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Kāraka is derived from the words kara meaning (1) the hand which is the body part for enterprise and action or (2) to do indicating the action involved in doing something. Ka refers to prajāpati as the creator and indicates material manifestation.
Houses as Kāraka
Based on the first meaning, kāraka refers to the divisions of the sky as signs, houses or mansions created by the movements of the Sun, Moon and other planets that signify the events and different activities of the entity. These are called ‘bhāva kāraka’.

अथ चन्द्रयोगाध्यायः॥  atha candrayogādhyāyaḥ || 37||

Adi Shankara: Chandra is Brahmana Raja, the Lord of all Brahmin

सहस्ररश्मितचन्द्रे कण्टकादिगते क्रमात्‌।
धनधीनैपुणादीनि न्यूनमध्योत्तमानि हि॥ १॥
sahasraraśmitacandre kaṇṭakādigate kramāt |
dhanadhīnaipuṇādīni nyūnamadhyottamāni hi || 1||

स्वांशे वा स्वाधिमित्रांशे स्थितश्च दिवसे शशी।
गुरुणा दृश्यते तत्र जातो धनसुखान्वितः॥ २॥
svāṁśe vā svādhimitrāṁśe sthitaśca divase śaśī |
guruṇā dṛśyate tatra jāto dhanasukhānvitaḥ || 2||

स्वांशे वा स्वाधिमित्रांशे स्थितश्च शशभृन्निशि।
शुक्रेण दृश्यते तत्र जातो धनसुखान्वितः॥ ३॥
svāṁśe vā svādhimitrāṁśe sthitaśca śaśabhṛnniśi |
śukreṇa dṛśyate tatra jāto dhanasukhānvitaḥ || 3||

एतद्‌विपर्ययस्थे च शुक्रेज्यानवलोकिते।
जायतेऽल्पधनो बालो योगेऽस्मिन्निर्धनोऽथवा॥ ४॥
etadviparyayasthe ca śukrejyānavalokite |
jāyate’lpadhano bālo yoge’sminnirdhano’thavā

अथाऽहं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि ग्रहानात्मादिकारकान्‌।
सप्तरव्यादिशन्यन्तान्‌ राह्वन्तान्‌ वाऽष्टसंख्यकान्‌॥ १॥
athā’haṁ sampravakṣyāmi grahānātmādikārakān |
saptaravyādiśanyantān rāhvantān vā’ṣṭasaṁkhyakān || 1||

अंशैः समौग्नहौ द्वौ चेद्‌राह्वन्तन्‌ चिन्तयेत्‌ तदा।
सप्तैव कारकानेवं केचिदष्टौ प्रचक्षते॥ २॥
aṁśaiḥ samaugnahau dvau cedrāhvantan cintayet tadā |
saptaiva kārakānevaṁ kecidaṣṭau pracakṣate || 2||

अत्मा सूर्यादिखेटानां मध्ये ह्यंशाधिको ग्रहः।
अंशसाम्ये कलाधिक्यात्‌ तत्साम्ये विकलाधिकः॥ ३॥
atmā sūryādikheṭānāṁ madhye hyaṁśādhik