Surya (Sun) in Jyotish: soul, authority and father
Surya (Sun) is the graha of the soul, authority and the father in the classical scheme, and is called the king of the grahas.
What it is
The Sun owns Simha and is exalted in Mesha. It is a natural malefic in the Parashari scheme and a karaka (significator) of the self and of government. Its dasha lasts 6 years in the Vimshottari system.
How it is worked out or read
The Sun's sidereal longitude is the tropical Sun's position minus the ayanamsa. Its rashi and house are shown in the birth chart. The three nakshatras ruled by the Sun are Krittika, Uttara Phalguni and Uttara Ashadha.
Where it appears on this site
The Sun is the first graha in the birth chart. Exaltation and debilitation explains its dignities.
The Sun in the chart
The Sun is read first in most charts because it names the self, the father and the source of authority in the classical scheme. Its sign shows the manner of self-expression, and its house shows the area of life where that expression is most visible. A Sun in the tenth house, for example, is read as tied to career and public standing, while a Sun in the fourth may be read as tied to home and the private life. The Sun is never retrograde, so its motion is always direct, which the texts treat as a sign of steady and open expression.
Strength and weakness
The Sun is exalted in Mesha at 10 degrees and debilitated in Tula. It is own-signed in Simha. In Tula it is read as losing confidence, and in Mesha as strongly directed. Combustion is not a separate issue for the Sun itself, but the Sun's conjunction with other grahas can weaken them, a point taken up in the combustion article. A reader comparing the Sun with the Moon, which is its opposite in many rules, should keep that contrast in mind.
Checks for a reader
To check a reading of the Sun, first confirm its sidereal sign against the ayanamsa you have chosen. Then note the house, the lord of that house, and the sign's element. The Sun's dasha lasts six years, so a reader can also see when the Sun's period falls in a person's life. The site shows the Sun's sign and house in the birth chart, so these checks can be done directly from the table.
The Sun as a reference for the day
The Sun is the reference point for the panchang day, since the day begins at sunrise. A reader who thinks about the Sun's position on a particular morning is thinking about the anchor of the whole panchang, which connects the solar day to the lunar limbs of tithi and nakshatra.
The Sun's dignity in a day
The Sun's dignity affects how strongly its themes come through in daily life. A reader who finds the Sun well placed may describe a clear sense of direction and self-expression, while a weak Sun may show a need for more effort to feel confident in one's own identity.