Adhi Yoga

ADHI YOGA is a highly favorable Yoga and according to all classical works is generated when the natural benefics occupy the 6th, 7th and the 8th houses concerning the Moon. According to Brihat Parasara Hora (Chapter 38, Sloka 5), When benefics occupy the 6th, 7th and 8th from the Moon, Adhi Yoga results The native would be a king, minister or commander-in-chief by the strength of the planets.

इन्द्रोः षष्टाष्टदौरधियोग शुभग्रहैः |
बलानुसारतस्तत्र  नृपोमात्यो बलाधिपाः ‖

Varahamihira uses slightly different terms when defining Adhi Yoga (Brihat Jataka Chapter XIII, Stanza 2) and improves on the results it can produce.

सौम्यैः स्मरारिनिधनेष्वाधियोग इन्द्रोस्तस्मिंश्र्चभूपसचिवक्षितिपाल  जन्म
संपन्नसौरव्यविभवाहतश‖त्रवश्र्च दीर्धायुतो विगतरोग  भयाश्र्च जाताः ‖

When benefics occupy the 6th, 7th, and 8th from the Moon, they cause Adhi Yoga and the result is the birth of a commander, a minister or a king. Those born in this Yoga will be gentlemanly, happy, successful surrounded by luxury, foeless, long-lived and free from disease.

 Houses in Astrology

Varahamihira mentions सौम्यैः(saumyaihi) meaning benign planets which would mean Jupiter, Mercury, and Venus. Parasara uses the word शुभग्रहैः:(subhagrahaihi) which means benefics and this can lead to some confusion on if the reference is to the natural benefics only or the functional benefics also. If the Yoga is due to natural benefics only, for Mercury and Venus to occupy either the 6th, 7th or 8th from the Moon, the Moon would necessarily have to be waxing as Mercury cannot go beyond 28° from the Sun and Venus cannot go beyond 47° from the Sun. In such a case, the Moon, the pivot of the Yoga, would have the additional advantage of possessing Pakshabala or digital strength. If the definition implies functional benefics when Mars and Saturn can also produce the Yoga depending upon the sign rising as the Ascendant, then the Moon would not necessarily have to be waxing or possess digital strength. Therefore, the term subhagrahaihi may be understood as meaning only the natural benefics Mercury, Jupiter and Venus.

According to Saravali, Adhi Yoga is classed under Raja Yoga in the sense of royal power or political power, and it further requires the planets, Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter should not be combust and should not be with malefics.

In astrology, a rigidly literal interpretation can lead us nowhere. A liberal interpretation within the framework of the basic tenets of the science will give better insights into the results of the Yoga. Adhi Yoga can be of 7 different kinds as obtained from a combination and permutation of the planets and the houses involved.

i) Mercury, Venus, Jupiter in the 6th, 7th and 8th houses from the Moon.
ii) The three benefics all in the 6th house. Hi) The three benefics all in the 7th house.
iv) The three benefics all in the 8th house.
v) The benefics distributed in the 6th and 7th houses.
vi) The benefics distributed in the 7th and 8th houses.
vii) The benefics distributed in the 8th and 6th houses.

More sub-varieties are possible if each of the 3 benefic planets changes the order in the 3 houses and some more are produced by the planets occupying different Nakshatras in each of the houses.

While malefics with the benefics are said to spoil the Yoga by some authorities of old, others hold that the malefics give the Yoga but, in the process, make the native tyrannical. We are not concerned with this part of the interpretation. All that we will look into is whether the Yoga can be said to be a Dhana Yoga of consequence or whether it is a Yoga for power alone as given by Parasara.

The results of a king, minister or commander-in-chief attributed to the Yoga by Parasara and Varahamihira can occur and do occur in some cases but they are not necessarily confined to them. In most cases, the Yoga leads to riches accompanied by success. It also brings in some kind of celebrity status.

One of the best examples for Adhi Yoga is of Bill Gates (Chart 1).

Chart 1: Bill Gates: Born October 28, 1955, at 21h.25m at Seattle(47N 48, 122W19) with a balance of 9 months 21 days of Saturn Dasa at birth.

The Moon is in the 10th house. The textbook positions of benefic in the 6th,»7th and 8th from the Moon are present. Jupiter is in the 6th, Mercury in the 7th and Venus in the 8th. This by itself constitutes a full-fledged Adhi Yoga. However, what adds to its strength manifold is that the Moon as the Dhanadhipati (ruler of the 2nd house or the house of finances) is waxing and in the 10th from the Ascendant.

Bill Gates’ operating system “Windows” has made him one of the richest men in the world. The Ascendant lord Mercury who is a signatory to the Adhi Yoga is in his sign of exaltation which fortifies the Adhi Yoga. Mercury as Ascendant lord further benefits from the fact of being with the Labhadhipati (lord of gains) 11th cum 6th lord Mars. Mars as 11th lord is in mutual aspect with the 2nd lord Moon producing a Sasi-Mangala Yoga, a Yoga primarily for financial prosperity. Jupiter occupies Leo in a friendly sign while Venus occupies his Moolatrikona sign. The Adhi Yoga draws strength from several factors, including the extremely powerful Ascendant which itself is Vargottama and whose lord Mercury is the center of a Panchamapurusha Yoga.

Chart 2: Male: Born October 22, 1982, at 11h.28m.(IST) at 26 N 39, 84 E 55 with a balance of 4 years 3 months 1 day of Saturn Dasa

Chart 2 is of a young man hailing from a very modest background from a joint family comprising him, his wife, his parents as also three elder brothers and their wives. The family had always a tough time balancing the budget with the combined meager salaries of the menfolk not adding up to much. The native paid his way through college by giving tuitions, working as a computer operator in an NGO with his take-home pay is Rs.6000 per month. The family’s means were so limited they would go to a neighbor’s to watch TV since they could not afford one of their own. The native hit the jackpot when he bagged the prize money of a boggling five crore rupees overnight in a TV quiz show.

The Ascendant Sagittarius has its ruler Jupiter in the 10th, a Kendra, which helps the chart gain foundational strength. Next, the Moon in Pisces in the 4th has Digbala and being aspected by his sign-dispositor Jupiter gets fortified. The Adhi Yoga forming planets Venus, Jupiter and Mercury are in the 6th, 7th, and 8th respectively from the Moon which fits with the textbook definition of the Yoga. This sudden stroke of financial luck came on October 24, 2011, with the pivot of the Yoga, namely, the Moon is the 8th lord with the 8th house ruling legacies, windfalls, etc. Coming to the Dasa it was in Venus Dasa, Venus Bhukti (February 2009 to June 2012). Venus is in the 6th from the Moon and a signatory to the Adhi Yoga. What we may additionally note is the fact Venus is the 11th lord (Labhadhipati) placed in the 9th (Bhagyastana or house of fortune) in an exchange of signs with 9th lord Neechabhaga Sun which is also a powerful Dhana Yoga.

To be continued….

Courtesy: Modern Astrology

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