However, in this situation her Jupiter is situated at 29 25 ' of Scorpio which makes it gandanta.

So what does gandanta mean and how is this pattern recognized?

Gandanta:

Planets are said to be gandanta when they fall in 3 specific areas. The areas span the last 3 degrees of fire signs and the first 3 degrees of water signs. The following ranges can be called gandanta:

PI 27 - Ar 3
CA 27 - LE 3
SC 27 - SA 3.

What makes these degrees such a challenge is that they not only mark the end and beginning of signs but the also mark the end and beginning of the three categories that the nakshatras are placed in.

If we take a moment to consider the rising and setting of the sun to better understand the influence of gandanta positions it will make it easier to remember.

The rising or setting of the sun is the time of day when there is a soft light. Yes, the light allows us to see form, but not clearly, it is more likely we see only shadows. The shadows may be beautiful but when more light is shed, the shadows may turn out to be quite different than originally thought to be. Such is the case when planets are situated in these positions. The planets may not represent what we think they do, therefore they are considered weak, if not bad.

Next, the marana karakas are the planets that create obstacles for the things they signify and which also tend to destroy the houses they own. Are any planets showing to be marana karakas?

The following rules pertain to the identification of marana karakas:

Sun in the 12th house
Moon in the 8th house
Mars or Mercury in the 7th house
Jupiter in the 3rd house
Venus in the 6th house, and
Saturn in the first

In the chart under examination we see that Mercury becomes a marana karaka as the result of it's occupancy in the 7th house.

Although quite apart from the focus of marriage, Mercury rules this person's 3rd house of siblings. It will be interesting to note that she is an only child. So once again we see the dictum pertaining to a marana karaka coming to pass.

The 22nd and 64th Drekkanas

The lords of both the 22nd and 64th drekkana will prove malefic, creating great harm to the house they fall in and any planet they should associate with. The 22nd drekkana is that planet which is lord of the 8th house from the D-3 Lagna. In this case Venus becomes the 22nd drekkana.

The 64th drekkana is that planet ruling the 4th house from the D-9 lagna. In this case the 64th drekkana becomes Venus and like Venus the 22nd drekkana Mercury also sheds an evil light on her 7th house, commonly considered the house of marriage.

The Rudra:

There are 11 different forms of Lord Shiva in each chart; the one that brings suffering and destruction to the native is simply called Rudra. In order to find the Rudra "consider the lord of the 8th and 7th houses from the Lagna using the following chart. To find the 8th house lord look to the chart form below. The strongest planet becomes the Rudra.

The ruler of the 7th house in this case is Capricorn and according to the above chart, the Cancer ascendant means Sagittarius becomes the ruler of the 8th house. Since Saturn is exalted and Jupiter is does not have such strength, Saturn becomes the Rudra. Additionally we can see that Saturn is also the lord of her 7th house creating even more of a block or obstacle to her desire for marriage in this life.

Even more challenge shows in this rasi chart, as if any more is required. Look now to the Upapada, the arudha of her 12th house, which indicates her spouse. (Information and direction for the location of arudha padas can be found in the Upadesa Sutras of Jaimini or Vedic Astrology: An Integrated Approach )

Here we see the Upapada sorely afflicted by the 22nd and 64th drekkanas, the Rudra, a debilitated Rahu, Saturn and the Sun which also aspects it!

So far the idea of marriage for this woman, in this life, seems a long way off. But before coming to the conclusion that marriage will never take place the Navamsa must be examined.

The Navamsa:

The Navamsa, also called the D-9, is the varga for the 9th house yet it is used to examine conditions surrounding marriage or the potential of it. A simple explanation of this seeming dichotomy has to do with the concept of Dharma and the 9th house rules Dharma and marriage is an act of Dharma. Marriage is something we are all expected to undertake. With that said, let's move on.

In this chart Aquarius becomes the Lagna lord and it's ruler falls into debilitation in Aries, the 3rd house. Plus, Ketu residing in the first house naturally places Rahu in the 7th indicating the same theme is being followed as was shown in the rasi chart.

It's not possible to analyze the varga charts in exactly the same way as the rasi chart however some things can be identified. For example the badhak planet in D-9, following the rules above, becomes Venus. Here we see that Jupiter, the karaka for a spouse for women and which has already been identified as being gandanta, aspects Venus thereby creating a terrible block.

In addition Mercury once again becomes the marana karaka by falling into her 7th house. Are any further indices needed to show her seriously fixed karma?

This situation has been extremely hard on this woman. With her Lagna lord strongly placed in the first house we can be sure she is more than a little idealistic when it comes to emotional matters and marriage is an emotional matter.

So what is the purpose of identifying fixed karma? How does it help a person to know they will not achieve their heart's desire?

Opening New Channels:

Let us never forget that the sacred subject of Jyotish has a powerful spiritual base. Jyotish never demands but it does clarify and explain, for those who will listen. Those who do listen are often reminded of the importance of their spiritual path.

Once a person comes to terms with the reality of his or her karma, they are then in a position to begin the process of acceptance and with acceptance comes a tremendous freedom.

This doesn't mean to say, the person's whose chart has just been examined instantly gave up on the idea of wanting a partner. It does mean she stopped blaming herself for not being good enough. And, with the change in her consciousness a major change has occurred in how she sees the world and what she had previously seen as a great loss. It has been some months now since this woman had to face the reality of her karma.

Recently she expressed thanks for the inner peace the knowledge of her fixed karma has provided her.

References: Vedic Astrology: An Integrated Approach. P.V.R. Narasimha Rao. Sagar Publicaions, New Delhi, Inida. 2001. P.156
Jaumini Mahs Rishi's Upadesa Sutra. Sanjay Rath. Sagar Publications, New Delhi, India 1997
Vedic Astrology: An Integrated Apporach. PVR Narasimha Rao. Sagar Publications, New Delhi, India 2001