Ascertaining which planets play the role of functional benefics and malefics for every Ascendant can sometimes be a tricky task as many a time you would figure that they happen to lord 2 houses of which one is favorable and the other not so. Also we need to consider several other factors to estimate as per the rule book before laying out a crystallized version of the planets that endow the best and worst results for each of the Lagnas. However looking at the whole picture holistically in the form of a melisma will help in classifying the results in a more refined manner.
Grouping of House Lords:
The best way to start to start this exercise would be to classify the houses into 4 groups as the planets lording a particular house has a major say in the deliverance of results. Hence let's look at the broad grouping of house rulers.
Group 1 : 1,5,9 - Trikona Lords are considered to be beneficial
Group 2 : 1,4,7,10 - Kendra Lords are considered neutral and subject to certain conditions
Group 3 : 12,2,8 - Association Lords are considered to act according to conditions
Group 4 : 3,6,11 - Trishadaya Lords are considered to be malefic
From the above list of 4 groups, on a very broad perspective we can say that planets being the lords of first 2 groups are beneficial and planets lording Groups 3&4 are maleficent. Hence house owners of 1,4,5,7,9,10 are in general considered to be good and lords of 2,3,6,8,11,12 are said to be bad. Also to note is that the order of beneficence or maleficence is based on increasing order. For instance considering the Trikona Lords, 9th is more auspicious than 5th which in turn is more beneficial than the Ascendant Lord. Likewise for the Kendras 10>7>4>1 in providing results. Same way in the association lord category 12th is less malefic to 2nd who again is less harmful than 8th which is most malefic and lastly in the Trishadaya group the 3rd is a lessor malefic compared to 6th who again is less detrimental than 11th who is said to be the most malefic of them all. We have to also keep in mind that 9th and 10th are most benefic in Group 1 and 2 respectively whereas 8th and 11th are most malefic in Group 3 and 4 respectively. Also we find that the Lagna alone is repeated both in Group 1 and 2 which is on account of being both a Trikona as well as Kendra Lord. However it should be taken into account that the Lagna Lord is always generally considered to be favorable.
Planetary Relationship:
After classifying the house lords into different groups, it's salient to also understand the planetary relationship existing between the 7 planets. We need to consider the permanent friendship and we can ignore Rahu/Ketu as they don't own any of the signs independently and only considered as co-owners. This planetary friendship is also crucial in determining the role of functional benefics and malefics. Attached below is the table of permanent friendship among the planets.
Natural Benefics and Natural Malefics:
Apart from classifying the lordship of houses into different groups and knowing about the permanent nature of relationship between planets, it's also essential to know which planets are considered to be natural benefics and malefics. This is especially important to adumbrate results further such as with regards to Kendradhipathi Dosh etc. Hence let's take a list of the natural benefics and malefics.
Natural Benefics:
Venus
Jupiter
Well Associated Mercury
Waxing Moon
Natural Malefics:
Mars
Saturn
Sun
Waning Moon
Ill Associated Mercury
We find Mercury and Moon coming in both these lists and hence warrants a need to understand the same. Mercury is said to be a benefic when associated with a natural benefic and a malefic when associated with a natural malefic. Here for the purpose of natural malefic we need to consider Rahu and Ketu also. For association we need to factor a degree span of 12° which is the key for any yoga formation. If Mercury is alone and not associated with any planet also it is to be treated as a natural benefic. With regard to Moon, the classification is more simple. If it's a waxing Moon or Shukla Paksha it is to be treated as a natural benefic whereas if it is in waning state or Krishna Paksha, it's to be considered as a natural malefic. This list is important when deducing Kendradhipathi because it's said that Natural Benefics lose their potency if they happen to be owners of a kendra.
Other Points of Consideration:
1) In Many cases planets tend to own 2 houses and in such a case the Mool Trikona placement is considered paramount and has a higher say than the other house it owns. Hence for Mars - Aries is more important than Scorpio, Venus - Libra holds a higher say than Taurus, Mercury - Virgo sign plays more crucial role than Gemini, Jupiter - Sagittarius is considered fort over Pisces and for Saturn - Aquarius is given higher priority than Capricorn.
2) When 2 planets own a good lordship and an evil lordship, the good ownership can stall the ill effects of the other planet. Here good means only under Group 1 and specifically only 5th and 9th lord as they are the only kona Lords. Lagna Lord can be factored based on which house it rules also being a Kendra Lord.
3) The 8th lord ownership of Sun and Moon is not considered to be evil. This is possible only for Capricorn Ascendant where Sun is 8th lord and Sagittarius Ascendant where Moon is 8th lord. But however if the lord of 8th simultaneously owns kama trikona lordship namely 3rd, 7th and 11th then it becomes very inauspicious.
4) Maraka houses which is the 2nd and 7th also need to be considered into the equation. A planet simultaneously holding ownership to both these houses can be troublesome and it happens especially for Movable sign Ascendants. Even in cases where only 7th ownership is held and which happens to be lorded by Natural Benefic, it also additionally attracts blemish of Kendradhipathi.
5) Rahu and Ketu are not considered in the study of Functional Benefics and Malefics. They are more influenced by their placement in the horoscope along with association and despositors.
Functional Benefics and Functional Malefics:
➜ Aries Ascendant - Ruler Mars
Functional Benefics: Mars, Jupiter, Sun
Functional Malefics: Mercury, Saturn, Venus
Functional Neutrals: Moon
Mars - Ruler of 1 and 8: Here 1 comes under both Trikona (Group 1) and Kendra (Group 2) Lord whereas 8th happens to be Associated (Group 3) Lord. Being a Trikona it's auspicious and as a natural malefic being Kendra Lord it becomes strong. The 8th lordship being Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is both a trikona and kendra as already seen and in good dignity. Also to note is that 1st house ownership happens to be the Mooltrikona sign. Hence Mars can be considered to be a functional benefic.
Venus - Ruler of 2 and 7: Here Venus rules an Association (Group 3) and a Kendra (Group 2) house. The 2nd lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a kendra that happens to be neutral. On account of being a natural benefic lording a kendra, Venus suffers from the blemish of Kendradhipathi. Venus treats the Lagna Lord as it's neutral. However in this scenario since both 2nd and 7th happen to be Maraka house, Venus is to be considered as a functional malefic.
Mercury - Ruler of 3 and 6: Both comes under Trishadaya (Group 4) Lordship. Mercury treats Lagna Lord as it's neutral but however on account of owning 2 dire malefic houses, Mercury becomes a first rate malefic.
Moon - Ruler of 4: Here Moon comes as a Kendra (Group 2) Lord and Kendradhipathi needs to be evaluated. Moon being a Natural Malefic is better off compared to being a Natural Benefic as blemish of Kendradhipathi will be evaded. Moon happens to be friend to the Lagna Lord but however since no Trine lordship is governed, it can at best be considered a Functional Neutral
Sun - Ruler of 5: Here Sun happens to be a Trikona (Group 1) Lord and hence happens to be extremely auspicious. Sun also happens to be friend of Lagna Lord and hence Sun is considered to be a Functional Benefic
Jupiter - Ruler of 9 and 12: Jupiter rules a Trikona (Group 1) and an Associated (Group 2) house. Since Jupiter holds auspicious trine lordship of 9th house which is also its Mooltrikona house it is very beneficial. Being an associated lord, we need to check other ownership which is trine rulership that again makes it favorable. Jupiter also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Jupiter can be considered to be a Functional Benefic.
Saturn - Ruler of 10 and 11: Here Saturn rules a Kendra (Group 2) and a Trishadaya (Group 4) house. Being a natural malefic owning highest 10th house kendra makes it strong. However ownership of highest 11th house Trishadya makes it highly malefic. Saturn also treats Lagna Lord as it's enemy. On account of not ruling a trine and at the same time owning most malefic 11th house makes Saturn a functional malefic.
➜ Taurus Ascendant - Ruler Venus
Functional Benefics: Saturn, Mercury
Functional Malefics: Jupiter, Moon, Venus
Functional Neutrals: Sun, Mars
Venus - Ruler of 1 and 6: Here 1 comes under both Trikona (Group 1) and Kendra (Group 2) Lord. 6th happens to be a Trishadaya (Group 4). Being a Trikona it's auspicious but as a natural benefic owning a Kendra it loses strength and suffers from the blemish of Kendradhipathi. In addition it also owns a malefic Trishadaya house which also becomes the Mool Trikona house. Even though it's the owner of Ascendant, considering the factors Venus is to be considered a functional malefic.
Mercury - Ruler of 2 and 5: Here Mercury rules an Associated (Group 3) house in addition to a Trikona (Group 1) house. The 2nd lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a trikona that happens to be beneficial. As Lord of 5th house which also happens to be Mooltrikona it is really favorable. Mercury also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Mercury can be considered to be a functional benefic.
Moon - Ruler of 3: Here Moon stakes ownership to a Trishadaya (Group 4) house. Moon treats Lagna Lord as it's neutral but however on owning a malefic house, it becomes a functional malefic.
Sun - Ruler of 4: Here Sun happens to own a Kendra (Group 2) house. It should be noted that Sun being one of the luminaries can own only one house and being a natural malefic is strong in Kendra owning also the sign of it's Mooltrikona. Sun considers the Lagna Lord to be it's enemy. However being strong Kendra Lord, Sun is to considered as a functional neutral.
Mars - Ruler of 7 and 12: Here Mars rules a Kendra (Group 2) and an Association (Group 3) house. As a natural malefic being Kendra Lord it becomes strong. The 12th lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a kendra which is neutral and in good dignity. Mars also treats Lagna Lord as it's neutral. Hence Mars can be said to be a functional neutral
Jupiter - Ruler of 8 and 11: Here Jupiter rules an Association (Group 3) and a Trishadaya (Group 4) house. The 8th lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a Trishadaya which makes it significantly harmful. Ownership of highest 11th house Trishadya makes it highly malefic. In addition Jupiter also treats Lagna Lord as it's enemy. Hence Jupiter is said to be a functional malefic.
Saturn - Ruler of 9 and 10: Here Saturn rules a Trikona (Group 1) and a Kendra (Group 2) house. Being owner of highest 9th house trine it is highly beneficial and being natural malefic owning highest 10th house kendra makes it very strong. This is a combination of Raja Yogakaraka. Saturn also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Saturn is to be considered a functional benefic.
➜ Gemini Ascendant - Ruler Mercury
Functional Benefics: Venus, Saturn
Functional Malefics: Mars, Jupiter, Sun
Functional Neutrals: Mercury, Moon
Mercury - Ruler of 1 and 4: Here 1 comes under both Trikona (Group 1) and Kendra (Group 2) whereas 4th happens to be Kendra (Group 2) Lord. Being Trikona Lord Mercury will be auspicious but however Mercury being ill associated will not suffer from Kendradhipathi Dosh and in fact is better than a well associated Mercury. However being the owner of Ascendant and not ruling any house under Group 3 or 4, Mercury can be said to be a functional neutral.
Moon - Ruler of 2: Here Moon being owner of an Associated (Group 3) House, we need to see the other house it rules which isn't applicable since Moon rules only one house. Moon treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Moon can be considered to be a functional neutral.
Sun - Ruler of 3: Here Sun is ruler of a Trishadaya (Group 4) house. Though Sun treats Lagna Lord as it's neutral but on account of owning an evil house, Sun has to be considered a functional malefic.
Venus - Ruler of 5 and 12: Venus rules a Trikona (Group 1) and an Associated (Group 2) house. Since Venus holds auspicious trine lordship of 5th house which is also its Mooltrikona sign it is very beneficial. Being an associated lord, we need to check other ownership which is trine rulership that again makes it favorable. Venus also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Venus can be considered to be a Functional Benefic.
Mars - Ruler of 6 and 11: Here Mars owns 2 evil Trishadaya (Group 4) houses. Mars also treats Lagna Lord as it's enemy and coupled with owning 2 dire malefic houses, Mars becomes a prime functional malefic
Jupiter - Ruler of 7 and 10: Here Jupiter owns 2 kendra (Group 2). But considering the fact that Jupiter treats Lagna Lord as enemy and also suffers kendradhipathi dosh for both it's ownership, Jupiter is to be considered a functional malefic.
Saturn - Ruler of 8 and 9: Here Saturn rules an Associated (Group 3) house in addition to a Trikona (Group 1) house. The 8th lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a trikona that happens to be beneficial. As Lord of 9th house which also happens to be in Mooltrikona sign it is really favorable. Saturn also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Saturn can be considered to be a functional benefic.
➜ Cancer Ascendant - Ruler Moon
Functional Benefics: Mars, Moon, Jupiter
Functional Malefics: Mercury, Venus
Functional Neutrals: Sun, Saturn
Moon - Ruler of 1: Lagna Lord Moon happens to be both a Trikona (Group 1) and Kendra (Group 2). Moon doesn't own any other house. Being Trikona Lord Moon will be auspicious. It would be favorable if Moon doesn't suffer blemish of Kendradhipathi Dosh being Kendra Lord. However all things considered, being the owner of Ascendant it can said to be a functional benefic.
Sun - Ruler of 2: Here Sun being owner of an Associated (Group 3) House, we need to see the other house it rules which isn't applicable since Sun rules only one house. Sun treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Sun can be considered to be a functional neutral.
Mercury - Ruler of 3 and 12: Mercury owns a Trishadaya (Group 4) in addition to an Association (Group 3) house. Being owner of Trishadaya it becomes a malefic. Being an associated lord, we need to check other ownership which is Trishadaya which makes it significantly harmful. Mercury also treats Lagna Lord as it's enemy. Hence Mercury is a functional malefic.
Venus - Ruler of 4 and 11: Here Venus rules a Kendra (Group 2) and a Trishadaya (Group 4) house. Being a Kendra Lord, Venus suffers blemish of Kendradhipathi Dosh. As a lord of Trishadaya it becomes malefic by default. In addition Venus also treats Lagna Lord as it's enemy. Hence Venus is a prime functional malefic.
Mars - Ruler of 5 and 10: Here Mars rules a Trikona (Group 1) and a Kendra (Group 2) house. Being owner of 5th house trine it is highly beneficial and being natural malefic owning highest 10th house kendra makes it very strong. This is a combination of Raja Yogakaraka. Mars also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Mars is to be considered a functional benefic.
Jupiter - Ruler of 6 and 9: Here Jupiter rules a Trishadaya (Group 4) as well as a Trikona (Group 1) house. Being owner of a Trishadaya which also happens to be the Mooltrikona sign, it happens to be malefic. However Jupiter also rules a trine conferring it to be favorable. Jupiter also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend getting exalted in its sign. We have to consider the fact that when a planet rules a trine, it is advantageous even if it also simultaneously happens to lord an evil house. Hence Jupiter is a functional benefic.
Saturn - Ruler of 7 and 8: Here Saturn rules a Kendra (Group 2) and an Association (Group 3) house. As a natural malefic being Kendra Lord it becomes strong. The 8th lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a kendra which happens to be neutral and in good dignity. Saturn also treats Lagna Lord as it's enemy. However since no Group 4 house ownership is involved, Saturn can be said to be a functional neutral.
➜ Leo Ascendant - Ruler Sun
Functional Benefics: Mars, Sun, Jupiter
Functional Malefics: Mercury, Venus, Saturn
Functional Neutrals: Moon
Sun - Ruler of 1: Lagna Lord Sun happens to be both a Trikona (Group 1) and Kendra (Group 2) . Sun doesn't own any other house. Being Trikona Lord Sun will be auspicious and as a natural malefic owning kendra it becomes strong. Hence Sun can be considered to be a functional benefic
Mercury - Ruler of 2 and 11: Here Mercury rules an Association (Group 3) and a Trishadaya (Group 4) house. The 2nd lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a Trishadaya which makes it significantly harmful. Ownership of highest 11th house Trishadya makes it highly malefic. Mercury however treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. But on account of owning a Trishadaya house with no trine influence Mercury is said to be a functional malefic.
Venus - Ruler of 3 and 10: Venus rules a Trishadaya (Group 4) and a Kendra (Group 2) house. Ownership of 3rd house makes it malefic. On account of being a natural benefic lording a kendra, Venus suffers blemish of Kendradhipathi. Venus also treats the Lagna Lord as it's enemy. Hence Venus is a functional malefic.
Mars - Ruler of 4 and 9: Mars owns both a Kendra (Group 2) and Trikona (Group 1) house. As a natural malefic being kendra Lord it becomes strong and being a trikona it is highly auspicious. This is a combination of Raja Yogakaraka. Mars also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Mars is to be considered a functional benefic.
Jupiter - Ruler of 5 and 8: Jupiter rules a Trikona (Group 1) and an Associated (Group 2) house. Since Jupiter holds auspicious trine lordship of 5th house which is also its Mooltrikona house it is very beneficial. Being an associated lord, we need to check other ownership which is trine rulership that again makes it favorable. Jupiter also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Jupiter is to be considered a Functional Benefic.
Saturn - Ruler of 6 and 7: Saturn owns a Trishadaya (Group 4) in addition to a Kendra (Group 3) house. Being owner of Trishadaya it becomes a malefic. As a natural malefic being Kendra Lord it becomes strong. There is no trine influence and Saturn also considers the Ascendant Lord as its enemy. Hence Saturn is to be considered a functional malefic.
Moon - Ruler of 12: Here Moon being owner of an Associated (Group 3) House, we need to see the other house it rules which isn't applicable since Moon rules only one house. Moon treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Moon can be considered to be a functional neutral.
➜ Virgo Ascendant - Ruler Mercury
Functional Benefics: Venus, Saturn, Mercury
Functional Malefics: Moon, Mars, Jupiter
Functional Neutrals: Sun
Mercury - Ruler of 1 and 10: Here 1 comes under both Trikona (Group 1) and Kendra (Group 2) whereas 10th happens to be Kendra (Group 2) Lord. Being Trikona Lord Mercury will be auspicious but however Mercury being ill associated will not suffer from Kendradhipathi Dosh and in fact is better than a well associated Mercury. However being the owner of Ascendant and not ruling any house under Group 3 or 4, Mercury can be said to be a functional benefic.
Venus - Ruler of 2 and 9: Here Venus rules an Associated (Group 3) house in addition to a Trikona (Group 1) house. The 2nd lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a trikona that happens to be beneficial. As Lord of 9th house it happens to be favorable. Venus also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Venus is to be considered as a functional benefic.
Mars - Ruler of 3 and 8: Here Mars owns a Trishadaya (Group 4) in addition to an Associated (Group 3) house. Being owner of Trishadaya it becomes a malefic. The 8th lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a Trishadaya which makes it significantly harmful. Hence Mars is to be considered as a functional malefic,
Jupiter - Ruler of 4 and 7: Here Jupiter owns 2 kendra (Group 2). But considering the fact that Jupiter treats Lagna Lord as enemy and also suffers kendradhipathi dosh for both it's ownership, Jupiter is to be considered as a functional malefic.
Saturn - Ruler of 5 and 6: Here Jupiter rules a Trikona (Group 1) as well as a Trishadaya (Group 4) house. Since Saturn holds auspicious trine lordship of 5th house it is beneficial. Being owner of Trishadaya that also happens to be Mooltrikona sign it becomes heavy malefic. Saturn however treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. We have to consider the fact that when a planet rules a trine, it is advantageous even if it also simultaneously happens to lord an evil house. Hence Saturn is to be considered as a functional benefic.
Moon - Ruler of 11: Here Moon is ruler of a Trishadaya (Group 4) house. Though Moon treats Lagna Lord as it's friend but on account of being owner of an evil house, Moon has to be considered a functional malefic.
Sun - Ruler of 12: Here Sun being owner of an Associated (Group 3) House, we need to see the other house it rules which isn't applicable since Sun rules only one house. Sun treats Lagna Lord as it's neutral. Hence Sun can be considered to be a functional neutral.
➜ Libra Ascendant - Ruler Venus
Functional Benefics: Saturn, Mercury
Functional Malefics: Jupiter, Sun
Functional Neutrals: Venus, Mars, Moon
Venus - Ruler of 1 and 8: Here 1 comes under both Trikona (Group 1) and Kendra (Group 2) Lord whereas 8th happens to be Associated (Group 3) Lord. Being Lagna Lord and also a Trikona it's auspicious but as a natural benefic being Kendra Lord it loses strength and suffers from the blemish of Kendradhipathi. The 8th lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is both a trikona and kendra as already seen. However unlike Taurus where Venus owns a Trishadaya Lord as it's other lord here it only owns an Associated house which is not a dire malefic. Also being Ascendant Lord of it's Mooltrikona sign, Venus is to be considered a functional neutral.
Mars - Ruler of 2 and 7: Here Mars rules an Association (Group 3) and a Kendra (Group 2) house. The 2nd lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules and being a natural malefic being Kendra Lord it becomes strong. Mars also treats the Lagna Lord as it's neutral. However in this case since both 2nd and 7th happen to be Maraka house, Mars is to be considered as a functional malefic.
Jupiter - Ruler of 3 and 6: Both comes under Trishadaya (Group 4) Lordship. Jupiter also treats Lagna Lord as it's enemy.Hence Jupiter becomes a first rate malefic.
Saturn - Ruler of 4 and 5: Saturn owns both a Kendra (Group 2) and Trikona (Group 1) house. As a natural malefic being kendra Lord it becomes strong and being a trikona it is highly auspicious.This is a combination of Raja Yogakaraka. Saturn also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Saturn is to be considered a functional benefic.
Mercury - Ruler of 9 and 12: Mercury rules a Trikona (Group 1) and an Associated (Group 2) house. Since Mercury holds auspicious trine lordship of 9th house it is beneficial. Being an associated lord, we need to check other ownership which is trine rulership that again makes it favorable. Mercury also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Mercury is to be considered as a Functional Benefic.
➜ Scorpio Ascendant - Ruler Mars
Functional Benefics: Jupiter, Moon, Sun
Functional Malefics: Mercury, Venus, Saturn
Functional Neutrals: Mars
Mars - Ruler of 1 and 6: Here 1 comes under both Trikona (Group 1) and Kendra (Group 2) Lord. 6th happens to be a Trishadaya (Group 4). Being Lagna Lord and also a Trikona it's auspicious and as a natural malefic being Kendra Lord it becomes strong. In addition it also owns a malefic Trishadaya house which happens to be the more important Mool Trikona house. However being owner of Ascendant and not containing kendra blemish, Mars is to be considered as a functional neutral.
Jupiter - Ruler of 2 and 5: Here Jupiter rules an Associated (Group 3) house in addition to a Trikona (Group 1) house. The 2nd lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a trikona that happens to be beneficial. As Lord of 5th house it is favorable. Jupiter also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Jupiter is to be considered as a functional benefic.
Saturn - Ruler of 3 and 4: Saturn rules a Trishadaya (Group 4) and a Kendra (Group 2). Ownership of 3rd house makes it malefic. As a natural malefic being Kendra Lord it becomes strong. There is no involvement of trines and Saturn also treats the Lagna Lord as it's enemy. Hence Saturn is to be considered as a functional malefic
Venus - Ruler of 7 and 12: Here Venus rules a Kendra (Group 2) and an Association (Group 3) house. As a natural benefic being Kendra Lord it loses strength and suffers from the blemish of Kendradhipathi. The 12th lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a kendra which happens to be neutral but suffers the blemish as seen above. Venus however treats Lagna Lord as it's neutral. Considering lack of trine association toppled with Venus suffering Kendradhipathi blemish, Venus is to be considered as a functional malefic.
Mercury - Ruler of 8 and 11: Here Mercury rules an Association (Group 3) and a Trishadaya (Group 4) house. The 8th lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a Trishadaya which makes it significantly harmful. Ownership of highest 11th house Trishadya makes it highly malefic. There is no trinal involvement and Mercury treating Lagna lord as it's neutral doesn't come as a saving grace. Hence Mercury is to be considered as a functional malefic.
Moon - Ruler of 9: Here Moon happens to be a Trikona (Group 1) Lord and hence happens to be extremely auspicious. Moon also happens to be friend of Lagna Lord and hence Moon is considered to be a functional benefic.
Sun - Ruler of 10: Here Sun owns the highest kendra (Group 2) house. Though there is no trinal influence Moon and Sun jointly act very favorably to this Ascendant being the 9th and 10th lord respectively. Sun also considers Mars as it's good friend. Hence Sun is a functional benefic.
➜ Sagittarius Ascendant - Ruler Jupiter
Functional Benefics: Mars, Sun
Functional Malefics: Venus, Saturn
Functional Neutrals: Jupiter, Mercury, Moon
Jupiter - Ruler of 1 and 4: Here 1 comes under both Trikona (Group 1) and Kendra (Group 2) whereas 4th happens to be Kendra (Group 2) Lord. Being Trikona Lord Jupiter will be auspicious but suffers blemish of Kendradhipathi Dosh being lord of Kendra. However being the owner of Ascendant and not ruling any evil house it is to be considered as a functional neutral.
Saturn - Ruler of 2 and 3: Here Saturn rules an Association (Group 3) and a Trishadaya (Group 4) house. The 2nd lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a Trishadaya which makes it significantly harmful. Ownership of 3rd house makes it highly malefic. Saturn however treats Lagna Lord as it's neutral. But on account of owning a Trishadaya house with no trine influence Saturn is said to be a functional malefic.
Mars - Ruler of 5 and 12: Mars rules a Trikona (Group 1) and an Associated (Group 2) house. Since Mars holds auspicious trine lordship of 5th house which is also its Mooltrikona house it is very beneficial. Being an associated lord, we need to check other ownership which is trine rulership that again makes it favorable. Mars also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Mars is to be considered as a Functional Benefic.
Venus - Ruler of 6 and 11: Both comes under Trishadaya (Group 4) Lordship. Venus treats Lagna Lord as it's neutral but however on account of owning 2 dire malefic houses, Venus becomes a first rate malefic.
Mercury - Ruler of 7 and 10: Here Mercury owns 2 kendra (Group 2) houses. Mercury being ill associated will not suffer from Kendradhipathi Dosh and in fact is better suited than a well associated Mercury. However Mercury on account of treating Lagna Lord as its neutral and owning highest 10th kendra that also happens to be Mooltrikona sign, Mercury is considered to be functional neutral
Moon - Ruler of 8: Here Moon being owner of an Associated (Group 3) House, we need to see the other house it rules which isn't applicable since Moon rules only one house. There is also a specific rule which says that Moon owning 8th lordship does not confer it to be a malefic.Taking this into account and also considering that Moon considers Lagna lord as its friend, Moon can at best be considered to be a functional neutral.
Sun - Ruler of 9: Here Sun happens to be a Trikona (Group 1) Lord and hence happens to be extremely auspicious. Sun also happens to be friend of Lagna Lord and hence Sun is considered to be a Functional Benefic.
➜ Capricorn Ascendant - Ruler Saturn
Functional Benefics: Venus, Mercury
Functional Malefics: Jupiter, Mars, Moon
Functional Neutrals: Saturn, Sun
Saturn - Ruler of 1 and 2: Here 1 comes under both Trikona (Group 1) and Kendra (Group 2) Lord whereas 2nd happens to be Associated (Group 3) Lord. Being Lagna Lord and also a Trikona it's auspicious and as a natural malefic being Kendra Lord also it becomes strong. The 2nd lordship being Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is both a trikona and kendra as already seen and in good dignity. Here it's the 2nd house which is the Mooltrikona and not the Lagna. However on being owner of Ascendant, Saturn is to considered as a functional neutral.
Jupiter - Ruler of 3 and 12: Jupiter owns a Trishadaya (Group 4) in addition to an Association (Group 3) house. Being owner of Trishadaya it becomes a malefic. Being an associated lord, we need to check other ownership which is Trishadaya which makes it significantly harmful. Jupiter treats Lagna Lord as it's neutral. But on account of owning a Trishadaya house with no trine influence Jupiter is considered as a functional malefic.
Mars - Ruler of 4 and 11: Here Mars rules a Kendra (Group 2) and a Trishadaya (Group 4) house.
As a natural malefic being Kendra Lord it becomes strong. As a lord of Trishadaya it becomes malefic by default. In addition Mars also treats Lagna Lord as it's neutral. But on account of owning a Trishadaya house with no trine influence Mars is considered as a functional malefic.
Venus - Ruler of 5 and 10: Here Venus rules a Trikona (Group 1) and a Kendra (Group 2) house. Being owner of 5th house trine it is highly beneficial and owner of highest kendra makes it very powerful but is subject to blemish of Kendradhipathi Dosh. However on owning both a trikona and kendra, it becomes a combination for a Raja Yogakaraka. Venus also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Venus is to be considered as a functional benefic.
Mercury - Ruler of 6 and 9: Here Mercury rules a Trishadaya (Group 4) as well as a Trikona (Group 1) house. Being owner of a Trishadaya, it happens to be malefic. However Mercury also rules a trine which is also it's Mooltrikon sign conferring it to be very favorable. Mercury treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. We have to consider the fact that when a planet rules a trine, it is advantageous even if it also simultaneously happens to lord an evil house. Hence Mercury is considered as a functional benefic.
Moon - Ruler of 7: Here Moon becomes a Kendra (Group 2) Lord and Kendradhipathi needs to be evaluated. Moon being a Natural Malefic is better off compared to being a Natural Benefic as blemish of Kendradhipathi will be evaded. Moon happens to be neutral to Lagna Lord but becomes a Maraka on account of being owner of 7th house for a Movable sign. Hence Moon is a functional malefic
Sun - Ruler of 8: Here Sun being owner of an Associated (Group 3) House, we need to see the other house it rules which isn't applicable since Sun rules only one house. There is also a specific rule which says that Sun owning 8th lordship does not confer it to be a malefic. Taking this into account and even though Sun considers Lagna lord as its enemy, Sun needs to be considered as a functional neutral.
➜ Aquarius Ascendant - Ruler Saturn
Functional Benefics: Venus, Mercury, Saturn
Functional Malefics: Jupiter, Mars, Moon
Functional Neutrals: Sun
Saturn - Ruler of 1 and 12: Here 1 comes under both Trikona (Group 1) and Kendra (Group 2) Lord whereas 12th happens to be Associated (Group 3) Lord. Being Lagna Lord and also a Trikona it's auspicious and as a natural malefic being Kendra Lord it becomes strong. The Lagna sign also happens to be the Mooltrikona house. The 12th lordship being Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is both a trikona and kendra as already seen and in good dignity. Hence Saturn should be considered to be a functional benefic.
Jupiter - Ruler of 2 and 11: Here Jupiter rules an Association (Group 3) and a Trishadaya (Group 4) house. The 2nd lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a Trishadaya which makes it significantly harmful. Ownership of highest 11th house Trishadya makes it highly malefic. Jupiter treats Lagna Lord as it's neutral. But on account of owning a Trishadaya house with no trine influence Jupiter is said to be a functional malefic.
Mars - Ruler of 3 and 10: Mars rules a Trishadaya (Group 4) and a Kendra (Group 2) house. Ownership of 3rd house makes it malefic. As a natural malefic being Kendra Lord ruling highest 10th house, it becomes strong. Also Mars treats Lagna Lord as it's neutral. But however on account of owning a Trishadaya house with no trine influence Mars is considered to be a functional malefic.
Venus - Ruler of 4 and 9: Venus owns both a kendra (Group 2) and trikona (Group 1) house. On account of owning a natural benefic lording a kendra, Venus suffers from the blemish of Kendradhipathi. It also rules an auspicious trikona house. However on owning both a kendra and trikona it becomes a combination for a Raja Yogakaraka. Venus also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Venus is to be considered as a functional benefic.
Mercury - Ruler of 5 and 8: Mercury rules a Trikona (Group 1) and an Associated (Group 3) house. Since Mercury holds auspicious trine lordship of 5th house it is beneficial. Being an associated lord, we need to check other ownership which is trine rulership that again makes it favorable. Mercury treats Lagna Lord as it's neutral. Since trine house is owned and other house owned is not a dire malefic, it can safely be assumed that Mercury can be considered to be a functional benefic.
Moon - Ruler of 6: Here Moon is ruler of a Trishadaya (Group 4) house. Moon treats Lagna Lord as it's neutral but on account of being owner of an evil house, Moon has to be considered a functional malefic.
Sun - Ruler of 7: Here Sun becomes a Kendra (Group 2) Lord. As a natural malefic being Kendra Lord it becomes strong. Sun however considers Saturn to be its enemy. There is no trinal influence but by his mere presence of being a kendra lord with no maleficence, Sun becomes a functional neutral.
➜ Pisces Ascendant - Ruler Jupiter
Functional Benefics: Mars, Moon, Jupiter
Functional Malefics: Venus, Saturn, Mercury, Sun
Functional Neutrals:
Jupiter - Ruler of 1 and 10: Here 1 comes under both Trikona (Group 1) and Kendra (Group 2) whereas 10th happens to be Kendra (Group 2) Lord. Being Trikona Lord Jupiter will be auspicious but suffers blemish of Kendradhipathi Dosh being lord of Kendra. However being the owner of Ascendant also ruling highest kendra house and not ruling any evil house it can be said to be a functional benefic.
Mars - Ruler of 2 and 9: Here Mars rules an Associated (Group 3) house in addition to a Trikona (Group 1) house. The 2nd lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a trikona that happens to be beneficial. As Lord of 9th house it happens to be favorable. Mars also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Mars is to be considered as a functional benefic.
Venus - Ruler of 3 and 8: Here Venus owns a Trishadaya (Group 4) in addition to an Associated (Group 3) house. Being owner of Trishadaya it becomes a malefic. The 8th lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a Trishadaya which makes it significantly harmful. Hence Venus is to be considered as a functional malefic
Mercury - Ruler of 4 and 7: Here Mercury owns 2 kendra (Group 2) houses. Mercury could suffer Kendradhipathi dosh based on its association. Mercury treats Jupiter as its neutral but at the same time is also it's killer owning the 7th house. Also not having any trinal influence, Mercury is to be considered as a functional malefic
Moon - Ruler of 5: Here Moon happens to be a Trikona (Group 1) Lord and hence happens to be extremely auspicious. Moon also happens to be friend of Lagna Lord and hence Moon is considered to be a Functional Benefic
Sun - Ruler of 6: Here Sun is ruler of a Trishadaya (Group 4) house. Sun treats Lagna Lord as it's friend but on account of being owner of an evil house, Sun has to be considered a functional malefic.
Saturn - Ruler of 11 and 12: Saturn owns a Trishadaya (Group 4) in addition to an Association (Group 3) house. Being owner of Trishadaya it becomes a malefic. Being an associated lord, we need to check other ownership which is Trishadaya which makes it significantly harmful. Saturn treats Lagna Lord as it's neutral. But on account of owning a Trishadaya house with no trine influence Saturn is said to be a functional malefic.
Observation and Notes to Keep in Mind:
➤ Special Demarcation to 10th
A) Dual Signs:
The 10th house in many cases happens to be a Yoga conferring house. Considering the Dual Ascendants for Virgo and Pisces the Lagna Lords Mercury and Jupiter happen to be Functional Benefics whereas for Gemini and Sagittarius the Lagna Lords Mercury and Jupiter only happen to be Functional Neutrals. Lagna ownership is common for all these Ascendants and each of these ascendants is susceptible to the blemish of Kendradhipathi Dosh but however Virgo & Pisces holding 10th ownership is given superior weight over Gemini & Sagittarius controlling 4th ownership.
B) Sun for Scorpio:
For Scorpio Ascendant, Sun only rules the 10th house and there is no trinal influence. But despite that it is given the status of functional benefic as it's expected to combined with the Moon who is the 9th lord conferring a Rajayoga.
➤ Impact of Kendradhipathi
A) 2nd & 7th Lords - Aries & Libra Ascendants:
For Aries, Venus rules the 2nd and 7th house whereas for Libra, Mars rules the 2nd and 7th houses. For Aries, Venus is considered as a functional malefic whereas for Libra Mars is a functional neutral. This is because for Aries, Venus being 7th Lord is exposed to the blemish of Kendradhipathi which also happens to be in it's Mooltrikona sign. This makes Venus a functional malefic for Aries. However for Libra, Mars being 7th Lord does not have the impact of Kendradhipathi. In fact, the Kendra house of Aries being also the Mooltrikona sign of Mars, it's ownership only enhances the house. Hence Mars is classified as a Functional Neutral for Libra.
B) 7th & 12th Lords - Taurus & Scorpio Ascendants:
For Taurus, Mars rules the 7th and 12th house whereas for Scorpio, Venus rules the 7th and 12th house. For Taurus Mars is considered as a a functional neutral whereas for Scorpio Venus is a functional malefic. This is because in Taurus Ascendant, Mars rules the 7th house of Scorpio and does not have the impact of Kendradhipathi. This makes Mars a functional neutral. However for Scorpio Ascendant, Venus being the 7th Lord of Taurus is exposed to the blemish of Kendradhipathi and hence Venus is classified as a Functional Malefic for Scorpio.
➤ 6th supersedes 8th in malefic ownership - Mars & Venus Ascendants
A) Aries & Scorpio:
For the Mars ruled Ascendants namely Aries and Scorpio, apart from owning Lagna they rule the 8th and 6th respectively. For Aries, Mars is a functional benefic whereas for Scorpio Mars is only a functional neutral. This is mainly due to Aries being the Lagna Lord also happens to be the Mooltrikona sign and also when considering 8th placement being Associated Lord it will look at other house in question which is the 1st that happens to be in good dignity. For Scorpio, the Mooltrikona house becomes evil 6th house owner and increases maleficence.
B) Taurus & Libra:
Extending the principles for the Venus Ascendants namely Taurus and Libra, apart from owning Lagna they also rule the 6th and 8th respectively. For Taurus, Venus is actually a functional malefic whereas for Libra Venus is a functional neutral. This is mainly due to Libra being the Lagna Lord also happens to be the Mooltrikona sign and also when considering 8th placement being Associated Lord it will look at other house in question which is the 1st which is a Trikona and Kendra. Here however unlike Mars for Aries, Venus suffers the blemish of Kendradhipathi and hence relegated to just being a functional neutral. For Taurus however, the Mooltrikona house becomes evil 6th house owner and increases maleficence.. Also as Lagna, since it suffers the blemish of Kendradhipathi, Venus ends up becoming a functional malefic for Taurus Ascendant.
➤ 2nd supersedes 12th in malefic ownership - Saturn Ascendants
A) Capricorn & Aquarius
For the Ascendants Capricorn and Aquarius, Saturn happens to be Lagna Lord and in addition for Capricorn it also happens to be 2nd lord whereas for Aquarius it is also 12th lord. For Aquarius, Saturn is however considered to be a functional benefic whereas for Capricorn it is a functional malefic. In both cases the other Lord happens to be an Associated Lord and so it must ring a bell regarding the nomenclature of differentiation. The reason is for Aquarius, Lagna lord happens to be in it's Mooltrikona sign and the other lordship is largely dependent on Lagna Lord which is stationed favorably. For Capricorn however the Lagna Lord is not a Mooltrikona sign. Also being a movable sign the 2nd house is susceptible to being a Maraka. Hence this is the reason Saturn is more beneficial to Aquarius as compared to Capricorn.
➤ Sun & Moon as Kendras:
- Aries Ascendant - Moon is Kendra (4th lord) and it's a functional neutral
- Taurus Ascendant - Sun is Kendra (4th lord) and it's a functional neutral
- Cancer Ascendant - Moon is Kendra (1st lord) and is a functional benefic (Benefic as Lagna Lord but subject to Kendradhipathi)
- Leo Ascendant - Sun is Kendra (1st lord) and is a functional benefic
- Libra Ascendant - Moon is Kendra (10th Lord) and it's a functional neutral
- Scorpio Ascendant - Sun is Kendra (10th Lord) and is a functional benefic (Combines with Moon being 9th lord proving to be auspicious)
- Capricorn Ascendant - Moon is Kendra (7th Lord) and is functional malefic (Impact of Kendradhipathi combined with being a Maraka Lord for this Ascendant)
- Aquarius Ascendant - Sun is Kendra (7th Lord) and it's a functional neutral
Summary Table of Functional Benefics, Functional Malefics and Functional Neutrals:
Grouping of House Lords:
The best way to start to start this exercise would be to classify the houses into 4 groups as the planets lording a particular house has a major say in the deliverance of results. Hence let's look at the broad grouping of house rulers.
Group 1 : 1,5,9 - Trikona Lords are considered to be beneficial
Group 2 : 1,4,7,10 - Kendra Lords are considered neutral and subject to certain conditions
Group 3 : 12,2,8 - Association Lords are considered to act according to conditions
Group 4 : 3,6,11 - Trishadaya Lords are considered to be malefic
From the above list of 4 groups, on a very broad perspective we can say that planets being the lords of first 2 groups are beneficial and planets lording Groups 3&4 are maleficent. Hence house owners of 1,4,5,7,9,10 are in general considered to be good and lords of 2,3,6,8,11,12 are said to be bad. Also to note is that the order of beneficence or maleficence is based on increasing order. For instance considering the Trikona Lords, 9th is more auspicious than 5th which in turn is more beneficial than the Ascendant Lord. Likewise for the Kendras 10>7>4>1 in providing results. Same way in the association lord category 12th is less malefic to 2nd who again is less harmful than 8th which is most malefic and lastly in the Trishadaya group the 3rd is a lessor malefic compared to 6th who again is less detrimental than 11th who is said to be the most malefic of them all. We have to also keep in mind that 9th and 10th are most benefic in Group 1 and 2 respectively whereas 8th and 11th are most malefic in Group 3 and 4 respectively. Also we find that the Lagna alone is repeated both in Group 1 and 2 which is on account of being both a Trikona as well as Kendra Lord. However it should be taken into account that the Lagna Lord is always generally considered to be favorable.
Planetary Relationship:
After classifying the house lords into different groups, it's salient to also understand the planetary relationship existing between the 7 planets. We need to consider the permanent friendship and we can ignore Rahu/Ketu as they don't own any of the signs independently and only considered as co-owners. This planetary friendship is also crucial in determining the role of functional benefics and malefics. Attached below is the table of permanent friendship among the planets.
Natural Benefics and Natural Malefics:
Apart from classifying the lordship of houses into different groups and knowing about the permanent nature of relationship between planets, it's also essential to know which planets are considered to be natural benefics and malefics. This is especially important to adumbrate results further such as with regards to Kendradhipathi Dosh etc. Hence let's take a list of the natural benefics and malefics.
Natural Benefics:
Venus
Jupiter
Well Associated Mercury
Waxing Moon
Natural Malefics:
Mars
Saturn
Sun
Waning Moon
Ill Associated Mercury
We find Mercury and Moon coming in both these lists and hence warrants a need to understand the same. Mercury is said to be a benefic when associated with a natural benefic and a malefic when associated with a natural malefic. Here for the purpose of natural malefic we need to consider Rahu and Ketu also. For association we need to factor a degree span of 12° which is the key for any yoga formation. If Mercury is alone and not associated with any planet also it is to be treated as a natural benefic. With regard to Moon, the classification is more simple. If it's a waxing Moon or Shukla Paksha it is to be treated as a natural benefic whereas if it is in waning state or Krishna Paksha, it's to be considered as a natural malefic. This list is important when deducing Kendradhipathi because it's said that Natural Benefics lose their potency if they happen to be owners of a kendra.
Other Points of Consideration:
1) In Many cases planets tend to own 2 houses and in such a case the Mool Trikona placement is considered paramount and has a higher say than the other house it owns. Hence for Mars - Aries is more important than Scorpio, Venus - Libra holds a higher say than Taurus, Mercury - Virgo sign plays more crucial role than Gemini, Jupiter - Sagittarius is considered fort over Pisces and for Saturn - Aquarius is given higher priority than Capricorn.
2) When 2 planets own a good lordship and an evil lordship, the good ownership can stall the ill effects of the other planet. Here good means only under Group 1 and specifically only 5th and 9th lord as they are the only kona Lords. Lagna Lord can be factored based on which house it rules also being a Kendra Lord.
3) The 8th lord ownership of Sun and Moon is not considered to be evil. This is possible only for Capricorn Ascendant where Sun is 8th lord and Sagittarius Ascendant where Moon is 8th lord. But however if the lord of 8th simultaneously owns kama trikona lordship namely 3rd, 7th and 11th then it becomes very inauspicious.
4) Maraka houses which is the 2nd and 7th also need to be considered into the equation. A planet simultaneously holding ownership to both these houses can be troublesome and it happens especially for Movable sign Ascendants. Even in cases where only 7th ownership is held and which happens to be lorded by Natural Benefic, it also additionally attracts blemish of Kendradhipathi.
5) Rahu and Ketu are not considered in the study of Functional Benefics and Malefics. They are more influenced by their placement in the horoscope along with association and despositors.
Functional Benefics and Functional Malefics:
➜ Aries Ascendant - Ruler Mars
Functional Benefics: Mars, Jupiter, Sun
Functional Malefics: Mercury, Saturn, Venus
Functional Neutrals: Moon
Mars - Ruler of 1 and 8: Here 1 comes under both Trikona (Group 1) and Kendra (Group 2) Lord whereas 8th happens to be Associated (Group 3) Lord. Being a Trikona it's auspicious and as a natural malefic being Kendra Lord it becomes strong. The 8th lordship being Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is both a trikona and kendra as already seen and in good dignity. Also to note is that 1st house ownership happens to be the Mooltrikona sign. Hence Mars can be considered to be a functional benefic.
Venus - Ruler of 2 and 7: Here Venus rules an Association (Group 3) and a Kendra (Group 2) house. The 2nd lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a kendra that happens to be neutral. On account of being a natural benefic lording a kendra, Venus suffers from the blemish of Kendradhipathi. Venus treats the Lagna Lord as it's neutral. However in this scenario since both 2nd and 7th happen to be Maraka house, Venus is to be considered as a functional malefic.
Mercury - Ruler of 3 and 6: Both comes under Trishadaya (Group 4) Lordship. Mercury treats Lagna Lord as it's neutral but however on account of owning 2 dire malefic houses, Mercury becomes a first rate malefic.
Moon - Ruler of 4: Here Moon comes as a Kendra (Group 2) Lord and Kendradhipathi needs to be evaluated. Moon being a Natural Malefic is better off compared to being a Natural Benefic as blemish of Kendradhipathi will be evaded. Moon happens to be friend to the Lagna Lord but however since no Trine lordship is governed, it can at best be considered a Functional Neutral
Sun - Ruler of 5: Here Sun happens to be a Trikona (Group 1) Lord and hence happens to be extremely auspicious. Sun also happens to be friend of Lagna Lord and hence Sun is considered to be a Functional Benefic
Jupiter - Ruler of 9 and 12: Jupiter rules a Trikona (Group 1) and an Associated (Group 2) house. Since Jupiter holds auspicious trine lordship of 9th house which is also its Mooltrikona house it is very beneficial. Being an associated lord, we need to check other ownership which is trine rulership that again makes it favorable. Jupiter also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Jupiter can be considered to be a Functional Benefic.
Saturn - Ruler of 10 and 11: Here Saturn rules a Kendra (Group 2) and a Trishadaya (Group 4) house. Being a natural malefic owning highest 10th house kendra makes it strong. However ownership of highest 11th house Trishadya makes it highly malefic. Saturn also treats Lagna Lord as it's enemy. On account of not ruling a trine and at the same time owning most malefic 11th house makes Saturn a functional malefic.
➜ Taurus Ascendant - Ruler Venus
Functional Benefics: Saturn, Mercury
Functional Malefics: Jupiter, Moon, Venus
Functional Neutrals: Sun, Mars
Venus - Ruler of 1 and 6: Here 1 comes under both Trikona (Group 1) and Kendra (Group 2) Lord. 6th happens to be a Trishadaya (Group 4). Being a Trikona it's auspicious but as a natural benefic owning a Kendra it loses strength and suffers from the blemish of Kendradhipathi. In addition it also owns a malefic Trishadaya house which also becomes the Mool Trikona house. Even though it's the owner of Ascendant, considering the factors Venus is to be considered a functional malefic.
Mercury - Ruler of 2 and 5: Here Mercury rules an Associated (Group 3) house in addition to a Trikona (Group 1) house. The 2nd lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a trikona that happens to be beneficial. As Lord of 5th house which also happens to be Mooltrikona it is really favorable. Mercury also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Mercury can be considered to be a functional benefic.
Moon - Ruler of 3: Here Moon stakes ownership to a Trishadaya (Group 4) house. Moon treats Lagna Lord as it's neutral but however on owning a malefic house, it becomes a functional malefic.
Sun - Ruler of 4: Here Sun happens to own a Kendra (Group 2) house. It should be noted that Sun being one of the luminaries can own only one house and being a natural malefic is strong in Kendra owning also the sign of it's Mooltrikona. Sun considers the Lagna Lord to be it's enemy. However being strong Kendra Lord, Sun is to considered as a functional neutral.
Mars - Ruler of 7 and 12: Here Mars rules a Kendra (Group 2) and an Association (Group 3) house. As a natural malefic being Kendra Lord it becomes strong. The 12th lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a kendra which is neutral and in good dignity. Mars also treats Lagna Lord as it's neutral. Hence Mars can be said to be a functional neutral
Jupiter - Ruler of 8 and 11: Here Jupiter rules an Association (Group 3) and a Trishadaya (Group 4) house. The 8th lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a Trishadaya which makes it significantly harmful. Ownership of highest 11th house Trishadya makes it highly malefic. In addition Jupiter also treats Lagna Lord as it's enemy. Hence Jupiter is said to be a functional malefic.
Saturn - Ruler of 9 and 10: Here Saturn rules a Trikona (Group 1) and a Kendra (Group 2) house. Being owner of highest 9th house trine it is highly beneficial and being natural malefic owning highest 10th house kendra makes it very strong. This is a combination of Raja Yogakaraka. Saturn also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Saturn is to be considered a functional benefic.
➜ Gemini Ascendant - Ruler Mercury
Functional Benefics: Venus, Saturn
Functional Malefics: Mars, Jupiter, Sun
Functional Neutrals: Mercury, Moon
Mercury - Ruler of 1 and 4: Here 1 comes under both Trikona (Group 1) and Kendra (Group 2) whereas 4th happens to be Kendra (Group 2) Lord. Being Trikona Lord Mercury will be auspicious but however Mercury being ill associated will not suffer from Kendradhipathi Dosh and in fact is better than a well associated Mercury. However being the owner of Ascendant and not ruling any house under Group 3 or 4, Mercury can be said to be a functional neutral.
Moon - Ruler of 2: Here Moon being owner of an Associated (Group 3) House, we need to see the other house it rules which isn't applicable since Moon rules only one house. Moon treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Moon can be considered to be a functional neutral.
Sun - Ruler of 3: Here Sun is ruler of a Trishadaya (Group 4) house. Though Sun treats Lagna Lord as it's neutral but on account of owning an evil house, Sun has to be considered a functional malefic.
Venus - Ruler of 5 and 12: Venus rules a Trikona (Group 1) and an Associated (Group 2) house. Since Venus holds auspicious trine lordship of 5th house which is also its Mooltrikona sign it is very beneficial. Being an associated lord, we need to check other ownership which is trine rulership that again makes it favorable. Venus also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Venus can be considered to be a Functional Benefic.
Mars - Ruler of 6 and 11: Here Mars owns 2 evil Trishadaya (Group 4) houses. Mars also treats Lagna Lord as it's enemy and coupled with owning 2 dire malefic houses, Mars becomes a prime functional malefic
Jupiter - Ruler of 7 and 10: Here Jupiter owns 2 kendra (Group 2). But considering the fact that Jupiter treats Lagna Lord as enemy and also suffers kendradhipathi dosh for both it's ownership, Jupiter is to be considered a functional malefic.
Saturn - Ruler of 8 and 9: Here Saturn rules an Associated (Group 3) house in addition to a Trikona (Group 1) house. The 8th lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a trikona that happens to be beneficial. As Lord of 9th house which also happens to be in Mooltrikona sign it is really favorable. Saturn also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Saturn can be considered to be a functional benefic.
➜ Cancer Ascendant - Ruler Moon
Functional Benefics: Mars, Moon, Jupiter
Functional Malefics: Mercury, Venus
Functional Neutrals: Sun, Saturn
Moon - Ruler of 1: Lagna Lord Moon happens to be both a Trikona (Group 1) and Kendra (Group 2). Moon doesn't own any other house. Being Trikona Lord Moon will be auspicious. It would be favorable if Moon doesn't suffer blemish of Kendradhipathi Dosh being Kendra Lord. However all things considered, being the owner of Ascendant it can said to be a functional benefic.
Sun - Ruler of 2: Here Sun being owner of an Associated (Group 3) House, we need to see the other house it rules which isn't applicable since Sun rules only one house. Sun treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Sun can be considered to be a functional neutral.
Mercury - Ruler of 3 and 12: Mercury owns a Trishadaya (Group 4) in addition to an Association (Group 3) house. Being owner of Trishadaya it becomes a malefic. Being an associated lord, we need to check other ownership which is Trishadaya which makes it significantly harmful. Mercury also treats Lagna Lord as it's enemy. Hence Mercury is a functional malefic.
Venus - Ruler of 4 and 11: Here Venus rules a Kendra (Group 2) and a Trishadaya (Group 4) house. Being a Kendra Lord, Venus suffers blemish of Kendradhipathi Dosh. As a lord of Trishadaya it becomes malefic by default. In addition Venus also treats Lagna Lord as it's enemy. Hence Venus is a prime functional malefic.
Mars - Ruler of 5 and 10: Here Mars rules a Trikona (Group 1) and a Kendra (Group 2) house. Being owner of 5th house trine it is highly beneficial and being natural malefic owning highest 10th house kendra makes it very strong. This is a combination of Raja Yogakaraka. Mars also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Mars is to be considered a functional benefic.
Jupiter - Ruler of 6 and 9: Here Jupiter rules a Trishadaya (Group 4) as well as a Trikona (Group 1) house. Being owner of a Trishadaya which also happens to be the Mooltrikona sign, it happens to be malefic. However Jupiter also rules a trine conferring it to be favorable. Jupiter also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend getting exalted in its sign. We have to consider the fact that when a planet rules a trine, it is advantageous even if it also simultaneously happens to lord an evil house. Hence Jupiter is a functional benefic.
Saturn - Ruler of 7 and 8: Here Saturn rules a Kendra (Group 2) and an Association (Group 3) house. As a natural malefic being Kendra Lord it becomes strong. The 8th lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a kendra which happens to be neutral and in good dignity. Saturn also treats Lagna Lord as it's enemy. However since no Group 4 house ownership is involved, Saturn can be said to be a functional neutral.
➜ Leo Ascendant - Ruler Sun
Functional Benefics: Mars, Sun, Jupiter
Functional Malefics: Mercury, Venus, Saturn
Functional Neutrals: Moon
Sun - Ruler of 1: Lagna Lord Sun happens to be both a Trikona (Group 1) and Kendra (Group 2) . Sun doesn't own any other house. Being Trikona Lord Sun will be auspicious and as a natural malefic owning kendra it becomes strong. Hence Sun can be considered to be a functional benefic
Mercury - Ruler of 2 and 11: Here Mercury rules an Association (Group 3) and a Trishadaya (Group 4) house. The 2nd lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a Trishadaya which makes it significantly harmful. Ownership of highest 11th house Trishadya makes it highly malefic. Mercury however treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. But on account of owning a Trishadaya house with no trine influence Mercury is said to be a functional malefic.
Venus - Ruler of 3 and 10: Venus rules a Trishadaya (Group 4) and a Kendra (Group 2) house. Ownership of 3rd house makes it malefic. On account of being a natural benefic lording a kendra, Venus suffers blemish of Kendradhipathi. Venus also treats the Lagna Lord as it's enemy. Hence Venus is a functional malefic.
Mars - Ruler of 4 and 9: Mars owns both a Kendra (Group 2) and Trikona (Group 1) house. As a natural malefic being kendra Lord it becomes strong and being a trikona it is highly auspicious. This is a combination of Raja Yogakaraka. Mars also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Mars is to be considered a functional benefic.
Jupiter - Ruler of 5 and 8: Jupiter rules a Trikona (Group 1) and an Associated (Group 2) house. Since Jupiter holds auspicious trine lordship of 5th house which is also its Mooltrikona house it is very beneficial. Being an associated lord, we need to check other ownership which is trine rulership that again makes it favorable. Jupiter also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Jupiter is to be considered a Functional Benefic.
Saturn - Ruler of 6 and 7: Saturn owns a Trishadaya (Group 4) in addition to a Kendra (Group 3) house. Being owner of Trishadaya it becomes a malefic. As a natural malefic being Kendra Lord it becomes strong. There is no trine influence and Saturn also considers the Ascendant Lord as its enemy. Hence Saturn is to be considered a functional malefic.
Moon - Ruler of 12: Here Moon being owner of an Associated (Group 3) House, we need to see the other house it rules which isn't applicable since Moon rules only one house. Moon treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Moon can be considered to be a functional neutral.
➜ Virgo Ascendant - Ruler Mercury
Functional Benefics: Venus, Saturn, Mercury
Functional Malefics: Moon, Mars, Jupiter
Functional Neutrals: Sun
Mercury - Ruler of 1 and 10: Here 1 comes under both Trikona (Group 1) and Kendra (Group 2) whereas 10th happens to be Kendra (Group 2) Lord. Being Trikona Lord Mercury will be auspicious but however Mercury being ill associated will not suffer from Kendradhipathi Dosh and in fact is better than a well associated Mercury. However being the owner of Ascendant and not ruling any house under Group 3 or 4, Mercury can be said to be a functional benefic.
Venus - Ruler of 2 and 9: Here Venus rules an Associated (Group 3) house in addition to a Trikona (Group 1) house. The 2nd lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a trikona that happens to be beneficial. As Lord of 9th house it happens to be favorable. Venus also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Venus is to be considered as a functional benefic.
Mars - Ruler of 3 and 8: Here Mars owns a Trishadaya (Group 4) in addition to an Associated (Group 3) house. Being owner of Trishadaya it becomes a malefic. The 8th lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a Trishadaya which makes it significantly harmful. Hence Mars is to be considered as a functional malefic,
Jupiter - Ruler of 4 and 7: Here Jupiter owns 2 kendra (Group 2). But considering the fact that Jupiter treats Lagna Lord as enemy and also suffers kendradhipathi dosh for both it's ownership, Jupiter is to be considered as a functional malefic.
Saturn - Ruler of 5 and 6: Here Jupiter rules a Trikona (Group 1) as well as a Trishadaya (Group 4) house. Since Saturn holds auspicious trine lordship of 5th house it is beneficial. Being owner of Trishadaya that also happens to be Mooltrikona sign it becomes heavy malefic. Saturn however treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. We have to consider the fact that when a planet rules a trine, it is advantageous even if it also simultaneously happens to lord an evil house. Hence Saturn is to be considered as a functional benefic.
Moon - Ruler of 11: Here Moon is ruler of a Trishadaya (Group 4) house. Though Moon treats Lagna Lord as it's friend but on account of being owner of an evil house, Moon has to be considered a functional malefic.
Sun - Ruler of 12: Here Sun being owner of an Associated (Group 3) House, we need to see the other house it rules which isn't applicable since Sun rules only one house. Sun treats Lagna Lord as it's neutral. Hence Sun can be considered to be a functional neutral.
➜ Libra Ascendant - Ruler Venus
Functional Benefics: Saturn, Mercury
Functional Malefics: Jupiter, Sun
Functional Neutrals: Venus, Mars, Moon
Venus - Ruler of 1 and 8: Here 1 comes under both Trikona (Group 1) and Kendra (Group 2) Lord whereas 8th happens to be Associated (Group 3) Lord. Being Lagna Lord and also a Trikona it's auspicious but as a natural benefic being Kendra Lord it loses strength and suffers from the blemish of Kendradhipathi. The 8th lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is both a trikona and kendra as already seen. However unlike Taurus where Venus owns a Trishadaya Lord as it's other lord here it only owns an Associated house which is not a dire malefic. Also being Ascendant Lord of it's Mooltrikona sign, Venus is to be considered a functional neutral.
Mars - Ruler of 2 and 7: Here Mars rules an Association (Group 3) and a Kendra (Group 2) house. The 2nd lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules and being a natural malefic being Kendra Lord it becomes strong. Mars also treats the Lagna Lord as it's neutral. However in this case since both 2nd and 7th happen to be Maraka house, Mars is to be considered as a functional malefic.
Jupiter - Ruler of 3 and 6: Both comes under Trishadaya (Group 4) Lordship. Jupiter also treats Lagna Lord as it's enemy.Hence Jupiter becomes a first rate malefic.
Saturn - Ruler of 4 and 5: Saturn owns both a Kendra (Group 2) and Trikona (Group 1) house. As a natural malefic being kendra Lord it becomes strong and being a trikona it is highly auspicious.This is a combination of Raja Yogakaraka. Saturn also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Saturn is to be considered a functional benefic.
Mercury - Ruler of 9 and 12: Mercury rules a Trikona (Group 1) and an Associated (Group 2) house. Since Mercury holds auspicious trine lordship of 9th house it is beneficial. Being an associated lord, we need to check other ownership which is trine rulership that again makes it favorable. Mercury also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Mercury is to be considered as a Functional Benefic.
Moon - Ruler of 10: Here Moon comes as a Kendra (Group 2) Lord and Kendradhipathi needs to be evaluated. Moon being a Natural Malefic is better off compared to being a Natural Benefic as blemish of Kendradhipathi will be evaded. Moon happens to be neutral to the Lagna Lord but however since no Trine lordship is governed, it can at best be considered a Functional Neutral
Sun - Ruler of 11: Here Sun is ruler of a Trishadaya (Group 4) house. Also Sun treats Lagna Lord as it's enemy. Hence Sun is to be considered a functional malefic.➜ Scorpio Ascendant - Ruler Mars
Functional Benefics: Jupiter, Moon, Sun
Functional Malefics: Mercury, Venus, Saturn
Functional Neutrals: Mars
Mars - Ruler of 1 and 6: Here 1 comes under both Trikona (Group 1) and Kendra (Group 2) Lord. 6th happens to be a Trishadaya (Group 4). Being Lagna Lord and also a Trikona it's auspicious and as a natural malefic being Kendra Lord it becomes strong. In addition it also owns a malefic Trishadaya house which happens to be the more important Mool Trikona house. However being owner of Ascendant and not containing kendra blemish, Mars is to be considered as a functional neutral.
Jupiter - Ruler of 2 and 5: Here Jupiter rules an Associated (Group 3) house in addition to a Trikona (Group 1) house. The 2nd lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a trikona that happens to be beneficial. As Lord of 5th house it is favorable. Jupiter also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Jupiter is to be considered as a functional benefic.
Saturn - Ruler of 3 and 4: Saturn rules a Trishadaya (Group 4) and a Kendra (Group 2). Ownership of 3rd house makes it malefic. As a natural malefic being Kendra Lord it becomes strong. There is no involvement of trines and Saturn also treats the Lagna Lord as it's enemy. Hence Saturn is to be considered as a functional malefic
Venus - Ruler of 7 and 12: Here Venus rules a Kendra (Group 2) and an Association (Group 3) house. As a natural benefic being Kendra Lord it loses strength and suffers from the blemish of Kendradhipathi. The 12th lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a kendra which happens to be neutral but suffers the blemish as seen above. Venus however treats Lagna Lord as it's neutral. Considering lack of trine association toppled with Venus suffering Kendradhipathi blemish, Venus is to be considered as a functional malefic.
Mercury - Ruler of 8 and 11: Here Mercury rules an Association (Group 3) and a Trishadaya (Group 4) house. The 8th lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a Trishadaya which makes it significantly harmful. Ownership of highest 11th house Trishadya makes it highly malefic. There is no trinal involvement and Mercury treating Lagna lord as it's neutral doesn't come as a saving grace. Hence Mercury is to be considered as a functional malefic.
Moon - Ruler of 9: Here Moon happens to be a Trikona (Group 1) Lord and hence happens to be extremely auspicious. Moon also happens to be friend of Lagna Lord and hence Moon is considered to be a functional benefic.
Sun - Ruler of 10: Here Sun owns the highest kendra (Group 2) house. Though there is no trinal influence Moon and Sun jointly act very favorably to this Ascendant being the 9th and 10th lord respectively. Sun also considers Mars as it's good friend. Hence Sun is a functional benefic.
➜ Sagittarius Ascendant - Ruler Jupiter
Functional Benefics: Mars, Sun
Functional Malefics: Venus, Saturn
Functional Neutrals: Jupiter, Mercury, Moon
Jupiter - Ruler of 1 and 4: Here 1 comes under both Trikona (Group 1) and Kendra (Group 2) whereas 4th happens to be Kendra (Group 2) Lord. Being Trikona Lord Jupiter will be auspicious but suffers blemish of Kendradhipathi Dosh being lord of Kendra. However being the owner of Ascendant and not ruling any evil house it is to be considered as a functional neutral.
Saturn - Ruler of 2 and 3: Here Saturn rules an Association (Group 3) and a Trishadaya (Group 4) house. The 2nd lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a Trishadaya which makes it significantly harmful. Ownership of 3rd house makes it highly malefic. Saturn however treats Lagna Lord as it's neutral. But on account of owning a Trishadaya house with no trine influence Saturn is said to be a functional malefic.
Mars - Ruler of 5 and 12: Mars rules a Trikona (Group 1) and an Associated (Group 2) house. Since Mars holds auspicious trine lordship of 5th house which is also its Mooltrikona house it is very beneficial. Being an associated lord, we need to check other ownership which is trine rulership that again makes it favorable. Mars also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Mars is to be considered as a Functional Benefic.
Venus - Ruler of 6 and 11: Both comes under Trishadaya (Group 4) Lordship. Venus treats Lagna Lord as it's neutral but however on account of owning 2 dire malefic houses, Venus becomes a first rate malefic.
Mercury - Ruler of 7 and 10: Here Mercury owns 2 kendra (Group 2) houses. Mercury being ill associated will not suffer from Kendradhipathi Dosh and in fact is better suited than a well associated Mercury. However Mercury on account of treating Lagna Lord as its neutral and owning highest 10th kendra that also happens to be Mooltrikona sign, Mercury is considered to be functional neutral
Moon - Ruler of 8: Here Moon being owner of an Associated (Group 3) House, we need to see the other house it rules which isn't applicable since Moon rules only one house. There is also a specific rule which says that Moon owning 8th lordship does not confer it to be a malefic.Taking this into account and also considering that Moon considers Lagna lord as its friend, Moon can at best be considered to be a functional neutral.
Sun - Ruler of 9: Here Sun happens to be a Trikona (Group 1) Lord and hence happens to be extremely auspicious. Sun also happens to be friend of Lagna Lord and hence Sun is considered to be a Functional Benefic.
➜ Capricorn Ascendant - Ruler Saturn
Functional Benefics: Venus, Mercury
Functional Malefics: Jupiter, Mars, Moon
Functional Neutrals: Saturn, Sun
Saturn - Ruler of 1 and 2: Here 1 comes under both Trikona (Group 1) and Kendra (Group 2) Lord whereas 2nd happens to be Associated (Group 3) Lord. Being Lagna Lord and also a Trikona it's auspicious and as a natural malefic being Kendra Lord also it becomes strong. The 2nd lordship being Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is both a trikona and kendra as already seen and in good dignity. Here it's the 2nd house which is the Mooltrikona and not the Lagna. However on being owner of Ascendant, Saturn is to considered as a functional neutral.
Jupiter - Ruler of 3 and 12: Jupiter owns a Trishadaya (Group 4) in addition to an Association (Group 3) house. Being owner of Trishadaya it becomes a malefic. Being an associated lord, we need to check other ownership which is Trishadaya which makes it significantly harmful. Jupiter treats Lagna Lord as it's neutral. But on account of owning a Trishadaya house with no trine influence Jupiter is considered as a functional malefic.
Mars - Ruler of 4 and 11: Here Mars rules a Kendra (Group 2) and a Trishadaya (Group 4) house.
As a natural malefic being Kendra Lord it becomes strong. As a lord of Trishadaya it becomes malefic by default. In addition Mars also treats Lagna Lord as it's neutral. But on account of owning a Trishadaya house with no trine influence Mars is considered as a functional malefic.
Venus - Ruler of 5 and 10: Here Venus rules a Trikona (Group 1) and a Kendra (Group 2) house. Being owner of 5th house trine it is highly beneficial and owner of highest kendra makes it very powerful but is subject to blemish of Kendradhipathi Dosh. However on owning both a trikona and kendra, it becomes a combination for a Raja Yogakaraka. Venus also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Venus is to be considered as a functional benefic.
Mercury - Ruler of 6 and 9: Here Mercury rules a Trishadaya (Group 4) as well as a Trikona (Group 1) house. Being owner of a Trishadaya, it happens to be malefic. However Mercury also rules a trine which is also it's Mooltrikon sign conferring it to be very favorable. Mercury treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. We have to consider the fact that when a planet rules a trine, it is advantageous even if it also simultaneously happens to lord an evil house. Hence Mercury is considered as a functional benefic.
Moon - Ruler of 7: Here Moon becomes a Kendra (Group 2) Lord and Kendradhipathi needs to be evaluated. Moon being a Natural Malefic is better off compared to being a Natural Benefic as blemish of Kendradhipathi will be evaded. Moon happens to be neutral to Lagna Lord but becomes a Maraka on account of being owner of 7th house for a Movable sign. Hence Moon is a functional malefic
Sun - Ruler of 8: Here Sun being owner of an Associated (Group 3) House, we need to see the other house it rules which isn't applicable since Sun rules only one house. There is also a specific rule which says that Sun owning 8th lordship does not confer it to be a malefic. Taking this into account and even though Sun considers Lagna lord as its enemy, Sun needs to be considered as a functional neutral.
➜ Aquarius Ascendant - Ruler Saturn
Functional Benefics: Venus, Mercury, Saturn
Functional Malefics: Jupiter, Mars, Moon
Functional Neutrals: Sun
Saturn - Ruler of 1 and 12: Here 1 comes under both Trikona (Group 1) and Kendra (Group 2) Lord whereas 12th happens to be Associated (Group 3) Lord. Being Lagna Lord and also a Trikona it's auspicious and as a natural malefic being Kendra Lord it becomes strong. The Lagna sign also happens to be the Mooltrikona house. The 12th lordship being Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is both a trikona and kendra as already seen and in good dignity. Hence Saturn should be considered to be a functional benefic.
Jupiter - Ruler of 2 and 11: Here Jupiter rules an Association (Group 3) and a Trishadaya (Group 4) house. The 2nd lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a Trishadaya which makes it significantly harmful. Ownership of highest 11th house Trishadya makes it highly malefic. Jupiter treats Lagna Lord as it's neutral. But on account of owning a Trishadaya house with no trine influence Jupiter is said to be a functional malefic.
Mars - Ruler of 3 and 10: Mars rules a Trishadaya (Group 4) and a Kendra (Group 2) house. Ownership of 3rd house makes it malefic. As a natural malefic being Kendra Lord ruling highest 10th house, it becomes strong. Also Mars treats Lagna Lord as it's neutral. But however on account of owning a Trishadaya house with no trine influence Mars is considered to be a functional malefic.
Venus - Ruler of 4 and 9: Venus owns both a kendra (Group 2) and trikona (Group 1) house. On account of owning a natural benefic lording a kendra, Venus suffers from the blemish of Kendradhipathi. It also rules an auspicious trikona house. However on owning both a kendra and trikona it becomes a combination for a Raja Yogakaraka. Venus also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Venus is to be considered as a functional benefic.
Mercury - Ruler of 5 and 8: Mercury rules a Trikona (Group 1) and an Associated (Group 3) house. Since Mercury holds auspicious trine lordship of 5th house it is beneficial. Being an associated lord, we need to check other ownership which is trine rulership that again makes it favorable. Mercury treats Lagna Lord as it's neutral. Since trine house is owned and other house owned is not a dire malefic, it can safely be assumed that Mercury can be considered to be a functional benefic.
Moon - Ruler of 6: Here Moon is ruler of a Trishadaya (Group 4) house. Moon treats Lagna Lord as it's neutral but on account of being owner of an evil house, Moon has to be considered a functional malefic.
Sun - Ruler of 7: Here Sun becomes a Kendra (Group 2) Lord. As a natural malefic being Kendra Lord it becomes strong. Sun however considers Saturn to be its enemy. There is no trinal influence but by his mere presence of being a kendra lord with no maleficence, Sun becomes a functional neutral.
➜ Pisces Ascendant - Ruler Jupiter
Functional Benefics: Mars, Moon, Jupiter
Functional Malefics: Venus, Saturn, Mercury, Sun
Functional Neutrals:
Jupiter - Ruler of 1 and 10: Here 1 comes under both Trikona (Group 1) and Kendra (Group 2) whereas 10th happens to be Kendra (Group 2) Lord. Being Trikona Lord Jupiter will be auspicious but suffers blemish of Kendradhipathi Dosh being lord of Kendra. However being the owner of Ascendant also ruling highest kendra house and not ruling any evil house it can be said to be a functional benefic.
Mars - Ruler of 2 and 9: Here Mars rules an Associated (Group 3) house in addition to a Trikona (Group 1) house. The 2nd lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a trikona that happens to be beneficial. As Lord of 9th house it happens to be favorable. Mars also treats Lagna Lord as it's friend. Hence Mars is to be considered as a functional benefic.
Venus - Ruler of 3 and 8: Here Venus owns a Trishadaya (Group 4) in addition to an Associated (Group 3) house. Being owner of Trishadaya it becomes a malefic. The 8th lord being an Associated Lord, we need to see the other house it rules which is a Trishadaya which makes it significantly harmful. Hence Venus is to be considered as a functional malefic
Mercury - Ruler of 4 and 7: Here Mercury owns 2 kendra (Group 2) houses. Mercury could suffer Kendradhipathi dosh based on its association. Mercury treats Jupiter as its neutral but at the same time is also it's killer owning the 7th house. Also not having any trinal influence, Mercury is to be considered as a functional malefic
Moon - Ruler of 5: Here Moon happens to be a Trikona (Group 1) Lord and hence happens to be extremely auspicious. Moon also happens to be friend of Lagna Lord and hence Moon is considered to be a Functional Benefic
Sun - Ruler of 6: Here Sun is ruler of a Trishadaya (Group 4) house. Sun treats Lagna Lord as it's friend but on account of being owner of an evil house, Sun has to be considered a functional malefic.
Saturn - Ruler of 11 and 12: Saturn owns a Trishadaya (Group 4) in addition to an Association (Group 3) house. Being owner of Trishadaya it becomes a malefic. Being an associated lord, we need to check other ownership which is Trishadaya which makes it significantly harmful. Saturn treats Lagna Lord as it's neutral. But on account of owning a Trishadaya house with no trine influence Saturn is said to be a functional malefic.
Observation and Notes to Keep in Mind:
➤ Trikona Lordship Specialty
A Trikona Lordship (1,5,9) is always beneficial but it applies unanimously only to 5,9 ownership. Lagna (1st Lord) also happens to be a Kendra and hence it needs to be evaluated from that angle also.➤ Special Demarcation to 10th
A) Dual Signs:
The 10th house in many cases happens to be a Yoga conferring house. Considering the Dual Ascendants for Virgo and Pisces the Lagna Lords Mercury and Jupiter happen to be Functional Benefics whereas for Gemini and Sagittarius the Lagna Lords Mercury and Jupiter only happen to be Functional Neutrals. Lagna ownership is common for all these Ascendants and each of these ascendants is susceptible to the blemish of Kendradhipathi Dosh but however Virgo & Pisces holding 10th ownership is given superior weight over Gemini & Sagittarius controlling 4th ownership.
B) Sun for Scorpio:
For Scorpio Ascendant, Sun only rules the 10th house and there is no trinal influence. But despite that it is given the status of functional benefic as it's expected to combined with the Moon who is the 9th lord conferring a Rajayoga.
➤ Impact of Kendradhipathi
A) 2nd & 7th Lords - Aries & Libra Ascendants:
For Aries, Venus rules the 2nd and 7th house whereas for Libra, Mars rules the 2nd and 7th houses. For Aries, Venus is considered as a functional malefic whereas for Libra Mars is a functional neutral. This is because for Aries, Venus being 7th Lord is exposed to the blemish of Kendradhipathi which also happens to be in it's Mooltrikona sign. This makes Venus a functional malefic for Aries. However for Libra, Mars being 7th Lord does not have the impact of Kendradhipathi. In fact, the Kendra house of Aries being also the Mooltrikona sign of Mars, it's ownership only enhances the house. Hence Mars is classified as a Functional Neutral for Libra.
B) 7th & 12th Lords - Taurus & Scorpio Ascendants:
For Taurus, Mars rules the 7th and 12th house whereas for Scorpio, Venus rules the 7th and 12th house. For Taurus Mars is considered as a a functional neutral whereas for Scorpio Venus is a functional malefic. This is because in Taurus Ascendant, Mars rules the 7th house of Scorpio and does not have the impact of Kendradhipathi. This makes Mars a functional neutral. However for Scorpio Ascendant, Venus being the 7th Lord of Taurus is exposed to the blemish of Kendradhipathi and hence Venus is classified as a Functional Malefic for Scorpio.
➤ 6th supersedes 8th in malefic ownership - Mars & Venus Ascendants
A) Aries & Scorpio:
For the Mars ruled Ascendants namely Aries and Scorpio, apart from owning Lagna they rule the 8th and 6th respectively. For Aries, Mars is a functional benefic whereas for Scorpio Mars is only a functional neutral. This is mainly due to Aries being the Lagna Lord also happens to be the Mooltrikona sign and also when considering 8th placement being Associated Lord it will look at other house in question which is the 1st that happens to be in good dignity. For Scorpio, the Mooltrikona house becomes evil 6th house owner and increases maleficence.
B) Taurus & Libra:
Extending the principles for the Venus Ascendants namely Taurus and Libra, apart from owning Lagna they also rule the 6th and 8th respectively. For Taurus, Venus is actually a functional malefic whereas for Libra Venus is a functional neutral. This is mainly due to Libra being the Lagna Lord also happens to be the Mooltrikona sign and also when considering 8th placement being Associated Lord it will look at other house in question which is the 1st which is a Trikona and Kendra. Here however unlike Mars for Aries, Venus suffers the blemish of Kendradhipathi and hence relegated to just being a functional neutral. For Taurus however, the Mooltrikona house becomes evil 6th house owner and increases maleficence.. Also as Lagna, since it suffers the blemish of Kendradhipathi, Venus ends up becoming a functional malefic for Taurus Ascendant.
➤ 2nd supersedes 12th in malefic ownership - Saturn Ascendants
A) Capricorn & Aquarius
For the Ascendants Capricorn and Aquarius, Saturn happens to be Lagna Lord and in addition for Capricorn it also happens to be 2nd lord whereas for Aquarius it is also 12th lord. For Aquarius, Saturn is however considered to be a functional benefic whereas for Capricorn it is a functional malefic. In both cases the other Lord happens to be an Associated Lord and so it must ring a bell regarding the nomenclature of differentiation. The reason is for Aquarius, Lagna lord happens to be in it's Mooltrikona sign and the other lordship is largely dependent on Lagna Lord which is stationed favorably. For Capricorn however the Lagna Lord is not a Mooltrikona sign. Also being a movable sign the 2nd house is susceptible to being a Maraka. Hence this is the reason Saturn is more beneficial to Aquarius as compared to Capricorn.
➤ Sun & Moon as Kendras:
- Aries Ascendant - Moon is Kendra (4th lord) and it's a functional neutral
- Taurus Ascendant - Sun is Kendra (4th lord) and it's a functional neutral
- Cancer Ascendant - Moon is Kendra (1st lord) and is a functional benefic (Benefic as Lagna Lord but subject to Kendradhipathi)
- Leo Ascendant - Sun is Kendra (1st lord) and is a functional benefic
- Libra Ascendant - Moon is Kendra (10th Lord) and it's a functional neutral
- Scorpio Ascendant - Sun is Kendra (10th Lord) and is a functional benefic (Combines with Moon being 9th lord proving to be auspicious)
- Capricorn Ascendant - Moon is Kendra (7th Lord) and is functional malefic (Impact of Kendradhipathi combined with being a Maraka Lord for this Ascendant)
- Aquarius Ascendant - Sun is Kendra (7th Lord) and it's a functional neutral
Summary Table of Functional Benefics, Functional Malefics and Functional Neutrals:
