Ninth House and its implications

Man proposes God disposes: – so goes the age-old maxim. Meaning of this adage is human beings can make any plans they want, but it is God who gives success or failure. This proverb is a translation from “The Imitation of Christ” by the German-born Thomas à Kempis (c.1380-1471):

 “For the resolutions of the just depend rather on the grace of God than on their own wisdom; and in Him they always put their trust, whatever they take in hand. For man proposes, but God disposes; neither is the way of man in his own hands.”

 This may be a reflection of a verse in the Bible (Proverbs 16:9):

 “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.”

 Shakespeare, too, had a similar message in the form of a dialogue between Hamlet and Horatio:

 “There is a divinity that shapes our ends, rough-hew them how we will.”(Hamlet, Act 5, Scene 2).

 Hamlet is acknowledging that there are many things out of his control, and that in the end it is God who will determine our destiny.  This is an important realization for Hamlet, who is undergoing a transition from an indecisive worrier to an honorable and resolute character.  These lines would also have been relative to Shakespeare’s audience.  When Shakespeare was finishing up the play in 1603, there was uncertainty in England.  Queen Elizabeth had no clear hereditary successor, and the future of the nation was unsure.  Changes in authority throughout the previous century had resulted in widespread political and religious persecution.  The citizens of England had reason to be apprehensive about the future.  However, there was also a belief at the time that royalty were ruling by divine right.  The message that “There’s a divinity that shapes our ends…” would have reminded Shakespeare’s audience that whatever was in store for them would be the will of God.  Whether they would prosper or suffer, they could take comfort knowing that there is a greater meaning to it. The invisible force which guides the life of every human is divine grace.  Theists believe that it is the same force which creates atheists and agnostics.  Our Rishis believed that a person receives divine grace on account of past karma.  So, they conceived of an invisible link between merits of past birth and divine grace and introduced this concept through Astrology.  In Astrology, the fifth house denotes poorvapunya, while ninth house denotes divine grace.  These houses share a trinal link viz. ninth house is fifth to the fifth house.

The ninth house stands for Guru ( Preceptor), devata (deity), Pitru (father), Subha (auspiciousness), bhagya (fortune), Pooja (worship),Tapas (Austerity), Sukruta (Virtuous deed) Powtra (grandson), Japa (prayer) and Aryavamsa (Pedigree).

One gets happiness if the ninth house is occupied by a benefic or by the 9^th Lord.  Even a malefic in ninth house is good provided it is in its own house or in exaltation or happens to be a friendly planet of the ninth lord.

If Jupiter is placed in the 9^th aspected by the Sun, one becomes a King; if aspected by Mars, one becomes a Minister; if by Mercury, will be wealthy; if by Venus, will own horses; if by Moon, will be happy and if aspected by Saturn, will own Camels.

The above rules come into play when a single planet aspects Jupiter.  What happens when a pair of planets aspect Jupiter? If  Jupiter occupying the 9^th Bhava be aspected by both the Sun and the Moon, the person will own elephants, cows, horses and be blessed with wealth ; if by Sun and Mars, he will have an army, vehicles and own precious stones; if by Sun and Mercury, he will be blessed with huge wealth and such a person will take delight in participating in debates with scholars; if by Sun and Venus, will be polite in speech; if by Sun and Saturn will abound in moral excellence; if by Moon and Mars,  will have fame, will command an army and be blessed with wealth; if by Moon and Mercury ,will be blessed with domestic happiness; if by Moon and Venus, will be wealthy and active; if by Moon and Saturn, will be meritorious and become an expounder of law in a Foreign Country; if by Mercury and Venus will surpass everyone in learning.  If all the planets (barring Jupiter) aspect Jupiter in 9, one will be a King. One will become a king if Moon in the 9^th is aspected by Saturn, Mercury and Mars.  One becomes a King if a planet in exaltation in the 9^th is aspected by another friendly planet.

One will be eloquent and conversant with many sciences if Moon and Mercury are in conjunction in the 9^th.  One will gain respect and be wealthy if Mars and Jupiter are in conjunction in the 9^th.  Both knowledge as well as wealth will be present in one, in whose chart Mercury and Jupiter are conjunct in the 9^th house.

One will be devoted to music and also will enjoy all forms of pleasures if Mercury and Venus occupy the 9^th house.  One will be exceedingly wealthy if Jupiter and Venus occupy the 9^th house.  One will be a King’s equal if Venus conjoins Saturn in the 9^th.

If Sun in the case of day birth and Saturn in the case of a night birth be well placed and aspected by benefics and the 9^th lord is strong, the native’s father will be blessed with long life.If the Sun and the Moon form a trine to Mars and Saturn, the child will be abandoned by its parents.  However if the 9^th bhava is aspected by Jupiter, the child will be happy and long lived.  If Saturn is in a movable sign, unaspected by benefics and Sun is in 6,8 or 12, the child will be brought up by a foster- father.

The child will be given in adoption

• If either the 9^th house is in a movable sign or the 9^th lord occupies a movable sign, provided they come under influence of Saturn and 
• Lord of 12^th is strongly placed.

A person earns money exclusively through self effort when the lord of ninth occupies the rising sign.  Inheritance through father is indicated when ninth lord occupies the second house.  One makes a fortune through writing or oratory when ninth lord is in the third house.  In fourth, the aforesaid planet bestows vast landed properties and luxurious villas.  One’s children meet with good fortune with the 9^th lord is in the 5^th house.  One will travel abroad and meet with good fortune in an alien land with the 9^th lord in the seventh house. 

The best house for the ninth lord to be placed would be it own house viz; the ninth house.  In such a case

• The native’s father would prosper and be blessed with long life
• Native would be religious and charitable
• Foreign travels would give both wealth as well as fame.

One becomes famous and occupies a position of authority when ninth lord occupies the 10^th.  Much wealth and comfort would be bestowed on the native.  The native would be righteous and will also be a law abiding citizen. In the eleventh, the ninth lord would bestow wealth in abundance.  Friends would be both powerful and influential.  

The three houses wherein, the ninth lord would bestow undesirable results would be the 6^th, 8^th and 12^th.  One’s father would be ailing if lord of 9 is in the sixth.  Native’s father passes away if ninth lord is in the eighth.  One would meet with failure in every undertaking if the ninth lord is in the twelfth house.

The presence of Sun in the ninth is an unwelcome feature in any chart as it comes under the “Karako bhava nasaya” (karaka in bhava spoils the bhava) rule.  However Sun, if otherwise well placed in the 9^th need not be a cause for worry.  Conjunction of Moon with Sun in 9^th causes eye diseases while Venus in the same house in conjunction with Sun causes health problems.

One will be fortunate and prosperous if Moon occupies the ninth house.  However if the Moon in the ninth were to conjoin Venus, one will lead an immoral life.  One will build charitable institutions if Moon were to be in the ninth. One will be affluent and wield authority if Mars were to be in the 9^th.  One will be learned if Jupiter and Mercury were to conjoin Mars in the 9^th.One will become a great scholar if Mercury occupies the 9^th.  Jupiter in conjunction with Mercury in 9 makes one wise and witty.  Mars in 9 makes one a scholar in theosophy and metaphysics.  One will travel abroad and also be invited to deliver lectures by educational institutions. One will become an exponent of law and philosophy if Jupiter were to be in the 9^th house.  People with Jupiter in 9 lead an ethical life.  With Venus in 9, one is endowed with every kind of happiness, more particularly, fame, learning, happy married life and good children. Saturn in 9 contributes to loneliness.  Since it is 3^rd from 7^th house (denoting marriage) it may lead to friction in marital ties.

According to Varahamihira, “if Jupiter, Moon and the Ascendant come under the aspect of Saturn, simultaneously, the native would become a King, who happens to be a writer on scriptures and science”.(Brihat Jataka, chapter XV/4)  Historically we know that two great writers on Astrology viz. Varahamihira, author of Brihat Jataka and Kalyana Varma, author of Saravali were kings.  In mythology, we have the example of Janaka, father of Sita (concert of Lord Rama), who was the King of Mithila and was also a great yogi.  These examples are quoted to show that there were instances of Kings who were not only able administrators but also proficient in Ayurveda,Yogashastra,Jyothisha and allied subjects.

In timing events related to ninth house, the following factors should be reckoned:-

1. 9^th lord
2. Planet aspecting 9^th
3. Occupant of 9^th house
4. Planets in conjunction with or aspecting 9^th lord
5. 9^th lord from Moon
6. Sun, being the karaka Planet

The following three rules would be vital in judging the effects of Dasa or Bhukti lords

1. If both dasa and bhukti lords influence the 9^th, they produce excellent results,
2. If the bhukti lord is related to the 9^th, while dasa lord is unrelated to 9^th, results are negligible,
3. If the bhukti lord is unassociated with 9^th while dasa lord is associated, the results are seen to a very small extent.

Summing up, effects of 9^th house are fully realized if both dasa and bhukti lords are associated with 9^th house.

When the lord of 9 occupies 6, 8 or 12 and the 9^th lord as well as the 9^th house comes under the influence of malefic planets, the resultant yoga is termed as Nirbhagya yoga (Phaladeepika, chapter 6, verse 66).  A person born under this yoga is bound to lose all parental property, is irreligious, is antagonistic towards preceptors and elderly, wears worn-out clothes, and is indigent and miserable.  

When lord of 10 is in 9 and lord of 9 is in 10, the person becomes a renowned monarch (Ibid, chapter 7, verse 9).  If Jupiter, Venus, Mercury or Moon occupy the 9^th and be aspected by benefics one becomes a King who will be worshiped by the subjects like a divine being (Ibid, chapter 7, Verse 14).

In a female horoscope, even if there are malefics in 7 and 8, a strong benefic in the ninth is capable of neutralizing the evil and the girl will be blessed with a happy married life and with good children. In transit, when Sun passes over the 9^th house one will be subject to humiliation.  Moon in 9 in transit gives disease.  Loss of wealth and humiliation occur when Mars transits 9^th house.  Mercury in 9 causes impediments.  Loss of wealth and impediments are caused when Saturn transits 9^th house.

From the above discussion, one can easily make out that most of the planets give adverse results when passing over the ninth house.

The only two planets which are auspicious while transiting the 9^th are Jupiter and Venus.  One enjoys happiness and prosperity when Jupiter transits 9^th house.  Venus confers happiness in the 9^th, while in transit.With these words we will now move on to our practical discussion on charts to understand how to apply these rules .

Chart 1 belongs to Sharmila Tagore, noted Bollywood actress of yesteryears. In her chart the ninth lord is strong in its own house and is placed vargottama in conjunction with lagna Lord Sun. From Moon ninth lord Venus is well placed in the fifth. She has won several National awards for her performances.

Chart 2 belongs to Morarji Desai, former Prime minister of India. In his chart the ninth lord is exalted in the fifth house. According Kalyana Varma, if two planets are simultaneously exalted at birth, the native will be rich and famous; three planets in simultaneous exaltation will make one head a town, wealthy and an Army chief.  (Saravali, Ch 45 Verse 23-26). In Desai’s chart Jupiter, Mars and Saturn are exalted thereby elevating him to the level of Head of State.One can also spot the Mahabhagya Yoga in his chart due to the Sun and Moon being placed in odd signs ,with the Ascendant falling in an odd sign He was honoured with the  Bharat Ratna award in 1991.

Chart 3 belongs to the noted Hollywood actress Halle Berry who acted in the sensational James Bond movie, Die another Day. In her chart both the Lagna Lord as well as the ninth lord are vargottama and in conjunction in the Third house. In the Bhava chart one can see an impressive array of five planets in the Fourth House. It is the strength of the Ninth lord that catapulted her to dizzy heights in her profession.