Bhava meaning in Vedic astrology: houses in a chart

Houses are counted from a reference point, the lagna by default.

The sign holding the lagna is the 1st house, the next sign the 2nd, and so on to the 12th.

Different houses stand for different matters, so a planet's house is read as pointing to an area of life.

Related terms

• Lagna →Lagna is the Vedic ascendant: the sign rising on the eastern horizon at the moment and place of birth.
• Whole-sign houses →Whole-sign houses is a house system in which each sign of the zodiac is one entire house, starting from the sign holding the ascendant.
• Rashi →Rashi means sign in Vedic astrology: one of the 12 equal divisions of the zodiac, each 30 degrees wide.
• Graha →Graha is the Sanskrit word for planet as used in Vedic astrology, where the Sun and Moon count as planets.
• Kendra →Kendra (also called quadrant or angle) refers to the 1st, 4th, 7th and 10th houses of a chart.
• House lord →House lord (also called bhava lord or bhavesha) is the planet that rules the sign occupying a given house in the chart.
• Trikona →Trikona (also called kona or trine) is the group made up of the 1st, 5th and 9th houses of a birth chart.
• Dusthana →Dusthana (also called trik sthana or trik house) is the group made up of the 6th, 8th and 12th houses of a birth chart.

Lessons that use this term

• What is Vedic astrology (Jyotish)? A beginner's guide →
• 12 houses in Vedic astrology (bhavas) explained →
• House lords in Vedic astrology: how lordship works →
• Classical texts of Vedic astrology: BPHS, Phaladeepika, Saravali →
• How to read a North Indian birth chart →
• Whole sign houses vs other house systems in Vedic astrology →
• 1st house in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations →
• 2nd house in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations →
• 3rd house in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations →
• 4th house in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations →
• 5th house in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations →
• 6th house in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations →
• 7th house in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations →
• 8th house in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations →
• 9th house in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations →
• 10th house in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations →
• 11th house in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations →
• 12th house in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations →
• Kendra, trikona, dusthana and upachaya houses explained →
• What is a yogakaraka planet? Yogakaraka for each ascendant →

Sources for this entry

1. P.V.R. Narasimha Rao, Vedic Astrology: An Integrated Approach