Paap Kartari (“malefic scissors”) yoga forms when malefics occupy the houses on both sides of a house or planet — the 12th and 2nd from it — so it is hemmed in like paper between scissor blades. Most often it is checked for the lagna (malefics in the 12th and 2nd houses) or the Moon. Its mirror, Shubh Kartari, has benefics on both sides and protects.
How the yoga forms
Pick a house or planet. If malefics — Saturn, Mars, Rahu, Ketu, and the Sun (a mild malefic) — occupy both the house before it and the house after it, that house or planet is in Paap Kartari. Example: Saturn in the 12th and Mars in the 2nd hem the lagna. It is not just two malefics in neighbouring houses with nothing between them.
| Type | Both sides occupied by | Effect on the hemmed house or planet |
|---|---|---|
| Paap Kartari | Malefics | Restricted, pressured, delayed |
| Shubh Kartari | Benefics (Jupiter, Venus, Mercury, waxing Moon) | Protected, supported, eased |
Which cases matter most
- Lagna: health, confidence and overall life feel pressured.
- Moon: anxiety and emotional strain.
- 7th house: delays or strain in marriage and partnerships.
- A key planet such as the lagna lord or a yoga-forming planet: its results are blocked or delayed.
- A benefic aspect on the hemmed house, or the hemmed planet being strong, reduces the effect.
Effects and remedies
The usual effect is a sense of being boxed in: progress in that area needs extra effort and patience, especially in the dashas of the hemming malefics. Common remedies are mantras of the malefics involved (Saturn on Saturdays, Mars on Tuesdays), Hanuman worship, charity, and strengthening the hemmed planet’s own significations through steady effort.
Check it in your own chart
Yogas are read together with planetary strength, the houses ruled for your lagna and the running dasha. A free kundli shows these placements; the yoga finder lists common yogas. For a full reading, book a consultation.
Frequently asked questions
What is Paap Kartari yoga?
A house or planet with malefics in the houses on both sides of it — the 12th and 2nd from it.
Is Paap Kartari yoga for the lagna dangerous?
It shows pressure on health and confidence, not danger by itself; a benefic aspect or a strong lagna lord eases it.
What is Shubh Kartari yoga?
Benefics on both sides of a house or planet, which protects and supports it.
Does the Sun count as a malefic for Kartari?
It is treated as a mild malefic in most readings.
When is Paap Kartari felt most?
In the dashas of the hemming malefics and when transits reactivate them.
Part of our guide: Kundli & Birth Chart →
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Book a Consultation · ₹5,100 WhatsApp Dr. SharmaThis article is offered as general guidance in the Vedic tradition. Astrology is a tool for reflection and is not a substitute for professional medical, legal or financial advice.
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Classical yogas in the kundli: more in this series
Padma Yoga in Vedic Astrology · Panch Mahapurusha Yoga: The Five Great-Person Combinations · Panchkoti Yoga and Panchkoti Dhan Yoga · Parashari Raj Yoga: The Path to Power · Parijata Yoga in Vedic Astrology · Parvata Yoga: Auspicious Planetary Configuration · Pishach Yoga in Vedic Astrology · Planets and Yogas Responsible for Extramarital Affairs · Check which yogas your chart holds