The Ascendant
The Ascendant
The Ascendant indicates the physical body, complexion, appearance, head, intelligence, strength and energy and represents the native in all the divisions, especially the Navamsa (D-9 chart). Satyacharya adds fame and reputation, success and status etc. to be judged from the Ascendant. The Ascendant represents the self. The Lagna, Arudha Lagna and Varnada Lagna should be examined independently. The strength of these Ascendants, the karaka Sun and Chara Atmakaraka are vital to the chart. If the Sun has unobstructed Argala on Lagna or if obstructs papargala then it shall favour the native with status and fame. If the Lagna lord conjoins or aspects the Sun (even by Rasi Drsti) a good moral character is vouchsafed and it gives a happy and sunny dispositon. Similarly the Atmakaraka having unobstructed Argala on Lagna or obstructing Papargala gives good health and a blessed life. Instead if the Atmakaraka is ill placed or obstructed, the horoscope is marred. Similarly the position of the Sun and Chara Atmakaraka should be seen from the Arudha Lagna to determine the status and position of the native. A similar judgement from the Varnada Lagna gives his relative position in his community. However Varnada Lagna plays a vital role in matters concerning health and death.
Physical Characteristics of Ascendant
Aries: Dry and lean body; powerful limbs; middle stature; triangular face; dark and thickest eyebrows; long neck; dark or reddish complexion (the second half is darker); rough, wiry and curly hair; broad shoulders.
Taurus: Short, well-set and stumpy body; full face; small eyes; short thick neck; wide nostrils and mouth; Lustrous face; large shoulder; short and thick hands; love curl on forehead.
Gemini: Tall & straight body; long and thin arms; nervous and fidgety (quick response); dark complexion; dark hair; hazel and bright eyes.
Cancer: Moderate stature; round face; pale complexion and dedicate features; small or flat nose; small eyes. Features of the Moon sign are pronounced but in general the natives are timid.
Leo: Good stature; full body; well framed and upright; broad, well-set shoulders; bright brownish; oval face; ruddy complexion; dignified and royal bearing.
Virgo: Middle stature; slender; neat and prim; dark or ruddy complexion; pleasing countenance; long nose.
Libra: Fair or tall stature; graceful body; large hips; smooth hair; round and sweet face; reddish – white rich complexion; large eyes; large eyes; good looking people; polite and graceful.
Scorpio: Medium size; strong and robust body; dark face; dark complexion; dark and curly hair; dark and small eyes; shrewd look; peculiar gait.
Sagittarius: Tall stature; well formed body; oval face, high forehead, prominent nose and clear eyes; fair complexion; open hearted; good bearing.
Capricron: Short/tall stature; slender body; thin face; plain looking; long protruding chin; thin neck; dark hair and weak knees; emaciated figure unless Saturn is strong.
Aquarius: Middle stature, stout and robust body that isn’t internally strong; long face; clear complexion; hazel eyes.
Pisces: Short to middle stature; thick build; round shoulders; large face; fair or pale complexion; sleepy or fish like eyes; soft speech.
Results of different signs ascending
Each sign of the zodiac when ascending imprints its own definite characteristics, mental, physical and personal. These have of course to be blended with nose of planets rising or aspecting. The following delineations are for signs alone without any planet in the first house. If any planet be there, it will modify these testimonies. The Sun adds nobleness to the figure and increases health of the constitution. The Moon indicates better proportion and greater delicacy of figure. Mars gives a fair ruddiness to the person, healthy constitution, sturdy figure, a temperament principally of heat and dryness. Mercury makes the stature proportionately well shaped, bodily temperament chiefly hot and yellowish complexion. Jupiter gives a fair complexion, large eyes and dignified stature. Venus produces qualities of a nature more applicable to feminity, beauty, softness anf greater delicacy of form. Saturn gives black and curled hair, tall figure, inactive and narrow chest.
The mental disposition should always be judged by reference to the Moon and his dispositor. This dispositions given below are of a general nature. In actual practice, however, they will be seen to vary from the normal in some respects, owing to the strength of the ruling sign, its ruler, planets aspecting the ascendant etc.
The liability to diseases and accidents is judged from the planets rising or setting, and those configurated with the Moon. When the Sun, the Moon and ascendant are afflicted by more than one of the malefics, liability to accidents and a violent or sudden death is indicated. Should Rahu and Ketu be in angles with the Sun and the Moon, the angles being Aries, Taurus, Scorpio and Capricorn, the body will be afflicted with distortions, lameness or even paralysis.
Aries Rising
Mental Tendencies: Independent thinking, courageous and sensitive
General Tendencies: Those born in Aries are lovers of scientific thought. They are enterprising and ambitious. They have the ability to plan. They dislike being guided by others; are intense when interested, vehement when excited. They are rather stubborn, but often frank. Quick tempered, they resent imposition and are liable to go to extremes. Their constitution will be hot. They love beauty, art and elegance. They have practical ideas. If Aries is afflicted, they suffer from diseases pertaining to head. Mental affliction and derangement are also likely if Saturn and the Moon are in Aries.
Taurus Rising
Mental Tendencies: Obstinate, proud and ambitious, easily accessible to adulation but affectionate and loving, sometimes unreasonable, prejudiced and stubborn.
General Tendencies: If they are not listened to attentively, people born in this sign will act like a bull. They are self reliant. They have their own principles and ways and a piercing intellect. They have a great deal of endurance, latent power and energy. They always put their ideas into practice. Their physical powers and mental endurance are indeed noteworthy. They are fond of pleasure and love beauty and music. They possess a magnetic personality and they think they are born for exercising authority. They generally suffer from nervous complaints after the fiftieth year. With regard to children, much happiness is not indicated.
Gemini Rising
Mental Tendencies: They will have a wavering mind. Fond of writing and reading, they are ingenious and quick-witted, vivacious and inconsistent, nervous and restless.
General Tendencies: They are active and tend to become experts in mechanical sciences. They may suffer sudden nervous breakdowns. They must be cautious in moving with the opposite sex. Their mind will be often conscious of their own depravity. They are very clever and possess inherent conversational and literary ability. They are liable to fraud and deception. If evil planets are in Gemini, trickery and deceit will characterise their nature. They are best in occupations where there is much activity.
Cancer Rising
Mental Tendencies: People born in this sign will be extremely sensitive, inquisitive, nervous and restless, interested in music and dexterous.
General Tendencies: They are very intelligent, bright and extremely frugal and equal industrious. Their frugality often takes the form of miserliness. The mind is institutional and perceptive. They like pleasure and are deeply attached to their family and children. They often meet with disappointment in love affairs. They are very talkative, self reliant, honest and unbending. Their emotions are strong. They have psychic tendencies, are receptive to new ideas and adapt themselves to environment. They ar desirous of possessions and cautious. They can best take up occupations of a fluctuating nature.
Leo Rising
Mental Tendencies: People born in Leo are ambitious as well as avaricious, warm-hearted, and have a liking for art, literature and music. They are cheerful and non impulsive.
General Tendencies: They can adapt themselves to any condition in life. They have faith. In affection they are sincere. They stick to orthodox principles in religion but are perfectly tolerant. Generally good tempered, they are sensitive. They are lovers of music, literature and possess a certain amount of philosophical knowledge. They are voracious readers. In life they do not succeed as much as they would like to and often throughout they struggle very much. Their ambitions remain unfulfilled to a great extent. They lack a natural policy and hence get into many difficulties. They are forgiving and do not hold a grudge long. They are likely to suffer from nervous troubles and are generally misunderstood by their superiors and bosses.
Virgo Rising
Mental Tendencies: Those born with Virgo are impulsive, emotional and fond of learning. They love music and fine arts. They lack self-confidence. Methodological and ingenious. They have active mind.
General Tendencies: They exhibit their intelligence when quite young. They are discriminating and emotional and get easily carried away by impulse. They are cautious regarding their own interests, prudent, economical, diplomatic and shrewd. As authors, they make progress in physical and chemical sciences. They acquire much power and influence over others. They are liable to suffer from nervous breakdowns and paralysis when the sign is afflicted. They are of speculative nature.
Libra Rising
Mental Tendencies: Persons born in Libra are idealistic, quick-witted, vindictive, forceful and positive.
General Tendencies: People born in this sign are generally of a sensual disposition. They are keen observers of human nature. They have keen foresight and reason out things from the stand point of their own views. They love justice, peace, order and are agreeable persons. They are ambitious. They are more idealists than realists or practical men and often contemplate on schemes that are like building castles in the air. They are not sensitive to what others say of them. As political leaders and religious reformers, they exert tremendous influence over the masses and sometimes their zeal and enthusuasn can go to such a pitch that they can force their views upon unwilling minds. They are great lovers of music. Truth and honesty have a special appeal for them.
Scorpio Rising
Mental Tendencies: Sarcastic and impulsive, a female born in this sign will be masculine in nature. Interested in occult forms of study. They possess a subtle mind and are hard to influence.
General Tendencies: They will have generous disposition. They are exceedingly fickle-minded and love much excitement. Though inclined to sensual things in reality, they will not hesistate to philosophise upon the virtues of controlling sensual pleasures. They are good correspondents. They are often brutal, brusque and keenly fond of contest. They possess enterprise. They appreciate luxury but are frugal. They may become expert musicians if they learn that art. They can also become proficient in fine arts, dancing and the like. They uphold their own views. Their constitution will be hot and they are liable to suffer from piles. They are good conversationalists as well as writers and often rely too much on their own intelligence.
Sagittarius Rising
Mental Tendencies: Those born in Sagittarius have an inclination for philosophy and occult sciences. They can acquire great mastery in these subjects. Humane and somewhat impulsive, they are generally active and enterprising.
General Tendencies: They are of a phlegmatic temperament. They are too conventional and also business-like. They are prompt and uphold conservative views. They are sympathetic and loving and possess good foresight. At times they are restless and over-anxious. They are too callous and enthusiastic. They hate all external show. They are God-fearing, honest, humble and free from hypocrisy. They exercise strict control over their food and drinks and in regard to their relations with opposite sex. They are prone to be misunderstood unintentionally by others. In late years, they must be careful about their lungs as they are liable to suffer from rheumatic pains and the like.
Capricorn Rising
Mental Tendencies: They are stoical to the miseries of life. Possessed of sympathy, generosity and philanthropy, self-willed, strong in purpose, secretive and vindictive. Capricorn natives are cunning and determined.
General Tendencies: They have a knack to adapt themselves to circumstances. They have great aspirations in life and cannot economize funds. They like a lot of show. Noted for perseverance. They become vindictive when Saturn is afflicted and may becomes somewhat bigoted. They are capable of much endeavor. In the home life, they are perfectionists and often cannot get on well with husbands or wives. They should check this harmful tendency on their part. They are industrious. If Mars occupies any sign other than his own, they lack confidence, become funky, nervous and weak-minded. They can be described as chatter-boxes and have little or no control over their tongues.
Aquarius Rising
Mental Tendencies: Aquarius being a philosophical sign, people born in it become great teachers, writers and lecturers, provided the sign is free from afflictions. Natives of Aquarius are reserved, they are peevish when provoked, generous hearted, highly sympathetic and are always bent upon helping others. They are intelligent, good memory and capable of dealing with facts.
General Tendencies: They make friends of others very soon. They are peevish and when provoked, rise like a bulldog but their anger is easily subsided. They shine very well as authors and writers. Their conversation is always interesting. They are sometimes timid and funky. They feel shy to exhibit their talents before new audiences. They specialise in subjects like astrology and become great upholders of some such cause. Their literary greatness comes before the world when they are quite young. Unless the planetary positions are otherwise favorably situated, people born in this sign will suffer certain critical setbacks which will jeopardise their reputation. Owing to their humanitarian doctrines, they are prone to be misunderstood. In family life, they will not have sufficient happiness. They will be much devoted to their husbands or wives. They are liable to suffer from colic troubles, chest pain and the like. They should always be kept happy in life by their husbands or wives otherwise their health will suffer.
Pisces Rising
Mental Tendencies: Persons born in Pisces are stubborn, psychically receptive, highly religious, stoical, bigotted and God-fearing.
General Tendencies: They are respectors of orthodoxical principles and can forego anything but orthodoxy. They are extremely superstitious. They are very reserved and are liable to draw premature conclusions on any matter. They are God-fearing and very rigid in the observance of religious customs and practices. They are stubborn rather timid and ambitious to exercise authority over others. They rarely realise their ambitions. They are restless and fond of history, antiquarian talks and mythological masterpieces. They are frugal in spending money and though generally dependent upon others throughout their life, still bear a mark of independence. They are just in their dealings and fear to transgress the laws of truth. With all this they lack self-confidence.
Complexion
Each sign has a complexion and color, as well as an average length. The complexions are based on the planets lording the sign, whilst the colors are based on the signs themselves. The length of a sign determines the size of objects and the length of a native’s limbs (proportionate to their body). Some believe that the length of signs determines the height of a person however this is a misconception. The height is derived from the planets placed in quadrants to the lagna and the size measured in angula which is relative to the average width of one’s fingers.
The scriptures give a method to find the complexion of a person based on the candramsa, which is the Navamsa of the Moon. The Parampara teaches the following:
- Take the lagna degrees and minutes and divide the number into two.
- Count the quotient from the lagna.
- The resultant sign will indicate the complexion.
Example: The Lagna is 14 degree 20’ Pisces. When divided by 2, the result is 7 deg 10’. This is equal to the 8th degree. The 8th sign from Pisces is Libra and its lord Venus will indicate a dark complexion. The colors are from the grahas lording the signs and not the signs themselves. The complexions are given in the table. It should be kept in mind that the color arrived at is relative to that of ones family, ie darker, lighter or otherwise compared to ones familiar relations. This technique is valuable for rectification purposes.
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Colours and Complexions |
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| Rasi | Colors | Complexion | Length |
| Aries | Blood Red | Reddish | Short |
| Taurus | White | Dark | Short |
| Gemini | Parrot Green | Dark | Medium |
| Cancer | Reddish White | Fair | Medium |
| Leo | Yellowish White | Reddish | Long |
| Virgo | Grey | Dark | Long |
| Libra | Black | Dark | Long |
| Scorpio | Yellow | Reddish | Long |
| Sagittarius | Golden | Fair | Medium |
| Capricorn | Variegated | Bluish | Medium |
| Aquarius | Blue/ Violet | Bluish | Short |
| Pisces | Fish color | Fair | Short |
The Lagna is 9 degree 51’ Pisces. When divided by 2, the result is 4 degree 55’ which is equal to 5th degree. The 5th sign from Pisces is Cancer, and its lord Moon will give fair complexion and middle height. The native is having fair complexion and middle height.
The Lagna 15 degree 21’ Aquarius. When divided by 2, the result is 7 degree 40’ which is equal to 8th degree. The 8th sign from Aquarius is Virgo and its lord Mercury will give dark complexion and long height. Now the wheatish complexion of father and mother gave the native a fair complexion. The native has fair complexion and tall height (5’9”).
Varāhamihira 