Hindu Predictive Astrology Part 15: Key Planets for Each Ascendant

Hindu Predictive Astrology — Complete Modern Guide

In Part 14, we learned the universal rules — trine lords are good, benefics owning kendras become evil, etc. Now we apply those rules to each of the 12 ascendants. This is the article you'll consult every single time you read a chart.

Part 15 of 31 • Core Predictive Principles • Covers: Book Chapter XVII — Key-Planets for Each Sign

Bookmark this article. As soon as the Dasas and Bhuktis are determined, the next step is to find the good and evil planets for the ascendant, so that the student may carefully analyse the intensity of good or evil combinations.

Colour key: Auspicious Evil/Inauspicious Yogakaraka / Rajayoga Maraka (death-inflicting)

♈ Aries Ascendant
Auspicious: Jupiter Sun
Evil: Saturn Mercury Venus
Yogakaraka: Jupiter
Rajayoga: Jupiter produces success
Death note: Venus as maraka will NOT kill; Saturn will bring death
Special: Jupiter + Saturn conjunction produces no beneficial results
♉ Taurus Ascendant
Auspicious: Saturn (most auspicious and powerful)
Evil: Jupiter Venus Moon
Yogakaraka: Saturn
Rajayoga: Saturn alone produces Rajayoga
Death note: Jupiter, Venus, Moon kill when possessed of death-inflicting powers
♊ Gemini Ascendant
Auspicious: Venus (most beneficial)
Evil: Mars Jupiter Sun
Rajayoga: Venus + Saturn in good signs → excellent career. Also: Venus + Mercury
Death note: Moon will NOT kill even with maraka power
Special: Jupiter + Saturn produces similar (no beneficial) results as in Aries
♋ Cancer Ascendant
Auspicious: Jupiter Mars
Evil: Venus Mercury
Yogakaraka: Mars (Rajayogakaraka — conferror of name and fame)
Rajayoga: Mars + Jupiter. Also: Mars + Moon or Mars + Jupiter in 1st, 5th, 9th, 10th → much reputation
Death note: Sun will NOT kill with maraka power. Venus and other inauspicious planets kill.
♌ Leo Ascendant
Auspicious: Mars (most auspicious and favourable)
Evil: Saturn Venus Mercury
Rajayoga: Jupiter + Mars in favourable houses
No Rajayoga: Venus + Jupiter does NOT cause Rajayoga
Death note: Saturn will NOT kill with maraka power. Mercury and other evil planets inflict death.
♍ Virgo Ascendant
Auspicious: Venus (most powerful)
Evil: Mars Moon
Rajayoga: Mercury + Venus
Death note: Sun will NOT kill with maraka power. Venus, Moon, Jupiter inflict death.
♎ Libra Ascendant
Auspicious: Saturn Mercury
Evil: Jupiter Sun Mars
Yogakaraka: Saturn
Rajayoga: Saturn alone. Also: Moon + Mercury
Death note: Mars will NOT kill. Jupiter, Venus, Mars kill with maraka powers.
♏ Scorpio Ascendant
Auspicious: Jupiter
Evil: Mercury Venus
Rajayoga: Sun + Moon
Death note: Jupiter will NOT kill with maraka power. Mercury and other evil planets do not spare.
♐ Sagittarius Ascendant
Auspicious: Mars (best planet) Sun
Evil: Venus
Rajayoga: Sun + Mars. Also: Mars + Jupiter produces much good.
Death note: Saturn will NOT kill with maraka power. Venus causes death.
♑ Capricorn Ascendant
Auspicious: Venus (most powerful)
Evil: Mars Jupiter Moon
Rajayoga: Venus + Mercury
♒ Aquarius Ascendant
Auspicious: Venus (alone is auspicious)
Evil: Jupiter Moon
Rajayoga: Venus + Mars
♓ Pisces Ascendant
Auspicious: Moon Mars (Mars is most powerful)
Evil: Saturn Venus Sun Mercury
Rajayoga: Mars + Moon or Mars + Jupiter
Death note: Mars will NOT kill with maraka power

Patterns to Notice

Cross-Ascendant Observations

  • Mars is Yogakaraka for Cancer and Leo — the two signs ruled by the luminaries. In both, Mars owns the 5th from one and the 10th from the other (trikona + kendra).
  • Saturn is Yogakaraka for Taurus and Libra — the two signs ruled by Venus. This is why the Saturn-Venus relationship is uniquely productive for these ascendants.
  • Venus is the most beneficial for 5 ascendants (Gemini, Virgo, Capricorn, Aquarius + shared role in others) — making Venus the planet that does good most frequently across the zodiac.
  • Jupiter is evil for Taurus, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Capricorn, Aquarius — 6 out of 12 ascendants! The great natural benefic is a functional malefic for half the zodiac (Kendradhipatya Dosha from Part 14).
  • Planets that "will not kill" even as marakas: Venus (Aries), Moon (Gemini), Sun (Cancer, Virgo), Saturn (Leo, Sagittarius), Mars (Libra, Pisces), Jupiter (Scorpio). These protections are ascendant-specific.
Source: Hindu Predictive Astrology by B.V. Raman, Chapter XVII — Key-Planets for Each Sign (pages 79–81). Every entry reproduced exactly as stated in the book.

Key Takeaways

  1. Every ascendant has a unique set of allies and enemies — never assume a planet is universally good or bad
    Jupiter, the great natural benefic, is evil for 6 of 12 ascendants. Saturn, the great natural malefic, is Yogakaraka for 2.
  2. Yogakaraka = the single most powerful planet for that ascendant
    Aries: Jupiter. Taurus/Libra: Saturn. Cancer/Leo: Mars. The Yogakaraka's Dasa is the most favourable period in life.
  3. Rajayoga combinations are ascendant-specific — always check the table above
    The same conjunction that produces Rajayoga for one ascendant may be meaningless or harmful for another.
  4. Some planets are "protected" from killing even as marakas — this is ascendant-specific
    When the protected planet runs as a maraka, look to other maraka planets for the timing of death instead.
  5. Use this table as your FIRST step after identifying the ascendant in any chart
    Before reading houses, yogas, or Dasa results — check which planets are allies and which are enemies for this specific ascendant.

In Part 16, we shift from planetary assessment to personality profiling: the physical appearance, mental disposition, health tendencies, character traits, and life patterns associated with each of the 12 rising signs.

Based on

Hindu Predictive Astrology

by B.V. Raman | First published 1938 | UBS Publishers' Distributors Ltd.