What is Upapada lagna and how to find Upapada lagna

Upapada, also known as Gaunapada, is the 'Arudha' of the 12th bhava of the chart.

(Gauna - means one who follows {Anuchara - that which follows - Sloka 2 of Chapter 30-BPHS}  Accordingly, the 'Arudha' of the bhava that follows (12th) the Lagna is, thus, the Gaunapada or Upapada.)

For example suppose lagna is gemini, sign in 12th bhav will be taurus. Now let 12th lord venus is sitting in 10th house which is 11th from 12th house. Than 11th from 10th house will be the upapada lagna that is capricorn in 8th house.

This pada determines the inner nature/attitude of the native towards the spouse. The 'Sambandha' or relationship of the lord of Upapada vis-à-vis the Lagna lord, by way of placement, will determine whether the native would marry at all or not. If the lord of Upapada goes to the 12th (the house for sacrifice/Tyaga) therefrom, it indicates a sure sign of denial of marriage. This would also indicate the delays, if any, and the reasons for such delay in marriage.

Now, how do we see the 'sambandha' of the lord of Upapada with the lord of Lagna?

The rasi/sign occupied by the lord of the Lagna is called 'Paka Lagna'. The Paka Lagna signifies the whims and fancies of the native. While the natal Lagna determines what is good or bad for the body, Paka Lagna signifies what a person likes or dislikes. Thus, a papa graha occupying the Lagna will not signify clearly the likes and dislikes of the person as the Paka Lagna would.

Therefore, the relationship between a graha and the lord of the Lagna/Paka Lagna should be studied carefully to determine the likes and dislikes, whims and fancies etc., of a person. When the sambandha of a graha is not good with the lord of Lagna/Paka Lagna, the graha tends to reject its significations. This determines the fact that a certain placement of a graha, though it signifies certain naisargik qualities, loses such qualities in terms of its relationship with the lord of the Lagna/Paka Lagna. This has to be studied carefully to determine whether the person would marry or not, what the person will like or dislike, what the person will adapt or renounce etc. For example, mere occupation of Lagna by Shani - a naisargika significator of alcohol and negative things - will not determine the persons liking for alcohol or negative aspects as his paka lagna would, while the converse is true in the case of benefics.

(Note: However, Brihaspati [Karaka for 'Jeeva' and Dhi Shakti which is the most important quality of man] is the naisargik karaka for Paka Lagna.)

Since Upapada determines the nature/attitude of the person towards the spouse who is a lifelong partner, it is very important that the sign/rasi of the Upapada is auspicious. It is the auspiciousness of the rasi that determines the purity of nature of the native and how the person would treat the spouse. Any affliction to the rasi, or if the rasi is inauspicious, to that extent the native's attitude towards the spouse is affected. This would mean that the compatibility, fidelity, affection etc., which form the basics of good spousal relationship, either become questionable or it is totally absent depending on the inauspiciousness or affliction of the sign.

Thus, the lord of Gaunapada becomes very important in determining the spouse (family etc.,), spousal attitude of the person, and happiness/sorrow from spouse. An exalted lord of Upapada will bring to the native a spouse from a noble family, while in the case of a debilitated lord of Upapada the reverse holds true meaning thereby that the spouse will be from a family below the status of the native.

How to predict using Upapada Lagna