Bhava 10 · कर्म भाव
The 10th house in a Kundli: Karma bhava
The 10th house sits at the top of the chart, like the Sun at noon. It is the house of karma in the sense of action: your work and career, your standing in society, authority and the reputation your actions build. It is the strongest kendra and also an upachaya house, so it tends to grow with effort.
The 10th house at a glance
| Sanskrit name | Karma bhava (कर्म भाव) |
|---|---|
| Also called | Rajya bhava |
| Life areas | Career, work, status, reputation, authority and public life |
| Natural sign | Makara (Capricorn) |
| Natural lord | Saturn |
| Karaka | Sun, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn |
| House groups | Kendra, Upachaya |
What the 10th house covers
- career, profession and work
- status, reputation and recognition
- authority, bosses and government
- your actions in the world
- ambition and public life
Kendra (angular houses): The 1st, 4th, 7th and 10th houses are the pillars of the chart: self, home, partnership and work. Planets here are commonly read as having a strong, visible effect on life.
Upachaya (houses of growth): The 3rd, 6th, 10th and 11th houses are the houses of growth: what they show tends to improve with time and effort. Firm planets such as Mars, Saturn and Rahu are commonly read as doing well here.
Planets in the 10th house
One line for each planet, as it is commonly read when it sits in the 10th house. A single placement is only a starting point: the sign, the aspects, the lord of the house and the dasha all change the reading.
- Sun: Commonly read as one of the strongest placements: authority, recognition and leadership at work.
- Moon: Commonly read as a public-facing career that may change over time; work with people suits.
- Mars: Commonly read as a strong placement: drive, leadership and success in technical, engineering or field work.
- Mercury: Commonly read as a career in trade, writing, communication or accounts.
- Jupiter: Commonly read as a respected career in teaching, advice, law or management.
- Venus: Commonly read as a career in the arts, beauty, hospitality or design.
- Saturn: Commonly read as a strong placement: a steady, slow rise through hard work and responsibility.
- Rahu: Commonly read as ambition, a strong wish for status and work in new or foreign fields.
- Ketu: Commonly read as a quieter approach to career and an interest in research or service roles.
The lord of the 10th house
The lord of the 10th house shows where your work is drawn. In the 9th or 5th it is commonly read as work tied to fortune and learning (a raja yoga with the trikona lords); in the 7th, as work through partnership or business; in the 12th, as work abroad or behind the scenes.
In general terms, the lord of a house carries its matters to the house where it sits. A lord in a kendra (1, 4, 7, 10) or trikona (1, 5, 9) is commonly read as supporting the house it rules; a lord in the 6th, 8th or 12th asks for more effort; a lord in its own house keeps the house steady.
See your own 10th house
Enter your date, time and place of birth. The same engine as the Kundli calculator finds your lagna and shows the sign on your 10th house, its lord and where the lord sits, and which planets are in the house.
Worked example: the 10th house of a Delhi chart
Born 11/02/2000 at 17:10 IST in Delhi (28°40′ N, 77°13′ E): the regression chart of the Kundli calculator, with Karka lagna. Computed at build time by the same engine as the form above.
| Sign on the 10th house | Mesha |
|---|---|
| Lord of the house | Mars |
| The lord sits in | The 9th house (Meena) |
| Planets in the house | Moon, Jupiter, Saturn |
The lord of the 10th house, Mars, sits in the 9th house. This links career and status with luck, faith and higher learning. A placement in a kendra or trikona is commonly read as giving these matters support. This is read together with the sign, the aspects on it and the running dasha.
- Moon: Commonly read as a public-facing career that may change over time; work with people suits.
- Jupiter: Commonly read as a respected career in teaching, advice, law or management.
- Saturn: Commonly read as a strong placement: a steady, slow rise through hard work and responsibility.
Related tools and guides
← Previous: the 9th houseAll 12 housesNext: the 11th house →
Questions about the 10th house
What does the 10th house rule in a Kundli?
Career, work, status, reputation, authority and public life. It is called Karma bhava (Rajya bhava).
What is the natural sign and lord of the 10th house?
In the natural zodiac, with Mesha rising, the 10th house is Makara (Capricorn), ruled by Saturn. In your own chart the sign on the 10th house depends on your lagna; the form on this page finds it.
Which planet is the karaka of the 10th house?
Sun, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn. The karaka is read together with the house and its lord in every chart.
Can the 10th house tell my career?
It shows the kind of work and recognition that suit you, read together with its lord, the planets in it, the 10th from the Moon, the navamsa and the dasha. Astrologers read a career from the whole chart, not from one sign.
Is an empty 10th house bad?
No. Nine planets share twelve houses, so every chart has empty houses. An empty 10th house is read through its lord, the planets that aspect it and the dasha.