Lagna · Cancer
Kark Lagna: Cancer ascendant (Karka), ruled by the Moon
Karka Lagna (Cancer ascendant): its Lagna lord, the lord of every house, and the planets BPHS ch. 34 calls auspicious, Raja-yoga-giving and malefic for it.
In short
Kark Lagna means Karka (Cancer) was rising in the east when you were born, so Karka is your 1st house and the Moon is your Lagna lord. For Karka Lagna, BPHS ch. 34 calls Mars (lord of the 5th and 10th houses), Jupiter (lord of the 6th and 9th houses) and the Moon (lord of the 1st house) auspicious; Mars (lord of the 5th and 10th houses) gives Raja yoga; and Venus (lord of the 4th and 11th houses) and Mercury (lord of the 3rd and 12th houses) are malefic.
The house lords for Karka Lagna
With Karka rising, each house takes the next sign in order. The lord of each sign rules that house: the Moon rules the 1st house.
| House | Sign | Lord |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Karka (Cancer) | The Moon |
| 2nd | Simha (Leo) | The Sun |
| 3rd | Kanya (Virgo) | Mercury |
| 4th | Tula (Libra) | Venus |
| 5th | Vrishchika (Scorpio) | Mars |
| 6th | Dhanu (Sagittarius) | Jupiter |
| 7th | Makara (Capricorn) | Saturn |
| 8th | Kumbha (Aquarius) | Saturn |
| 9th | Meena (Pisces) | Jupiter |
| 10th | Mesha (Aries) | Mars |
| 11th | Vrishabha (Taurus) | Venus |
| 12th | Mithuna (Gemini) | Mercury |
Good and bad planets for Karka Lagna (BPHS ch. 34)
For Karka Lagna, BPHS ch. 34 calls Mars (lord of the 5th and 10th houses), Jupiter (lord of the 6th and 9th houses) and the Moon (lord of the 1st house) auspicious; Mars (lord of the 5th and 10th houses) gives Raja yoga; and Venus (lord of the 4th and 11th houses) and Mercury (lord of the 3rd and 12th houses) are malefic.
| Karka Lagna | |
|---|---|
| Lagna lord | The Moon |
| Auspicious | Mars, Jupiter and the Moon |
| Gives Raja yoga | Mars |
| Malefic | Venus and Mercury |
These lists are the starting point for which planets a gemstone or remedy may strengthen; see gemstones by Lagna. A planet's actual effect in a chart also depends on its strength, sign and house.
Karka Lagna and Karka rashi
The sign Karka itself (its element, nature and the nakshatras in it, from BPHS ch. 4) is described on Karka rashi (Cancer). As a Lagna, what matters most is that Karka is the 1st house: the house lords above follow from it. Read the 1st house in astrology and Moon in astrology for the Lagna lord.
How to know if you have Karka Lagna
Only your exact birth time and place can tell. Karka rises for roughly two hours each day (the length depends on the sign and the latitude), and the hour it rises shifts through the year. Near the start or end of that window a few minutes of birth time decide the Lagna, so check yours on a chart cast for your birth details rather than from the date alone.
Questions about Karka Lagna
Who is the lord of Karka Lagna?
The Moon rules Karka (Cancer), so the Moon is the Lagna lord for Karka Lagna and rules the 1st house of the chart.
Which planets are good for Karka Lagna?
By BPHS ch. 34, Mars, Jupiter and the Moon are auspicious for Karka Lagna, and Mars gives Raja yoga.
Which planets are malefic for Karka Lagna?
By BPHS ch. 34, Venus and Mercury are malefic for Karka Lagna. A malefic planet is not bad in every chart: its strength and placement decide how it acts.
Is Karka Lagna the same as Karka rashi?
No. Karka Lagna means Karka was rising in the east at birth; Karka rashi means the Moon was in Karka. You can have one without the other. Both are shown on Astrojar's free chart card.
What is Cancer ascendant called in Hindi and South Indian languages?
Cancer ascendant is Kark Lagna in Hindi and Karkataka Lagna in Kannada; the sign is Kadagam in Tamil and Karkataka in Telugu (common spellings; local spellings vary).
Sources
- Sign lords: BPHS ch. 3, as coded in Astrojar's engine. House lords are counted sign by sign from the Lagna (whole-sign houses), as Astrojar's chart does.
- Auspicious, Raja-yoga-giving and malefic planets for each Lagna: BPHS ch. 34 sl. 19-44 (R. Santhanam translation), the table Astrojar's gemstone and remedy advice follows.
- A strong Lagna lord protecting the chart: BPHS ch. 10 sl. 4, as Astrojar's remedy rules use it.
This is the traditional reading of the classical texts, given for learning and reflection. It is not a prediction for you, and not medical, legal or financial advice.
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