Importance of Karaka or Significators in Astrology

Each planet is inherently inclined to give certain results. For example, Jupiter is by nature related to matters pertaining to children, wealth, etc. Venus is so related in a male chart to the wife of the individual, etc. These are the karaka properties of the planets.

Karakas can be used for general analysis of a birth chart. They can also be used for timing various events that seem possible from the general analysis of a chart. The condition of a karaka in a chart indicates the status of certain matters that the karaka represents.

The relevant house from the karaka represents the specific matter. Mars is the karaka for younger siblings. The 3rd house from Mars shall therefore represent younger siblings. The 5th house from Jupiter shall represent the first child, etc.

The karaka is the key to a specific matter. It controls matters of which it is the karaka. It is the source for all such events. When the planet is related to the concerned karaka it would give the required result in its major-period.

We know that some planets are also naturally malefic. Each planet is a karaka for certain aspects of life. We will notice that Mars is taken to be a naturally malefic planet since it represents such matters. Jupiter is a naturally benefic planet since it represents such matters.

The karakatwa (signification) for disease shows the nature of the disease. For example, if it is the Sun, the disease will cause inflammation and fever. When the Moon is the cause, it will involve liquid, water retention, mucous formation, and acute ailments and there could be oedema. Mars will cause inflammation, blood or muscular disorder, loss of blood and surgery. Mercury shows its effect at several locations, causes respiratory or skin trouble and different symptoms. Jupiter will cause swelling and oedema. It could also cause liver dysfunction and dyspepsia. Venus gives benign growths and involvement of urinary and reproductive systems. Saturn causes hardening, chronicity and loss of weight. Rahu causes filthy discharges and sudden onset of disease. If in a chart Rahu is related to the 8th houses from its position, ascendant and Arudha lagna, it shall be the Karaka-Factor for hidden, filthy, undiagnosed, malignant or untreatable conditions.

When a Factor for disease is related to Rahu the condition, the disease caused by either of the Factors in its major-period would be difficult to diagnose and it may turn out to be malignant. Such a relationship also shows that the disease is an outcome of the sins that the individual had committed in the past. In the charts of AIDS/HIV patients the Factor for blood has contact with the Factor for incurable disease. When a Factor for disease is related to the Factor for malignancy and one for an organ, the likelihood of that organ developing a cancerous growth would be very strong. Ketu causes indifference to and neglect of the ailment.

A karaka shows many matters. Venus, as an example, is a karaka for wife, sex, vehicle, beauty, etc. The question arises whether each karaka would be willing to produce all the matters that it represents in its major-period in each chart. In experience, it is found that it is not true. The fixed karakas are selective in showing their result in their major-period. For example, Venus may not represent all the significations in each chart. In one male chart it may represent beauty and vehicle but not wife. In another male chart it may represent sex and wife but not vehicle.  A karaka that is related to the Arudha of a house that represents one of the significations of that karaka shall be inclined to give results relating to that aspect of its karakatwa.

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