There are two main intelligence yogas in vedic astrology. The first is Budha-Aditya yoga and the second is Saraswati yoga.
Budha-Aditya yoga – this is the most common intelligence yoga in vedic astrology. The yoga forms when Sun and Mercury are conjunct in any rasi. About 33% of the charts have this yoga.
Saraswati Yoga – this yoga forms when the natural benefics Jupiter, Venus, and Mercury are in Kendra (1,4,7,10) or Trikona (1,5,9), or the 2nd house from the ascendant (lagna) and Jupiter is strong by being in his own sign, friend’s sign, or in his sign of exaltation.
These intelligence yogas are not rare yogas. You should evaluate the strength of the yogas in your chart by following the principles identified in the blog on how to analyze yogas.
Nikola Tesla – has both yogas.
Budha-Aditya yoga in the 4th house (a Kendra house), with a strong Mercury being in its own sign.
Saraswati yoga with Jupiter, Venus, and Mercury in Kendra houses and Jupiter being strong in his own house.
Nikola Tesla (Budha-Aditya and Saraswati yogas)
Charles Darwin – has both yogas as well
Budha-Aditya yoga in the 4th house (Kendra house)
Saraswati yoga with Jupiter and Venus in a Trikona house and Mercury in a Kendra house. Also, Jupiter is strong by being in his own house. In his case, Venus is also strong by being exalted in Pisces.
Classical astrology texts spend a lot of verses providing different combinations that confer rulership. In the olden days, every King had an astrologer in his court and consulted the astrologer for important events. Lineage was of primary importance, and so lot of time was spent providing combinations that predicted the next King. Power and fame yogas were highly sought after. Many of these combinations are very complex and specific.
In today’s world raja yogas confer power and fame to the individual. The main ones are:
Pancha Mahapurusha Yoga
Pancha Mahapurusha Yogas – These yogas focus on the five planets – Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Each planet forms a specific raja yoga if it meets both of the following conditions:
The planet is in sign of exaltation or in its own sign
The planet is in a Kendra position from the Ascendant/Moon.
The individual yogas are Bhadra (Mercury), Malavya (Venus), Ruchaka (Mars), Hamsa (Jupiter), and Sasa (Saturn). If the yogas repeat from the lagna (ascendant) and the Moon, the yogas becomes more powerful.
A person with one of these yogas will be fortunate, with two of these yogas will be like a king, with three of these yogas will be a King, with four of these yogas will be an Emperor, and with five of these yogas will be an emperor of emperors.
Emperor Akbar’s chart (shown below) has three of the five pancha mahapurusha yogas. Venus is in its own sign and in the ascendant (1st house) giving Malavya yoga. Saturn is in its sign of exaltation and in the ascendant (1st house) giving Sasa yoga. Finally, Mars is in its sign of exaltation and in the 4th house giving Ruchaka yoga.
Emperor Akbar (Malavya, Sasa, and Ruchaka yogas)
Dharma Karmadhipati Yoga
Dharma karmadhipati Yogas – These are formed when there is a sambandha between the dharma lords (Trikona lords 1,5,9) and the karma lords (Kendra lords 1,4,7,10). The sambandha can be of three types – 1. The lords are conjunct in any rasi. 2. The lords mutually aspect each other. 3. The lords form a parivartana yoga or mutually exchange houses. Not all combinations are equally powerful. Here is the order in the descending order of strength.
sambandha between lords of 9th and 10th houses
sambandha between lords of 4th and 5th houses
Lords of 5th and 10th or 4th and 9th
Lords of 1st and 9th or 1st and 10th houses
sambandha between lords of 1st and 4th or 1st and 5th houses
sambandha between lords of 7th and 1st, 5th, or 9th houses
Queen Elizabeth I – Lord of 9th and 10th conjunct in 10th house
Queen Elizabeth I’s chart has the lord of the 9th (Sun) and the lord of the 10th (Mercury) conjunct in the 10th house of profession. This is the highest form of the dharma-karmadhipati yoga. Queen Elizabeth’s chart also has two pancha mahapurusha yogas – Hamsa (Jupiter in 1st) and Bhadra (Mercury in 10th).
Emperor Akbar’s chart also has the lord of the 9th (Mercury) and the lord of the 10th (Moon) mutually aspecting each other in the 3-9 (courage and fortune) axis. He has 1,4 (Venus and Saturn) and 1,5 (Venus and Saturn) dharma karmadhipati combinations as well.
Gaja Kesari Yoga
Gaja Kesari Yoga – this is formed when Jupiter is in Kendra (1,4,7,10) from the Moon and is aspected by a natural benefic.
Mahatma Gandhi – Gaja Kesari Yoga
Mahatma Gandhi’s chart has Jupiter in the 10th house from the Moon and Jupiter is aspected by two natural benefic’s Venus and Mercury. His chart also has Malavya yoga (formed by Venus in the 1st house) and three dharma karmadhipati yogas 1,9 (Venus and Mercury), 1,7 (Venus and Mars) and 7,9 (Mars and Mercury).
In astrology, the weakest position of a graha is when it is in its sign of debilitation. The graha is in its neecha state. Bhanga means cancellation. So, neechabhanga yoga refers to scenarios that cancel the neecha status of a graha. A graha that has neecha bhanga can act like it is exalted.
Neecha Bhanga Scenarios
The good news is there are many ways to cancel the neecha status of a graha. Each of these scenarios produces a neecha bhanga yoga. The more scenarios canceling the neecha status the better. The terminology is confusing, so I will give some examples.
Lord of Neecha graha (dispositor)
If the lord of neechagraha is conjunct with or aspects the neechagraha.
If the lord of the neechagraha is in Kendra (1,4,7,10) from the lagna or the Moon.
Lord of the exaltation sign of the neechagraha
Lord of the exaltation sign of the neechagraha is in Kendra (1,4,7,10) from the lagna or the Moon
Graha exalted in the sign of the neechagraha
Graha exalted in the sign of the neechagraha is in Kendra (1,4,7,10) from the lagna or the Moon
Position of the neechagraha
Neecha graha is in Kendra from lagna or the Moon
Lord of the neechagraha and the lord of the exaltation sign of the neechagraha are in mutual Kendra positions.
Examples for the scenarios
Example – Let us consider Mars debilitated in Cancer. The grahas that can help cancel this debilitation are –
Moon – Moon owns Cancer (lord of the neecha graha)
Saturn – Mars is exalted in Capricorn and Saturn owns Capricorn (lord of the exaltation sign of the neecha graha)
Jupiter – Jupiter is exalted in Cancer (graha exalted in the sign of the neecha graha)
Kendra position – Mars’ position with respect to the lagna or Moon.
Vedic astrology is all about graha relationships. The relationship can be between grahas, between rashis, or bhavas. When it comes to graha relationships between grahas not all relationships are equal. There is a hierarchy. The level of influence of the relationship in one’s chart depends on this hierarchy.
Yogas
Yogas – the most important relationships are the ones that form a yoga. For example, Mercury and Sun conjunct forming a budha-aditya yoga. You can analyze the strength of the yogas by following the “How to analyze yogas” blog.
Sambhandha
Sambhandha – the next level of importance is that of sambhandhas. There are 3 main types of sambhandas.
Conjunction – grahas in the same rashi, but they do not form a yoga.
Mutual aspect – grahas mutually aspecting each other either by their seventh aspect or their special aspect. Mars and Saturn are the only ones that can have mutual aspect using their special aspects.
Parivartana/Exchange – exchange of rashis. Example – Jupiter in Aries and Mars in Pisces.
Aspect to and from the graha’s lord
Aspect involving the graha’s lord – among aspects that are not sambhandhas, aspects to and from the graha lord are important. These can be of two types
Graha aspecting its lord – example Mercury in Cancer aspecting the Moon in Capricorn. In this case Moon aspects into its own house of Cancer, which would always be the case if it is the seventh aspect. You can also have Mars in Pisces aspecting Jupiter in Gemini creating a relationship between Mars and Jupiter.
Graha aspected by its lord – example Mercury in Aries aspected by Mars in Capricorn. This will build a relationship between Mars and Mercury.
Single-sided aspects
Single sided aspects – Jupiter, Saturn, Mars have special aspects that can be one way. Example – Jupiter in Pisces aspecting Venus in Scorpio. In this case, Venus is influenced by Jupiter but not the other way around.
Yogas > sambhandhas > aspects involving the graha’s lord > single sided aspects.
The navagraha gayatri mantras are used to meditate on the nine grahas in vedic astrology. These mantra are easy to memorize because they are similar in structure. The navagraha gayatri mantras have three lines each. The first two lines focus on aspects of the graha (god). The last line indicates the graha.
The first line focuses on an image in the graha’s flag. For example, in the case of Sun we concentrate on the horse in the flag. In the case of Mercury we concentrate on the elephant in the flag. Likewise, in the case of Rahu we concentrate on the snake in the flag.
The second line focuses on what is physically in the graha’s hand or what the graha gives figuratively. For example, in the case of Sun, we concentrate on the rope in his hand. In the case of Venus we concentrate on the bow. In the case of Rahu we concentrate on the lotus.
The last line prays that the graha illuminates our intellect. This helps us realize the ultimate truth.
It is good to chant these nine mantras daily. Repetition of these mantras helps appease the navagrahas.
Table to remember the flag and hand attributes
Graha
Flag
Hand
Surya (Sun)
Ashwa (Horse)
Pasa (Rope)
Chandra (Moon)
Padma (Lotus)
Hema (Golden Color)
Bhouma (Mars)
Veera (Hero)
Vighna (Removes obstacles)
Budha (Mercury)
Gaja (Elephant)
Sukha (Pleasures)
Guru (Jupiter)
Vrishaba (Bull)
Karuni (Grace)
Shukra (Venus)
Ashwa (Horse)
Dhanur (Bow)
Mandha (Saturn)
Kaaka (Crow)
Khadga (Sword)
Ketu (Ketu)
Ashwa (Horse)
Soola (Trident)
Rahu (Rahu)
Naaga (Snake)
Padma (Lotus)
Graha
Navagraha Gayatri Mantra
Surya (Sun)
Om ashwa-dwajaya vidhmahe Pasa hastaya dheemahi Tanno Surya prachodayaat
Chandra (Moon)
Om padma-dwajaya vidhmahe Hema roopaya dheemahi Tanno Chandra prachodayaat
Bhouma (Mars)
Om veera-dwajaya vidhmahe Vighna hastaya dheemahi Tanno Bhouma prachodayaat
Budha (Mercury)
Om gaja-dwajaya vidhmahe Shuka hastaya dheemahi Tanno Budha prachodayaat
Guru (Jupiter)
Om vrishaba-dwajaya vidhmahe Karuni hastaya dheemahi Tanno Guru prachodayaat
Shukra (Venus)
Om ashwa-dwajaya vidhmahe Dhanur hastaya dheemahi Tanno Shukra prachodayaat
Sani (Saturn)
Om kaaka-dwajaya vidhmahe Khadga hastaya dheemahi Tanno Mandha prachodayaat
Ketu
Om ashwa-dwajaya vidhmahe Soola hastaya dheemahi Tanno Ketu prachodayaat
Rahu
Om naaga-dwajaya vidhmahe Padma hastaya dheemahi Tanno Rahu prachodayaat
Can Rahu Ketu be beneficial? Rahu and Ketu are natural malefics and in general cause more difficulties. Many people turn towards god when they undergo suffering. This is a good thing and can help individuals deal with problems. Ketu, as a natural moksha karaka, can help turn suffering into something positive, by inculcating an interest in spirituality. Ketu’s maha dasa is also only 7 years. For these reasons Ketu is not as feared as Rahu. Rahu’s maha dasa, on the other hand, runs for 18 years. Rahu is also the brain of the Rahu/Ketu combination. Rahu can bring sudden rise and sudden fall when it influences the individual via dasa-bukthi or transits.
So, is a Rahu maha dasa always bad? For material pursuits, Rahu can be very beneficial for some individuals. Donald Trump became the President of the United States of America during his Rahu maha dasa. When Rahu is well placed in a chart, it can act as a super-yogakaraka. Rahu will help you achieve your dreams even if it means using unethical means. Other grahas follow the laws of dharma and will only give benefits within the confines of dharma. Rahu is the only graha that can break rules to deliver success.
Rahu can be beneficial in the following scenarios. The more the scenarios the stronger the beneficial results of Rahu. The scenarios for Rahu also apply to Ketu.
Beneficial scenarios for Rahu and Ketu
House position – Rahu does well in 3, 6, and 11th houses.
House types – Rahu and Ketu work positively when they are in Kendras because of the general principle – malefics do well in Kendras.
Rasi position – There isn’t an unanimous consensus on this, however, Rahu does well in the houses owned by Saturn, Venus, and Mercury. Ketu does well in the houses owned by Jupiter and Mars.
Enemies – Sun and Moon are arch enemies. Rahu and Ketu don’t give beneficial results in Cancer and Leo. Rahu and Ketu, also, don’t give beneficial results if they are conjunct or aspected by Sun or Moon.
Aspects – The conjunction or aspect of a natural benefic, especially Jupiter, reduces the malefic nature of Rahu and Ketu.
House lord – Rahu and Ketu act like the lord of the houses they reside in. If the lord’s impact is beneficial then Rahu/Ketu’s impact will also be beneficial. Example, if Rahu is in Sagittarius, and Jupiter (the lord) is in Pisces, then the Rahu will act like Jupiter. This will be beneficial, if Jupiter is beneficial for the chart, like for a Pisces ascendant.
Conjunct grahas – Rahu and Ketu also act like the grahas that are conjunct with them. If the conjunct grahas are beneficial, Rahu/Ketu will be beneficial.
Trikona Lords – Rahu and Ketu act beneficially if they are conjunct with or aspected by the Trikona (1, 5, 9) lords.
Yoga Karaka – Rahu and Ketu can become yoga karakas if they are in Kendras and are aspected by Trikona lords or if they are in Trikonas and are aspected by Kendra lords.
Yogakarakas are grahas that give very auspicious results to the natal chart. These grahas are “karakas” for “yoga”. Grahas become yogakarakas because of their lordships or their placement. The accepted definitions by all books are
By lordship – Any graha that owns a Kendra (1,4,7,10) house and a Trikona (1,5,9) house, simultaneously will be a yogakaraka.
By position – Two planets that are in Kendra from the lagna, and are in their own sign or sign of exaltation, work together to become yogakarakas for the natal chart. The grahas are co-workers.
By position (mostly accepted) – If the two planets are in mutual Kendras and in their own sign or sign of exaltation, but not in Kendras from the lagna, then too, they can work together to become yogakarakas for the natal chart. The grahas are co-workers.
Rahu and Ketu can become yogakarakas if
they are in Kendra and are conjunct or aspected by a Trikona lord.
they are in Trikona and are conjunct or aspected by a Kendra lord.
Examples by lordship
By Lordship – for example, Saturn is the yogakaraka for Taurus and Libra ascendants. Another example, Mars is the yogakaraka for Cancer and Leo ascendants. Finally, Venus is the yogakaraka for Capricorn and Aquarius ascendants.
Yogakarakas by lordship
Examples by position
2. By position – grahas that are in Kendras from the ascendant (lagna) would automatically be in mutual Kendras from each other. There can be many examples for this.
3. By position (mostly accepted) – this is similar to the above case with the exception that the grahas are not in Kendras from the ascendant (lagna).
Rahu and Ketu
4. Rahu and Ketu – The strength of the yoga is enhanced if the graha aspecting Rahu/Ketu is exalted or in its own sign. Please refer to the blog on how to analyse the strength of yogas for more details.
There are many dhana yogas in vedic astrology. The common ones are the “basic dhana yoga”, “chandra mangala yoga”, “maha akshmi yoga”, “gauri yoga”.
Basic Dhana Yoga
Basic Dhana Yoga: The basic form of dhana yoga involves interactions between the lord of the wealth houses (2 and 11) and the trinal houses (1, 5, and 9). The interactions can be in the following forms
Conjunction – grahas involved are in the same sign
Mutual aspect – grahas mutually aspect each other, typically grahas are seven away from each other. Saturn and Mars are the only grahas that can create a mutual aspect using their special aspects.
The preferred combination is having one graha from the 2/11 camp and the other graha from the 1/5/9 camp. However, you can also have interactions between grahas in each camp (2/11, 1/5, 1/9, 5/9). Bill Gates’ horoscope (below) is a good example for most of the dhana yogas. Here are the lordships of the relevant houses and the dhana yogas in the chart.
Lordships
2nd – Moon, 11th – Mars
1st – Mercury, 5th – Venus, 9th – Saturn
Dhana Yogas
1 and 2 – mutual aspect of Mercury and Moon (preferred)
1 and 11 – Mercury and Mars conjunct (preferred)
5 and 9 – Venus and Saturn conjunct
2 and 11 – Moon and Mars mutual aspect
Bill Gates’ Chart
These dhana yogas are common and a few can occur in many charts. To evaluate the strength of yogas please refer to my previous post on how to analyze yogas.
Chandra Mangala Yoga
Chandra Mangala Yoga – Combination of Moon and Mars. Classical literature indicates that both grahas have to be conjunct. However, you can also use mutual aspect to satisfy the requirements for the yoga. Bill Gates’ chart has Chandra Mangala yoga as well.
Gauri Yoga
Gauri Yoga – This yoga is formed when the following three conditions are met.
Moon is in its own sign (Cancer) or sign of exaltation (Taurus).
Moon is in a kendra (1,4,7,10) or trikona (1,5,9) house.
Jupiter aspects Moon.
Queen Victoria’s chart has this yoga – Moon in Taurus, in the 1st house, and aspected by Jupiter.
Queen Victoria”s Chart
Maha Lakshmi Yoga
Maha Lakshmi Yoga – This is a rare yoga indicating great wealth. The yoga involves Venus and the 9th lord. All four conditions below have to be met. There are other variations of this yoga in different texts as well. This form is taken from Phala Deepika.
Venus is in its own sign or sign of exaltation
Venus is in a kendra (1,4,7,10) or trikona (1,5,9) house
Lord of the 9th house is in its own sign or sign of exaltation
Lord of the 9th house is in a kendra or trikona house
Not surprisingly, Bill Gates has this yoga as well. Venus is in its own sign in Libra, in the fifth house. Lord of the ninth house is Saturn. Saturn is exalted in Libra in the fifth house.
The most feared transit in vedic astrology is that of Shani (Saturn). Shani gives bad results when it transits houses 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 houses from the Moon. Shani gives good results when it transits houses 3, 6, and 11 from the Moon. Shani’s transit is neutral in the other four (5, 7, 9, 10) houses. Shani’s transit in each house lasts for two and a half years (2.5 years). Sade Sati is the transit of Saturn through the 12th, 1st, and 2nd houses.
With this information it is clear to see why Sade Sati, or the transit of Shani through the 12th, 1st, and 2nd houses, is dreaded. This is continuous 7.5 years under a bad transitory influence of Shani. It is actually worse when you consider the period Shani transits from the 12th house from your Moon through the 5th house from your Moon. This is a transit of 6 houses, which takes 15 years. Out of these 15 years, four houses are bad (12, 1, 2, and 4) and only one is good (3rd house). The result is 10 bad years out of 15 years (67%). So, the start of Sade-Sati can be viewed as the start of a 15 year period where 10 years are bad.
Combining Dashas and Transits
The good news is that vedic astrology looks at a number of different factors to determine if a period is good or bad. The main factors are
Transits of all the grahas and not just Shani. Especially the transits of Shani (Saturn), Guru (Jupiter), and Rahu/Ketu.
Position and strength of the grahas in the natal chart. This is the crux of astrology. Vedic astrology considers yoga vichara and bhava vichara, among other things, to evaluate the strength of each graha.
When you incorporate all these factors you get an individualized picture of your destiny. Afterall, transits are the same for all individuals born in a particular Moon sign. Essentially every 12th person has the same transits.
I use the following model to determine the complete effect of all the grahas involved.
30% – maha dasa graha
20% – antar dasa graha
10% – pratyantar dasa graha
Saturn transit – 10%
Jupiter transit – 10%
Rahu/Ketu transit – 10%
10% – transits of the other grahas or transit of the maha dasa graha
Shani’s influence can be as little as 10% or as high as 80% (when you are running Shani-Shani-Shani in your dasha sequence).
Ashtakvarga Method
The Ashtakvarga chart for Shani is a better way to determine the effect of Shani’s transit. This is personalized because it is based on the natal chart. The higher the value the better the effects are – 3 is average. In the example below, transit of Shani in Scorpio (0) would be the worst. Transit of Shani in Virgo and Libra would be good.
Remedies for Sade Sati
Shani punishes us if we are not righteous and law abiding. The practical solution, when one runs a bad Shani transit or dasha, is to be law abiding and righteous. You should also chant the Shani mantra (given below) everyday (12 times). It is good to chant this mantra throughout your life, even if you are not under Shani’s influence.
Nilanjana Samabhasam Ravi Putram Yamagrajam
Chaya Martanda Sambhutam Tam Namami Shanescharam
In conclusion, always remember the wise words of Kabir in one of his most famous dohas.
Dukh Mein Simran Sab Kare, Sukh Mein Kare Na Koye Jo Sukh Mein Simran Kare, Tau Dukh Kahe Ko Hoye In anguish everyone prays to Him, in joy does none To One who prays in happiness, how can sorrow come
Water signs are adaptable in nature. There are three water signs in vedic astrology. They are Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces. The difference is in the movable, fixed, and dual aspects of these signs. Cancer is movable and hence the most adaptable. Scorpio is fixed and hence the least adaptable. Pisces is dual and hence in-between. The zodiac of the ascendant and the Moon sign indicate the backdrop for the person’s life. A person with lagna and Moon as water signs will be water-like. Individual planets are players in the backdrop. The natural characteristics of the planet may gel with the backdrop or be in opposition to the backdrop.
The main attributes of each zodiac can be remembered by considering just the following three dimensions.
The symbol of the sign
The sign’s element – fire, earth, air, or water
The qualities of sign – movable, fixed, or dual
Cancer
Cancer’s symbol is the crab. The crab has a hard exterior and a soft interior. Cancerians, likewise, are unemotional outside but very emotional inside. Moon is the lord of cancer and Cancer is a movable sign. These further emphasize the emotional nature of Cancerians. Mars is the lord of the 5th and 10th house. Mars is a yogakaraka for Cancer. This also makes Cancerians have a dynamic interest in their career and a very formidable intellect. Cancer is the 4th house of the kala purusha. Hence, home is very important for Cancerians.
Scorpio
Scorpio’s symbol is the scorpion. Scorpions are known for their poisonous rear. Scorpio is also a fixed sign. Therefore, Scorpians are rigid and mavericks. Scorpions are also connected with professions that deal with poisons, chemistry, drugs, medicine… Scorpio is the 8th house in the kala purusha. Hence Scorpians interested in death and the occult. The lord Mars, is exalted in the 3rd house. Hence, Scorpians are ambitious and brave.
Pisces
Pisces’ symbol is two fishes swimming in opposite directions. Hence Pisceans have contradictory ambitions and ideals. They can also be dreamers and be taken advantage of. Jupiter is the lord of the sign. Therefore, Pisceans love to teach and learn. The dual nature of the sign also increases the probability for multiple marriages.
Cancer
Scorpio
Pisces
Crab, Water, Movable
Scorpian, Water, Fixed
Two fishes, Water, Dual
Hard exterior over a soft interior. Highly emotional, confused.
Rigid, maverick, Can penentrate secrets.
Contradictory ambitions and ideals. Can be taken advantage of.
Dynamic interest in career. Formidable intellect.
Professions connected with poisons, chemistry, drugs, medicine, surgery. Interest in death and occult. Ambitious and brave.
Loves to teach. Interest in wisdom and poetry.
Likes home life. Friendship is important. Dissapointment with children.
Interest in sex. Dominates partner.
Potential for two marriages. Good for children.
Chronic disease. Unnatural death.
Tough relationship with gurus.
Involvement with hospitals.
Vedic astrology insights specifically around education, career, and wealth
