Atma means the soul and Karaka means indicator, to make or do, to produce or create, and also that which is instrumental in bringing about an action. The AtmaKaraka planet, or soul planet, is the one that you have the most karma to work with in this life. It is the most important karaka as it signifies the soul’s desire. According to Vedic philosophy, a soul is reborn because it has unfinished desires that were left unfulfilled in previous lives and so, it is re-born to get another opportunity to reach them. What are these desires? Will you fulfill them or will you struggle with them? This is revealed by the AtmaKaraka (AK) planet’s placement in your birthchart.
How the AK planet interacts with the rest of the chart will also show how your soul responds to your life, your environment, and ultimately others. The AK planet is calculated from the highest degree planet of the chart. Ketu is not used since Ketu is not connected to form, being formless, it represents moksha and is no longer earth bound. Rahu always moves backward and therefore Rahu’s degrees are calculated backward as well. Take Rahu’s degrees and subtract them from 30 (there are 30 degrees in each sign) so you can see how far back he has moved through the sign. Then see which planet has the highest degree in your chart to determine your AK planet.
The AK reflects the spirit within us. But its outer expression does not always appear to be spiritual. We can be taken in by the illusory nature of desire and think that the satiation of worldly desires is all the soul wants. The basic struggle of the soul is to differentiate between that which is false and that which is real; and the fact that it has not been able to differentiate this, is the reason why it takes birth again and again. This search will be particularly relevant in a person’s life when they are going through the dashas and bhuktis of the AK planet, or another planet that is sitting close to the AK planet. Identifying with materialistic goals is essential as without that drive, you cannot go into your inner world and find your personal treasure of happiness. AK will show you both the soul’s material goals and the spiritual ones.
Which house the AK is placed in, as well as the lordship represented by the AK planet is important to observe, as that is where the karmic experiences will play out. This house will certainly be a very important house, but it will not give the easiest experiences because before one can attain the soul’s desire, one has to undergo a series of events to unlearn some of the negative traits that have caused repeated bondage in this world. This will come to light when you experience the dasha and bhukti of the AK planet.
The AK is the focal point of your life’s experience. This is where you fulfill your destiny, where you work out your karma most efficiently. It is thus important to understand the power given to you by your AK planet, and to live in such a way that you rely on those powers and use them effectively. Try to raise the vibrations of everything related to your Atmakaraka, and work on this consistently.
What do the following AK planets reveal about your soul’s true desire?
Saturn: Your AK planet is Saturn or Shani in Sanskrit. This is the planet that your soul, inner nature and karmas are connected to. Saturn is the planet of grief, suffering, sadness, hard work, delays, obstacles and slow progress. When one’s AK is Saturn, it indicates that the person will experience sorrow and sadness in life and will be connected to that sadness. Your dharma should be focused on helping yourself and others to relieve suffering, since you are so closely connected to it. Saturn is also connected to ancient, disciplined practices like yoga asanas and meditation. Routine is good for you, and regular spiritual practice (sadhana) is essential.
Saturn does things slowly and represents old age. So these people tend to ripen later in life. Saturn’s worldly desire is to be dutiful. They must learn to face loneliness and harsh sorrows in life.
Rahu: Your AK planet is Rahu. Rahu is a shadow planet (the North Node) and brings us strong desires and cravings. He wants and creates desires for us on this material plane of existence. He has a strong drive and can be obsessive about his desires. He can take us off the spiritual path and keep us from the true meaning of life — which is why the moksha planet, Ketu, always sits 180 degrees from him. Rahu as AK indicates that the person is under the influence of the shadow and has to work hard at unveiling him/herself. You may be cheated by others, feel cheated, or cheat. Ultimately you are cheating yourself if you use deception so be aware of your actions and where they come from.
Learning to trust yourself above all else is very important for you. The Rahu AK wants to achieve and has a hunger to ingratiate all experiences. For you, finding the meaning of purity and truth is an excellent path to follow. Your spiritual lesson is to accept disappointments, fears and doubts.
Mercury: Your AK planet is Mercury or Budha in Sanskrit. When one’s AK is Mercury, there is a great connection to communications of all sorts. Mercury represents the mind, the mental function. These people are helpful and need to connect and create a life based on their connections. There is also a propensity for gaining knowledge, reading, writing, speaking, networking and as such, working in any of these fields are all intrinsic to your dharma. Their main desire is intellectual superiority. The key thing to remember as a Mercury AK is to be truthful in your thoughts, purify your thoughts and mind through meditation and pure knowledge. Watch your speech and what you say, be truthful. Avoid mind games. Don’t dominate conversations.
Moon: Having an AK Moon indicates an individual deeply connected to the emotional body and must learn to surf the inner tides in this life. Their primary work is to learn to accept their emotions and work with them, not against them, to use them, not fight them. Moon AK also indicates a person who is very much connected to the things that moon represents, including mother, intuition, land, home, heart, nurturing and compassion. These are very caring people and need comfort and support in their life in order to feel safe and grounded.
The Moon due to its nature, always changeable, waxing and waning, is easily impacted by their environment, and so it is very important that Moon people keep good company so that they do not become overburdened with dark energy. Their spiritual lesson is to understand how to be happy; and learning the difference between true and false love. They are here to nurture and be nurtured, to work with the emotional realms, and to expand their compassion and devotional abilities.
Venus: Your AK planet is Venus or Shukra in Sanskrit. Venus is the planet of beauty, romance, love, passion, creativity, pro-creation, creative life force, relationships, femininity, art and music. Physically, Venus relates to the reproductive tissues of the body, the semen and ovaries. Venus is also water, which has a life-giving quality to it. Water gives life to all expressions of Nature. Venus can give rejuvenation and health as a result and is responsible for the life-giving qualities that sustain us.
Because Venus is an expression of Rajas (guna), at its worst it can create overindulgence and cravings for intoxicants, especially alcohol and sugar, as well as lust and strong desires for “love”. Their soul desire is relationships, sensuous pleasures, luxury, and wealth. Venus AK’s spiritual lesson is to accept relationships the way they are and to control sensuality. This will include navigating and controlling your sexual energy, refraining from lust and casual sex. Working on relationships are key themes for you.
Jupiter: Your AK is Jupiter, or Guru in Sanskrit. Jupiter is just that, a guru, a teacher, the planet that gives us expansion and knowledge, assistance and support. Jupiter, like the sanskrit meaning of guru, is the glue that holds the universe together, creating harmony, health, wisdom and understanding. He is a nonviolent force and rather than fighting a battle, he will win the opposition over to his side. Since he rules the devas (gods), he likes to transform the asuras (demons) within us. When the AK is Jupiter, the soul’s desire is expansion. There is a strong affinity for knowledge, growth, increased awareness, personal expansion and having children. They have to learn to tolerate other’s spirituality, opinions and thoughts. Respect the husband/spouse, father and children as these are big teachers for Jupiter AK and help expand your awareness and enlightenment. Follow a guru that is connected to an ancient lineage and has strong knowledge sources, only pure knowledge will suffice.
Sun: Your AK is Sun, or Surya in Sanskrit. The Sun is responsible for giving light energy so that all things can grow and prosper, however, too much light and the Sun burns and scorches. Sun represents resources and the things we need to survive as well as the soul. It is the light within us that guides our lives. In Jyotish, the Sun represents father, king, rank and position, power and authority, respect and rulership. The Sun will give us dharma, the proper path to follow. The Sun is also responsible for illuminating the Moon through his reflection. It is the most consistent planet and the one that sets the pace of time through days, seasons and bio-rhythms.
When Sun is the AK, power and authority are important. These people seek success, fame, and power. There is a value and deep respect for those who hold high-level positions as well as for masculine energy. These people need to learn the lessons about power and authority, that power is not everything. The lessons in this life are highly influenced by ego, overcoming karmas associated with ego and working with humility and compassion are paramount.
Mars: Your AK is Mars, or Kuja. Mars is a warrior planet, and cruel, aggressive by nature. He carries forward the actions of the King, the Sun, and has a soldier mentality. Mars is a Tamas planet, does not think, he just carries out the orders he has been given, and thus, is impulsive, hasty, and quick to act. A good Mars is essential for strong health, but can also bring problems with excess fire and heat. Excess heat in the physical body can bring a myriad of disorders, however, mentally, this creates a need to control outcomes and situations. Faith and trust are a huge part of taming this forceful fire nature.
Mars is associated with the Rudras as well as violence and violent acts that bring harm through fire, cutting, bleeding, tearing and killing. However, this Mars behaviour can be positive for actions that require penetrating thoughts, physical prowess, mechanical tendencies, depth and research. Surgeries, occult knowledge, martial arts, things and situations that require cutting or force can be aided with the help of Mars. He deals with matters on the earth plane, bhumi loka.
Mars AK has desire for passion, adventure, and always wants to win. These individuals need to manage their temper, aggression and anger. They are here to learn more about ahimsa (non-harming) and need to create a life for themselves free of killing and competition. Learning to be playful and spontaneous is helpful. Keeping life light and carefree is essential, a lifestyle that smooths out the harsh rigidity of the Mars tendencies. Conceding defeat, learning the art of patience, and letting go is also part of their spiritual lesson.
One more thing to point out is that if you have a planet sitting close to your AK planet, then you should read the descriptions of that planet as well, as it will colour the significations of the AK planet. Consider this for planets in the same nakshatra (constellation) or approx. 10 degrees conjunct to each other. For instance, if your AK planet is Mars, but Rahu is three degrees away, then Rahu becomes as important as the AK, so I would recommend you read the description of Rahu as well, this will surely play out during the dasha and bhukti of Rahu.
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