- May 28, 2026
- 3:28 pm
Definition of Atma Karka
One of my students has sent me this post from the Facebook, wherein the author of this post has tried to impress upon that one should consider only the minutes (not the degrees etc) traversed by the planets in determination of Atma Karka and other Chara Karaka because the composer of the Sutra has used the term Kalaa and not the Amsha. In the conversation in the comment box he has tried to candidly defend his position.
My reply to him is given below for all the lovers of Jaimini Astrology.
What you are saying now is nothing new. Generations before you Lakshman Suri, the author of Jyoti Pradeepika committed the same mistake by mooting this idea because he didn’t understand the selection of word with composite meaning here. You also stand on the same platform.
To understand this you will have to think why the Sutra is not clear about seven or eight Chara Karaka? Can it be said that the author or composer of this Sutra was confused? Would it be proper to think like this? Was not he alert enough and knew that this Sutra would be tempered in future by worshipers of lunar nodes? He was well aware of this mischief to come to pass and that has happened. So, he has put here a non return valve which emphasizes on seven Chara Karaka only.
The Sutra has been tampered with and; as such, confusion about seven or eight Chara Karaka today persists. Even the composer of BPHS has faltered here and brought the hypothesis of two planets in longitudinal Tie. This may happen even in case of minutes by ignoring degree. I have made a separate post to this effect on my wall.
Once you will decode all that things would be more clear. It is कलादिभि: न भोग: । Try to delve deeper and things will become more vivid. That’s why the explanatory authors have used the term अंशाधिक: Combine the two to get a clear clue. Neither Jaimini is confused nor the interpreter (BPHS) is wrong. Translators have committed the mistake. This is because they also have not been able to decode the term Amshadhikah properly. This itself changes the prevalent practice of evaluation of Chara Karaka.
Many are victims of this, and you are not alone.
One can see how guys are trying to do with Jaimini Sutras on the surface level.