Raaja Yogas (Vipareeta Raaja Yoga, Dharma-Karmadhipati Yoga)

Raaja means a king. Raaja yogas are the combinations that give power and prosperity to a native. They make one the best in something.

In any chart, Lord Vishnu sits in the quadrants and Goddess Lakshmi sits in the trines. If the lord of a quadrant is associated with the lord of a trine, that association brings the combined blessings of Lakshmi and Vishnu. This is called a Raaja Yoga. The native is powerful and prosperous.

What do we mean by “association” here? There are 3 important associations:

(1) The two planets are conjoined,
(2) The two planets aspect each other with graha drishti, or,
(3) The two planets have a parivartana (exchange). For example, if the 4th lord is in the 5th house and the 5th lord is in the 4th house, then we say that there is a parivartana between the 4th and 5th lords. This is an association.

If the lord of a quadrant and the lord of a trine have one of the three kinds of associations mentioned above, it forms a Raaja Yoga. Lagna can be taken as a quadrant or a trine here. It is both.

This is a special case of the above yoga. If the lords of dharma sthana (9th) and karma sthana (10th) form a raja yoga, it is known by this special name. The 9th house is the most important trine and the 10th house is the most important quadrant. Raja yoga involving the lords of these two houses is excellent. One born with this yoga is sincere, devoted and righteous. He is fortunate and.

The 6th, 8th and 12th houses are known as trik sthanas or dusthanas (bad houses). If their lords occupies dusthanas or conjoin dusthanas, it results in this yoga. One having this yoga experiences tremedous success, typically after an initial struggle. Vipareeta means extreme.

Because dusthanas show the obstacles one faces in life, situation of dusthana lords in dusthanas shows that obstacles will run into obstacles themselves. One experiences tremendous success in the face of obstacles.

In the ideal case, the lords of the 6th, 8th and 12th houses will all be together in one of the three houses (or the 3rd house or the 11th house), with no other planets conjoining them. But the results of this yoga may be experienced with just one or two dusthana lords occupying a dusthana.

We find the conjunction of the lords of a quadrant and a trine in many charts. The magnitude to which this raaja yoga fructifies depends on the strength of the two planets. The key factors that come into play are:

(1) The two planets should be free from afflictions from functional malefics.
(2) The conjunction or aspect responsible for the Raaja Yoga should be close (say, within 6° or so).

Anything greater than 5 or 6 degrees is too large for a Raaja Yoga to give its full results.

If Mercury and Venus are at 2° and 26° in Ta for a native with Cp lagna, for example, their conjunction brings a Raaja Yoga (Dharma-Karmadhipati Yoga in particular). However, the two planets are too far apart for this yoga to give its full results. They are still associated, but the association is not very strong. If Venus is at 3° in Ta in instead of 26°, the conjunction is very close and the yoga can give its full results, if other factors are favorable.

(3) The two planets should not be combust, debilitated or in an inimical house or in bad avasthas (states).


Any blemishes here will considerably reduce the magnitude of the yoga. In addition to the above factors, Sage Parasara recommended looking at the amsas occupied by the 2 planets as per Dasa Varga (ten division) scheme. Count the divisional charts – out of the ten charts of Dasa Varga scheme – in which a planet occupies an own, exaltation or moolatrikona sign. Based on the count of divisional charts with such a good placement for the planet in question, we say that it is in a particular amsa.

If the two planets giving raaja yoga have a count of one or zero, the yoga is ordinary and gives good results depending on the factors already outlined. If the two planets are in Paarijaataamsa (count of 2), then one becomes a king who rules his people well. If the two planets are in Uttamsaamsa (count of 3), then one becomes a good king with tremendous assets. If the two planets are in Gopuraamsa (count of 4), then one becomes a great king respected by many kings.

If the two planets are in Simhaasanaamsa (count of 5), then one becomes a great emperor who rules the whole world. Parasara said that several great emperors of Indian mythology – like Harischandra, Manu, Bali, Vaiswaanara, Yudhisthira (also known as Dharmaraja) and Saalivaahana – were born with this combination.

Two planets giving Raaja Yoga can be in Paaraavataamsa (count of 6), Devalokamsa (count of 7), Brahmalokaamsa (count of 8) and Airaavataamsa (count of 9) only for divine persons such as Svaayambhuva Manu (Manu who was born by Himself), Brahma (Creator!!) and Vishnu’s incarnations such as Sri Rama and Sri Krishna.

Some advanced Raaja Yogas will be listed below.

* If (a) chara putra karaka (PK) and chara atmaka karaka (AK) are conjoined and (b) lagna and 5th lords conjoin, then Raaja Yoga is present and the native enjoys power and prosperity. If only one condition is satisfied, still the results may be felt, but not fully.