The effect of ascendant
© Sarajit Poddar, SJC
The Effect of Ascendant on Native
T
he ascendant is the sign which rises in the eastern
horizon at the time of birth of a person. This is one of
the most influential houses in the horoscope along
with the 10th house, the house of karma, which defines the
purpose of our birth. While Lagna signify all the resources
with which we are sent in this world, the 10th house signify
the way we utilize them. Hence the ascendant or the Lagna
Bhava defines our personality, may it be the physical feature,
or the intelligence or our attitude.
However, while studying the influence on the Lagna, one
needs to consider the influence on two more lagans, the
Surya Lagna (the sun sign) and the Chandra Lagna (the
Moon sign). This is because; Sun represents our soul,
whereas Moon represents our Mind. Since we are the
product of Soul, Mind and Intelligence, we need to consider
all the three, while enumerating various influences on our
personality. For this reason, these three form the tripod of
our life. Adding to its importance, various
recommend seeing both Lagna and Moon for the physical
features, the heart and mind; and Lagna and Sun for the
personality/ nature of the person.
Here we shall study the influence of various Ascendants on
the physical features as well as personality of the person.
Though various authors have given the effect of various
ascendants on the native, this article strives to take a
approach of deriving the same using broad principles.
Although the principles can not be exhaustive, they can
serve as broad guidelines, which shall help us delineating the
effects.
Physical Features
Principle I: The Tattva of the sign shall influence the physical
features. The effect of various Tattva on the physical features
is as follows:
Planets Physical features
Fire Robust physique and strong skeletal structure
Earth Stout and muscular
Air Thin and Emaciated
Water Plump and soft muscles with accumulated fat
Principle II: The Lord of the sign shall also influence. The
physical characteristics of the planets are given in the BPHS
(Ch. 3), which is as follows:
रक्तश्यामो िदवाधीशो गौरगातर्ो िनशाकरह्।
नात्युच्चान्गः कु जो रक्तो दूवार्श्यामो बुधस्तथा॥१६॥
raktaśyāmo divādhīśo gauragātro niśākarah |
nātyuccāngaḥ kujo rakto dūrvāśyāmo budhastathā ..16..
Sarajit Poddar (2005)
गौरगातर्ो गुरुग्न्ययह् शुकर्ह् श्यावस्तथैव च।
िकर्ष्णदेहो रवेः पुतर्ो ग्नेयते ि जस म॥१७॥
gauragātro gururgnyeyah śukrah śyāvastathaiva ca |
kriṣṇadeho raveḥ putro gneyate dvijasattama ..17..
The Slokas mentioned above gives the complexion ruled by
different planets. Persons born with different Lagna/ Moon
sign shall have different complexion based on the following:
Planet Complexion & physical features
Sun Dark red complexion
Moon Fair complexion
Mars Reddish complexion, short stature
Mercury Excellent skin and brownish complexion (like
dry grass)
Jupiter Fair complexion with golden yellow tinge
Venus Dark complexion
Saturn Black complexion (very dark)
classics
The colour or complexion is a very relative concept and
varies based on race, geographical area etc. For example
the Caucasians cannot be compared with Indians, Asians or
Africans in terms of skin complexion; thus while determining
the complexion and physical features, one need to take this
into consideration.
Nature & Characteristics of Planets
Further Maharishi Parashara, describes the nature of the
planets in the following stanzas:
जीवसूयन्दर्वह् सत्त्वम् बुधशुकर्ौ रजस्तथा।
सूयर्पुतर्भरापुतर्ौ तमह्पर्िक्र्तकौ ि ज॥ २२॥
jīvasūryendravah sattvam budhaśukrau rajastathā |
sūryaputrabharāputrau tamahprakrtikau dvija ..22..
मधुिपन्गलद्र्क्सूयर् तुरसर्ह् शुिचि ज।
िप पर्िक्र्तको धीमान्ह् पुमानल्पकचो ि ज॥ २३॥
madhupingaladrksūryaścaturasrah śucirdvija |
pittaprakrtiko dhīmānh pumānalpakaco dvija ..23..
बहुवातकफह् पर्ाग्य न्दर्ो ब्र् तनुि ज।
शुभद्र्न् धुवाक्य चन्चलो मदनारह्॥ २४॥
bahuvātakaphah prāgyaścandro brttatanurdvija |
śubhadrnhmadhuvākyaśca cancalo madanāurah ..24..
कर्ोरो रक्ते क्षनो भौम पलोदारमोितकह्।
िप पर्िक्र्तकह् कर्ोिध क्र्शमध्यतनुि ज॥ २५॥
krooro raktekṣano bhaumaścapalodāramoortikah |
pittaprakrtikah krodhi krśamadhyatanurdvija ..25..
वपुह्शर्ेष्थह् ि ष्तवाक्च ितहास्यरुिचबुर्धह्।
िप वान्ह् कफवान्ह् िवपर् मारुतपर्िक्र्तस्तथा॥ २६॥
vapuhśreṣthah śliṣtavākca hyatihāsyarucirbudhah |
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 The effect of ascendant
© Sarajit Poddar, SJC

pittavānh kaphavānh vipra mārutaprakrtistathā ..26.. ƒ Is fond of humor (hasya ruchi)

ƒ He has a mix of all the three humours, i.e.,
ब्र्ह ातर्ो गुरु ैव िपन्गलो मो ज
र् ेक्षने। bilious, phlegmatic and windy
कफपर्िक्र्तको िधमान् सवर्शा िवशारदह्॥ २७॥
brhadgātro guruścaiva pingalo moorddhajekṣane | Jupiter
kaphaprakrtiko dhimān sarvaśāstraviśāradah ..27.. ƒ Has a big body (Brhat Gatra)
ƒ Has Tawny hair and eyes (Pingala
सुिख कान्तवपु शर्ेष्थह् सुलोचनो भ्र्गोह् सुतह्। murdhajeksane)
का कतार् कफािधक्यो अिनलात्मा वकर्मोधर्जह्॥ २८॥ ƒ Is phlegmatic (kapha prakrti)
sukhi kāntavapu śreṣthah sulocano bhrgoh sutah | ƒ Is Intelligent (Dhiman)
kāvyakartā kaphādhikyo anilātmā vakramoordhajah ..28.. ƒ Is expert in all Shastras (Sarva shastra
visharada)
क्र्श्दीघर्तनुह् शौिरह् िपन्गद्र्ष्त्यिनलात्मकह्।
स्थोलदन्तो अलसह् पन्गुह् खररोमकचो ि ज॥ २९॥ Venus
krśdīrghatanuh śaurih pingadrṣtyanilātmakah | ƒ Is charming (sukhi kanta)
sthooladanto alasah panguh khararomakaco dvija ..29.. ƒ Splendorous physique (vapusshreshta)
ƒ Has beautiful eyes (sulochana)
धुमर्करो नीलतनुवर्नस्थो अिप भयन्करह्। ƒ Is poetic (kavya karta)
वातपर्िक्र्तको धीमान् स्वभार्नुस्तत्समह् िशखी॥ ३०॥ ƒ Is Exceedingly phlegmatic (Kapha adhikya)
dhumrakaro nīlatanurvanastho api bhayankarah | ƒ Is also windy (Anilaatma)
vātaprakrtiko dhīmān svarbhānustatsamah śikhī ..30.. ƒ Has curly hair (vakra murdhaja)

The meaning of the above slokas is given below: Saturn

ƒ Has an emaciated and long physique (Krsha
The Sun Dirgha Tanu)
ƒ Has honey-coloured, golden Brown or Tawny ƒ Has tawny eyes (Pingala Drsti)
eyes (madhu pingala drk) ƒ Is of windy in temperament (anilaatmakah)
ƒ Has Sqarish Face (Chaturasrah) ƒ Has protruding teeth (sthula danta)
ƒ Has bilious temeperament (pitta prakrti) ƒ Is lazy (alasa)
ƒ Is intelligent (Dhiman) ƒ Is Lame (Pangu)
ƒ Has limited hair (Puman alpaka) ƒ Has coarse hair over the body (khara roma)

The Moon Nodes

ƒ Is extremely windy and phlegmatic (bahu vata ƒ Rahu has smoky appearance (Dhumra akara)
kapha) ƒ Has bluish body (Nila tanu)
ƒ Is Learned (Pragnya) ƒ He resides in forests (Vanastha)
ƒ Has round face (Brtta) ƒ He is horrifying (Bhayankarah)
ƒ Has good looking eyes (Subha Drk) ƒ He is of windy temperament (vata prakrti)
ƒ Has sweet speech (Madhu vakya) ƒ He is intelligent (Dhiman)
ƒ Fickle-minded (Chanchal) ƒ Ketu is akin to Rahu
ƒ Is Lascivious and eager to associate with
opposite sex (Madana Aturah) The Guna of the planets
The gunas determine the inherent instincts and driving
Mars factors of the planets. They bestow similar gunas based on
ƒ Has fierce and blood-red eyes (krura/ their influence on a native. The gunas of the planets are
raktetasana) given below:
ƒ Unsteady or wavering (chapala)
ƒ Has bilious temperament (pitta prakrti) Gunas Planets Effect
ƒ Is angry (Krodhi) Sattvik The Sun, the Moon This represents knowledge,
ƒ Has thin waist and physique (Krsah Madhya and Jupiter wisdom, and philanthropy.
Tanu) Rajasik Venus and Mercury This represents passion and
drive.
Mercury Tamasik Mars and Saturn This represents ignorance
ƒ Is admirable (vapush) and lethargy.
ƒ Is splendid and beautiful (Strestha)
ƒ Has beautiful skin/ skin without blemishes
(shlishtvak)

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 The effect of ascendant
© Sarajit Poddar, SJC

Principle III: Along with the Lagna and Moon sign, the
Navamsa needs to checked for better understanding of the
physical attributes of person. Various texts like Nasta Jataka,
Saravali etc. has given the characteristics of people born with
different Navamsa and need to be studied.

In my opinion, the Lagna has more say over the facial

features; Moon has its say on the physique (body) and the
Navamsa Lagna over the complexion of the native. However,
this is not conclusive; the readers might check different
combinations and form their own conclusion.

It is cumbersome to remember the effect all the 108

Navamsas on the physical features and we must find a
common thread among the Navamsas for understanding.
Prithuyasha in his monumental classic Horasara has given
few dictums, which make this easier.

Principle IV: For Further Finer analysis, one must find the
effect of birth in different Hora and Drekkana. This can be
studied from classics like Saravali and is not included in the
scope of this article.

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 The effect of ascendant
© Sarajit Poddar, SJC

Nature of Ascendant
Principle V: The symbols assigned to different signs of the
Though the persons in this world cannot be classified under
zodiac have their own meaning. They represent the
12 categories, there is however some pronounced similarities
characteristics that are found the persons ruled by that signs.
between persons born with a particular Lagna. For one, who
Hence it is important to study the symbols seriously, to know
is a keen observer, these underline similarities in the way
the nature of the persons ruled by it.
people born under a particular ascendant would tend to
surprise him. This effort to classify humans into categories
For example, a Scorpion looks very calm and quite from
based on the underline similarities is not unique to Jyotish
outside, however truly it is not, it might be scheming from
and is a common phenomenon in Human Psychology.
inside and find the opportune moment to attack its prey with
Though the placements of planets in the horoscope shall
its sting and paralyze it completely. Hence these
modify the horoscope quite considerably, this however, does
characteristics would be predominant in Scorpio ascendants
not diminish the importance of studying the nature of people
i.e., they might calmer from outside, however, never dare to
born under different ascendant as this forms the basis for the
mess up with these persons.
further analysis of a horoscope. Although many authors both
classical and modern, have given the results of ascendants,
my effort is more towards finding some consistent principles
which would eradicate the necessity of mugging up the
same.

Principle I: The Nature of a person shall predominantly

defined by the planet lording the ascendant and also the
trines.

Principle II: The lordship of the Ascendant shall get modified

based on the nature of the trinal signs and the relationship of
different planets with these trines.

For illustration, if Pisces falls in trine, the native becomes

platonic in love affairs as Venus attains exaltation there.
They also abhor formal learning and believing in attaining
wisdom, since Mercury gets debilitated there. These are
some of the significations of Scorpio, Pisces or Cancer
Lagna. We shall see these in more details in subsequent
section.

Principle III: The attitude of the native towards various

aspects of life can be judged from the lordship of the houses,
governing the said aspect and the relationship between the
sign and the karaka governing the said house.

For illustration, Aquarians are the bravest of all others, since,

the 3rd from Aquarius is lorded by Mars (karaka of war) and
Sun gets exalted there and the sign itself is a fiery sign,
showing the strong influence of Agni (fire) on the third house
and the resultant courage.

Principle IV: The progression of the zodiac represents the

progression of human life through different stages from
childhood to old age. Like different age groups can be
identified by peculiar characteristics peculiar to that group;
people ruled by different zodiacal signs can be identified with
such characteristics, which gain prominence in a particular
age group.

For example, Arians are more headstrong and determined

like a small child, whereas Pisceans are like old wise men.

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