Week 6 · Unit 2 · Yogas, Wealth, Longevity and Condition
Milestone 2 of 4: The Yoga Kāraka, and what blocks one
The Yoga Kāraka, and What Blocks One
The twelve-ascendant table — derived rather than copied — and the blocking conditions that almost everyone drops.
Assumes you have done: Unit 1 of this week — the four-tier framework
Why this matters
A Yoga Kāraka is the single most favourable thing a planet can be for a given ascendant, and identifying one takes about ten seconds once you can derive it. This unit asks you to derive all twelve rather than memorise a table, for a specific reason: the tables in circulation disagree with each other, and two of them disagree with what BPHS's general rule produces. Being able to regenerate the table means you can adjudicate. Copying one means you cannot.
Learn
The Yoga Kāraka is the best thing a planet can be for a given ascendant, and the concept takes about a minute to state. What takes longer, and what most teaching skips, is everything that qualifies it.
Two ways one is formed
Relational (verses 11–12). An angular lord and a trinal lord connected by: an exchange of signs, conjunction in one house, each occupying the other’s house, or full mutual aspect. Any of those four, and the pair are Yoga Kārakas.
Single-planet (verse 13). One planet ruling both a Kendra and a Trikoṇa, and occupying a Kendra or Trikoṇa.
The difference matters. The relational form is chart-specific — the two lords may or may not be connected. The single-planet form is a property of the ascendant itself: for a Cancer ascendant, Mars rules the 5th and the 10th no matter what else happens, so the potential is always there.
Deriving the six
Six of the twelve ascendants give one planet both a Kendra and a Trikoṇa. Work them yourself before reading on — it takes ten minutes and it is worth more than the answer.
| Ascendant | Planet | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| Taurus | Saturn | 9th (Capricorn) + 10th (Aquarius) |
| Cancer | Mars | 5th (Scorpio) + 10th (Aries) |
| Leo | Mars | 4th (Scorpio) + 9th (Aries) |
| Libra | Saturn | 4th (Capricorn) + 5th (Aquarius) |
| Capricorn | Venus | 5th (Taurus) + 10th (Libra) |
| Aquarius | Venus | 4th (Taurus) + 9th (Libra) |
Three planets, each serving two ascendants. In each pair, one ascendant gives the planet the 10th plus a Trikoṇa and the other gives it the 4th plus a Trikoṇa.
And notice which planets they are: Saturn, Mars and Venus — two natural malefics and one benefic. If functional nature tracked natural nature, this list would look completely different.
Where Parashara’s own entries fall short of his rule
Now compare with verses 19 to 44, where Parashara goes through the twelve ascendants in order.
He names the Yoga Kāraka explicitly for Taurus (Saturn will cause Rāja Yoga), Cancer (Mars is full Yoga Kāraka), Capricorn (it is only Venus that is a superior Yogakāraka) and Aquarius (Venus is the only planet that is Rāja Yoga Kāraka).
He does not name one for Leo or for Libra.
For Libra, verses 33 to 34 say Saturn and Mercury are benefics, and name the Moon and Mercury as the Rāja Yoga Kārakas — which is the relational pair, the 10th lord and the 9th lord. Saturn’s qualification through the 4th and 5th, which verse 13’s general rule plainly produces, is not mentioned.
Same shape for Leo at verses 29 to 30: Mars is called a benefic, and its single-planet qualification through the 4th and 9th is not named.
The part everyone drops
Verses 14 and 15 come immediately after the formation rules, and they are restrictions.
Verse 14. A malefic gains auspiciousness from angular lordship only if it is also a trinal lord. Angular lordship alone does not do it. This is what stops the four-tier framework from making every malefic Kendra lord favourable.
Verse 15. If an angular or trinal lord also rules a Trishadāya house — the 3rd, 6th or 11th — the native does not get Rāja Yoga from that relationship alone.
Three questions, every time
For any yoga anyone ever claims — including one you find yourself —
- Is it formed? Does the required relationship actually exist, in one of the specified forms?
- Is it blocked? Does either planet rule a Trishadāya? Does verse 14’s restriction apply?
- Can it deliver? What is each planet’s dignity, strength, and placement?
A Yoga Kāraka relationship between two debilitated planets sitting in Duḥsthānas is genuinely present and produces very little. Chapter 36 tells you the combination exists. Week 5’s material tells you whether anything comes of it. Neither answers the other’s question.
That third check is the whole reason this course put strength before yogas rather than after.
Read BPHS
This is the source itself. The teaching above prepares you for it; it does not replace it.
केन्द्रकोणपती स्यातां परस्परगृहोपगौ ।
एकभे द्वौ स्थितौ वाऽपि ह्मेकभेऽन्यतरः स्थितः ॥ ११ ॥
पूर्णदृष्ट्येक्षितौ वाऽपि मिथौ योगकारौ तथा ।
योगेऽस्मिन् जायते भूपो विख्यातो वा जनो भवेत् ॥ १२ ॥
11-12. ANGULAR AND TRINAL LORDSHIPS : If there is an exchange between an angular Lord and a trinal Lord, or if they are in conjunction in a House, or if either of them is there in the other's House, or if they have full aspect of each other, they are Yoga Karakas (they cause auspicious combinations). The native born in this combination will become either a King or an eminent person.
कोणेशत्वे यदैकस्य केन्द्रेशत्वं च जायते ।
केन्द्रे कोणे स्थितो वाऽसौ विशेषाद्योगकारकः ॥ १३ ॥
- If one and the same planet becomes the lord of a trine and also the Lord of an angle and occupies an angle or a trine it will prove to be a Yoga Karaka.
केन्द्रेशत्वेन पापानां या प्रोक्ता शुभकारिता ।
सा त्रिकोणाधिपत्येऽपि न केन्द्रेशत्वमात्रतः ॥ १४ ॥
- ANGULAR LORDSHIP: The auspiciousness that a malefic planet acquires when he becomes an angular Lord is acquired by him only when he is a trinal lord also. He does not get this auspiciousness by being merely an angular lord.
केन्द्रकोणाधिपावेव पापस्थानाधिपौ यदा ।
तयोः सम्बन्धमात्रेण न योगं लभते नरः ॥ १५ ॥
- If an angular Lord or a trinal Lord becomes the Lord of any of malefic Houses (3-6-11), the native doesnot get Raja Yoga only by this relationship.
यद्भावेशयुतौ वाऽपि यद्यद्भावसमागतौ ।
तत्तत्फलानि प्रबलौ प्रदिशेतां तमोप्रहौ ॥ १६ ॥
- RAHU AND KETU: The shadowy planets Rahu and Ketu give predominantly the effects of the Lord of the House with whom they are in conjunction or of the House in which they are situated.
intensify or strengthen the effect of the planet with whom they are in conjunction. Therefore, the native gets the effects of that planet extraordinarily. Another thing that has been pointed out in the sloka is that these planets (Rahu and Ketu) cause the effects of that house in which they are situated (if they are not in conjunction with any planet). Here a doubtful question arises. Suppose Rahu is situated in the Ascendant in the sign of Sagittarius. Will he cause the effects of the 2nd sign of Jupiter which is Pisces and is situated in the 4th House or will he not do so? We know that all the planets except the Moon and the Sun are lords of two signs. In this condition as Rahu is situated in the sign of Sagittarius, the first sign of Jupiter, he will cause the effects of Jupiter and will bring intensity in these effects. And because it brings intensity in the effects of Jupiter, the 4th House where there is the other sign of Jupiter namely Pisces should also be benefitted by it. In this way Rahu will also get the Lordship of two Houses. The question is whether it is right? It is clearly written in this Sloka यघद् भाव समागतौ that is Rahu and Ketu should cause the effects of that house in which they are situated and they get the quality, nature and habit of that planet with whom they are in conjunction. Nay, they also multiply two fold the effects and qualities etc of that planet.
यदि केन्द्रे त्रिकोणे वा निवसेतां तमोग्रहौ ।
नाथेनान्यतरेणाढ्यौ दृष्टौ वा योगकारकौ ॥ १७ ॥
- If the shadowy planets Rahu and Ketu are situated in an angle or a trine, are in conjunction with or are aspected by the Angular Lord or the Trinal Lord, even then they are Yoga Karakas.
कस्मिल्लग्ने प्रजातस्य के ग्रहा योगकारकाः ।
के चाऽशुभप्रदाः खेटा: कृपया वद मे मुने ! ॥ १८ ॥
- (Maitreya said to Sage Parasara) O Sage, Kindly tell me which planets are Yogakarakas in various ascendants and which of them are givers of inaspicious effects.
यथा पृष्टं त्वया विप्र ! तदोदाहरणं ब्रुवे ।
रन्ध्रेशत्वेऽपि भूपुत्रो भवेच्छूभसहायवान् ॥ १९ ॥
मन्दसौम्यसिताः पापा: शुभौ गुरुदिवाकरौ ।
न शुभं योगमात्रेण प्रभवेच्छनि-जीवयोः ॥ २० ॥
पारतन्त्रयेण जीवस्य पापकर्मापि निश्चतम् ।
शुक्रः साक्षान्त्रिहन्ता स्यान्मारकत्वेन लक्षितः ॥ २१ ॥
मन्दादयोऽपि हन्तारो भवेयुः पापिनो ग्रहाः ।
मेषलग्नोद्भवस्यैवं फलं ज्ञेयं द्विजोत्तम ! ॥ २२ ॥
19-22. PLANETS AND ARIES ASCENDANTS: O Vipra (Brahmana) I shall cite examples according as you have asked me. In Aries Ascendant, Mars is helpful to a planet giving auspicious effects even when he is the Lord of the 8th House, Saturn, Mercury and Venus are malefics while Jupiter and the Sun are benefics. It is not only the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter that will be a Yoga Karaka; and Jupiter's giving of inauspicious effects is also certain if he is at the disposal of a malefic. Venus is a direct or independent killer (or she is the killer incarnate). She is endowed with the qualities of a killer etc. The malefic planets Saturn etc may also become killers (in particular situations). O excellent of the Brahmins, the above are the effects that will be got by the native born in Aries Ascendent.
जीवशुक्रेन्दवः पापा: शुभौ शनिदिवाकरौ ।
राजयोगकरः सौरिर्बुधस्त्वल्पशुभप्रदः ॥ २३ ॥
जीवादयो कुजश्चापि सन्ति मारकलक्षणाः ।
वृषलग्नोद्भवस्यैवं फलान्यूह्यानि र्सूरिभिः ॥ २४ ॥
23-24. FOR TAURUS ASCENDANT: Jupiter, Venus and the Moon are malefics while Saturn and the Sun are auspicious. Saturn will cause Raja Yoga, Mercury is the giver of less auspicious effects. Jupiter etc and Mars also are endowed with the features of a killer. These are the effects which will be obtained by men born in the Taurus Ascendant.
भौमजीवारुणाः पापा: एक एव कवि: शुभः ।
शनैश्चरेण: जीवस्य योगो मेषभवो यथा ॥ २५ ॥
शशी मुख्यनिहन्ताऽसौ साहचर्याच्च पाकदः ।
द्वन्द्वलग्नोद्भवस्यैवं फलान्यूह्यानि पंडितैः ॥ २६ ॥
25-26. FOR GEMINI ASCENDANT: Mars, Jupiter, and the Sun are malefic planets, it is only Venus that is benefic. The combination of Saturn and Jupiter is similar to that which happens in Aries Ascendant. The Moon is the prime killer but this quality of her depends on the combination and Dasa of another planet. It is these effects that have been spoken by the learned astrologers of the native born in Gemini Ascendant.
भार्गवेन्दुसुतौ पापौ भूसुतेज्येन्दवः शुभाः ।
पूर्णयोगकरः साक्षान्मंगलो मंगलप्रदः ॥ २७ ॥
निहन्ताऽर्कसुतोऽर्कस्तु साहचर्यात् फलप्रदः ।
कर्कलग्नोद्भवस्यैवं फलं प्रोक्तं मनीषिभिः ॥ २८ ॥
27-28. CANCER ASCENDANT: Venus and Mercury are malefics, Mars, Jupiter and Moon are benefics. Of these Mars is full Yoga Karaka and he is the giver of auspicious effects. Saturn and the Sun are killers and are givers of good effects being in association with benefics. It is in this way that the effects of a native born in the Cancer Ascendant have been spoken of by the learned astrologers.
सौम्यशुक्रार्कजाः पापा: कुजेज्यार्का शुभावहाः ।
प्रभवेद्योगमात्रेण न शुभं गुरुशुक्रयोः ॥ २९ ॥
मारकस्तु शनिश्चन्द्रः साहचर्यात् फलप्रदः ।
सिंहलग्ने प्रजातस्य फलं ज्ञेयं विपश्चिता ॥ ३० ॥
29-30. LEO ASCENDANT: Mercury, Venus and Saturn are malefics and Mars, Jupiter and the Sun are benefics. But Jupiter and Venus donot become auspicious merely by virtue of being in conjunction. Saturn is the killer and the Moon is the giver of good effects if she is in association with some benefic. These are the effects which are to be known by the Learned astrologers of the native born in the Leo Ascendant.
Mars, being an angular and a trinal Lord gives auspicious effects and proves to be a benefic of the first order and a Yoga Karaka for the natives born in this Ascendant. Although according to the '**Jataka Parijaata**' for the natives of the Fixed Ascendants Mars has been declared to be an obstacle but experience doesnot prove it to be true. In his Dasa and Antardasa periods he gives the native wealth, honour, good luck, happiness, promotion, progress in his profession, popularity, landed property etc. The Sun, being the Ascendant Lord becomes and gives the effects of an angle and a trine simultaneously. Therefore his Dasa and Antardasa also are Yoga Karaka like those of Mars but if he is debilitated he will create problems to the native. Jupiter and Venus in conjunction donot make a Yoga Karaka combination. The reason is both have the defect of respectively, becoming the 8th Lord and the 3rd Lord Therefore the 5th or trinal lordship of Jupiter and the 10th or angular lordship of Venus should not be considered as a Yoga Karaka combination. Though the Mooltrikona sign of Jupiter falls in the 5th House, yet that of Venus will fall in the 3rd House (a malefic House) However, the Mooltrikona sign of Mars is in the 5th House and if he gets the conjunction of Mars in this situation he may become a Yoga Karaka planet. He will also get this quality if he gets related to the Sun. But the relation of Venus and Mars or Venus and the Sun will not be a Yoga Karaka because these, Mars and the Sun, get a trishadayapati to be related. Venus has her Mooltrikona sign in a trishadaya House, the 3rd House, and being an angular Lord, Venus also acquires the defect of being a Kendradhipati and "केन्द्राधिपत्य दोषस्तु बलवान गरु शुक्रयो" (that is Jupiter and Venus are very strong in the defect of being angular Lords.) according to this rule the defect of being angular Lord is also extraordinary in the case of Venus.
The Moon will be the 12th Lord and will give effects of the planet with whom she will be conjuncted or in the sign of which planet she will be situated.
कुजजीवेन्दवः पापा: बुध-शुक्रौ शुभावहौ ।
भार्गवेन्दुसुतावेव भवेतां योगकारकौ ॥ ३१ ॥
मारकोऽपि कविः, सूर्यः साहचर्यफलप्रदः ।
कन्यालग्नोद्भवस्यैवं फलान्यूह्यानि सूरिभिः ॥ ३२ ॥
31-32. VIRGO ASCENDANT: Mars and Jupiter and the Moon are malefics and Mercury and Venus are benefics and Mercury and Venus are also Yoga Karakas. Venus is a killer also and the Sun gives effects because of his association. The learned astrologers have spoken these effects of the native born in the Virgo Ascendant.
जीवार्कभूसुताः पापा: शनैश्चरबुधौ शुभौ ।
भवेतां राजयोगस्य कारकौ चन्द्रतत्सुतौ ॥ ३३ ॥
कुजो निहन्ति जीवाद्याः पापा मारकलक्षणाः ।
शुक्र: समः फलान्येवं विज्ञेयानि तुलोद्भवे ॥ ३४ ॥
33-34. LIBRA ASCENDANT: Jupiter, the Sun and Mars are malefics and Saturn and Mercury are benefics. The Moon and Mercury become the Karakas of Raya Yoga. Mars is the killer and Jupiter etc. acquire the quality or disposition of the natural malefic planets and they are endowed with the qualities of killers. Venus is neutral, that is neither benefic nor malefic. These effects are to be known of the native born in the Libra Ascendant.
सितज्ञशनयः पापा: शुभौ गुरुनिशाकरौ ।
सूर्याचन्द्रमसावेव भवेतां योगकारकौ ॥ ३५ ॥
कुज: समः सिताद्याश्च पापा मारकलक्षणाः ।
एवं फलं च विज्ञेयं वृश्चिकोदयजन्मनः ॥ ३६ ॥
35-36. SCORPIO ASCENDANT: Venus, Mercury and Saturn are malefics and Jupiter and the Moon are benefics. The Sun and the Moon become Yoga Karakas. Mars is neutral. Venus and other malefics acquire the disposition of killers. These effects are to be known of the natives born in the Scorpio Ascendant.
एक एव कविः पाप: शुभौ भौमदिवाकरौ ।
योगो भास्करसौम्याभ्यां निहन्ता भास्करात्मजः ॥ ३७ ॥
गुरु: समफलः ख्यातः शुक्रो मारकलक्षणः ।
धनुर्लग्नौद्भवस्यैवं फलं ज्ञेयं विपश्चिता ॥ ३८ ॥
37-38. SAGITTARIUS ASCENDANT: Only one Venus is a malefic. Mars and the Sun are benefics. The Sun and Mercury are Yoga Karakas, Saturn is a killer. Jupiter is known to be neutral and Venus is endowed with killing powers. These are the effects that the learned astrologers have to know of the native born in the Sagittarius Ascendant.
कुजजीवेन्दवः पापा: शुभौ भार्गवचन्द्रजौ ।
मन्दः स्वयं न हन्ता स्याद् हन्ति पापा: कुजादयः ॥ ३९ ॥
सूर्यः समफल: प्रोक्तः कविरेकः सुयोगकृत् ।
मृगलग्नोद्भवस्यैवं फलान्यूह्यानि सूरिभिः ॥ ४० ॥
39-40. CAPRICORN ASCENDANT: Mars, Jupiter and the Moon are malefics. while Venus and Mercury are benefics Saturn himself will not be a killer. Mars and other malefics will cause death or will be killers. The Sun is said to be neutral. It is only Venus that is a superior Yogakaraka. It is in this way that the effects of the native born in the Capricorn Ascendant are to be spoken by the learned astrologers.
जीव-चन्द्र-कुजा: पापा: शुक्रसूर्यात्मजौ शुभौ ।
राजयोगकरो ज्ञेयः कविरेव, बृहस्पतिः ॥ ४१ ॥
सूर्यो भोमश्च हन्तारो बुधो मध्यफल: स्मृतः ।
कुम्भलग्नोद्भवस्यैवं फलान्यूह्यानि सूरिभिः ॥ ४२ ॥
41-42. AQUARIUS ASCENDANT: Jupiter, the Moon and Mars are malefics while Venus and Saturn are benefics. Venus is the only planet that is Raja Yoga Karaka while Jupiter, the Sun and Mars are killers. Mercury gives medium effects. It is in this way that Learned astrologers have to describe the effects of a native born in the Aquarius Ascendant.
मन्दशुक्रांशुमत्सौम्याः पापा भौमविधू शुभौ ।
महीसुतगुरू योगकारकौ च महीसुतः ॥ ४३ ॥
मारकोऽपि न हन्ताऽसौ मन्दज्ञौ मारकौ स्मृतौ !
मीनलग्नोद्भवस्यैवं फलानि परिचिन्तयेत् ॥ ४४ ॥
43-44. PISCES ASCENDANT: Saturn, Venus, the Sun and Mercury are malefic while Mars and the Moon are benefics. Mars and Jupiter will cause a Yoga. Mars, even though he is a killer, will not remain so. Saturn and Mercury will be killers. The effects for the native born in the Pisces Ascendant are to be considered in this way.
एवं भावाधिपत्येन जन्मलग्नवशादिह ।
शुभत्वमशुभत्वं च ग्रहाणां प्रतिपादितम् ॥ ४५ ॥
अन्यानपि पुनर्योगान् नाभसादीन् विचिन्त्य वै ।
देहिनां च फलं वाच्यं प्रवक्ष्यामि च तानहम् ॥ ४६ ॥
45-46. It is in this way that the auspiciousness and inauspiciousness of the planets have been considered, these (auspiciousness or inauspiciousness) are derived from their being the Lords of particular Houses and also according to the Ascendant. Besides these, there are other Yogas like Nabhasa Yoga etc. also, after considering which should be spoken the effects for the natives, I narrate these hereafter.
Practice
State the two ways a Yoga Kāraka is formed, from verses 11 to 13.
Write your answer down before opening the explanation.
Show the answer and why
Answer: Relational — an angular lord and a trinal lord in exchange, in conjunction, each in the other's house, or in full mutual aspect. Single-planet — one planet ruling both a Kendra and a Trikoṇa, and occupying a Kendra or a Trikoṇa.
Two mechanisms and they are easy to conflate. The relational form needs a connection between two planets and is therefore chart-specific — it may or may not be present. The single-planet form is a property of the ascendant itself: for a Cancer ascendant, Mars rules the 5th and the 10th whatever else the chart does, so the potential is always there and only the occupancy condition varies.
Source: BPHS 36.11–13
Derive the six ascendants that have a single-planet Yoga Kāraka, and name the planet for each.
Write your answer down before opening the explanation.
Show the answer and why
Answer: Taurus — Saturn (9th and 10th). Cancer — Mars (5th and 10th). Leo — Mars (4th and 9th). Libra — Saturn (4th and 5th). Capricorn — Venus (5th and 10th). Aquarius — Venus (4th and 9th).
Notice the symmetry: three planets, each serving two ascendants, and in each pair one ascendant gives the planet the 10th-and-a-Trikoṇa combination and the other gives it the 4th-and-a-Trikoṇa combination. Note also which planets they are — Saturn, Mars and Venus, two natural malefics and one benefic. Functional nature really does not track natural nature.
Source: BPHS 36.13
Compare your derived table with Parashara's ascendant entries in verses 19 to 44. Where do they differ?
Write your answer down before opening the explanation.
Show the answer and why
Answer: Parashara explicitly names the Yoga Kāraka for Taurus (Saturn), Cancer (Mars), Capricorn (Venus) and Aquarius (Venus). He does not name one for Leo or for Libra, although the general rule of verse 13 produces Mars and Saturn respectively.
This is a real and checkable finding rather than a quibble. For Libra, verses 33–34 call Saturn a benefic and name the Moon and Mercury as the Rāja Yoga Kārakas — which is the relational pair, the 10th lord and the 9th lord. Saturn's single-planet qualification through the 4th and 5th is simply not mentioned. Same shape for Leo, where Mars rules the 4th and 9th and the entry calls it a benefic without naming it Kāraka. Two readings are available. Either the entries are summaries that do not repeat everything the general rule already established, or they represent a slightly different tradition. The course does not choose. What it does insist on is that you derive the table rather than copy one, because the tables in circulation resolve this silently and in different directions.
Source: BPHS 36.13, 33–34, 29–30
State the blocking conditions from verses 14 and 15.
Write your answer down before opening the explanation.
Show the answer and why
Answer: Verse 14 — a malefic gains auspiciousness from angular lordship only if it is also a trinal lord; angular lordship alone does not do it. Verse 15 — if an angular or trinal lord also rules a Trishadāya house (3rd, 6th, 11th), the native does not get Rāja Yoga from that relationship alone.
These two verses are the reason this unit exists. A great deal of popular Jyotish identifies a Yoga Kāraka and stops, which is the equivalent of quoting Chapter 11's Ariṣṭa without Chapter 12. Both verses are restrictions in the source, stated immediately after the formation rules, and dropping them turns a careful doctrine into a horoscope column.
Source: BPHS 36.14–15
A Gemini ascendant chart has Venus, the 5th lord, in full mutual aspect with Jupiter, the 10th lord. Is that a Yoga Kāraka relationship, and what must you check?
Write your answer down before opening the explanation.
Show the answer and why
Answer: It has the form of one — a trinal lord and an angular lord in full mutual aspect, per verse 11. What must be checked: whether either also rules a Trishadāya. Venus rules the 5th and the 12th, so no. Jupiter rules the 7th and the 10th, so no. The relationship stands.
Then you keep going, because forming is not delivering. What is each planet's dignity? Its Ṣaḍbala? Where do they actually sit? A Yoga Kāraka relationship between two debilitated planets in Duḥsthānas is a relationship that exists and produces very little. Chapter 36 tells you the combination is present; Week 5 tells you whether anything comes of it.
Apply it to a chart
Chart C — Leonardo DiCaprio, the timing chart — Birth-certificate data and a well-dated public record — which is what makes timing work possible at all. · about 20 min
| Graha | Sign | House | Degree | Nakshatra | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | Libra | 2 | 25°09'44" | Vishakha 2 | debilitated |
| Moon | Virgo | 1 | 23°10'19" | Hasta 4 | neutral |
| Mars | Libra | 2 | 16°05'31" | Swati 3 | neutral |
| Mercury | Libra | 2 | 6°15'25" | Chitra 4 | neutral |
| Jupiter | Aquarius | 6 | 14°35'29" | Shatabhisha 3 | neutral |
| Venus | Libra | 2 | 26°23'27" | Vishakha 2 | own sign |
| Saturn | Gemini | 10 | 25°17'48" | Punarvasu 2 | neutral |
| Rahu | Scorpio | 3 | 17°46'00" | Jyeshtha 1 | not assigned in BPHS |
| Ketu | Taurus | 9 | 17°46'00" | Rohini 3 | not assigned in BPHS |
| Lagna | Virgo | 1 | 9°37'18" | Uttara Phalguni | lord Mercury |
Chart C rises in Virgo, which is one of the ascendants where the Yoga Kāraka is a relational pair rather than a single planet. That makes it a better exercise than a chart with an obvious single-planet Kāraka.
- For Virgo rising, list every planet's lordships and classify each house as Kendra, Trikoṇa, Trishadāya or other.
- Identify the Yoga Kāraka relationship. Which two planets, and by which of verses 11–13?
- Now check the relationship actually exists in this chart. Verse 11 requires exchange, conjunction, mutual occupation of each other's house, or full mutual aspect. Which — if any — is present here?
- Apply the blocking condition of verse 15. Does either planet also rule a Trishadāya house? Write your answer with the house numbers.
- State your conclusion in the form: a Yoga Kāraka relationship is present / absent / present but blocked, because… Then do the same for Chart B and for your own chart.
Check your understanding
Answer from memory first. Looking back at the reading before you try turns a memory test into a copying exercise.
Which three planets are single-planet Yoga Kārakas, and for which ascendants?
Write your answer down before opening the explanation.
Show the answer and why
Answer: Saturn for Taurus and Libra; Mars for Cancer and Leo; Venus for Capricorn and Aquarius.
This is one of the few genuine memorisation targets in the course, and it is worth having cold because it comes up constantly. Two of the three are natural malefics — which, once more, is the point.
Source: BPHS 36.13
Why does the course insist you derive the twelve-ascendant table rather than use a printed one?
Write your answer down before opening the explanation.
Show the answer and why
Answer: Because the printed tables disagree with each other and with BPHS's own general rule, and only derivation lets you tell which is right.
There is a documented case in this project's own history. A legacy version of this table omitted Saturn's single-planet dual lordship for Libra — exactly the case where Parashara's entry is silent — and listed only the Moon and Mercury pair. The error was found by re-deriving the row. One error found means the derivation was fallible throughout, which is why the instruction here is to derive all twelve independently rather than to trust any corrected table, including this one.
Someone tells a client "you have Rāja Yoga". What are the three questions you would want answered before accepting that?
Write your answer down before opening the explanation.
Show the answer and why
Answer: Does the relationship actually exist in the required form? Does either planet rule a Trishadāya? And are the planets in a condition to deliver anything?
Formation, blocking, delivery. Popular Jyotish routinely answers the first and ignores the other two, which is how "you have Rāja Yoga" became a phrase that means almost nothing. All three questions are answerable from what you now know, and answering them takes about two minutes.
Where would you look for what BPHS says about Yoga Kārakas for a Scorpio ascendant?
Write your answer down before opening the explanation.
Show the answer and why
Answer: Chapter 36, verses 35–36.
The ascendant survey runs from verse 19 in Aries order, two verses each. So the nth ascendant starts at roughly verse 19 + 2(n−1), which makes any of the twelve findable immediately. Scorpio is the eighth: verses 35–36, which name the Sun and Moon as Yoga Kārakas — the 10th and 9th lords, a relational pair.
Source: BPHS 36.35–36
What you carry forward
Two things grow across the whole course. This unit adds to both.
To your chart-analysis process
- **Step 10 (continued) — identify Yogas.** For each candidate yoga: confirm the formation, check the blocking conditions, then assess whether the planets involved can deliver. Never record a yoga without all three.
To your field manual
- Yoga Kāraka formation (36.11–13): RELATIONAL — an angular lord and a trinal lord in exchange, conjunction, mutual house occupation, or full mutual aspect. SINGLE-PLANET — one planet ruling both a Kendra and a Trikoṇa, occupying a Kendra or Trikoṇa.
- Single-planet Yoga Kārakas: Taurus and Libra — Saturn. Cancer and Leo — Mars. Capricorn and Aquarius — Venus.
- BLOCKING (36.14–15): a malefic gains from angular lordship only if it is also a trinal lord. Any angular or trinal lord that also rules a Trishadāya (3, 6, 11) does not give Rāja Yoga from that relationship alone.
- Parashara's ascendant entries name the Yoga Kāraka for Taurus, Cancer, Capricorn and Aquarius, but not for Leo or Libra, where his own general rule produces one. Derive; do not copy.
- Three questions for any claimed yoga: is it formed, is it blocked, can it deliver?
By now you should be able to
- Derive the Yoga Kāraka for all twelve ascendants from the general rules
- Identify the six ascendants that have a single-planet Yoga Kāraka
- State the blocking conditions and apply them
- Name the two places where Parashara's ascendant entries are less specific than his own general rule