Atmakaraka meaning: your soul planet in Vedic astrology

तेषां मध्ये प्रधानं तु आत्मकारक उच्यते । जातकराट् स विज्ञेयः सर्वेषां मुख्यकारकः ॥७॥

Among them, the chief is called the Atmakaraka; he is to be known as the king of the nativity, the principal karaka of all.

रव्यादिपङ्गुपर्यन्तमंशाधिकग्रहो द्विज । कारकेन्द्रोऽथ स ज्ञेयो आत्माकारक उच्यते ॥३॥

From Ravi up to Pangu, whichever graha has the greatest amsha, O twice-born, is to be known as the karaka-lord; that one is called the Atmakaraka.

रव्यादिशनिपर्यन्ता भवन्ति सप्तकारकाः । अंशैः समौ ग्रहौ द्वौ च राह्वन्तान् गणयेद्द्विज ॥२॥

From Ravi [Sun] up to Shani [Saturn] there are the seven karakas. If two grahas are equal in amsha, one should count up to and including Rahu, O twice-born.

तत्र राशिकलाधिक्ये नैव ग्राह्यः प्रधानकः । अंशाधिक्ये कारकः स्यादल्पभागोऽन्तकारकः ॥५॥

There, superiority in rashi or in kala alone is not to be taken as determining the chief; superiority in amsha makes the karaka. The one with the least portion becomes the last karaka.

अंशसाम्यग्रहो यत्र कलाधिक्यं च पश्यति । कलासाम्ये पलाधिक्यमात्माकारक ईर्यते ॥४॥

Where grahas are equal in amsha, one should look to superiority in kala [minutes]; if kala too is equal, superiority in pala [seconds] — that is declared to be the Atmakaraka.

मध्यांशो मध्यखेटः स्यादुपखेटः स एव हि । अधोऽधःकारका ज्ञेयाश्चराणि सप्तकारकाः ॥६॥

The middling amsha is the middling graha, and that same reckoning [applies to all]; the karakas are to be known in descending order below it — these moving grahas are the seven karakas.

दारकारकविज्ञेयो निर्विशङ्कं द्विजोत्तम । चराश्च कारकाः सप्त ब्रह्मणा चोदितः पुरा ॥१८॥

— is to be known, without doubt, as the Darakaraka, O best of the twice-born. These are the seven chara karakas, declared of old by Brahma.

आत्मकारकखेटेन न्यूनभागो हि यद्ग्रहः । अमात्यसंज्ञा तस्यैव ज्ञायते द्विजसत्तम ॥१५॥

Whatever graha has a lesser portion than the Atmakaraka graha — that one is known by the name Amatyakaraka, O best of the twice-born.

अथाग्रे सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि ग्रहाणां कारकान् द्विज । आत्मादिकारकान् सप्त यथावत् कथयामि ते ॥१॥

Now I shall further declare the karakas of the grahas, O twice-born. I shall tell you, as they truly are, the seven karakas beginning with atma.

शुक्रः शुक्रश्च नेत्रं च चन्द्रमा मनसस्तथा । आत्मा वै दिनकृत्तत्र जीवो जीवितसौख्यदः ॥१७॥

Venus is [the karaka] of shukra (reproductive fluid); the Moon, of the eyes and of the mind; the Sun indeed [is the karaka] of the atma (soul/vitality); Jupiter is the giver of the happiness of life.

यथा भूमौ प्रसिद्धोऽस्ति नराणां क्षितिपालकः । सर्ववार्ताधिकारी च बन्धकृन्मोक्षकृत्तथा ॥८॥

Just as on earth there is, famously, among men, the protector of the land, who holds authority over all affairs, and is likewise the one who binds and the one who releases —

पुत्रामात्यप्रजानां तु तत्तद्दोषगुणैस्तथा । बन्धकृन्मोक्षकृद्विप्र तथा सम्मानकारकः ॥९॥

— of sons, ministers and subjects, according to their respective faults and virtues, he is likewise the binder, the releaser, O brahmin, and likewise the giver of honor.

तथैव कारको राजा ग्रहाणामात्मकारकः । आत्मेत्यादि फलं दत्ते चान्यथा स्थापयेद्द्विज ॥१०॥

Just so, the karaka-king among the grahas is the Atmakaraka: he gives fruit beginning with that of the self, and may set it otherwise too, O twice-born.

यथा राजाज्ञया विप्र पुत्रामात्यादयोऽपि च । समर्था लोककार्येषु तथैवान्योन्यकारकः ॥११॥

Just as by the king's command, O brahmin, sons, ministers and the rest become capable in worldly affairs, so too the other karakas act by the same authority.

अकार्यं कर्तुं नो शक्तस्तथैवान्योपकारकः । आत्मकारकवश्येन ह्यमात्यादि फलं ददुः ॥१४॥

He is unable to do an improper act; so too the other upakarakas — being subject to the Atmakaraka, the Amatya and the rest give their fruit accordingly.

कारकराजवश्येन फलदाता न्यकारकः । यथा राजनि क्रुद्धे च सर्वेऽमात्यादयो द्विज ॥१२॥

Being subject to the karaka-king, the other karakas become givers of fruit. Just as when the king is angered, O twice-born, all the ministers and the rest —

स्वजनानां कार्यकर्तुमसमर्था भवन्ति हि । स्निग्धे भूपे ह्यमात्यादिः स्वशत्रूणां द्विजोत्तम ॥१३॥

— become unable to act even for their own kin's affairs; but when the king is well-disposed, the ministers and the rest act favorably even toward their own enemies, O best of the twice-born.

अंशसाम्यौ ग्रहौ द्वौ च जायेतां यस्य जन्मनि । स्वकारकं विना विप्र लुप्यति चात्मकारकः ॥१९॥

If in a nativity two grahas should arise exactly equal in amsha, [and the tie is not resolved] into its own karaka [rank], O brahmin, the Atmakaraka itself is lost.

तत्कारको लुप्यति चेदन्यत्रैवास्ति कारकम् । कारकाणां स्थिराणां च मध्ये सञ्चिन्तयेद्द्विज ॥२०॥

That karaka is lost; if elsewhere there is [another] karaka, one should reckon it among the sthira [fixed] karakas, O twice-born.

स्वांशकारककुण्डल्यां नवमांशाधिपोऽथवा । यस्मिन् राशौ स्थिता विप्र तद्राशिफलमुच्यते ॥२॥

In one's own karaka-kundali [the navamsha chart], the lord of the navamsha [karakamsha] — whichever rashi it stands in, O brahmin, the fruit of that rashi is declared.

मेषादिमीनपर्यन्तं सर्वेषां फलमादिशेत् । यथावद्भाषितं पूर्वं शूलिना रुद्रयामले ॥३॥

From Mesha to Meena, one should declare the fruit for all, as duly spoken before by Shulin [Shiva] in the Rudrayamala.

अंशकारककुण्डल्यां मेषे कारक ईरिते । मूषकादिभयं तत्र बिडालाच्च विशेषतः ॥४॥

In the amsha-karaka-kundali, when the karaka is declared to be in Mesha, there is fear from mice and the like there, and especially from cats.

सुयोगे च यदा विप्र मार्जारादि सुखप्रदौ । वृषे च कारकांशे तु भयार्ती च चतुष्पदात् ॥५॥

And in a good yoga, O brahmin, the cat and the like become sources of comfort. And if the karakamsha is in Vrisha, there is fear and affliction from four-footed animals.

शुभे चतुष्पदात्सिद्धिरिति तत्त्वं द्विजोत्तम । मिथुने कारकांशे च कण्ड्वादिरोगसम्भवः ॥६॥

With a benefic, success comes through four-footed animals — this is the principle, O best of the twice-born. And if the karakamsha is in Mithuna, there is a possibility of itch and similar diseases.

ककांशे च जलादुःखं जलभीतिर्न संशयः । कुष्ठादिरोगसम्भूतिः शुभे फलविपर्ययः ॥७॥

In the Karka amsha, there is suffering from water and fear of water, without doubt, and the possibility of leprosy and similar diseases; with a benefic, the result reverses.

सिंहांशे कारके खेटे तिष्ठत्येवं द्विजोत्तम । शुनकादि भयं दद्याच्छुभे सिद्धिप्रदायकः ॥८॥

When the karaka graha stands thus in the Simha amsha, O best of the twice-born, it gives fear from dogs and the like; with a benefic, it becomes a giver of success.

कन्यायां कारकांशे चेत्तिष्ठत्येवं फलं भवेत् । युग्मवत्कण्डुरोगार्त्तिर्वह्निदोषेण दुःखभाक् ॥९॥

If the karakamsha stands thus in Kanya, this fruit occurs: like the dual sign [Mithuna], affliction from itch-disease; suffering from a fire-related fault.

तुलाख्यं कारकांशे च व्यापारेषु रतोऽधिकः । क्रयविक्रयकर्त्ता च यदि जातो नृपालये ॥१०॥

If the karakamsha is named Tula, greatly devoted to trade, and a doer of buying and selling, even if born in a king's palace.

वृश्चिके कारकांशे च सर्पादिभयकारकः । मातुः पयोधरे पीडा जायते द्विजसत्तम ॥११॥

If the karakamsha is in Vrishchika, it causes fear from serpents and the like; affliction arises in the mother's breast, O best of the twice-born.

चापस्थे कारकांशे च वाहनाद्भयमादिशेत् । उच्चात्प्रपतनं वापि कोपी वस्तुसमन्वितः ॥१२॥

If the karakamsha stands in Chapa [Dhanu], one should predict fear from vehicles, or falling from a height; irritable, yet possessed of goods.

नक्रकारकांशे विप्र सिद्धिर्जलचरादयः । शङ्खमुक्ताप्रवालादिमत्स्यखेचरदेवताः ॥१३॥

In the Nakra [Makara] karakamsha, O brahmin, success through aquatic creatures and the like — conch, pearl, coral and so on, fish, birds, and connection with deities.

कुम्भाख्यकारकांशे च तडागादीनि कारयेत् । कीर्तिमान्धर्मवान्सोऽपि जायते द्विजसत्तम ॥१४॥

If the karakamsha is named Kumbha, one causes the building of tanks and the like; he becomes famous and righteous too, O best of the twice-born.

मीने च कारकांशे वै सायुज्यमुक्तिभाग्भवेत् । शुभयोगे शुभं ब्रूयादशुभं विपरीतके ॥१५॥

And if the karakamsha is in Meena, one becomes fit for sayujya-mukti [liberation by absorption]. With a benefic's association, declare the fruit auspicious; with the reverse, inauspicious.

कारकाद्द्विचतुर्थे च पञ्चमे भावगे द्विज। शुभखेटो न सन्देहो राजयोगं ददाति च।।१०।।

O brahmin, a benefic placed in the 2nd, 4th, or 5th house from the Atmakaraka undoubtedly confers Raja Yoga.

कारकात् त्रितये षष्ठे राश्योरुभयपापयुक्। राजवंशोद्भवो विप्र राजयोगस्तथा भवेत्।।११।।

O brahmin, if malefics occupy the 3rd and 6th houses from the Atmakaraka, or the 3rd and 6th from the lagna, Raja Yoga likewise arises, and the native is born in a royal lineage.

भाग्येशः कारके लग्ने पञ्चमे सप्तमेऽपि वा। राजयोगप्रदातारौ गजवाजिधनैरपि।।९।।

The 9th-lord (Bhagyesha) and the Atmakaraka, in the lagna, 5th, or 7th house, confer Raja Yoga together with elephants, horses, and wealth.

कारकस्य युतश्चादौ तत्केन्द्रादिस्थितस्ततः। दशाक्रमेण विज्ञेयाः शुभाशुभफलप्रदाः।।५४।।

First [the dasha] of the karaka, then of the graha conjunct with it, then of those situated in the kendra and other [categories] from it — these should be known in dasha-order as bestowing auspicious and inauspicious results.

कारककेन्द्रग्रहदशामाह। लग्नाद्वा सप्तमाद्विप्र गणनीयः क्रमोत्क्रमात्। कारकावधिराशिश्च संख्या तत्रात्मिकाः समाः।।४८।।

Now Karakadi Dasha is stated: O brahmin, one should count, forward or reverse, from the lagna or the 7th house; the signs up to the karaka's own [sign] give the [dasha-]number there, being self-referential (atmika) and equal.

अथैकः कारकांशेषु रव्यादिस्तिष्ठति ग्रहः । तेषां फलं प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणु त्वं द्विजसत्तम ॥१९॥

Now, if a single graha beginning with Ravi stands in the karakamsha, I shall declare their fruit; listen, O best of the twice-born.