Astrological Principles for Spirituality Part – 1

Hari-yoga, Hara-yoga, Brahma-yoga: Yogas relegated to Visnu, Siva and Brahma

Naturally, devotees of the three principle deities behind creation (Brahma), sustenance (Visnu) and destruction (Siva) are going to be found frequently in the charts of spiritual aspirants. These are defined as follows:

Hari-yoga: Benefics are in the 2^nd and 12^th, or in 8^th from the lord of the 2^nd. Since the 2^nd house, like the 6^th, is in a trinal location from the 10^th, it is very closely linked to Laksmi-devi (Sri) in Jyotish. The 10^th, although the seat of Indra or svarga-loka, is the most important house of Visnu, as it is through the 10^th house that all of creation is maintained and protected. Later in this article, how the 6^th house (seva) connects one to spiritual path is discussed as well. Anyway, Hari-yoga indicates the connection of Hari (another name for Visnu, which means “one who protects the devotee from all calamities”) to the 2^nd house, which is ruled by Sri, the goddess of fortune.

Hara-yoga: Benefics are in the 4^th, 8^th or 9^th from the lord of the 7^th. Hara is another name for Lord Siva. The 7^th house is the seat of Lord Siva, given that he presides over the functions of destruction or annihilation. Thus reinforcement of auspicious houses relative to the 7^th lord brings the support and blessings of Lord Siva.

Brahma-yoga: There are two ways in which Brahma-yoga can be formed:

a)      Benefics are positioned in the 4^th, 10^th and 11^th from the lord of the lagna; or

b)      Jupiter is in kendra from the 9^th lord, Venus is in kendra from the 11^th lord and Mercury is in kendra from the 1^st or 10^th lords.

Particularly, the first definition of the Brahma-yoga applies in this discussion, as Brahma, the demi-god in charge of creation, rules the lagna or the 1^st house. By way of positioning benefics in the 4^th, 10^th and 11^th houses, the lagna is reinforced and strengthened, thus bringing the blessings of Brahma in horoscopic symbolism.

Yogas involving Jupiter and Venus (sura and asura guru respectively)

These, in essence, are yogas for great learning:

Jupiter and Venus are respectively Brhaspati and Sukra among the planetary pantheon of demi-gods. They are thus the gurus of the suras (godly entities or demi-gods), as well as asuras (demonic entities) respectfully. Their functions are great perceptors or gurus, with respect to para and apara vidya. Yogas involving these two gurus are significant in the charts of spiritualists, and in fact are found in a variety of cases. The most important of such yogas involving Jupiter and Venus are as follows:

Sarasvati-yoga: Jupiter, Venus and Mercury are in kendras, as well as the 2^nd, 4^th, 5^th, 9^th or 11^th houses. The result is that the native becomes a learned scholar in a variety of subjects and is recognized as such. This yoga is especially poignant when found in the Navamsa as well as Vimsamsa charts.

Bheri-yoga: Jupiter and Venus are in kendra from the lagna lord, while the 9^th lord is strong. The result is a virtuous, religious and saintly individual who possess many auspicious qualities.

Amsavatara-yoga: Jupiter and Venus are in a kendra from Saturn, who is either a strong yogakaraka or is in exaltation. This gives great learning, renunciation and a spotless reputation. Note that this yoga forms verbatim in the Navamsa (D-9) chart of Srila Ramanujacarya.

Kalanidhi-yoga: Jupiter in the 2^nd or 5^th house conjoined or aspected by Venus and Mercury. This indicates exceptional character, learning, respect and a widespread reputation.

Bharati-yoga: This is an important yoga for spiritual learning and forms in two ways:

a)      The Navamsa dispositor of the 2^nd lord joins (in the Rasi chart) the 9^th lord; and

b)      The Navamsa dispositor of the 5^th lord joins (in the Rasi chart) the 9^th lord.

Again, in these instances, the 2^nd and 5^th lords and their connections to the 9^th lord are important to note when evaluating the levels of spiritual knowledge which may be attained by the native. Bharati-yoga gives the native intelligence, learning, a spotless character and a far-reaching reputation.

Yogas involving Dusthanas: 6^th, 8^th and 12^th houses

Although dusthanas are inauspicious materially speaking, they are important houses in consideration of specific spiritual inclinations in the charts of spiritualists. Natural or functional benefics in strength in these houses elevate the nature of the related areas of life for the spiritualists. Thus, some important yogas relegated to dusthanas are as following:

Harsha-yoga: The lord of the 6^th house occupies the 6^th itself. Briefly, the 6^th house is the house of sad-ripus, and thus brings sufferings to the native if the 6^th house or lord have multiple afflictions by malefics. If benefics occupy the 6^th house in strength, however, if the 6^th lord occupies the 6^th and is aspected by natural and functional benefics, then the soul advancing on the spiritual path is interested in seva or service, and thus has little if any inclination to develop strategies by which he can achieve material success. This service either directly or indirectly promotes the cause of dharma. Note in this connection, that the 6^th, like the 2^nd, are the trinal houses from the 10^th, and thus important within the context of dharma. Finally, Harsha-yoga is even more powerful if Sankha-yoga forms simultaneously.

Sarala-yoga: The 8^th lord occupies the 8^th house itself. The 8^th is the house of asta-siddhis or the eight-fold mystic perfections that result from the practice of the yoga system of astanga-yoga. Perfections attained in this connection refers to extra-human powers, which, if used to exploit or abuse others, result in serious afflictions to the longevity, happiness and general well-being of the native in future lifetimes. Malefic aspects or associations to this house show that the native experiences sure and certain mental and physical afflictions throughout the course of lifetime.

If however, the lord of the 8^th occupies the 8^th, and especially if it is reinforced by the association or aspects of benefics, then the individual advances in consciousness through the exercise of various forms of sadhana conncted to the yoga system.

Vimala-yoga: If lord of the 12^th occupies the 12^th house. Naturally, interest in pursuit of moksa is encouraged and reinforced by this yoga, especially if it falls in the 12^th from Lagnamsa or Karakamsa Lagna. For such to occur, the 12^th lord is strengthened by way of conjunction-aspect-exchange with lords of trinal houses. If the 10^th lord is involved, then the native promotes the cause of dharma through ashrams or monasteries and-or may live the life of an ascetic as well.

If, on the other hand, the 12^th lord is afflicted by natural and functional malefics, then suffering due to sins acruing through prior lifetimes befalls the native. The interesting fact to note about the 12^th house, however, is that whether it is afflicted or reinforced by benefics, the result is still the same: the native purges the results of prior inauspicious actions (vikarmas). In the former instance, it comes as a result of suffering, whereas in the latter instance, it occurs as a result of serving dharma. In the final analysis, however, the generation of auspicious karmas is the only way that the native can attain moksa, and not by simply suffering.

Important Yogas in Charts of Spiritualists

Important Yogas in Charts of Spiritualists
According to Bhagavad Gita, the crux of all processes of sadhana (worship, meditational yoga or mantra practice) is that the practitioner is able to withdraw the senses from their objects and eventually become detached from the world of Maya (illusion) which stimulates material desire. The shakti or intensity with which the spiritual practice is performed is thus directly proportionate to how much tapasya or austerity the native is capable of performing. Spiritually advanced persons are characterized by complete self-control which results from such tapasya. The following breakdown of ascetic yogas (Parivraja-yoga) helps us get an idea of which astrological components generate such spiritual renunciation.

Parivraja-yoga
The Moon represents the sphere of manas or “mind”, and thus is the most crucial factor to analyze when seeing the inclinations towards asceticism in a nativity. In fact, the Bhagavad-gita further explains that one can either elevate oneself by a disciplined mind, or degrade oneself, depending on the willfulness of the soul to fix the mind on specific spiritual objectives. The mind is thus the friend of the conditioned soul, and-or an enemy as well. The degree to which the mind is friend or foe depends on the native’s ability to control it. Sri Krsna also explains, that the mind is superior to the physical senses, the intelligence is superior to the mind (through which one discerns the importance of focusing the mind on subject matters which liberate it from desire), and superior to all of them, is the soul itself. Thus the mind is a neutral factor which records and reflects the environmental stimuli. The intelligence, guided by the soul, directs the mind to detach from that which degrades it and to be absorbed in that which elevates it. As a result of this tapasya or austerity, the soul ultimately becomes freed from deha-smrti or bodily consciousness, and is thus able to attain moksa ultimately.
So the first of the Parivraja-yogas, through which elevation through mental and sensual detachment can occur, are as follows:
• The lord of the Moon sign is aspected by Saturn and no other planet
• The Moon occupies a Navamsa of Mars and is aspected by Saturn or occupies a drekkana of Mars and is aspected by Mars and Saturn. Note that the aspect of Saturn in these instances can be viewed in the Rasi chart, as well as in the Navamsa and Drekkana charts.
• The Moon and Saturn conjoin, and either occupy or aspect (by rasi drsti) the Arudha Lagna. Note that this applies in the Rasi, Navamsa, Drekkana and Vimsamsa charts as well.
• If all the planets aspect the Moon by Rasi or Graha Drsti, then the native is a famous sanyasi.
• If Jupiter is in the 9th house, and the Moon, Jupiter and the Ascendant are all influenced by Saturn, then the native renounces worldly pleasures.
• As a variable of the above yogas, it is often found that the Moon is in a Rasi or Navamsa of Saturn and has Parivartana-yoga (mutual exchange) with Saturn.
• Further, if the lord of the Moon sign happens to be Saturn itself, then if Saturn’s dispositor is aspected by or has a sambandha with Saturn, then Parivraja-yoga applies.
• Parivraja-yoga is formed if the lagna is at the end of a sign with a benefic in it, and if Jupiter is in a kendra or trikona.
• Finally, if the lord of the 10th house joins four other planets in a kendra, then the native not only renounces the world, but also attains moksa at the conclusion of this lifetime.

Tapasavi Yoga
• Venus, Saturn and Ketu all mutually aspect, and preferably aspect the lagna as well. These can be present in the Rasi chart as well as the Navamsa chart, the Drekkana chart and the Vimsamsa chart;
• Venus, Saturn and Ketu are also in mutual trikonas in Tapasavi-yoga.
For Tapasavi-yoga, the following additional considerations may also be born in mind:
1. If the yoga forms in both the Rasi and Navamsa charts, it is all the more powerful;
2. If the Atmakaraka, the Sun or the lord of Lagna are involved in both Rasi and Navamsa charts, then much greater significance added to the assessment of spiritual strength through the tapas of the native;
3. If the Arudha Lagna or the Moon are involved in the yoga, then the native becomes very famous for spiritual renunciation and austerity; and
4. See which houses of the chart Venus falls in, how strong Venus is and whether there is a conjunction of Venus with Rahu or Ketu. The former suggests that the native deviates from vows of renunciation, whereas the latter indicates that the native’s renunciation is complete.

Other Yogas for Tapasya
• Saturn alone aspecting the lagna or its lord leads to renunciation.
• Malefics in the 2nd or 8th from UL are inauspicious for happiness in marriage and family life.
• Malefics in the 3rd and 7th from UL indicate little motivation or desire for family life; or UL placed in the 8th house aspected by malefics brings disillusionment with household life and worldly happiness.
• A strong Saturn aspecting or conjoining A7, and-or Darakaraka produces lack of romantic or sexual happiness, and can lead to ultimate renunciation of marriage and family. This, however, depends on the presence of other strong yogas for the possibility of sadhana and other spiritual practices simultaneously.
It is important to mention here, that if only Saturn and Ketu influence the Rasi lagna or Navamsa lagna, then the individual is a false sanyasi. That is because the persona or outward dress may suggest renunciation. Yet if Venus, the karaka of sensuality, is not involved, the internal renunciation is lacking, while only external show of renunciation manifests.
Further, it is sometimes seen that an individual is willing and perform celibacy or other forms of strict renunciation, but then falls away from the path ultimately. Or, it is seen that someone may not be able to observe the strict principles of spiritual renunciation over an extended period of time, yet he has deep respect for those who are able to. Note the circumstances under which both situations may occur.
• In the former situation, it is often found that the lord of the Moon sign or other important yogakaraka is combust or weak due to being in rasi-sandhi, bhava-sandhi positions or weak avasthas.
• In the latter situation, it may be that more than one planet aspects the lord of the Moon sign. Or, if inspite of the Saturn-Moon-Lagna connection in chart, Venus is too strong or pre-dominating, then the native might incline too much towards sexual or other sensual enjoyment. Still they have regard and respect for those who exhibit true spiritual renunciation.

Four or more planets in a single bhava:
Four or more planets in strength occupying a single house with Rajayoga present in the horoscope. The type of asceticism depends upon the strongest in the combination.
Mars produces Sakyas who worshipped Devi, the Goddess of power;
Mercury produces Jeevikas who worshipped Vishnu, the preserver of the Universe;
Jupiter makes the person a Bhikshu, a mendicant, professing Samkhya philosophy;
Moon makes Vriddhas who believe in Supreme God and go around begging alms with a skull like pot;
Saturn produces Nirgranthas who roam naked like the Nagas;
Sun makes a person Vanyasana who believe in simple living and high thinking, possessing high intellect and is spiritually developed.
This is especially so, if the house harboring these planets is a Kendra and one of the planets involved is the lord of the 12th house (Moksa). The strongest of them will denote the type of renunciation as per Parasara.
Placement in Kendra is important because then they will most likely cause a great influence on the 4th house (heart) which will develop the desire for renunciation. If the 4th house is left out of the combination, then the renunciation will be only superficial. Involvement of Saturn as Naisargika Karaka for renunciation is important and the yoga must affect the Moon or the 4th house (mind), otherwise the desire for giving up enjoyment will not occur.