Home › Learn Astrology › Houses
Second House Explained
Lesson 34 of 100 · Houses
Log in or join free to track your progress through the course.
The second house, called the Dhana Bhava, is the house of wealth and resources. Dhana means wealth, and this house describes what you accumulate and hold: money, savings, and possessions. It also covers your immediate family, your speech, the food you eat, and the conditions of your early childhood. This primer covers the core meanings of the second house, its natural significator, the body parts it rules, and what a strong versus afflicted second house tends to give.
What the Second House Signifies
The second house stands first for wealth—earned money, savings, and the assets you build up over time. It is the storehouse of what you have already gathered, as distinct from earning capacity itself. Possessions, valuables, and financial security are read from here.
This house also governs the immediate family unit you grow up in, your speech and the way you talk, and the food and drink you take in. Your early childhood conditions, your values around money, and even your relationship with material comfort are all part of the second house.
Karaka, Body Parts, and Classification
The natural significator (karaka) of the second house is Jupiter, the planet of wealth, abundance, and good fortune—a natural fit for the house of accumulated riches. The second house rules the face, the mouth, the throat, the teeth, and the tongue, which connects neatly to its themes of speech and food.
In classification, the second house is a maraka, or death-dealing house. The 2nd and 7th are the two principal maraka houses; the term sounds severe, but in practice it means these houses can influence longevity and the timing of difficult periods. The second house is not a kendra, trikona, dusthana, or upachaya—it sits in its own category of significance as a maraka and a wealth house.
Strong Second House versus Afflicted Second House
A strong second house tends to give steady wealth, the ability to save, a harmonious family, and pleasant, persuasive speech. People with a well-supported second house often manage money sensibly and enjoy good food and material comfort without strain.
An afflicted second house can show as money that slips away, financial instability, family discord, or harsh, blunt, or troubled speech. Problems with the teeth, mouth, or throat may also appear. As always, these meanings are read in the context of the whole chart, with attention to the planets placed in and aspecting the house.
Key takeaways
- The second house (Dhana Bhava) signifies wealth, savings, family, speech, food, and early childhood.
- Its natural karaka is Jupiter, the planet of abundance and good fortune.
- It rules the face, mouth, throat, teeth, and tongue.
- It is a maraka (death-dealing) house; a strong one gives wealth and good speech, an afflicted one gives money loss and family discord.
Knowledge check
6 quick questions on this lesson. Answer all, then submit to see your score and explanations.