The Main Yogas of a Chart: Gajakesari, Pancha Mahapurusha, Raja Yoga, Dhana Yoga and Kemadruma

When two or more planets are specially related in a chart, that is a yoga. The classical texts name hundreds. But one point first: almost every chart contains some "raja yoga". Having a yoga and having it deliver are not the same.

Pancha Mahapurusha yogas

When Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus or Saturn is in its own or exaltation sign and in a kendra (first, fourth, seventh or tenth house) from the lagna (some say also from the Moon), one of five great-person yogas forms:

Gajakesari yoga

Jupiter in a kendra (first, fourth, seventh or tenth) from the Moon makes Gajakesari: the strength of an elephant and the dignity of a lion, meaning reputation, intelligence and influence. About one chart in three has this arrangement, so for it to be strong both Jupiter and the Moon must be strong: not debilitated, combust or in a dusthana.

Raja yoga

When a kendra lord (first, fourth, seventh, tenth) and a trikona lord (first, fifth, ninth) sit together, aspect each other or exchange signs, a raja yoga forms. The strongest is the union of the ninth and tenth lords, called dharma-karmadhipati yoga.

Yogakaraka: when one planet alone rules both a kendra and a trikona for a lagna, it is the yogakaraka: Saturn for Taurus and Libra, Mars for Cancer and Leo, Venus for Capricorn and Aquarius.

Dhana yoga

When the lords of the second and eleventh (wealth and gain) connect with the lords of the fifth or ninth (merit and fortune), a dhana yoga forms. The involvement of the lagna lord strengthens it.

Viparita raja yoga

When the lords of the sixth, eighth and twelfth sit among those same houses, bad cancels bad: a sudden rise through adversity, or gain from a rival's fall. The three named forms are Harsha (from the sixth lord), Sarala (the eighth) and Vimala (the twelfth).

Budhaditya yoga

The Sun and Mercury together make Budhaditya, giving intelligence and analytical power. But Mercury never strays more than about 28° from the Sun, so the yoga is very common; it counts when Mercury is not combust, that is, at least 14° from the Sun.

Kemadruma yoga

When there is no planet, apart from the Sun and the nodes, in the houses either side of the Moon (the second and twelfth from it), Kemadruma forms: loneliness, restlessness and money troubles are attributed to it. Its cancellation is very common: a planet in a kendra from the Moon or the lagna, or a planet with the Moon, breaks it.

Will a yoga deliver? Four questions

1. How strong are the planets forming it? Debilitation, combustion or affliction by malefics reduce the result.
2. Which house is it in? Strong in kendras and trikonas, weak in dusthanas.
3. How are they in the navamsha? If the planets are strong in the navamsha, the yoga in the birth chart holds. See navamsha.
4. Will the dasha come? If the periods of the yoga's planets do not arrive during the working years of life, the yoga stays dormant.

Only when all four answers are favourable does a yoga deserve to be called a true raja yoga.