Bhava 4 · सुख भाव
The 4th house in a Kundli: Sukha bhava
The 4th house sits at the bottom of the chart, like the roots of a tree. It is read for the home and the mother, land, property and vehicles, early schooling, and the quiet happiness (sukha) of feeling settled inside.
The 4th house at a glance
| Sanskrit name | Sukha bhava (सुख भाव) |
|---|---|
| Also called | Bandhu bhava, Matru bhava |
| Life areas | Home, mother, comfort, property, vehicles and peace of mind |
| Natural sign | Karka (Cancer) |
| Natural lord | Moon |
| Karaka | Moon |
| House groups | Kendra |
What the 4th house covers
- home, household and roots
- the mother and the care you received
- land, property and vehicles
- early education
- contentment and peace of mind
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.
Planets in the 4th house
One line for each planet, as it is commonly read when it sits in the 4th 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 pride in home and roots; peace at home may need some effort and patience.
- Moon: Commonly read as a strong placement for a caring home, a close bond with the mother and emotional security.
- Mars: Commonly read as interest in land and property; calm talk keeps home life smooth. Mars here is one of the Manglik placements counted from the lagna; see the Manglik check.
- Mercury: Commonly read as a home full of books and conversation, and a good grounding in early studies.
- Jupiter: Commonly read as a supportive placement for a happy home, learning and contentment.
- Venus: Commonly read as comfort, a beautiful home and pleasant vehicles.
- Saturn: Commonly read as responsibilities at home; comfort and property tend to come with time.
- Rahu: Commonly read as a restless feeling about home, house moves or an unusual home life.
- Ketu: Commonly read as detachment from comfort and possessions; inner peace matters more than things.
The lord of the 4th house
The lord of the 4th house shows where comfort and home life are tied. In a kendra or trikona it is commonly read as support for a settled home; in the 12th, as a home away from the birthplace or comfort found abroad.
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 4th 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 4th house, its lord and where the lord sits, and which planets are in the house.
Worked example: the 4th 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 4th house | Tula |
|---|---|
| Lord of the house | Venus |
| The lord sits in | The 6th house (Dhanu) |
| Planets in the house | none |
The lord of the 4th house, Venus, sits in the 6th house. This links home, mother and comfort with daily work, competition and debts. A placement in the 6th, 8th or 12th is commonly read as asking for more effort or patience in these matters, not as a fixed outcome. This is read together with the sign, the aspects on it and the running dasha.
No planet sits in this house; its lord, the aspects on it and the dasha carry the reading.
Related tools and guides
← Previous: the 3rd houseAll 12 housesNext: the 5th house →
Questions about the 4th house
What does the 4th house rule in a Kundli?
Home, mother, comfort, property, vehicles and peace of mind. It is called Sukha bhava (Bandhu bhava, Matru bhava).
What is the natural sign and lord of the 4th house?
In the natural zodiac, with Mesha rising, the 4th house is Karka (Cancer), ruled by Moon. In your own chart the sign on the 4th house depends on your lagna; the form on this page finds it.
Which planet is the karaka of the 4th house?
Moon. The karaka is read together with the house and its lord in every chart.
Does the 4th house show buying a house?
It is the house traditionally read for property and vehicles, so astrologers look at it, its lord, Mars (land) and Venus (comfort), and the dasha running when a purchase is planned. The timing of a purchase is a question for a full reading, not a single placement.
Is an empty 4th house bad?
No. Nine planets share twelve houses, so every chart has empty houses. An empty 4th house is read through its lord, the planets that aspect it and the dasha.