Lagna (ascendant) is the most important single point in a Vedic birth chart. It is the degree of the zodiac that was rising on the eastern horizon at the exact moment and place of birth. The lagna determines the first house of the chart and the ruling planet of the entire chart (lagnesh). It governs the body, personality, self-image, and overall vitality. Almost all interpretive techniques in Vedic astrology reference the lagna as the first axis.