The yogas of enlightenment: a Vedic astrological analysis of the chart of Osho

One feature of Vedic Astrology, also called Jyotish that makes it different from Western Astrology is the importance of yogas. Yogas are planetary combinations that result in a certain effect. In the Vedic ancient scriptures many such planetary combinations are described. In Vedic astrology, no chart analysis is complete without checking the chart thoroughly for yogas and assessing their effects.

In this article I will show the use of yogas (planetary combinations) that are indicative for spiritual development according to Vedic Astrology.

Many yogas that have to do with spiritual development have a rather strange character.

At first sight they seem to indicate something bad. However, if we look deeper and analyse the yogas more in detail more often than not something bad seems to turn out into something good. In the chart of a spiritual person we often find indications of problems in daily life. However, more often than not these problems have been the main source of spiritual wisdom. In addition a spiritual person may have problems with accepting the conventional rules designed by society. This is clearly the case with Osho.

Below you see the Vedic chart of Osho. The numbers after the name of the signs are the astrological houses. Below these names of the houses the planets are mentioned that are located in certain houses. These houses are parts of the Vedic astrological chart that gives insight into certain circumstances.
For example according to Vedic Astrology the third house is the house of energy/initiatives, the eighth house is the house of death of the ego/transformations and the eleventh house is the house of gains.

In the case of Osho the sign of Cancer falls in the third house in which Jupiter is placed. Therefore his initiatives and energy are influenced by Jupiter. This is a good thing since Jupiter is the most important benefic (good planet) in Vedic Astrology. In Osho's case the result is better than normal because Jupiter is in Cancer, which is a sign where Jupiter feels very good and is exalted. Therefore Jupiter will deliver outstanding results.

PISCES (11) Rahu R. 9.03		TAURUS (1) Ascendant 19.12
	Rasi Chart for Osho	11 December 1931, 17.44 IST	CANCER (3) Jupiter R. 29.44
	Narsingpur MP, 22.57 N. 78.12 E
SAGITTARIUS(8) Mars 8.09 Mercury D 13.29 Venus 19.18 Moon 22.37 Saturn 28.34	SCORPIO (7) Sun 25.36		VIRGO (5) Ketu R. 9.03

In the chart of Osho we see five planets in one house. These planets are in the occult eighth house: one of the houses of moksha (spiritual liberation). Although this pile up of planets in his eighth house is the cause of many difficult events in his life it is also indicative of spirituality. It gives a so called sannyassi yoga.

His rather non conventional approach is also seen by these eighth house planets.

The eighth house is a part of the chart that has to do with transformation, psychology and death of the ego.

The yoga is in the sign of Sagittarius. The planet that belong to Sagittarius is Jupiter. We say that Jupiter is the dispositor of the planets in the sign Sagittarius and therefore has a lot of influence on how the yoga will surface.

In the case of Osho this sannyassi yoga is made exceptionally strong by the fact that the dispositor of the planets that make the yoga (Jupiter) is in the sign Cancer, where it is exalted and is stationary (it has 7% of its normal speed). This makes it more powerful.

The situation of the lord of the sign in which a yoga takes place (this is called the dispositor) is important in assessing the outcome of a yoga. For a yoga to have special effects there must be something remarkable about the planets that have to do with the yoga. In this case the fact that the dispositor, which is Jupiter, is exalted and stationary gave dramatic effects.

It is interesting to note that in the navamsa, which is the Vedic astrological chart of the soul, of Osho Jupiter (whose Sanskrit name is Guru) is in his own sign (Pisces) conjunct mokshakaraka Ketu.

Some astrologers may say that Jupiter is weak because it is in the last degree of a sign. If a planet is in the last degree of a sign this means the planet is in extreme old age. This is a good way to describe the soul of an enlightened person since he has come to the end of the cycle of birth and rebirth and therefore can be considered to be of extremely old age. Therefore this can be seen as a sign of wisdom and not just as a sign of weakness.

In the Vedic chart of Osho Jupiter is atmakaraka and therefore the indicator of the soul.

That planets who are in extremely old or young age are not necessarily weak can also be seen in the chart of Bill Clinton, who has Jupiter in the first degree of a sign (in extremely young age), yet who became president during Jupiter dasa. His wisdom was of a fairly immature (young) nature (Jupiter in young age). It was certainly not the more mature wisdom of a sage.

Another remarkable fact is that Jupiter is on the degree of the ascendant (of course in another sign). This means that Jupiter is right on the Most Effective Point of the third house (the house of courage). If a planet conjuncts or aspects the Most Effective Point of a certain house (the ascendant degree shifted to that house) it strongly influences that house. From this position in the third house it aspects the Most Effective Points of the houses 7 (relationships) and 11 (gains and hopes for the future).

This means that Jupiter and the eighth house (Jupiter is of course lord of the eighth) strongly influences the entire chart. Since the eighth house is bad for mundane matters this indicates many troubles at the mundane level, but since the eighth is a moksha house and Jupiter is the planet of religion it is good for spiritual development.

Rahu and Ketu are shadow planets. They are not real planets but are points where the orbit of the Moon crosses the orbit of the Sun. Eclipses can only happen when Rahu and/or Ketu are in the vicinity of the Sun and Moon.

In most cases in Vedic astrology the nodes, Rahu and Ketu, are regarded as first rate malefics (planets that normally give bad effects) .

However under certain circumstances they turn out to be Raja Yoga Karakas which turn them into factors that can do good in the chart. This occurs when:

It is possible that case 1 occurs twice in a chart (simply because when Rahu is in a kendra house Ketu will be in a kendrahouse too), with case 2 that is not possible.

The reason that Rahu or Ketu become Raja Yoga karakas in the cases 1 and 2 is that just as in the case of an ordinary Raja Yoga in the cases 1 and 2 they absorb both male (kendra) and female (trikona) energy.

In the Vedic chart of Osho Ketu is located in the fifth house, a trikonahouse. Saturn, lord of the tenth, a kendra house aspects this Ketu. Therefore Ketu becomes a Raja Yoga Karaka.

It is interesting to see that Saturn is a Raja Yoga planet on its own, since it is lord of the ninth and tenth house. Saturn is the planet of spiritual discipline and aspects Ketu from the house of esoteric sciences. In addition Saturn participates in the sannyassi Yoga. Therefore seen from a spiritual point of view in this chart Ketu as Raja Yoga Karaka is powerful.

However, because Saturn is the planet of pain and aspects Ketu from the most difficult house of the chart (the eighth) this yoga was also the cause of troubles on a mundane level.

It is interesting that we see the same pattern as under 1. What is good for spiritual matters caused havoc on the mundane level.

A shakata yoga is present if Jupiter is in a dushtana house (6,8 or 12th house) from the Moon. This yoga indicates a difficult life. It also indicates fluctuating fortunes. The fortune of someone with a shakata yoga fluctuates like a cartwheel.

However, sometimes according to Vedic Astrology a Shakata Yoga is transformed into a mukata yoga.

This occurs when Jupiter is in the eighth or sixth from the Moon and in its own or exaltation sign. A mukuta is a crown in the form of a crescent. The crescent is a symbol for knowledge of spiritual teachings

An interesting feature is that Jupiter and the Moon are in each other’s signs. This gives a strong connection between the Moon and Jupiter, which to some extent can make up for the difficulties indicated by the shakata uoga. Indeed, an exchange is an intense relationship between planets whose effect are comparable to those of a conjunction. Therefore this gives effects which are comparable to those of a gaja kesari yoga. A gaja kesari yoga is formed when the Moon and Jupiter are conjunct (or in a kendra to eachother). It gives wisdom.

I believe that not all the effects of the shakata yoga are cancelled, because Osho’s life was full of difficult events and indeed his luck fluctuated. However, the mukuta yoga is also clearly visible.

Again we see the same pattern as under 1 and 2. Something bad turns out to be something good as far as spiritual development is concerned.

A rather odd type of yoga is the vipareeta raja yoga. This yoga occurs when the lords of other dushtana houses (6,8,12) occupy other dushtana houses. It can bring benefics often due to a mishap. In Osho’s chart the lords of both the sixth and twelfth are in the eighth house.

A vipareeta yoga that occurs in the eighth house is called a sarala yoga (straight yoga). This yoga gives a long life span, fearlessness, makes one prosperous, the person will overcome enemies and be well known.

It is tainted because for a pure vipareeta yoga to occur there should be no influences of other houselords on the planets that participate in the yoga. Obviously in Osho’s case because of the pile up of planets in the eighth there are many other houselords that influence the planets involved in the vipareeta yoga. This is the reason why this cannot be called a pure vipareeta yoga.

It is strong and therefore could be called a Vipareeta Raja Yoga because it involves not one but two lords of dushtana houses and the dispositor of the yoga making planets (Guru) is exalted.

If we look at Osho’s life he did not have a long life span because he died in January 1990. However, he was well known, did not have fear and did overcome his enemies.

In his life we can see both the problems (expelled from many countries, other problems of all kinds) and the benefits (being well known, fearlessness) which are typical for vipareeta yogas. Again something bad (certain houselords in the eighth) turned out to be something good (effects that belong to a vipareeta yoga).

The goal of this article has been to show how seemingly bad placements can have good results. In the case of Osho the problems seem to have focussed on the mundane level, yet the benefits were of a spiritual nature.

Osho was a non conventional master, who clearly stepped outside the framework of tradition. This is shown in the importance of the eighth house in his chart. In the long term the gurus that will be remembered will be the gurus that explore new avenues and step outside tradition, although that may be shocking for many people.

Spiritual development rarely comes wrapped in easy looking patterns. It pays to look deeper than the surface when exploring a chart. What lies below the surface may be more powerful than a person realises as has been shown by looking beyond the surface of Osho’s chart according to Vedic Astrology.

THE YOGAS OF ENLIGHTENMENT: AN ANALYSIS BASED ON VEDIC ASTROLOGY OR JYOTISH OF THE CHART OF OSHO