Kendradhipati-dosha

How benefic planets that own the kendra houses
can bring problems — Kendradhipati-dosha

According to the sage Parashara, natural benefics that rule the kendras are unable to function normally and to bring good results.

The list of benefic planets includes Jupiter, Venus, a well-placed Mercury and the waxing Moon. When these planets rule the kendras, they acquire unfavourable qualities and suffer from Kendradhipati-dosha. Even the strength of these planets in the Shadvarga does not cancel this dosha. The most malefic of them becomes Jupiter, followed by Venus, Mercury and the Moon (the Shadvarga, or the 6 vargas — divisional charts — includes the Rashi, Hora, Drekkana, Saptamsha, Navamsha and Dvadashamsha charts — translator’s note.)

If a benefic planet rules an angular house and a trine (the 1st, 5th or 9th) at the same time, Kendradhipati-dosha does not touch it. The Moon comes under this dosha if the signs of Aries, Libra or Capricorn rise in the chart, but it is not capable of producing large-scale destruction.

As an exception to the rules, Venus suffers from Kendradhipati-dosha even if it rules the Lagna. With a retrograde Venus, however, the dosha causes considerably fewer problems. For a Lagna in Cancer, Venus is both the Badhakesha and the bearer of Kendradhipati-dosha, and therefore, as the natural karaka of marriage, it can make married life a real hell if the condition of the 7th house and of its lord, together with other factors, also points to this.

With Ascendants in the dual signs, all the kendras are ruled by benefic planets — Jupiter and Mercury. Taking into account the fact that these planets additionally receive the statuses of Badhakesha and Maraka, they suffer most of all from Kendradhipati-dosha. Jupiter for a Virgo and Gemini Lagna, and Mercury for an Ascendant in Pisces and Sagittarius, produce the effects of Kendradhipati, Badhaka and Maraka and become extremely dangerous. If they are badly placed, debilitated or deprived of strength (because of combustion, defeat in a planetary war or poor Shadbala figures), the consequences may be fatal.

For a Pisces or Sagittarius Lagna, Jupiter is an excellent benefic planet, just as Mercury is for a rising Gemini and Virgo. The status of ruler of the Lagna in these cases saves them from the claws of Kendradhipati-dosha.

Sri Govind Swarup Agarwal — «Vedic Astrology»