Ascendant or Lagna in Vedic Astrology

Lagna is the sign that occupies the first house while rising in the east. Houses never change their position and remain stationary. Right under the eastern angle, the sign occupying the first house is the Lagna or the Ascendant.

At any place on earth, in the latitude of birth, when a particular sign is rising and occupying the first house, it becomes the Ascendant for that individual born at that particular location and moment.

According to Rishi Parashara, Lagna is the Kalapurusha. Kalapurusha is the Cosmic Man, whose exterior body parts, from head to feet, rule over their respective 12 Lagnas. Each body part identifies with one Lagna, the 12 Lagnas occupy the entire physical body of this Cosmic Man.

Sage Parashara has placed a high value on Lagna and its lord. If Lagna is the soul, then Lagna lord is the ruling planet—the king governing the overall composition of character and nature of the individual born under a particular Lagna.

Every sign is assigned a space of 30 degrees. With the earth rotating on its axis, every degree takes nearly four minutes to pass through the horizon. With 30 degrees in the chunk, every sign takes about 120 minutes or two hours to pass through the first house from where the Sun rises.

Working out the Ascendant is the most necessary calculation in Vedic Astrology. While every Rashi in succession lingers on the horizon in the first house for nearly two hours, calculating the accurate birth data of an individual becomes a necessity.

Lagna is not only the first house occupied by the rising sign, but on the deeper levels, the Lagna is the point or the moment in time when a soul is ready to be born on the physical plane, choosing its particular yoni or womb of birth as per its karma and past life chronology.

It's the time when the soul "Ascends" onto the earth through its contact with the physical body. When the soul comes down on the material plane of existence in the east, under the rising Sun, it comes around to negate the reservoir of its remaining karmas.

The Lagna, or rising sign, is the most important factor in a natal chart. It is the starting point of the natal chart and represents the self. The Lagna lord is the planet that rules the Lagna.

The Ascendant or the Rising sign has its ruler in the form of a planet. Together with its lord, other planets occupying the first house will influence the individuality and personality of the incarnated soul.

The rising Rashi and nakshatra do not render the Lagna Lord inactive or dormant. The Lord is active, absorbs energies from the occupying Rashi and constellation, and rules over the individual born under its leadership.

Lagna is the Rashi in the first house. Place and time matter the most in the determination of Lagna for every individual. The individuals would be born on the same day, but at different longitudes and with different Rashi and Nakshatras, influencing them in very different ways.

While every Rashi takes about 120 minutes to pass through the horizon, the specific point marked will determine the Lagnam of the individual born on that day, the date, time zone, and longitude.

The location and placement of the planets, Lagna lord, and nakshatras will then give a proper and deep insight into his character, behavior, personality, and individuality.

The Lagna determined with respect to the position of the Moon reveals its mental tendencies and inclinations. With the waxing and waning of the Moon, the mental attributes and emotions fluctuate.

"Never judge a book by its cover" is what this Lagna with respect to the moon implies. The physical appearance would defy the actuality of the individual. To determine the real character, the real Lagnam (Udaya Lagna) is taken into consideration.

Another Lagna considered for matchmaking is based on the Moon's position at birth (Moon Lagna), but for establishment of exactness, the actual Lagna or Udaya Lagna is seen for maximum precision.