BPHS Ch.11 — Houses 8–12, 8th House as Inter-Life Karmic Link, Father in 10th Puzzle & Avastha for House Results
BPHS Ch.11 continues. 8th house: longevity, hidden/protected places, inherited wealth from dead, "Gacchanukam" = past karmas AND future karmas. Deep insight: "Gati = where the person has been (past); anu = what will follow (future) — the 8th house is the connection between past and future lives, the inter-life karmic link." 9th house: fortune, dharma, brother's wife (7th from 3rd = 9th), pilgrimage, wife's siblings (3rd from 7th = 9th). 10th house: career/profession, kingdom/social position, space in the world, honor/respect, travel to far places, FATHER ("Pituh"). Surprise #3: Parashara mentions father under 10th house! PVNR: "Let us just observe this for now. Continue using 9th house for father — we will reconcile with later chapters. This is not everything Parashara will say about father." 11th house: gains/income, animals/livestock. 12th house: expenditure, enemies' activities and news. Planetary avastha applied to house lords: house gives good results when lord is in Yuva OR Pravruddha (mature) avastha, AND lord is in 10th from its own house. House gives bad results when lord is in Vruddha/Mruta avastha + afflicted by dusthana lords + does NOT aspect its own house = "results of that house are lost." Key surprises summary: 2nd=wealth-enemies; 5th=losing position; 7th=vision loss+death of self; 10th=father; 8th=inter-life karmic connection. "Every time we read Parashara carefully, we find something we didn't know."
"The 8th house shows not only longevity but also gacchanukam — where the person has been (past karma) and what will follow (future karma). The 8th house is the connection between lives. Even though the whole chart shows karma, the 8th house is the inter-life karmic link."
— P.V.R. Narasimha Rao
BPHS Chapter 11 — Bhava Viveka Adhyaya (Begins)
Maitreya's question (opening shloka): "The evil combinations and their cancellation I have heard from you. Now tell me: from which house, what results, how should these be judged?"
Parashara then systematically lists the primary significations of each house.
House Significations per Parashara (Complete List)
1st House (Lagna)
| Signification | Original term |
|---|---|
| Body | Deham |
| Appearance and beauty | Rupam |
| Intellect/wisdom | Jnanam |
| Complexion/color | Varnam |
| Character strengths and weaknesses | Balabalam |
| Happiness and sadness | Sukham duhkham |
| Innate nature | Svabhavam |
"All these should be seen from the lagna bhava."
2nd House (Dhana Sthana)
| Signification | Original term |
|---|---|
| Wealth | Dhanam |
| Grains/food stored | Dhanyam |
| Family | Kutumbam |
| Enemies | Amitrakam |
| Web of death | Mrtyujalam |
| Metals and gems | Dhatu-ratna |
Surprise finding: Parashara lists enemies under the 2nd house, not only the 6th.
"Enemies should be seen from 2nd as well as 6th, not just 6th."
Three types of enemies across three houses:
- 2nd house enemies: Those arising on account of wealth/money (litigation over money, financial enmity)
- 6th house enemies: General enmity, rivalries with people
- 8th house enemies: Deadly enmity where you have to put your life on the line
3rd House (Vikrama Sthana)
| Signification | Original term |
|---|---|
| Boldness | Vikramam |
| Initiative | Vrschya (attendant/servant) |
| Siblings | Bhratradi |
| Short journeys | Prayanakam (small suffix "ka" = small journey) |
| Vehicles | Vahana |
| Mantras and yantras | Yantra-mantra |
Note: The word "prayanakam" for 3rd house uses diminutive suffix "ka" suggesting small journeys. For 7th house, "prayanam" (no diminutive) is used = long journeys.
4th House (Sukha Sthana)
| Signification | Original term |
|---|---|
| Mother | Matr |
| Happiness/comforts | Sukha |
| House/property | Griham |
| Relatives | Parijantaye |
| Treasure/heritage |
5th House (Putra Sthana)
| Signification | Original term |
|---|---|
| Children | Putra |
| Kingdom (position) | Rajyam |
| Losing the kingdom | Apabhransha |
| Knowledge: yantras, mantras, vidya | Yantra-mantra tatha vidyam |
| Intellect/buddhi | Buddhes ca prabandhakam |
Note: 5th house shows both GAINING and LOSING the kingdom. This is noteworthy — Parashara specifically includes the fall from position.
6th House (Ripu Sthana)
| Signification | Original term |
|---|---|
| Enemies (general rivalries) | Setrun |
| Stepmother / mother's co-wife | Sapatni mataram |
| Mother's siblings (maternal aunts/uncles) | Matulam |
| Serious worries (fear as though dying) | Antakashanka |
| Wounds, ulcers | Vrana |
On Sapatni Mataram: "The husband's other wife, co-wife." In the 6th house because:
- 3rd from 4th (mother's house) = 6th = mother's sibling-like relationship
- In patriarchal Indian society where polygamy was common, the co-wife had a sibling-like relationship with mother (sometimes rivalry, sometimes solidarity)
- Could also mean stepmother in modern contexts
7th House (Jaya Sthana)
| Signification | Original term |
|---|---|
| Wife (spouse) | Jaya |
| Long journeys | Prayanam (no diminutive) |
| Business/trade | Vanijyam |
| Loss of vision | Nashtavikshana |
| Death of the self | Maranam svadeshasya |
Surprise #2: Loss of vision shown from the 7th house!
"First time I am hearing about 7th house for loss of vision. Even I thought 12th house."
PVNR's attempt at explaining: "Second house shows eyes; the dharma of 2nd house is seeing. The 9th from 2nd is the 10th house — we normally say 10th house shows eyesight. But why 7th house for loss of vision — I am not entirely clear."
Note: 7th house also shows death of self ("maranam svadeshasya") — not just 8th house.
8th House (Ayu Sthana)
| Signification | Original term |
|---|---|
| Longevity | Ayur |
| Hidden/protected places | Durgam |
| Inherited wealth from dead people | Mrta-dhanam |
| Past karmas and future karmas | Gacchanukam |
Deep insight on 8th house: "Gati means where the person has been (past), anu means what will follow (future). So the 8th house shows serious links to karmas from past lives AND serious karmas going into the future. The 8th house is the connection between lives."
"Even though the whole chart shows karma, 8th house is the karmic connection between lives."
9th House (Bhagya Sthana)
| Signification | Original term |
|---|---|
| Fortune | Bhagyam |
| Dharma/righteousness | Dharmam |
| Brother's wife | Bhratarupatni (7th from 3rd = 9th) |
| Pilgrimage | Tirtha-yatra |
| Wife's siblings (sister-in-law) | Syalam (3rd from 7th = 9th) |
10th House (Karma Sthana)
| Signification | Original term |
|---|---|
| Career/profession | Vrttim |
| Kingdom/position in society | Rajyam |
| Space/place in the world | Akashyam |
| Honor and respect | Manam |
| Being in far-away place/travel | Pravasasya |
| Father | Pituh |
Surprise #3: Parashara mentions father under the 10th house!
"He is mentioning the 10th house for father, not the 9th."
PVNR's response: "Let us for now just observe that Parashara said 10th house is father. Let us not switch to using 10th house. Let us continue using the 9th house. We will reconcile later. This is not everything Parashara will say about father — he will obviously mention more later."
Open question: Why does Parashara say 10th for father? PVNR says to wait for more context from later chapters before drawing conclusions.
11th House (Labha Sthana)
| Signification | Original term |
|---|---|
| Gains/income (various) | Adayam |
| Animals and livestock | Pashunam |
12th House (Vyaya Sthana)
| Signification | Original term |
|---|---|
| Expenditure | Jayam (expenses) |
| Enemies' activities and news | Vairivruantam |
Additional Verses — Judging the House's Happiness
Planetary Avastha Applied to House Analysis
Verse on when a house gives good results: If the benefic or the house lord is in:
- Yuva avastha (young) → good
- Pravruddha avastha (mature/elderly) → also good
- Kumara avastha (child) → moderate
"He specifically says yuva avastha OR pravruddha avastha — the mature is also included, not just young. So both middle-age and maturity are good."
Also: Lord being in the 10th from the house = good for the house.
Two interpretations of "10th house":
- House lord in the 10th house from lagna = good for that house
- House lord in the 10th house from the house itself = good
"I will not give my view — both interpretations are plausible. Try to apply both."
Verse on When a House Gives Bad Results
When the house gives bad results:
- House lord is afflicted by dusthana lords (trikesa = lords of 6/8/12)
- House lord is in vruddha avastha (old) or mrta avastha (dead)
- House lord doesn't aspect the house (no drishti on its own house)
- House lord is afflicted by bad planets
"If the lord of any house is in vruddha avastha or mrta avastha, or is afflicted, or is in the company of dusthana lords, and if it doesn't even look at its own house — then the results of that house are lost."
Key Surprises from BPHS Ch.11 — House Significations
| House | Surprising Assignment | PVNR Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd | Enemies ("Amitrakam") | Enemies from money/wealth matters; all 3 types in 2nd, 6th, 8th |
| 5th | Losing the kingdom ("Apabhransha") | Not just gaining but also losing position |
| 7th | Loss of vision ("Nashtavikshana") | Not 12th as commonly assumed |
| 7th | Death of the self | Not just longevity from 8th — 7th also covers this |
| 10th | Father ("Pituh") | Not 9th as commonly used; PVNR says "let's wait to reconcile" |
| 8th | Connection between past + future lives | Not just longevity — the inter-life karmic link |