House 6 of 12 · Ari Bhava
The 6th House in Vedic Astrology (Ari Bhava)
The 6th house, Ari Bhava, governs work, health, rivals and debts. Below: what it covers, which planet rules it for each ascendant, and what the reading says when its lord sits in each of the twelve houses.
- Sanskrit name
- Ari Bhava
- Also called
- Ripu Bhava, Shatru Bhava
- Natural sign
- Virgo, ruled by Mercury
- Significator (karaka)
- Mars, Saturn
- Body (Kalapurusha)
- the waist and intestines
- Type
- Dusthana, Upachaya
What the 6th house covers
The 6th house covers the obstacles you meet and how you overcome them: illness, enemies, competition, debts and litigation. It is also the house of daily work, service and employment.
It is a dusthana, a house of difficulty, but also an upachaya, a house of growth. That double nature is why the hard planets do well here: they give the stamina to defeat rivals and the discipline to work through problems.
Dusthana. The 6th, 8th, 12th houses are the houses of difficulty. Their lords tend to complicate what they touch, though two dusthana lords together can reverse into gain (Viparita Raja yoga).
Upachaya. The 3rd, 6th, 10th, 11th houses are the houses of growth. Results here improve with time and effort, and the hard planets do well in them.
Its natural significator, or karaka, is Mars and Saturn: whatever the house's own lord says, these planets carry the 6th house's matters in every chart.
Who rules your 6th house
The lord of the 6th house is the planet that rules the sign on it, and that depends on your ascendant. Houses here are counted by whole signs, the 6th sign from the ascendant being the 6th house.
The 6th lord in each house
Where the 6th lord sits shows where the 6th house's matters play out. These are the texts your own reading uses. In a real chart they are then adjusted: the lord's dignity, whether it is combust, and the planets aspecting it all strengthen or soften the result.
6th lord in the 1st house (lagna)
A competitive worker who thrives on challenge. Keep health and stress in balance, and avoid making enemies needlessly.
6th lord in the 2nd house
Family debts or disputes over money can arise; manage family finances carefully and speak with care.
6th lord in the 3rd house
You defeat enemies through courage and initiative; competitive and physical fields suit you.
6th lord in the 4th house
Property litigation or domestic friction may occur; keep documents in order and home life calm.
6th lord in the 5th house
Obstacles in study or with children; challenges sharpen your intelligence, and service-minded thinking helps.
6th lord in the 6th house
Harsha Viparita Yoga in its own-house form: you overcome opponents and illness with resilience, and service work thrives.
A lord of a difficult house in another difficult house: the trouble tends to cancel itself out, the reversal called Viparita.
6th lord in the 7th house
Marital conflict or disputes in partnership are possible; clear agreements and patience protect relationships.
6th lord in the 8th house
Harsha Viparita Yoga: rivals undermine themselves, though chronic health matters need steady attention.
A lord of a difficult house in another difficult house: the trouble tends to cancel itself out, the reversal called Viparita.
6th lord in the 9th house
Ties with the father or teachers can be strained; fortune comes through service and effort rather than inheritance.
6th lord in the 10th house
A career in service, law, medicine, health or dispute resolution; you excel where others struggle.
6th lord in the 11th house
Gains through competition, disputes settled in your favour or service work; rivals can become sources of profit.
6th lord in the 12th house
Harsha Viparita Yoga: debts and enemies tend to dissolve, and hidden troubles resolve over time.
A lord of a difficult house in another difficult house: the trouble tends to cancel itself out, the reversal called Viparita.
Where is your 6th lord?
Cast your chart to see which planet rules your 6th house, where it sits, and everything that strengthens or weakens it.
Cast your kundli