The 6th House

The sixth house is ripu bhava, the house of enemies, and also the house of disease, debt, litigation, competition, daily work and service. It is one of the three dusthanas, the difficult houses, and at the same time one of the upachayas, the houses of growth, which is why the tradition holds that a natural malefic placed here can help a person overcome their rivals. The sixth is the house of the obstacles a life must work through, and so also of the effort, routine and health habits that work through them. Mars and Saturn are its natural significators. This page gives what the site's tables hold for the sixth house: what it signifies, its class among the houses, the reading of each planet placed in it and the reading of its lord in each of the twelve houses, all drawn from the rule files the birth report reads.

At a glance

Signifies

Health & enemies

Class

Dusthana and upachaya

Directional strength

None

Opposite house

12th

What the 6th house is

Houses are counted from the Lagna, the sign rising at birth, which is the 1st; in the whole-sign reckoning the birth chart uses, the 6th house is the 6th sign from it. The site's table of significations gives the 6th house as health & enemies. It is a dusthana, one of the three houses of difficulty (the 6th, 8th and 12th), and an upachaya, one of the houses of growth (the 3rd, 6th, 10th and 11th), where what a planet gives increases with time.

In transit, counted from the Moon sign rather than the Lagna, the classical gochara table the site uses counts the 6th house favourable for the Sun, the Moon, Mars, Mercury, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu.

Each planet in the 6th house

The readings the site's birth report gives for each graha placed in the 6th house. Each is one statement about one placement: the sign, the planet's strength and the rest of the chart decide how much of it a life shows.

The Sun. The Sun in the 6th house gives the power to defeat enemies, disease and obstacles; you excel in service, competition and disciplined problem-solving.

The Moon. The Moon in the 6th house can bring emotional sensitivity to stress and health; you serve others well but must guard against worry and digestive issues.

Mars. Mars in the 6th house is powerfully placed to defeat enemies, debts and disease; you are a tireless, courageous competitor who thrives on challenge.

Mercury. Mercury in the 6th house sharpens analytical and problem-solving skill; you excel in service, accounting, healing or detailed work, defeating rivals with logic.

Jupiter. Jupiter in the 6th house helps you overcome enemies and debts through wisdom and ethics; you may serve, heal or counsel, though it can dilute Jupiter's grace.

Venus. Venus in the 6th house can bring relationship complications or indulgent habits, yet it softens conflicts; you may work in arts, beauty or service.

Saturn. Saturn in the 6th house is strongly placed to grind down enemies, debts and disease through sheer persistence; you excel in disciplined, dutiful service.

Rahu. Rahu in the 6th house is excellent for defeating enemies and competitors; you thrive in conflict, service and foreign or unconventional work, overcoming odds.

Ketu. Ketu in the 6th house helps you overcome enemies and disease intuitively; you serve selflessly but should guard health, as ailments can be hard to diagnose.

The lord of the 6th in each house

The lord of a house is the lord of the sign on it, so it changes with the Lagna. Wherever that lord stands, it links the 6th house's matters to that house. The birth report reads it so:

In the 1st. The lord of the 6th house placed in the 1st links health, enemies and service with self and body — it links your identity to service, health struggles and overcoming obstacles.

In the 2nd. The lord of the 6th house placed in the 2nd links health, enemies and service with wealth, family and speech — it can tie wealth to debts, loans or service-based income.

In the 3rd. The lord of the 6th house placed in the 3rd links health, enemies and service with courage, siblings and communication — it gives competitive courage and effort to overcome rivals and enemies.

In the 4th. The lord of the 6th house placed in the 4th links health, enemies and service with home, mother and comfort — it may bring disputes over home or property, with service-linked domestic life.

In the 5th. The lord of the 6th house placed in the 5th links health, enemies and service with children, intellect and romance — it connects intellect with problem-solving, though it can challenge children or romance.

In the 6th. The lord of the 6th house placed in the 6th (its own house) links health, enemies and service strongly here — it is a Viparita-type placement — strengthens your power to defeat enemies, debts and disease.

In the 7th. The lord of the 6th house placed in the 7th links health, enemies and service with marriage and partnership — it can bring conflict or rivalry into marriage and partnerships.

In the 8th. The lord of the 6th house placed in the 8th links health, enemies and service with longevity, transformation and secrets — it links health and enemies with transformation and chronic, hidden matters.

In the 9th. The lord of the 6th house placed in the 9th links health, enemies and service with fortune, dharma and father — it can test faith or the father, with fortune earned through service and struggle.

In the 10th. The lord of the 6th house placed in the 10th links health, enemies and service with career and status — it builds a career in service, healthcare, law or competition, overcoming rivals.

In the 11th. The lord of the 6th house placed in the 11th links health, enemies and service with gains and friends — it turns conflicts and service into gains, defeating competitors for profit.

In the 12th. The lord of the 6th house placed in the 12th links health, enemies and service with loss, expense, foreign lands and moksha — it is a Viparita-type placement — enemies and debts dissolve, favouring foreign or hospital service.

Use the tools

• See which sign falls on your 6th house, which planets stand in it and where its lord is, with a free birth chart.
• The horoscope counts each transit's house from your Moon sign.
• All twelve: the houses.