Charakarakas — The Three Classes of Karakas
Three types of karakas: Naisargika (Brahma — what things ARE), Chara (Vishnu — soul's sustenance), and Sthira (Shiva — timing of endings). The 8 Charakarakas ranked by planetary longitude. Why Ketu is excluded: he wants all souls to merge back into Paramatma.
"As long as that identity crisis is there and the atma does not merge back with the Paramatma, it has to engage in certain activities. It has to sustain itself."
— P.V.R. Narasimha Rao
Three Classes of Karakas
The Trinity Framework
| Karka Type | Lorded by | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Naisargika Karakas | Brahma | What things ARE in creation; natural significators |
| Chara Karakas | Vishnu | Soul's journey and sustenance; what sustains the individual atma |
| Sthira Karakas | Shiva | Destruction and timing of endings; when relatives die |
Naisargika (natural, unchanging): Sun = soul, Moon = mind, Mars = brothers/bravery, Jupiter = children/guru, Venus = spouse, Saturn = servant/longevity — same for every chart.
Chara (variable, changeable from chart to chart): 8 karakas derived from planet longitudes; they show "souls" interacting with your soul, not just physical relatives.
Sthira (fixed): 7 karakas (no Rahu); used to time death of specific relatives.
— PVNR"When I say brothers in Charakarkas, this is not your physical brother born to the same mother and father. These are basically souls engaged in the same pursuit as your soul. They may be like your brothers."
Philosophy: Jivatma and Paramatma
Soul's Identity Crisis
- Paramatma (Sun = Vishwatma): Universal soul; source of all light; qualityless — no good or bad
- Jivatma: Individual soul separated from Paramatma; has taken light from the Aditya of its sign
- The jivatma does not recognize where it is getting light from → identity crisis
- Moksha = jivatma realizing it is part of Paramatma; identity crisis dissolved
— PVNR"As long as that identity crisis is there and the atma does not merge back with the Paramatma, it has to engage in certain activities. It has to sustain itself."
Why Ketu is Not a Karka
Ketu is NOT one of the 8 charakarakas and can never be one.
— PVNR"Ketu wants people to get Moksha. He wants people to give up this identity. Each soul is basically an identity. Ketu hates all this separation of souls. He does not want individual souls to exist. He wants all the souls to merge back with the Paramatma. So he refuses to become a soul, a separate soul."
- Chara karkas rotate among: Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rahu (8 planets)
- If two planets have the same degree, one replaces the other in the karaka order (among these 8 only)
The 8 Charakarakas
| Position | Name | Abbrev. | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most degrees | Atmakaraka | AK | Your own individual soul; the hidden agenda of your existence |
| 2nd | Amatyakaraka | AmK | Souls that counsel/advise you; ministers around you |
| 3rd | Bhratrikaraka | BK | Souls like brothers: guru, godbrothers, co-disciples, spiritual comrades |
| 4th | Matrukaraka | MK | Motherly souls that nourish you |
| 5th | Pitrukaraka | PiK | Fatherly souls that guide and discipline you; authority figures |
| 6th | Putrakaraka | PuK | Follower souls; subordinates who take your orders; children at soul level |
| 7th | Gnatikaraka | GK | Rival souls; those competing for the same thing; those opposing you |
| Least degrees | Darakaraka | DK | Spouse's soul; the life partner |
Atmakaraka — King of All
— PVNR"In Parasara's words, Atmakarka is the king. He is the king of your whole existence. Your body, your mind, they all have a role to play. But the ultimate king is your atma."
— PVNR"Any ultimate happiness or sadness comes from the atma. As long as the king is not happy, you are not happy. You may be very intelligent, very blessed. But as long as the atma is not happy, you will have that restlessness from within that you can't express in words."
AK shows the real hidden agenda of your existence — not just spiritual but also material:
- A soul aiming for Moksha → AK will show that
- A soul wanting to be king of the world → AK will show that too
- A soul wanting to be a serial killer (extreme case) → AK can show that too (but that soul is far from Moksha)
Raj Yogas from Charakarakas
AK + PuK (Parasara Raj Yoga)
Atmakaraka + Putrakaraka together, especially in 1st or 5th house = Maharaja Yoga
- AK = your soul; PuK = followers at the soul level (blind followers)
- When soul and follower-souls are in union → person has commanding following
- Best if in lagna or 5H → Maharaja (very powerful ruler)
- Even if in other houses → some rise through following
— PVNR"When a soul follows your soul, that means that relationship is very strong. The bond is very strong. These are real followers. Putrakaraka is basically your blind followers."
Vajpayee chart (Dec 25 1926, 5:10 AM, Gwalior):
- Mercury = AK; Saturn = PuK — both in Lagna
- → Maharaja Yoga → rose through commanding following (democratically elected)
- Mercury AK → flexible, adaptable soul; can go either way based on company
- Saturn with Mercury → Saturn is the company → becomes more disciplined/ascetic
AK + PiK (Jaimini Raj Yoga)
Atmakaraka + Pitrukaraka together, especially in 1st or 5th house = Raj Yoga (rising through elders)
- PiK = fatherly souls that guide and protect you
- Union of AK and PiK → blessings from elders/authorities lift you up
George W. Bush Jr. (Jul 6 1946, 7:35 AM, New Haven, CT):
- Venus = AK; Mercury = PiK — both in 1st house
- → AK + PiK Raj Yoga in lagna → rose through father's influence
- "His father was a great politician. Because of the influence of father, he rose in life."
- Compare Vajpayee (followers) vs. Bush Jr. (godfather/father's blessing): clear distinction