Pitrikaraka

Definition

The Pitrikaraka (PiK) is the karaka, or significator, of the father in a Vedic chart. In the Jaimini chara (movable) karaka scheme, it is one of the changeable significators set by planetary degree; Frawley counts it as the planet that comes fifth in its number of degrees among the seven major planets. In the fixed natural-karaka approach Raman uses, the Pitrukaraka is simply the Sun.

In Tradition

These modern Jyotish authors all treat the Pitrikaraka as the planet that stands for the father, with the Sun taken as its natural significator. Raman uses the Sun as the pitrukaraka, and Larsen notes that in the chara scheme the Sun normally signifies the father. The father's longevity and well-being are read from this significator alongside the ninth house.

In Practice

A jyotishi reads the father through the Pitrikaraka together with the ninth house and its lord. Raman judges the father's longevity, status and well-being from the strength, dignity and house-placement of the pitrukaraka Sun; afflictions to the Sun, or its sitting in a dusthana (one of the difficult houses), point to the father's early death. Frawley widens the significator to take in your role or dharma in life and the authority you follow — usually passed down through the father — so the Pitrikaraka can also be called the significator of dharma. Larsen reads where the chara Pitrikaraka falls, especially in a dusthana or its Marana Karaka Sthana (the place of death for that significator), to weigh the father's presence and longevity. He notes that where the Sun replaces a karaka the next planet becomes Pitrikaraka, and the Moon can act as Pitrikaraka when it replaces the Sun.

Historical Origin

The Pitrikaraka here comes from modern Jyotish works rather than from any verbatim classical citation. Raman treats the pitrukaraka Sun in How to Judge a Horoscope, Volume Two and in the technical-terms index of Notable Horoscopes. Frawley addresses it in Astrology of the Seers, and Larsen in Jyotisha Fundamentals. All four sources are copyrighted-modern paraphrase, with no verbatim quotation.

Further Reading

• Frawley, Astrology of the Seers
• B.V. Raman & Gayatri Devi Vasudev, How to Judge a Horoscope, Volume Two (VII to XII Houses)
• Larsen, Jyotisha Fundamentals
• B.V. Raman, Notable Horoscopes