Kala sarpa Yoga

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Kala amrita Yoga


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Q. There are two Yogas: Kala sarpa and Kala amrita. Can you tell me a little about them, especially Kala amrita Yoga. I read that they are very inauspicious. What can one do against it? On what must one pay attention while upbringing, if a child has one of these Yogas in horoscope?

A. Regarding your questions. Kala sarpa Yoga is not recognized in classical texts or at least is not mentioned by Parasara and others. It seems to be a newly minted one.

I remember back in the late 70s and early 80s much ink was spilt in the columns of Astrological Magazine discussing this issue without much success. It is not applicable to a person’s chart but is relevant in Mundane astrology. No one yoga should ever be stressed because many other factors must be taken into account. Though I studied yogas intensely in my first years of jyotish study I gradually lost interest as I saw that whole patterns must be taken into account and that of course is what yogas are, just that you can’t take one to the exclusion of others.



B.V. Raman has this to say about Kala sarpa yoga:

Kala sarpa Yoga has its bright shades. It [is said to] makes one industrious, hardworking, aware of one’s own ability- despite mental restlessness. It raises the natives to top positions in their respective fields provided of course other Raja Yogas are present. Rahu-Ketu axis favors rise in mundane life while Ketu-Rahu axis indicates elevation in spiritual matters. It is also found that Kala sarpa Yoga natives get betrayed by trusted friends and even relatives. Suffering due to developments in life strengthens the mind and mellows one’s outlook. This is a blessing of Kala sarpa Yoga.

It occurs to me that undue importance need not be given to Kala sarpa Yoga. The view held by some astrologers that Kala-sarpa Yoga affects longevity and adversely affects the operation of other yogas favoring a rise in life, achievement, and accomplishment is not tenable. The overall assessment of the horoscope is important. No single yoga, including Kala sarpa Yoga, is capable of marring or making a horoscope. In our view, Kala sarpa Yoga plays an important role in mundane astrology [assessment of world events] and is not of much importance in individual charts.

I agree with him and ever since I read that many years ago I, for all practical purposes, ignore this yoga and wonder why everyone gets all excited about it.

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Regarding Kala amrita yoga it is a variation of Kala sarpa yoga as mentioned above by B.V. Raman where all the planets are between Rahu-Ketu or between Ketu-Rahu. For example if Rahu is in Mesha (Aries) and Ketu is Tula (Libra) then if we were to go in the regular order of the signs from Mesha to Tula and all the planets (ignore lagna) fall between Rahu and Ketu this is Kala-sarpa Yoga.

The following chart for August 10, 2004 illustrates a Kala sarpa yoga.

Kala Sarpa Yoga

In the next diagram we show a Kala amrita yoga for June 3, 2000. Because all the planets are found between Ketu and Rahu, when going in regular order (from Capricorn to Cancer in this case) it is a Kala-amrita yoga.

Kala amrita yoga

In a Kala sarpa yoga it is said that the planets have been eaten by Rahu. Why? Because the motion of Rahu and Ketu is backward with Rahu the head and Ketu the tail so when the planets are between Rahu and Ketu as described above they are in the belly of the beast. But when they are between Ketu and Rahu as described above they are outside of the beast. Which is why you get the two different interpretations of the yogas as follows.

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As B.V. Raman says:

Rahu-Ketu axis favors rise in mundane life while Ketu-Rahu axis indicates elevation in spiritual matters.

Hence Kala sarpa yoga favors rise in material life, while Kala Amrita favors rise in spiritual matters. But I would suggest that you lay more stress on the second paragraph that I quoted of his, that being:

In our view, Kala sarpa Yoga plays an important role in mundane astrology [assessment of world events] and is not of much importance in individual charts.

The reason one should not get excited or depressed by a particular yoga will now be explained.

Gajakesari Yoga is considered a very good yoga formed by Jupiter and Moon being in quadrants from each other. In his 300 Important Combinations B.V. Raman says this about the yoga:

Gajakesari Yoga - When Jupiter and Chandra are in respective Kendras to each other they produce Gajakesari Yoga. The Moon and Jupiter may be in one and the same house or in the 4th, 7th, or 10th from each other.

Results: Will have many and influential relations - polite and generous, good life and high education, a happy turn of mind and a strong determination to overcome any difficulties which may come in the way of achieving real success, polite and obliging in behavior, ruler or constructor of villages, towns and cites, will do substantial charitable acts by which his name will be remembered long after his death, and a real benefactor to humanity.

Remarks: Here as elsewhere great difference in the enjoyment of results should be pronounced. The original writers say that the person born in this yoga will build villages and towns. A literal interpretation of the results leads one nowhere.

They have to be adapted to suit modern conditions and climes. One born in this yoga may become a member of Municipality and engineer or if the yoga is really powerful, a mayor. The results ascribed to a yoga are subject to qualification or modification according as the yogakarakas are strong or weak. There are magistrates from the villages to the district with different powers. From a builder of a small village shrine or choultry to the builder of a large and rich temple there is much difference. Combinations are given but the results of the same conjunction will vary with the strength or the planets, bhavas and the constellations. I would give here two typical horoscopes illustrative of the different variations in Gajakesari.

Example of a gajakesari yoga

Above are given two charts - illustrative of Gajakesari Yoga.

Chart #2 - Yogakarakas are Jupiter and the Moon. Lagna is Scorpio, hence benefics lords are the Moon, the Sun and Jupiter; malefics are Mercury and Venus; neutrals are Mars and Saturn.

Moon

(a) The Moon is a benefic lord................ 1 unit
(b) The Moon occupies a friendly sign.. 1 "
(c) The Moon’s aspect strength............... .625"
(d) The Moon is not associated .............. 0 "
................................................Total 2.625 Units

Jupiter

(a) Jupiter is a benefic lord ............... 1 unit
(b) Jupiter has no association ........... 0 "
(c) Jupiter’s aspect strength .............. 1 "
(d) Jupiter is in a neutral sign ........... .75 "
..................................................Total 2.75 Units

Both the Moon and Jupiter are beneficially disposed and as Jupiter gets more units he will fulfill the larger part of the blessings of the yoga. As the native enjoys Venus Dasa at birth (about 2 years), the Moon in his Dasa (8 to 18 age) gives rise to the results of the yoga to some extent while the larger part of it (particularly regarding finance and fortune) will be raised in Jupiter’s Dasa to begin from the 43rd year. The extent of the results depends upon the residential strength.

Chart #3 - The ascendant is Cancer. Therefore benefics are Mars and Jupiter; malefics are Venus and Mercury; and neutrals are the Sun, the Moon and Saturn.

Moon

(a) The Moon is a neutral....................... .5 unit
(b) The Moon is not associated.............. 0 "
(c) The Moon’s aspect strength............... .75 "
(d) The Moon is in enemy’s house .......... -1 "
........................................................Total .25 Units

Jupiter

(a) Jupiter is a Benefic........................... 1 unit
(b) Jupiter is with Ketu.......................... -1 "
(c) Jupiter’s aspect strength.................. 1.125"
(d) Jupiter is in an unfriendly sign ....... -1 "
......................................................Total .125 Units

Jupiter and the Moon are feebly benefic. The Moon will give rise to a larger part of the yoga results than Jupiter. The Moon can fulfill his part of the results as major lord and sub-lord particularly in Jupiter’s Dasa. The yoga is practically neutralized if the positive and negative units of strength obtained by both the planets are equal.

So from the above remarks of B.V. Raman we can conclude that the mere existence of a particular yoga doesn’t mean the results will automatically manifest. The yoga must be carefully judged before we can determine if the results attributed to that particular yoga would manifest or not.

Unfortunately many “astrologers” scare innocent people by saying they have Kala Sarpa Yoga and then provide a very expensive “remedy” to help them get rid of their non-existent problem. Such so-called “astrologers” are the bane of society and give ethical astrologers a bad name.

For further reading about such “thug-like astrologers” see this pdf article by K.N. Rao on Kala Sarpa yoga.

Yours faithfully,

Shyamasundara Dasa

PS There is no Chart 1.