Bhava 6 · अरि भाव
The 6th house in a Kundli: Ari bhava
The 6th house is the house of the daily struggle and how you handle it: work and service, rivals and competition, loans and disputes, and the routine that keeps you well. It is both a dusthana and an upachaya house: it shows obstacles, and also the strength that grows by facing them.
The 6th house at a glance
| Sanskrit name | Ari bhava (अरि भाव) |
|---|---|
| Also called | Ripu bhava, Shatru bhava |
| Life areas | Daily work, service, competition, debts, disputes and routine |
| Natural sign | Kanya (Virgo) |
| Natural lord | Mercury |
| Karaka | Mars, Saturn |
| House groups | Dusthana, Upachaya |
What the 6th house covers
- daily work, jobs and service
- competition, rivals and exams
- loans and debts
- disputes and legal matters
- routine, habits and the care of your well-being
- pets and people who work for you
Dusthana (houses of effort): The 6th, 8th and 12th houses deal with obstacles, change and letting go. They are not "bad houses": they show where life asks for effort, patience and inner work, and planets here can also give strength to overcome difficulties.
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 6th house
One line for each planet, as it is commonly read when it sits in the 6th 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 a strong placement for overcoming competition and doing well in service or administration.
- Moon: Commonly read as a mind that worries about work; a steady routine brings calm.
- Mars: Commonly read as a strong placement for winning contests and handling rivals with energy.
- Mercury: Commonly read as skill in problem solving, accounts and analytical work.
- Jupiter: Commonly read as a helpful nature at work and service to others; borrowing is best kept modest.
- Venus: Commonly read as pleasant colleagues and work in the arts or care, with a need for balance in habits.
- Saturn: Commonly read as a strong placement for hard work, discipline and outlasting opponents.
- Rahu: Commonly read as a strong placement for beating competition and handling tough situations cleverly.
- Ketu: Commonly read as overcoming obstacles quietly, and an interest in service and helping work.
The lord of the 6th house
The lord of the 6th house shows where effort and challenges come up. Classical texts treat it with care, but a 6th lord in the 3rd, 6th, 8th or 12th is commonly read as viparita raja yoga: obstacles that end up working in your favour.
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 6th 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 6th house, its lord and where the lord sits, and which planets are in the house.
Worked example: the 6th 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 6th house | Dhanu |
|---|---|
| Lord of the house | Jupiter |
| The lord sits in | The 10th house (Mesha) |
| Planets in the house | Venus |
The lord of the 6th house, Jupiter, sits in the 10th house. This links daily work, competition and debts with career and status. 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.
- Venus: Commonly read as pleasant colleagues and work in the arts or care, with a need for balance in habits.
Related tools and guides
← Previous: the 5th houseAll 12 housesNext: the 7th house →
Questions about the 6th house
What does the 6th house rule in a Kundli?
Daily work, service, competition, debts, disputes and routine. It is called Ari bhava (Ripu bhava, Shatru bhava).
What is the natural sign and lord of the 6th house?
In the natural zodiac, with Mesha rising, the 6th house is Kanya (Virgo), ruled by Mercury. In your own chart the sign on the 6th house depends on your lagna; the form on this page finds it.
Which planet is the karaka of the 6th house?
Mars, Saturn. The karaka is read together with the house and its lord in every chart.
Is a planet in the 6th house bad?
Not as a rule. Firm planets such as Mars, Saturn, Rahu and the Sun are commonly read as doing well in the 6th, giving the strength to beat competition and handle hard work. Gentle planets may find the house more demanding. The whole chart decides.
Is an empty 6th house bad?
No. Nine planets share twelve houses, so every chart has empty houses. An empty 6th house is read through its lord, the planets that aspect it and the dasha.