Karaka
A karaka is a significator: the planet that 'does' a thing in a chart. There are three senses and they must not be confused. The naisargika (natural) karaka is the fixed signification of a graha - Jupiter for children, Venus for marriage.
The chara karakas are the atmakaraka (self), amatyakaraka (career), bhratrikaraka (siblings), matrikaraka (mother), putrakaraka (children), gnatikaraka (obstacles and relatives) and darakaraka (spouse), with a seventh, the pitrikaraka (father), according to whether the scheme is counted as seven or eight - the texts differ, and BPHS ch. 32 sets out the eight. The navamsha sign of the atmakaraka is the karakamsa (BPHS ch. 33), and much of the Jaimini reading is done from it. Because the chara karakas depend on degrees, a birth time wrong by minutes can change who the atmakaraka is.
Symbols and forms
- Alternate Names
- Significatornaisargika karakachara karakabhava karaka
Nature and meaning
- Kind
- Concept
- Sanskrit
- कारक
- English
- Significator
- Meaning
A karaka is a significator: the planet that 'does' a thing in a chart. There are three senses and they must not be confused. The naisargika (natural) karaka is the fixed signification of a graha - Jupiter for children, Venus for marriage. The bhava karaka is the fixed planet of a house - the Sun for the 1st, Jupiter for the 2nd. The chara (variable) karaka is the Jaimini scheme in which the eight karakas are assigned by degree within a sign, the planet with the highest degree being the atmakaraka, the one of the self.
One of 3,120 entries in the Grimoire — the whole library, every cross-reference, is free to take. Take the whole thing Is it wrong somewhere?
Referenced by 0
Nothing in the library points at this entry yet.
More in Jyotisha
The entries either side of this one in the same catalogue.
All of Jyotisha →New entries, when they land
Occasional notes when a section of the grimoire is added or revised. No account, no tracking across sites, and one line to leave.