The Chapter on Kārakas (Significators) — Bṛhat-Pārāśara-Horāśāstra, Adhyāya 33

कारकाध्यायः

The complete The Chapter on Kārakas (Significators) chapter of the Bṛhat-Pārāśara-Horāśāstra — all 37 verses, each in the original Sanskrit with VedicSpace's clean-room English translation, cited by śloka. Translated from the Chaukhamba (Devachandra Jha) edition and audited against the printed plates.

Śloka 1 — Announcement of the kāraka scheme — seven or eight grahas

अथ वक्ष्यामि खेटानामात्मप्रभृतिकारकान् । सूर्यादि-मन्दपर्यन्तान् राह्वन्तान् वा द्विजोत्तम ॥ १ ॥

Now I shall declare the kārakas of the grahas, beginning with the ātma[kāraka] — [reckoning them] from the Sun onward as far as Saturn, or else as far as Rāhu, O best of the twice-born.

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 1

Śloka 2 — When two grahas tie in aṃśa — use the eight-graha set

यदि खेटौ समावंशै राह्वन्तान् गणयेद् द्विज ! । एवं सप्ताथवाष्टौ स्युः कारकाः सम्मताः सताम् ॥ २ ॥

If two grahas are equal in aṃśa, one should reckon [the set] as extending up to Rāhu, O twice-born one. Thus the kārakas are held by the good to be seven, or else eight.

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 2

Śloka 3 — Ātmakāraka — the graha of highest aṃśa

मध्ये रव्यादिखेटानां यो ग्रहोऽंशाधिको भवेत् । स वेद्यः कारकाधीशो बुधैरात्माख्यकारकः ॥ ३ ॥

Among the grahas beginning with the Sun, whichever graha has the greater aṃśa — that one is to be known by the wise as the lord of the kārakas, the kāraka named Ātman (ātmakāraka).

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 3

Śloka 4 — Tie-breaking by kalā, then vikalā

कलाधिकस्त्वंशसाम्ये कलासाम्ये ग्रहो मुने ! । विकलाधिक एवात्माभिधः कारक उच्यते ॥ ४ ॥

When the aṃśas are equal, the graha having the greater kalā [is taken]; and when the kalās too are equal, O sage, the one having the greater vikalā is precisely the kāraka called Ātman.

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 4

Śloka 5 — Ātmakāraka is decided by aṃśa, not by rāśi-count or kalā; the lowest aṃśa is the last kāraka

न भवेद्राशिकलयोराधिक्यादात्मकारकः । कारकोऽंशाधिको ग्राह्यो ह्यल्पांशः कारकोऽन्तिमः ॥ ५ ॥

The ātmakāraka does not arise from a greater rāśi or a greater kalā; the kāraka is to be taken as the one of greater aṃśa, and the one of least aṃśa is the last kāraka.

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 5

Śloka 6 — Madhya-kheṭa / upakheṭa; Rāhu's reversed degrees subtracted from 30

मध्यांशो मध्यखेटः स्यादुपखेटः स एव हि । विपरीतगतेर्भागा अगोः शोध्या नभोऽग्नितः ॥ ६ ॥

The graha of middling aṃśa is the madhya-kheṭa; that very one is indeed the upakheṭa. For the ray-less one (Rāhu), whose motion is reversed, the degrees are to be subtracted from thirty.

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 6

Śloka 7 — Cara-kārakas ranked by descending degrees; ātmakāraka is chief

भागक्रमादधोऽधःस्था नभोगाश्चरकारकाः । तेषां मध्ये प्रधानं स्यादात्मकरक एव हि ॥ ७ ॥

The sky-goers standing successively lower and lower in the order of degrees are the cara-kārakas (movable significators). Among them the ātmakāraka alone is the chief.

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 7

Śloka 8 — Ātmakāraka as the jātakeśa — the king-analogy

स एव जातकेशोऽपि मुने ! सद्भिरुदीरितः । यथा भूमौ प्रसिद्धोऽस्ति नराणां क्षितिपालकः ॥ ८ ॥ सर्ववार्ताधिकारी च बन्धकृन्मोक्षकृत् तथा ।

That very one, O sage, is declared by the good to be also the lord of the nativity (jātakeśa) — just as on earth the protector of the land is the acknowledged [head] of men; [and just as he is] the authority over all affairs, the one who binds and likewise the one who releases.

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 8

Śloka 9 — Other kārakas act like ministers under the king's order

यथा राजाज्ञया विप्र ! पुत्रामात्यादयः सदा । समर्था लोककार्येषु तथैवान्येऽपि कारकाः ॥ ९ ॥

Just as, O brāhmaṇa, by the king's command the prince, the ministers and the rest are always capable in the affairs of the world, exactly so are the other kārakas too.

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 9

Śloka 10 — Kārakas yield their own results only when favourable to the ātmakāraka

आत्मानुकूलवशतः स्युः स्वकीयफलप्रदाः । यथा विरुद्धे नृपतौ सर्वेऽमात्यादयो द्विज ! ॥ १० ॥

By virtue of being favourable to the Ātman [ātmakāraka] they become givers of their own results — just as, when the king is hostile, all the ministers and the rest, O twice-born one …

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 10

Śloka 11 — When the ātmakāraka is hostile, no other graha gives good results

न कार्यं कर्तुमात्मीयजनानां प्रभवन्ति हि । तथा सत्फलदा नान्ये विरुद्धे त्वात्मकारके ॥ ११ ॥

… are unable to accomplish the business even of their own people; so likewise, when the ātmakāraka is hostile, no others become givers of good results.

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 11

Śloka 12 — When the ātmakāraka is favourable, no other graha can do harm

यथाऽनुकूले नृपतौ समेऽमात्यादयो मुने ! । न क्षमाः कर्तुमशुभं तथान्ये नाशुभप्रदाः ॥ १२ ॥

Just as, when the king is favourable, all the ministers and the rest, O sage, are incapable of doing harm, so likewise the other [grahas] are not givers of ill.

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 12

Śloka 13 — Cara-kāraka order (1): amātya, bhrātṛ, mātṛ

आत्मकारकगांशेभ्यः स्वल्पांशोऽमात्यकारकः । तदूनभागको भ्राता तदल्पो मातृकारकः ॥ १३ ॥

[The graha] of aṃśa slightly less than the aṃśas held by the ātmakāraka is the amātyakāraka (minister-significator); the one of degrees less than that is the brother [bhrātṛkāraka]; the one less than that is the mātṛkāraka (mother-significator).

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 13

Śloka 14 — Cara-kāraka order (2): pitṛ, putra, jñāti

तदल्पांशस्तु जनकः तदूनांशः सुताभिधः । तदूनभागको ज्ञातिर्हीनभागस्ततस्तु यः ॥ १४ ॥

The one of aṃśa less than that is the begetter (father); the one of aṃśa less than that is named the son; the one of degrees less than that is the kinsman (jñāti); and the one whose degrees are less than even that —

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 14

Śloka 15 — The seventh cara-kāraka is the dāra-kāraka; the set is Brahmā's

स एव मुनिभिः प्रोक्तः कारको दारसंज्ञकः । ब्रह्मणैव पुरा प्रोक्ताः समेते चरकारकाः ॥ १५ ॥

— that very one is declared by the sages to be the kāraka named dāra (spouse). All these cara-kārakas were declared of old by Brahmā himself.

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 15

Śloka 16 — A variant opinion; and the case of two grahas with equal aṃśa

जननीकारकं केचिदामनन्ति सुताभिधम् । अंशौ समौ ग्रहौ द्वौ च जायेतां यस्य जन्मनि ॥ १६ ॥

Some hold that the mother-significator is [the one] named the son['s significator]. And in whose birth two grahas should arise with equal aṃśas —

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 16

Śloka 17 — The following kāraka lapses; judge it by the sthira-kāraka

ततोऽग्रिमः कारकस्तु विप्र ! लुप्यति निश्चितम् । तत्फलं सदसज्ज्ञेयं स्थिरकारकतो मुने ॥ १७ ॥

— then, O brāhmaṇa, the following kāraka assuredly lapses; its result, good or bad, is to be known from the sthira-kāraka (fixed significator), O sage.

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 17

Śloka 18 — Sthira-kārakas begin: pitṛ-kāraka = stronger of Sun and Venus

अथ स्थिरान् कारकांस्ते कथयामि द्विजोत्तम ! । बलवानर्कसितयोः स वेद्यः पितृकारकः ॥ १८ ॥

Now I shall tell you the fixed (sthira) kārakas, O best of the twice-born. Whichever of the Sun and Venus is the stronger — that is to be known as the pitṛ-kāraka (father-significator).

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 18

Śloka 19 — Mātṛ-kāraka = stronger of Moon and Mars; Mars also signifies sister, brother-in-law, younger brother, mother

ग्रहो बलीन्दुकुजयोः कथ्यते मातृकारकः । कुजात् स्वसाऽपि च श्यालोऽनुजो माताऽपि चिन्त्यते ॥ १९ ॥

Whichever of the Moon and Mars is strong is called the mātṛ-kāraka. From Mars are also to be considered the sister, the brother-in-law, the younger brother, and the mother as well.

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 19

Śloka 20 — Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn as sthira-kārakas

बुधतो मातृजातीया विज्ञेया मातुलादयः । जीवात् पितामहः, स्वामी सितः, शनितः सुतः ॥ २० ॥

From Mercury are to be known the mother's kin, the maternal uncle and the rest; from Jupiter the paternal grandfather; Venus [signifies] the husband/master; from Saturn, the son.

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 20

Śloka 21 — Ketu as sthira-kāraka of wife, parents, parents-in-law, maternal grandfather

केतुतः स्त्री पिता माता श्वश्रूः श्वशुर एव च । मातामहप्रभृतयो विचार्याः स्थिरकारकैः ॥ २१ ॥

From Ketu [are to be considered] the wife, the father, the mother, the mother-in-law and the father-in-law, the maternal grandfather and the rest — these are to be examined by means of the sthira-kārakas.

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 21

Śloka 22 — Kārakas by bhāva reckoned from grahas: father from Sun, mother from Moon

कारकानथ ते वच्मि ग्रहभावानुसारतः । सूर्यतः पुण्यभे तातो विधोर्माता तुरीयके ॥ २२ ॥

Now I tell you the kārakas according to graha and bhāva: from the Sun, the father in the ninth (puṇya) house; from the Moon, the mother in the fourth.

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 22

Śloka 23 — Brother from Mars, maternal uncle from Mercury, son from Jupiter, wife from Venus

कुजात् तृतीयतो भ्राता मातुलः शशिजाद्रिपौ । सुरेज्यात् पञ्चमात् पुत्रः कलत्रं सप्तमे सितात् ॥ २३ ॥

From Mars, the brother in the third; the maternal uncle in the sixth from Mercury; from Jupiter, the son in the fifth; the wife in the seventh from Venus.

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 23

Śloka 24 — Death of father etc. from the 8th from Saturn; closing instruction

मन्दादष्टमतो मृत्युस्तातादीनां विविच्यते । इत्थं विचिन्त्य गणकैर्वाच्यं तत्तत्फलं मुने ! ॥ २४ ॥

From the eighth from Saturn the death of the father and the rest is discriminated. Having reflected in this way, the calculators should declare each respective result, O sage.

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 24

Śloka 25 — Announcement of the yoga-kāraka grahas

अधुना सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि योगानां कारकान् ग्रहान् । जातकस्य तु जन्माङ्गे जायन्ते ये स्थितेर्वशात् ॥ २५ ॥

Now I shall fully declare the grahas that are significators of yogas — those which arise in the native's birth-chart by virtue of their placement.

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 25

Śloka 26 — Yogakāraka: grahas in own/exaltation/friendly sign mutually in kendras

स्वर्क्षे तुङ्गे च मित्रर्क्षेऽन्योन्यं केन्द्रगता ग्रहाः । भवेयुः कारकास्तत्र कर्मगस्तु विशेषतः ॥ २६ ॥

Grahas placed in their own rāśi, in exaltation, or in a friend's rāśi, and situated in kendras from one another, become kārakas there — and one placed in the karma (tenth) bhāva especially so.

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 26

Śloka 27 — Yogakāraka: grahas in own sign or exaltation occupying lagna, 4th, 7th

खगास्तनौ तुरीयेऽस्ते स्वभतुङ्गगता यथा । स्युर्योगकारकास्ते तु विशेषात् कर्मभावगाः ॥ २७ ॥

Grahas in the lagna, the fourth or the seventh, being placed in their own rāśi or in exaltation, are likewise yogakārakas — and especially so when placed in the karma (tenth) bhāva.

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 27

Śloka 28 — Yogakāraka: dignified grahas mutually in kendras though in non-kendra houses from lagna

स्वमित्रोच्चर्क्षगो हेतुर्मिथश्चेत्केन्द्रसंस्थितः । लग्नात् केन्द्रेतरे गेहे सोऽपि कारक ईरितः ॥ २८ ॥

A graha occupying its own, a friend's, or its exaltation rāśi, if it stands in a kendra reciprocally [with another such graha] — even though in a house other than a kendra from the lagna — that one too is declared a kāraka.

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 28

Śloka 29 — Result: a low-born native under such a kāraka gains wealth and comfort

नीचवंशोद्भवो यस्तु वर्तमाने च कारके । मैत्रेय ! सोऽपि नृपवद् धनसौख्ययुतो भवेत् ॥ २९ ॥

But he who is born of a low lineage, when such a kāraka is operative — he too, O Maitreya, becomes possessed of wealth and comfort like a king.

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 29

Śloka 30 — Result: one of royal lineage becomes a king; judge by family standing

नृपान्वयप्रसूतस्तु राजा स्यान्नात्र संशयः । एवं कुलानुसारेण फलं कारकतो गदेत् ॥ ३० ॥

But one born in a royal line becomes a king — there is no doubt of this. In this way one should declare the result from the kāraka, according to the family [into which the native is born].

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 30

Śloka 31 — Bhāva-kārakas: the birth lagna is the ātmakāraka

अधुना सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि विशेषं भावकारकान् । जातस्य यज्जनुर्लग्नं तद् विद्यादात्मकारकम् ॥ ३१ ॥

Now I shall declare in particular the bhāva-kārakas. Whatever is the birth-lagna of the native, one should know that to be the ātmakāraka.

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 31

Śloka 32 — Bhāva-kārakas: 2nd = spouse, 11th = elder sibling, 3rd = younger sibling

धनभावं विजानीयाद् दारकारकमेव तु । एकादशे चाग्रजस्य कनिष्ठस्य तृतीयके ॥ ३२ ॥

One should know the dhana (second) bhāva to be precisely the dāra-kāraka (spouse-significator); and [the kāraka] of the elder-born is in the eleventh, of the younger in the third.

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 32

Śloka 33 — Bhāva-kārakas: 5th = son, 7th = wife; the graha in the 5th also a kāraka

सुते सुतं विजानीयाज्जायां सप्तमभावतः । सुतस्थाने तु यः खेटः सोऽपि कारक उच्यते ॥ ३३ ॥

One should know the son from the suta (fifth) bhāva, and the wife from the seventh bhāva; and whatever graha stands in the house of the son [the fifth], that one too is called a kāraka.

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 33

Śloka 34 — The twelve bhāva-kārakas in order

सूर्यो गुरुः कुजः सोमो गुरुर्भौमः सितः शनिः । गुरुश्चन्द्रसुतो जीवो मन्दश्च भावकारकाः ॥ ३४ ॥

The Sun, Jupiter, Mars, the Moon, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn are the bhāva-kārakas [of the twelve houses in order].

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 34

Śloka 35 — The six inauspicious bhāvas listed

पुनस्तन्वादयो भावाः स्थाप्यास्तेषां शुभाशुभम् । लाभस्तृतीयो रन्ध्रश्च रिपुर्वित्तं व्ययस्तथा ॥ ३५ ॥

Again, the bhāvas beginning with the tanu (first) are to be set down, and their auspiciousness or inauspiciousness [determined]: the lābha (eleventh), the third, the randhra (eighth), the ripu (sixth), the vitta (second), and likewise the vyaya (twelfth) —

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 35

Śloka 36 — These are declared inauspicious; a bhāva formed by their combination is destroyed

ज्योतिर्विदद्भिरिमे भावा अशुभाः समुदीरिताः । एषां योगेन यो भावो नाशं तस्य विनिर्दिशेत् ॥ ३६ ॥

— these bhāvas are declared inauspicious by the knowers of jyotiṣa. Whatever bhāva [is produced] by the combination of these, one should pronounce its destruction.

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 36

Śloka 37 — Kendra and koṇa bhāvas are auspicious; their combination redeems an inauspicious one

केन्द्रत्रिकोणनामानो भावा भद्राः प्रकीर्तिताः । एतेषां योगमात्रेण ह्यशुभोऽपि शुभो भवेत् ॥ ३७ ॥

The bhāvas named kendra and trikoṇa are proclaimed auspicious. By the mere combination of these, even an inauspicious [bhāva] becomes auspicious.

BPHS Adhyāya 33, śloka 37