Rashis and Bhavas
Rashis and Bhavas tests the 12 sidereal signs and the 12 houses: classification, lordship, house groups and the difference between sign-based and cusp-based judgment. The exam expects you to count bhavas from the lagna and to know when a text is counting from the Moon instead.
Sign classification
Each rashi is 30° sidereal. Movable signs are Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn; fixed signs are Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius; dual signs are Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces. Elements are fire, earth, air and water respectively. Lordships run from Mars through Venus and Mercury to the luminaries and Saturn; Rahu and Ketu have no sign lordship in the classical Parashari scheme.
Bhava groups
Kendras are 1, 4, 7 and 10; trikonas are 1, 5 and 9; dusthanas are 6, 8 and 12; upachaya houses are 3, 6, 10 and 11; maraka houses are 2 and 7. Badhaka is the 11th for movable lagna, the 9th for fixed lagna and the 7th for dual lagna. Whole-sign houses are standard in Parashari analysis, while bhava chalit and KP use cusps; do not mix schemes silently.
Worked example
With Aries lagna, the 7th house is Libra, ruled by Venus. If Venus is in Virgo, it is in the 6th house and debilitated in Virgo. A careful answer notes the 7th lord in a dusthana and its debilitation before judging partnership, and then checks cancellation, aspects and the 7th house itself. Saying only that Venus is a benefic therefore marriage is good would miss the house and dignity evidence.
Traps
- Counting houses from the Moon when the question asks from lagna.
- Equating a rashi with a bhava.
- Using tropical signs with a sidereal ayanamsa.
- Ignoring bhava sandhi and cusp boundaries.
- Treating every 6th, 8th or 12th placement as equally destructive.