What is Lagan or Lagnam?

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In astrological predictions Lagnam or lagan or ascendant is a very important calculation. In English the
meaning of ascendant is Rising or Growing. Lagnam literally represents your soul in astrology. I will
explain you the method of calculating this lagan and its importance so that you will understand its
importance.
Theory behind Lagnam
Our earth is rotating around its own axis and takes exactly 24 hours for making one round complete.
This is what we call a day. Sun is where it is and is not moving and its rays on the earth keep on
changing its position on a particular place every minute. The amount or intensity of the light or rays of
Sun at the exact minute you were born is calculated accurately and is called as Lagnam.
For example imagine that someone is flashing a laser light on you. You slowly start rotating from where
you are standing the laser beam might fall on your stomach some time and on back other time, when
you have turned half way.
Like this Suns light fall directly on a child born at 12.00 PM when the Sun is exactly on Top and the
light fall indirectly on a child born in 12.00 AM at mid night. In astrology the calculation of Lagnam is
similar to this example. Only difference is that the calculation takes in to account Ayanam the linear
movement of the Sun.
A simple explanation of lagan is lagnam is the accurate degree on which the Suns energy falls at the
time of birth represented in graphical way
Difference between Lagnam and Rasi
Rasi of a child is calculated with reference to the position of Moon at the time of birth. If moon was
travelling in the sky at a place called Poosam for example then the child is born in Poosa nakshatram,
Kataka rasi. This is a broader calculation as Moon travels approximately for 2 days in a rasi and
approximately 25 hours in a nakshatram. That is all children born in this 25 hours are of same
nakshatra and rasi.
Lagnam is the reference of the degree on which the Suns energy falls on a child at it rime of birth. This
is a minute calculation and it changes every 2 hours approximately in day. So, all children born in this
2 hours duration is of same Lagnam. This is still fine tuned in Navamsa calculation by dividing this
laganm - 2 hours by nine and putting it in the navamsa Chart. With this Navamsa Chart all the children
born in about 12 minutes are of same category.
Importance of Lagnam
There are further minute calculations that can specify a childs birth within a fraction of minute also in
astrology. Most of the astrologers just predict by simply analyzing the jathagam with reference to rasi
and nakshatram. As calculating Lagnam is difficult many people leave it. The predictions based on
Lagnam is the most accurate one and when it is taken with reference of navamsam then it brings you
still accurate results.
Technically speaking rasi prediction is like measuring a parts length with an Inch tape and predictions
based on lagan is like using digital Vernier calipers. The more you zoom in the more accurate result
you get.
How to calculate Laganam:
The laganm calculation is based on the Suns raisng on the day of the childs birth. One day is divided
in to 12 laganms from Mesham to Meenam similar to rasi calculation. You can find the starting lagana
balance for any day in the panchangam.
The balance of the starting Lagnam is indicated in the panchangam like makara Shesham - 3-22.
This means that Sun rises in this position of the sky at the start of the day in early morning. You must
keep adding the time of every consecutive time of lagnams from makaram till the childs birth
accurately and arrive at the Childs Lagnam.
I will further explain the detailed calculation in a later lesson.