New Light on Yogada by Shanmukha

Article by Shanmukha

In Jaimini system Yogada planet is of much importance. Krishna Mishra in his Phalaratnamala made extensive exposition of this concept. Usually, scholars in Jaimini consider the Atma Karaka planet is the King of the horoscope based on their knowledge inherited from BPHS etc. Yet, for the followers of Krishna Mishra genre, this Yogada planet lures them. Be, it deciding rajayoga of the horoscope, nature of the native or the transits in Jaimini way (I mean longitudinal transits). Now, first let us define Yogada planet in the footsteps of Krishna Mishra as followed by Sri Rangacharya.

Aspecting Planet:-

1. Planet aspects the Ascendant.
2. Planet aspects both the Asc and its 7^th house
3. The following planet is called Kevala Planet

a. The lord of Moon sign aspect the Ascendant.

b. The lord of Moon sign aspect either Moon sign,

c. Hora Lagna, Ghatika Lagna.

4. Planet aspect both the Ascendant and Moon sign. This is called Kevala Yogada.
5. Planet aspecting Ascendant both in Rasi chart and Navamsa Chart. This is called Yogada planet.
6. Planet aspecting Ascendant in both Rasi chart and Drekkana Chart. This is called Yogada planet.
7. Planet aspecting Ascendant in both Rasi chart, Navamsa Chart and Drekkana Chart. This is called Yogada planet.

In the charts referred above, there are variations. For example,

1. Navamsa Chart shall be drawn according to Krishna Mishra method. Parasara Navamsa is secondary.
2. Drekkana Chart shall be drawn in Parivritti Traya method. The Somanatha Drekkana may be used in case of Female natives.

In the above list of aspecting planets is in ascending order of their importance. The last three planets are called Yogada planets. These three planets are definitely seen in Rajayoga Horoscopes.

Now, having ascertained the Yogada planet, the strength of Yogada is decided by identifying the Argala on this planet. As you are aware that Argala shall only be calculated on Yogada planet, not for Lagna as it was clearly ordained by Somanatha in his Kalpalatha.

Before going into a practical example, let me show the relevant sutras from Jaimini for the sake of comprehensiveness and authenticity.

पत्नी लाभयोः दिष्ट्या निराभासार्गळया १-३-२२

patnī lābhayoḥ diṣṭyā nirābhāsārgaḻayā 1-3-22

Translation: The above sutra explains that a planet aspecting both the Ascendant and 7^th house having no Virodha Argala will ensure Rajayoga for the native.

We shall understand this sutra very carefully since it links with Argala. All the way scholars ignorant of classical literature claim Argala be calculated for Lagna following BPHS etc. Somanatha wants us to calculated Argala only to ascpecting planet. Let us take the sutra of Jaimini where Argala is introduced.

दारभाग्यस्थूलस्थार्गळा निध्यातुः १-१-५

dārabhāgyasthūlasthārgaḻā nidhyātuḥ 1-1-5

Translation: The 4th, 2nd and 11th are the Argala places for the Aspecting Planet.

Look at the word निध्यातुः, which means the Aspecting one. So, one can argue that as signs have aspect (Rasi Drishti), why can’t the Argala be calculated for Lagna. The answer is “Yes, we can calculate Argala not only for Lagna for each Rasi, but how to determine Yogada planet, after all Yogada planet is a planet not the sign.” Sage Jaimini first explained the how aspect (Drishti) to be reckoned and then explained who does have this Drishti.

अभिपश्यन्ति ऋक्षाणि १-१-२

abhipaśyanti ṛkṣāṇi 1-1-2

पार्श्वभे च १-१-३

pārśvabhe ca 1-1-3

तन्निष्टाश्च तद्वत् १-१-४

tanniṣṭāśca tadvat 1-1-4

Translation : The signs do aspect the abhimukha signs and the signs beside them. Similarly the objects (planets) placed in them.

So, what Sage is instructing us? He first explained how Drishti to be reckoned from signs in contrast to the Graha Drishti. It is just like telling this another type of aspect. Then, he instructs us which does have aspect. That is, explaining planet in these signs have aspect. As a sign always have aspect on the opposite and beside signs, which is permanent doesn’t add the dynamism that translates the horoscope unless there is a planet. The planet in aparticular sign having aspect in Rasi Drishti will add the dynamic influence.

Let me state another Vriddha Karika explains that aspects be calculated only for planets, not for the signs, though we use the misnomer term Rasi Drishti.

चरस्थः स्थिरगं पश्येत् स्थिरस्थः चरराशिगम्।

उभयस्थं तूभयगो निकटस्थं विनाग्रहम्॥

carasthaḥ sthiragaṁ paśyet sthirasthaḥ cararāśigam |

ubhayasthaṁ tūbhayago nikaṭasthaṁ vināgraham ||

Of course, this debate can go further as both parties have pros and cons, let us follow the ancient views.

Now, having agreed up on that Yodaga planet is essentially aspecting planet and Argala needs to calculated for this planet, we proceed to the impact of this on a horoscope.

शुभार्गळे धनसमृद्धिः १-३-२३

śubhārgaḻe dhanasamṛddhiḥ 1-3-23

Translation: A aspecting planet having benefic Argala will give plenty of wealth.

(Note: Sri Rangacharya has classified three types of Argala and according to him Subha Argala means the Argala of trinal houses. Iam not going to explain this here, for the sake of simplicity.)

जन्म काल घतिकास्वेक दृष्टासु राजानः १-३-२४

janma kāla ghatikāsveka dṛṣṭāsu rājānaḥ 1-3-24

Translation : A planet aspects the Natal Ascendant, Hora Lagna and Ghataka Lagna in Rasi chart becomes Yogada.

पत्नी लाभयोश्च राश्यंशक दृगाणैर्वा १-३-२५

patnī lābhayośca rāśyaṁśaka dṛgāṇairvā 1-3-25

Translation: The planet aspecting the Ascendant and 7^th house in Rasi chart, Navamsa Chart and Drekkana Chart becomes Yogada.

Since it is difficuilt that a planet aspecting both Ascendant and 7^th house in the three charts, that is 6 places in total, it shall be understood that a planet aspecting Asc. in Rasi chart, shall aspect Asc. in Navamsa or Drekkana chart to get qualified as Yogada. Similar is the case for 7^th house.

तेष्वे कस्मिन् न्यूने न्यूनम् १-३-२६

teṣve kasmin nyūne nyūnam 1-3-26

Translation: The less the combination, lesser the yoga results in.

एवमंशतो द्रेक्काणतश्च १-३-२७

evamaṁśato drekkāṇataśca 1-3-27

Translation : Similar is the case with Navamsa nad Drekkana chart. That is the planet aspect Asc. in Rasi, Namvamsa and Drekkana is best Yogada. Next is the planet aspects the Asc. in either Rasi & Navamsa charts or the Rasi and Drekkana charts.

Now, there can be many permutation and combinations like the planet aspecting Hora Lagna in Rasi chart and Drekkana chart, Ghatika Lagna in Rasi and Navamsa chart etc. which many be used with experience.

Finally, I quote below the Vriddha Karika authenticating the above interpretations. There are much more references like Phalaratnamala and Kalpalatha and I will reserve them for a full article.

विलग्न घटिकालग्न होरालग्नानि पश्यति।

उच्च ग्रहे राजयोगो लग्नद्वयमथापि वा।

यद्वा राशि दृगाणभ्यां लग्न द्रष्टातु योगदः॥

प्रायेणाऽयं जातकेषु प्रभूणमेव दृश्यते॥

vilagna ghaṭikālagna horālagnāni paśyati|

ucca grahe rājayogo lagnadvayamathāpi vā |

yadvā rāśi dṛgāṇabhyāṁ lagna draṣṭātu yogadaḥ ||

prāyeṇā’yaṁ jātakeṣu prabhūṇameva dṛśyate ||

The above Vriddha Karika clearly states that planet aspect the Lagna, Hora Lagna and Ghatika Lagna in Rasi chart gives Rajayoga. Similarly  the planet aspects the Lagan in Rasi and Drekkana Chart results in Rajayoga. It also adds that thse combinations are seen in the horoscopes of Kings. It is also very important to note that this Karika mentioned only Drekkana chart not the Navamsa chart. It is known fact to the scholars in Jaimini that Drekkana chart has very vital role in deciding Rajayoga of the horoscope over  the Navamsa chart. Do you remember Sri Siva Kumar once told you that Drekkana chart is the formost important chart.

Now, let us see a horoscope to apply these principles.

1. Identify the Yogada planet of the horoscopes. There can be more than one planet. The more the better.
2. Always identify the Argala on this Raja Yogada planet.
3. The strength of Yogada planet in giving results depends on whether the Argala is Poorna (Full), Tripada (3 and ¼), Artha (1/2) or Pada (¼).

My Personal View: In Parasara system, there is a mechanism to identify the strength of aspect whether it is full, half depending on the logitude of the planet. Then, how do we calculate the strength of a Rasi Drishti? Is there any mechanism in Jaimini system? The answer lies in understasnding the Argala concept. Rather than simply identifying Argala occurred by benefic or malefic planets, identifying how many Argalas occurred will yield the strength of Argala. For example, if there are three unobstructed Argalas in 2^nd, 4^th, 11^th houses from an aspecting planet, it is called Poorna Argala. So, the strength of Rasi aspect of that particular aspecting planet is full, similar to the planet aspecting other planet exactly 180° away, which is Poorna Argala in Parasara method.

Deciding the types of Argala is another story, which I skip now.

Let us take Indira Gandhi horoscope.

Let us take the Rasi and Somanatha Drekkana chart to identify her Yogada.

1. Jupiter aspects the Ascendant and 7^th house in Rasi chart So Jupiter becomes the Aspcting Planet (AP-2) here.
2. Mercury aspects the Ascendant and 7^th house in Rasi chart So Jupiter becomes the Aspcting Planet (AP-2) here.
3. Jupiter aspects the Ascendant and 7^th house in Drekkana chart So Jupiter becomes the Aspcting Planet (AP-2) here.
4. Jupiter aspects the Ascendant and 7^th house in Rasi chart, Somanatha Drekkana chart and Krishna Mishra Navamsa chart. So Jupiter becomes the Yogada planet.
5. Mercury aspects the Ascendant in Rasi and Somanatha Drekkana Chart. Mercury also becomes the Yogada planet.

Though Mercury and Jupiter qualifies for becoming Yogada planets, but Jaupiter is stronger since he aspects the Asc. and 7^th in Rasi, Drekkana and Navamsa charts.

Now, let us observe the Argala on Jupiter. Unobstructed Argalas by Ketu in 2^nd, Mars in 4^th and Moon in 9^th (Natural benefics in either 5^th or 9^th forms Argala). Primarily two unobstructed Argalas for a planet placed in Tripada Raja Yoga Argala. There is another way of reckoning this Argala explained by Krishna Mishra which I skip for now. Similarly we see the Argala for Mercury as well. Unonstructed Argala of Venus and Rahu in 2^nd gives Artha (1/2) Argala. On a whole, though there are two Yogada planets in the horoscope, yet the Argala not formed in complete fashion and the formed Argala is by malefic influence, the Rajayoga of this horoscope is tinted by controversies.

Let us see another example of Maharaja Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV of ernstwhile Mysore state. Since this horoscope is of a male native, Parivritti Drekkana is taken here.

1. Sun aspects the Ascendant and its 7^th house (AP-2)
2. Saturn aspects the Ascendant and its 7^th house (AP-2).
3. Sun aspects the Ascendant in Rasi and Parivritti Drekkana Chart becomes Yogada planet.
4. Saturn aspects the Ascendant in Rasi and Parivritti Drekkana Chart becomes Yogada planet.

Sun and Saturn occupied in Taurus having unobstructed Argala of Mars in 4^th. So, this is only Artha Argala. Now, let me explain the other way of reckoning Argala which I skipped above, as explained by Krishna Mishra bringing in the concept of Prakriti Chakra where in for a planet placed in even sign the Argala may be reckoned in reverse fashion. Now, look at the chart. Jupiter and Venus in 11^th (Cancer) from Sun and Saturn, Mars in 10^th (Leo), generating two Argalas giving him Rajayoga.

Let us see the chart of Viswanath Pratap Singh, the former Prime Minister of India.

1. Venus aspects the Asc. and 7^th in Rasi Chart (AP-2)
2. Venus, as the Lord of Moon Sign aspceting both Moon Sign and Ascendant, becomes Kevala Yogada planet.
3. Venus aspects the Asc. in Rasi and Drekkana Chart, becoming Yogada Planet.

Argala On Yogada Venus.

1. Unonstructed Argala by Sun and Mercury in 2^nd.
2. Unobstructed Argala by Mars in 4^th.

So two unobstructed Argalas results in Good Rajayoga becoming Prime Minister of India, of course for a brief period. Before that he was Chief Minister for the state of UP and was very methodogical in his approach. Look at the Yogada Venus, though he was involved in Politics, he was a good painter. His later part of the life was full of Art with which he could fight with Cancer. In Jaimini Venus is considered the Politics and the Art as well.

About Author: Shanmukhais 35 years, a graduate in Electronics and Communication Engineering, works in a scientific organization of Indian Govt. He started his study of Astrology when he was 22 years old and though not traditionally trained; he is very fond of the wonderful system of Jaimini.