The strength and weakness of the houses of the horoscope

What the strength and weakness of the houses of the horoscope depend on

A house has strength if the lord of the house and its dispositor are strong.

A house becomes strong when it is aspected or occupied by its own lord.

Naturally benefic planets bring good to the houses in which they are placed and which they aspect. Speaking of the natural significations of a planet, however, a planet’s stay in good bhavas influences them positively, whereas in the 8th and 12th houses, for example, its karakatvas will be spoiled.

Natural malefics harm the houses in which they are placed and which they aspect. As for their karakatvas, they are comfortable in favourable bhavas, but when malefic planets are placed in the evil 8th or 12th houses the significations of the planets will suffer.

Functional benefics, if they are placed in a good house, exert a beneficent action on the houses they rule. When, however, they fall into the 3rd,
6th, 8th or 12th, their own houses go through less than the best of times.

A naturally malefic planet will never harm its own house if it is placed in it.

A house shows itself in full strength when:

• the house and its lord are squeezed between benefic planets;
• the house and its owner are aspected by benefic planets;
• its lord is in exaltation, in its Mulatrikona, in its own sign or in the status of Vargottama;
• its ruler is placed in an Upachaya house (that is, in the 3rd, 6th, 10th or 11th house);
• its lord falls into a kendra or a trikona from the Lagna or the Lagnesha;
• a planet friendly to the lord of the Lagna is placed in the house;
• the house is a trikona or a kendra from the Lagna;
• the dispositor of the house ruler is strong.

A house loses strength when:

• the house or its lord is squeezed between malefic planets;
• the house or its lord receives malefic aspects;
• the ruler of the house is in a hostile sign, in debilitation or combust;
• the dispositor of the house lord is weakened;
• the lord of the house is placed in the 8th or the 12th house from the Lagna/Lagnesha;
• the house is occupied by a planet hostile to the lord of the Lagna;
• the house is the 6th, 8th or 12th from the Lagna.

According to the «Phaladipika», benefic planets in the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 7th, 9th and 10th houses from any house strengthen its well-being. Malefic planets in the 4th, 5th, 8th, 9th and 12th houses from any house do it damage.

The «Jataka-desha-marga» says that malefic planets in the 2nd and 12th, the 4th and 8th, the 5th and 9th houses relative to some house destroy its potential to do good. Benefic planets in these same places act positively.

The aspect of the Lagnesha on any house, and the aspect of any planet on its own house, always influence it beneficently.

Sri Govind Swarup Agarwal — «Vedic Astrology»