The Badhaka in Vedic/ Indian Astrology

BĀDHAKA/ BADHAKA:

This writer was not focussing on the Bādhaka/ Badhaka too much in his work with Hindu horoscopy till quite recently. This area of horoscopy is mired in some needless doubt. In one's initial years of study of this art, one had come across sentiments that as every Lagna in every horoscope had a Bādhaka/ Badhaka Rashi and therefore a lord of that Badhak Rashi/ Badhakesh, hence the very concept of Badhak did not have much import as it was common to every chart. That stream of thought chose to focus instead on the 22nd Drekkana and the 64th Navamsha, which must be focussed on, but not at all as a sort of compensation for overlooking the Badhak. One may overlook the Badhak but that will hardly prevent the Badhak from looking at the Jatak if the horoscope should so indicate.

Some brief pointers to the Badhak and its evaluation in the horoscope are given below. This pointers have been assimilated from the works of Pandit Sanjay Rath and the scholars/ Jyotish Gurus of SJC. Specifically, the work Collected Papers in Vedic Astrology by Sanjay Rath, Sagittarius Publications, has brought out the subject in clear focus.

1. The Badhak acts akin to Rahu as Rahu is the lord of the Badhak Rashi for the Kalapurusha and usually creates obstacles/ Badha;

2. If the Badhakesh is afflicted it needs urgent attention by way of remedial measures;

3. The Badhakesh works better in foreign climes just like Rahu;

4. For Sthira Lagna/ Fixed Signs, the 9th Bhava, for Chara Lagna/ Movable Signs, the 11th House and for Dwisvabhava Lagna/ Mutable/ Dual Signs, the 7th Bhava is the Badhak house;

5. There are several types of Badhak and their effects can be wide ranging from irritants to schizophrenia and serious afflictions by way of mental abberations;

6. Other Badhak Dosha such as Preta Badhak and Pishacha Badhak do not have much to do with the Badhakesh or the Badhak Rashi but are terrible affliction in the horoscope;

7. Along with overarching Doshas such as Kala Sarpa Yoga and Sarpa Yoga, in this genus of Badhak Yogas the Wrath of the Sarpa Devata also must be judged carefully.

There are very many facets of this branch of evaluatiion of problem areas and those with such lacunae in the horoscope must realise that it needs careful and earliest evaluation and remedial measures.