Third house in Astrology

Concepts we will learn in this chapter

1. What are the “karaka” portfolios of the Third house? What all does the Third house stand for? What all things are represented by the Third house?
2. Which planets are the karakas of the Third house?
3. Which planets gain directional strength in the Third house?
4. What are the significations of planets in Third house?
5. How to interpret Sun in 3rd house?
6. How to interpret Moon in 3rd house?
7. How to interpret Mars in 3rd house?
8. How to interpret Mercury in 3rd house?
9. How to interpret Jupiter in 3rd house?
10. How to interpret Venus in 3rd house?
11. How to interpret Rahu in 3rd house?
12. How to interpret Ketu in 3rd house?
13. What all about a person can be interpreted from the Third house?
14. Which years are influenced by the Third house according to Padam Chakra or Bhrigu Chakra Paddhati (BCP)?
15. Which portfolios or characteristics of a chart are determined by the Third house when using Bhavat Bhavam concept?
16. How to interpret the concept of “third from any house”?
17. How do planets in 3rd house affect 9th house matter?
18. How does 3rd house affect the 4th house of home and mother?

Third House in Astrology

Also called the “sahaja”, “vikrama” or “parakrama” “sthana” in Vedic astrology the Third house in astrology denotes the following aspects of the native

1. Mind
   Mental strength, acumen, mind (sharpness), grit, state of mind, will power, courage,
2. Communication
   Writing, speech (ability and skill), oratory skills, marketing, communication skills,
3. Siblings
   Team mates, siblings (younger),
4. Travel
   Being 12th from 4th house (dissolution of the home), 3rd house denotes short distance travel. Places which you can probably go to and come back in a day or two.
5. Body parts
   Neck, shoulders, hands (arms?),
6. Hobbies
   Passions, hobbies, what you do with your hands daily, skills of the hands, self efforts
7. Friends, Relatives and Social media
   Team-mates, neighbors, friends (whom you communicate with daily), younger siblings,
8. Business
   Business temparament (Read on to find out why?), money obtained with one’s own efforts
9. Money
   Money because of bhavat bhavam – money made by investing accumulated money (2nd from 2nd house)
   Money made by “self effors” (normally business)

The third house in the kalapurusha kundli is denoted by the sign Gemini which is ruled by Mercury. This house normally indicates Mercurian portfolio of activities like marketing, writing, speaking, communication, will power, self efforts, hobbies, money gained by “self efforts” etc. In a team or office setting, it also shows ones’ co-workers, team mates, friends on social media whom you communicate with online, travel or short distance journeys – typically from one city to another which one can cover in a day or make a round trip in a few days (use subjective assessment). The third house also shows one’s communication style (not speech), talent for journalism, writing, blogging, essaying, marketing, media (excluding TV), social media & marketing, immediate friends (though large network circles or organizations are denoted by the 11th house). To determine one’s hobbies one may want to look at the third house. Any relationship between the 3rd and 10th house can show a person making profession (10th house) out of one’s hobby. To do business, one normally needs a strong 3rd house of will power and self efforts. You need a strong persevering mind to do business.

Karakas for Third house

The karaka planets for the Third house are Mars and Mercury. What does this mean? If you are interpreting results of the Third house, also look at the karaka grahas – Mars and Mercury to judge if Third house results are “re-inforced” by a well placed Mars and Mercury or not. A weak or afflicted Mars/Mercury can weaken the results of mental strength, will power, communication, grit and marketing which otherwise a well placed or strong Mars / Mercury can signify.
Mars is the soldier which is the karaka for Bravery, grit and self determination including mental strength. Mercury is the planet of effective communication, business skills and marketing.

Planets gaining directional strength in Third house

Third house does not seem to be great from directional strength perspective for any planet.

Planets in the Third house

At a high level, these are the characteristics which planets bring to a native when they are placed in the “sahaja bhava” or Third house (please remember, the sign placement will change the nature of these planets also)

Sun in Third house

The Sun in the Third house can give “great courage” and the person can exhibit great “bravado” (remember the Sun is the king). This can give the person great ego when it comes to doing one’s own venture and a great mental strength (unless Sun is afflicted or in bad sign). Sun is the king and represents authority. Wherever it sits, it burns out its significance too. Hence, it can burn out relationships with siblings, team members, friends, co-workers etc because of one’s authoritative mode of communication since Sun is the King himself. In a team setting, the person wants a central role to play. Being an Upachaya sthana, Sun in 3rd house normally gets better with age when a person gradually obtains authority in life. Sun in 3rrh house gives a strong will and great ego in ones’ mind. Sun being the lord of 5th sign in the kala purusha kundali can make the person interested in media and advertising (Sun brings everything to light), also publishing and business. Since Sun is the karaka of father, one’s father could be someone skilled at a craft, hobby or some trade where skills of the hand or speech are needed. Sun in 3rd house can make someone an HR executive who also likes making announcements or holding town hall events. One finds oneself as the “leader” of teams.

Moon in Third house

Please remember that Moon is an emotional planet and the house it sits is where the native finds most emotional comfort. Moon, the planet of nourishment and emotional succor makes one passionate (, in journalism, blogging, media, writing, social media activities and online communications. One’s emotional ups and downs are linked to one’s team members, younger siblings, online community, marketing efforts and “message dissemination” in general. Since they can emotionally connect or influence with their teams or audience, they can be good at sales and marketing. There is a great emotional need to work in a team settings and it is normally hard for the person to work alone. The person finds great satisfaction in working with “hands” and could make one develpo skills of “shaping things” as a hobby. This could mean architecture, sculpting, designing or tooling skills depending on other influences. Short term travels for business meetings and leisure provide great comfort to the native (unless Moon is afflicted). One’s speech tends to be emotional or may evoke emotions in another. Mother (since moon is karaka graha) could be a writer or someone who takes short trips as part of her work. A third house moon may make the mother “travel” to other places and is normally not good for the mother since 3rd house is 12th from the 4th house.

Mars in Third house

The planet of aggression, competition, will-power, courage and strength comes in the house of mind, mental strength and will power. What more could you ask for? Such people have great will powers and mental strength to put effort into their desired objective. Since 3rd house is 10th from the 6th house of competitions, it can make one a sportsman or someone having strong will power to compete against others. Mars in 3rd house can give an aggressive speech which can be dominating by nature. A third house Mars with Mercury can make someone aggressive and could incline one towards being a mathematician, logician, inspiring author or an aggressive marketing manager or advertiser. Mars is also the karaka of “ink” and in third house can make one an author or writer. Being an action oriented person, such a native believes in action and not mere speech for the sake of speech or communication. Mars in 3rd house makes one aggressive with siblings, co-borns, team mates and neighbours. This is not a suitable placement for team work or any group setting. Since 3rd house also governs “hearing”, Mars in 3rd house tends to “command” more than listen. Since 3rd house stands for skills of hands, the native could pick up a competitive skill of the hands like sports or games involving hands. The karaka for 3rd house Mars in 3rd house itself gives lot of courage, but makes communication aggressive enough to affect certain other aspects of the native.

Mercury in 3rd house

Mercury is also the karaka graha of the 3rd house. It makes the native very skilled in communication and speech. The person can be an effective communicator and articulate ideas with ease. There could be a tendency to “write” small chatty phrases frequently unless there is support of Saturn to give the person patience to write longer content pieces. Mercury in 3rd can help the native become a writer, actor, news reporter or writer, media person, publishers, author or in general a chatty individual. The mind needs constant chatter to keep the mental faculties busy. Friends and siblings could be chatty and there is great communication between them. The person is an effective team player. Because of the constant mental chatter, the native is normally up to date with the latest news, social media updates, events, and general gossip. Mercury alone without a beneficial aspect (or otherwise too) can make a person “crafty”. The mind or intellect without supervision (because of association or in some cases aspect) becomes a dangerous weapon by itself. Mercury in 3rd house can also make a person good at other professions needing mastery of speech, text or numbers like accountancy, writing, legal services, content creation, logical thinking, mathematics and business in general. Mercury being karaka planet of business can make one a “quick analytical mind” when it comes to figuring out business opportunities.

Jupiter in 3rd house

Jupiter is the karaka for education, finance, management and is the “guru” of the devatas. Guru or Jupiter in 3rd house can give the native a “spritual”, “wisdom oriented” or “teacher” / Guru like method of communication. The person could be a financial advisor or a management consultant advisor. The person could be a “guru” in a group activity and could even be a “teacher” or “preacher” in life otherwise. Normally team workers and siblings are helpful and auspicious for the native. The person may have a large number of siblings or be a part of large teams since Jupiter expands activities of the house wherever it sits. One’s writings may be preachy, philosophical, divine or expansive by nature. Such people could also be “loud” singers (rock/blues music) or be classical musicians. Whatever they write or sing could have a loud tone to it.Jupiter in 3rd house may increase the native’s communicative activities to a very large extent and could make a person a TV spokesman, news reader, online consultant or trainer with a large audience whom the person advises or preaches. The person may have to travel for education, seminars, meetings, sales conferences. The native may be invited to attend big meetups and advice or counsel the audience. The tone of the message is generally positive, inspiring and uplifting.

Venus in 3rd house

Venus or Shukracharya was teacher of the “asuras”. All said and done, Venus is also a Guru for all practical reasons. This placement could make one a teacher (or the spouse a teacher since Venus is karaka for the spouse). This could give a disposition which is philosophical and non discriminatory as a teacher since Venus does not discriminate and loves all. Since third house represents our hobbies, skills of the hands and our mind in general, the position of Venus in 3rd house makes a person artistic in terms of his hobbies and mental pursuits. Creativity and skilled pursuits of the hands suit them very well. They could be artistic craftsmen, skillful passionate and soothing orators and they are generally suitable for creative businesses . Why business? Because third house = self efforts. Venus in third house can make the native good at writing but the style would tend to be romantic, creative and passionate. One’s relationship with the siblings will be sweet and pleasing. It can give more female siblings and co-workers than male unless other factors affect this house. The person is a pleasant conversationalist in a group meeting and is generally liked in a team. The person would be fond of conversing about music, arts, fashion, beauty, films, beautiful artefacts and other Venusian things. Since Venus is a planet where the person’s identity may “dissolve” in the act of performing acts of that house, a person with 3rd house Venus may forget about himself and the world around him while writing or communicating on the topic. This Venus can give good returns from investments of one’s own money or through self efforts. Venus in 3rd house may make one take frequent small trips for pleasure and breakaways from regular course of life.

Saturn in 3rd house

In third house normally gives step motherly treatment from one’s co-workers and team mates. Saturn is a planet which suppresses the house it sits in but is also considered good in Upachaya houses (3,6,10,11). Saturn in 3rd house can make one cautious and serious in one’s communication and makes one communicate slowly with lot of caution. Saturn is what we “need” to do and not necessarily what we “want” to do in life. Saturn in third house can make the mind fearful, anxious and cause problems in the ear, neck and shoulders. Unless well placed in sign and aspected well, it can cause the person in their age before 36 to lack the will or confidence to make self efforts. However, because Saturn in 3rd does not let one work in a team setting effectively, one is sooner or later forced to start out on their own and do their own business. Even this may take time to setup because Saturn normally shows delays and great efforts. The mind may be melancholic or one which prefers isolation because of lack of compatibility with siblings or co-workers or neighbours. Shani rewards efforts and can make the person successful in business provided the person puts in the efforts which Shani will then reward later in life. Saturn normally shows a work environment or team area where work may have a “repititive” nature. One may be a writer who works in isolation and could be producing reams of output in isolation of his own mind/world. Saturn in third house can cause ENT (ear, nose, throat) problems – especially those of cold. The hands, shoulders and neck region could suffer from rheumatism or arthritis. Since Saturn’s “feared” 3rd house aspect falls on the 5th house, it can cause fear, anxeity or separation with respect to 5th house matters (first child, lovers, creative pursuits). Native for work may have to take routine or repetitive trips.

Rahu in 3rd house

Rahu in 3rd house is great for a communicative person who has the smarts and deliver and adapt the message as per the audience. Since third house is skills of the hands or hobbies, they could be master orators, magicians (Rahu rules illusions). marketers, media persons and master orators/performers. The mind is very adaptable (which can be called smart or even deceiving in an extreme case) and can make one a clever or even manipulative person. You will never see it coming when someone with Rahu in 3rd house delivers a message to cheat someone. They are pretty good at it. One can have great desire to be in the media, publication, sales or travel industry. Rahu or the “chhala” karaka in 3rd house wants to be looked upn as the go to person in a team structure. He would make his communication or message stand out and be heard by all through clever or maybe even deceptive means. Such people have great desire to be authors, communicators especially if Mars (ink) and Mercury (speech and words) are also involved. It can make someone be creative in terms of creating false stories to sound convincing and give oneself more importance or attention. Rahu in 3rd house may make someone a singer with more contemporary style or someone who uses lot of modern electronic gadgets to deliver his performance. Rahu in 3rd house can create separations with siblings (Rahu is the head of the asura severed!) and can cause strange or eccentric communication with them.

Ketu in 3rd house

Ketu the “chhidrakaraka” (aperture making) or separative planet in the 3rd house can disconnect one from one’s siblings, co-workers and team members. One does not belong mentally to these environments and has a hard time getting connected to them. Being a “moksha” karaka, unless the speech is spiritual, the person can sound incoherent or having a split personality in their speech. Ketu in 3rd is not a good indicator of doing business since it can make the person feel disconnected from one’s “self drive” or “self efforts”. In their mind they are not able to influence their team into group work because of this “split” or “incoherent” state of mind. Ketu can give good spiritual results but bad material results when posited in 3rd house. Ketu in 3rd house can give cuts or scars around the area of the neck and shoulders (Ketu is also karaka of knife). Ketu in 3rd does not make the native have any real need for travel unless or spiritual reasons.

Things to interpret from the Third house

What is the communication style of the native?
What are the native’s hobbies?
How does the person interact in a team setting?
How is the native’s relationship with his siblings?

What are the person’s skills ?

Padam Chakra or Bhrigu Chakra Paddhati

The Third house denotes the 3rd, 15th, 27th, 39th, 51st, 63rd, 75th, 87th and 99th year of a person’s life. By looking at the person’s Third house and Third house lord, one can predict the events for the years mentioned by looking at the Third house, its lord and other planets influencing the Third house. Do not forget to fine tune the results as per the cycle ruler of the Padam Chakra which depends on the age of the native.

Bhavat Bhavam

Since the Third house is also as per Bhavat Bhavam concept – 8th to the 8th house, it also denotes “transformation”, “change in sexuality”, “hidden knowledge” (coming out in public) and sudden upheavals or transformation in life.
To know more how Bhavat Bhavam works, please continue reading

2nd to 2nd house
3rd to 1st house
4th to 12th house
5th to 11th house
6th to 10th house
7th to 9th house
8th to 8th house
9th to 7th house
10th to 6th house
11th to 5th house
12th to 4th house

(… in progress)

Third from any house

The Third from any house is the “will” or “mentality” of that house. If say Venus being 8th lord is posited in 10th house (3rd house from 8th), the person is very confident and wilful regarding one’s ability to have “hidden” relationships (8th house activities) at work place (10th house). Any planet in 3rd from Saturn needs great effort because Saturn is the planet of fear. One needs to put “efforts” to attain the results of that house.

Aspect on 9th house

Any planet which sits in the 3rd house will aspect the 9th house (irrespective of the planet posited). This can give results of the 9th house during the dasha of the the planet sitting in 3rd house. What this means is this – planets in 3rd house can make a person gain higher knowledge (but where travel could be involved) and it adds to their philosophy and religious learning. What we mentally narrate or speak on a daily basis becomes a part of our higher philosophy in life.

Third house and “dissolution” from home

12th from any house signifies “exits”, “loss” or “dissolution” of that house. Planets posited in the 3rd house can make signification of the 4th house dissolve. They can take away someone from the home, motherland (hence 3rd house denotes travel), change of residence and can even cause “exit” of the mother (demise) from one’s life if other factors re-inforce.