Hindu Predictive Astrology Part 18: Special Yogas — Named Planetary Combinations
Yogas are special planetary combinations that produce extraordinary results — for better or worse. They are unique to Hindu astrology and cannot be found in any other astrological tradition. These yogas must be checked in every horoscope alongside the standard house-based analysis.
Part 18 of 31 • Core Predictive Principles • Covers: Book Chapter XX — Some Special Yogas
These important yogas make or mar a man. If special misfortunes are found in a horoscope, the person will always be miserable, even if ordinary astrological rules suggest a promising chart.
There are four types: Rajayoga (political power), Dhanayoga (great wealth), Gnanayoga (higher knowledge and renunciation), and Arishtayoga (misfortunes of the most baneful nature). The results fully manifest only if the Yogakarakas (planets producing the yoga) are not afflicted.
Favourable Yogas (1–20)
1st lord exalted in quadrant + powerful Jupiter aspect; OR two benefics in 1st, 7th, or 10th.
Respected by rulers, profound scholar, good conversationalist, lives 70+ years.
10th/1st lord in moveable signs + 9th lord powerful; OR 5th and 6th lords in mutual quadrants + 1st lord powerful.
Fond of pleasures, learned in sciences/philosophy, charitable, agreeable family, long life (80+).
Exalted 7th lord in 10th + 10th lord conjunct 9th lord.
Great respect, reputation, honourable living, much wealth, nice surroundings.
10th lord powerful with 3 planets in 12th/2nd/1st/7th; OR 9th lord powerful + Venus and 1st lord in quadrants from Jupiter.
Landed estates, high family, courageous, expert in sciences/arts, long-lived, disease-free.
Jupiter in trine from Moon + Mars in trine from Mercury; OR Jupiter in 11th from Mercury; OR 10th lord in 5th + Mercury in quadrant + Sun in own sign.
Attracted by fair ladies, respects preceptors, praised by royalty, saintly, patron of fine arts.
Malefics in 1st and 9th + benefics and malefics in 5th + malefics in 4th and 8th.
Lover of astrology, sympathetic, religious nature.
Moon and Jupiter in mutual quadrants (1st, 4th, 7th, or 10th from each other).
Respected by relations and friends, manager of a big corporation, name goes to posterity, all worldly enjoyments.
Benefics in the 6th, 7th, and 8th from the Moon.
Commander, Minister, or king. Foeless, long-lived, disease-free.
Planets (other than Sun) in the 12th from the Moon.
Commanding, majestic, healthy, moral, renowned, renunciation later in life.
Planets (other than Sun) in the 2nd from the Moon.
Self-made man, self-acquired wealth, intelligent, reputed.
Planets in BOTH the 2nd and 12th from the Moon.
All pleasures, conveyances, liberal, generous, commanding, dutiful/faithful children.
4th lord and Jupiter in mutual quadrants + 1st lord powerful.
Stubborn, courageous, adventurous, commanding armies, ruling towns and cities.
Planets in the 12th from the Sun.
Influential, rich and wealthy.
Beneficial planets in the 2nd from the Sun.
Good conversationalist, fluent speaker, wealthy, courageous, extremely charitable.
Benefics in BOTH the 2nd and 12th from the Sun.
Equal to a king, good, sympathetic, philanthropic.
Lord of navamsa of an exalted planet in a quadrant, himself exalted/own/friendly sign + 1st lord powerful.
Healthy throughout, attractive personality, great influence among people.
Benefics in 5th, 6th, 7th in Rasi + exalted/friendly/own navamsa.
Royal enjoyments, charitable, courageous, happy, philosophical.
2nd lord in 9th + 9th lord in 2nd + 1st lord in quadrant or trine.
Religiously inclined, courageous, strong, penetrating intelligence.
9th lord in quadrant/moolatrikona/deep exaltation; OR 1st lord conjunct 9th lord.
Extremely handsome, noble qualities, high reputation for honesty, honoured by aristocracy.
Venus in fixed sign in quadrant + weak Moon in trine + Sun in 10th.
Extremely liberal, war-like, unsullied reputation, good enjoyments.
Unfavourable Yogas (21–25)
NO planets in the 2nd or 12th houses from the Moon at birth.
Misery and poverty throughout life. Generally capable of neutralising ALL beneficial yogas.
ALL planets in moveable signs.
Resident in foreign country, unjust.
Rahu + Mars + Saturn in 1st; OR 1st lord in 8th with Rahu and malefics.
Testicle swelling and venereal complaints.
1st lord in 12th and 12th lord in 1st (mutual exchange).
Loss of wealth, generally poor, mean motives.
The lord of the house occupied by the 2nd lord is Saturn.
Likes falsehood, indulges in fraudulent schemes.
Gnana Yoga: Combinations for Knowledge
Gnana means knowledge — both scholarship/literary power AND spiritual realisation. Literary power comes from Venus and Mercury, controlled by Jupiter.
| Combination | Result |
|---|---|
| Jupiter powerful, well aspected, Vargottama | Great lecturer and orator |
| Mercury in kendra + Venus in 2nd + Moon/Jupiter in 3rd | Great astrologer |
| Mars strong in 2nd with Mercury + Moon; Mars and Mercury in quadrant | Great mathematician |
| Jupiter/Venus as 2nd lord, aspected by Mars, Sun in exaltation/moolatrikona | Great logician and psychologist |
| Jupiter + 2nd lord powerful + Jupiter conjunct Sun | Expert in grammar and prosody |
| Jupiter + Venus in quadrants + Mercury as navamsa lord of 2nd lord | Versatile genius |
| 2nd lord Mercury in deep exaltation + Jupiter in navamsa of Leo | Great philosopher |
Dhana Yoga: Combinations for Wealth
The Moon, Jupiter, and the lords of the 2nd, 4th, 9th, and 11th houses control wealth. Their favourable position in Rasi or Navamsa invariably leads to great wealth.
The lord of the 2nd with the lord of the 9th occupying the 11th, with the Moon and Jupiter well placed, will make the person a millionaire. The lords of the 2nd, 4th, and 9th should be aspected by the Moon and disposed favourably towards it.
Key Takeaways
-
Yogas are special named combinations unique to Hindu astrology — check every chart for them
They override ordinary rules: a powerful Arishtayoga can destroy an otherwise promising chart. -
Kesari Yoga (Moon-Jupiter in mutual quadrants) is one of the most common and beneficial
Look for it first — it's present in a significant percentage of charts and gives respect, enjoyments, and posterity. -
Adhi Yoga (benefics in 6th/7th/8th from Moon) produces king-like results
Commander, Minister, or ruler. Foeless and disease-free. One of the most powerful yogas. -
Kemadruma Yoga (no planets flanking Moon) can neutralise ALL good yogas
Always check for Kemadruma. Cancelled by Jupiter's aspect on Moon or planets in kendras from Moon. -
The Gnana combinations reveal specific intellectual gifts: astrologer, mathematician, philosopher, etc.
Mercury + Venus + Jupiter in specific configurations indicate the TYPE of knowledge the person excels in. -
Dhana Yoga: 2nd lord + 9th lord in 11th with Moon and Jupiter = millionaire
Wealth comes from the favourable disposition of 2nd, 4th, 9th, 11th lords, Moon, and Jupiter.
In Part 19, we enter the massive reference chapters: each planet's results in each of the 12 houses — a complete 9 × 12 = 108-entry lookup table that tells you exactly what happens when the Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rahu, or Ketu occupies any house.
Based on
Hindu Predictive Astrology
by B.V. Raman | First published 1938 | UBS Publishers' Distributors Ltd.