a8 the Midas Touch s

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The Midas Touch The Astrology of Extraordinary Wealth

by Marc Boney, MA edited by Vaughn Paul Manley, MA Copyright 2008. All Rights Reserved

For an entrepreneur or business executive there is no higher accolade than being said to possess the “Midas touch,” the uncanny ability to turn any enterprise into pure gold. As the Greek legend goes, King Midas was a compassionate ruler who was granted a wish by the god Dionysus because of his charitable deeds. He promptly asked that everything he touched be turned to gold. This was granted to him quite literally with everything from food to people turning to gold. American history has recorded many examples of latter-day Midas’s. Men like John D. Rockefeller, J.P. Morgan and Henry Ford are but a few. They amassed personal fortunes that stagger the imagination. Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, is yet another example of a modern-day Midas. In one of those wonderful coincidences that happen in life, I chanced across a newspaper report on Fortune Magazine’s list of the 10 wealthiest people in the United States. Gates was listed as first, with an estimated personal net worth of $50.2 billion. This has now grown considerably, with estimates reaching as high as $62 billion or more. The next morning, while looking to retrieve a telephone number from my Day Planner, I came across Gates’ birth data that had been given to me at a weekend seminar on Jyotisha some months earlier. I’d since forgotten about it, along with my intention to make a study of his chart.

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Though I was preparing to leave for work, my curiosity got the better of me and I fired up my computer to have a quick look at his chart. As I entered the data, and waited for the chart to materialize on the screen, the question in mind was “Would I find the wealth-giving planetary combinations mentioned in the ancient classics that I had been studying?” Suffice it to say, my experience of peering into Bill Gates’ chart that morning was like that of a treasure hunter who accidentally stumbles into Aladdin’s Cave and is nearly blinded by the dazzling precious gems he finds there. I was late for work that morning, not surprisingly. Dhana Yogas: Givers of Wealth

Master jyotishi, K.N. Rao, has given his students the memory tablet D.A.R.E.S. as a way of analyzing different categories of yogas or planetary combinations in a birth chart. The “D” in D.A.R.E.S stands for dhana yogas. “Dhana” means wealth, so dhana yogas are planetary combinations that show the karmic potential for affluence and prosperity. The classic texts on Jyotisha mention many such combinations. Reduced to their essence, most of them are planetary combinations involving the 2nd and 11th houses on the one side, and the three trinal houses (1,5,9) on the other. Maharishi Parashara, in his Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, refers to the 2nd house as dhana bhava, or “house of wealth.” He refers to the 11th as labda bhava, or “house of gains.” For an individual to obtain great wealth, both of these houses must be interconnected and favorably disposed. According According to the rishis these houses must also be connected with the three trinal houses 1, 5, and 9—particularly 5 and 9, which are referred to by Parashara as lakshmi-sthanas, or abodes of Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth. Of course, it is a fundamental principle of Jyotisha that the 1st house and its lord must always be strong and favorably disposed for any benefic combination to fully manifest . Significance of the 5/11 Axis

Many of the combinations mentioned by Parashara involve the 5/11 axis of the birth chart. From what was outlined above, the reason is readily apparent. Any planets in the 11th house and the 5th house will mutually aspect each other, thus tying these houses together. If these in turn are natural benefics, well placed by sign or themselves lords of 2, 11, 1, 5, or 9, it makes for the very combinations that define dhana yogas. Graha Yogas for Wealth

A distinction distinction is drawn drawn in Jyotish Jyotish between between yogas (planetary combinations) based on house lordships, and those that are based solely on two or more planets combining, regardless of their lordship or house placement. Thus far dhana


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3 yogas have been defined on the basis of house lordships, but the classical literature of Jyotish also mentions certain graha yogas that can be very wealth producing. A notable example is the Chandra-Mangala Yoga, or the combination

of the Moon and Mars in mutual aspect to one another (conjunction or opposition). When other supporting factors are present and these planets are strong, this combination can bring great wealth. A Special Lagna for Wealth

A unique method for assessing the potential for wealth in a person’s birth chart is to examine the planetary positions from the Indu lagna. (Indu is one of the names of the Moon.) In determining this special lagna, different values or kalas are assigned to each planet as follows: Sun Moon Mars Mercury Jupiter Venus Saturn

30 16 6 8 10 12 1

The steps for calculating Indu Lagna are to: 1. Note the 9th lord from the lagna and the 9 th lord from the Moon. 2. Add the values contributed by their two lords. 3. Divide by 12 to remove multiples of 12. 4. See which house is indicated by the remainder when counted from the Moon. 5. This house becomes the Indu lagna. According to some classic texts an unblemished benefic or an exalted malefic in the Indu Lagna makes one a multi-millionaire. The general implication is that when benefics or well-placed planets associate or aspect the Indu Lagna, or fall in the 2nd or the 11 th from it, or occupy all houses from it, riches are ensured. The Importance of the Navamsha

For me one of the most awe-inspiring and brilliant features of Jyotisha is its use of the vargas, or divisional charts. These are purely symbolic charts that are created by dividing the signs in different ways and seeing into which division a planet in the birth chart falls. Parashara enumerates 16 of these divisions, and places special emphasis on the 1/9 division or navamsha. These divisional charts are used to assess the “strength” of the planets (their ability to give their


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4 results strongly) as well as to get a deeper perspective on the karmic potentials in various areas of a person’s life. The vargas are like the fine print, which if ignored, can lead to serious errors in judgment about what experiences a person’s periods and sub-periods are really likely to bring. The navamsha is said to pertain especially to the spouse and marital relations, but it is also critically important for assessing the strength of the planets in the birth chart, and for seeing all life events. Planets that look good and promise great things in the birth chart can be an empty promise depending on their position and condition in the navamsha. Mr. Rao is fond of quoting a saying among South Indian astrologers that “astrological interpretation of the birth chart without the use of the navamsha is like an abortion.” Some authorities go so far as to suggest that if the indications in the navamsha contradict those in the birth chart, those in the navamsha should be favored. The reader should be cautioned however, that the navamsha, like most of the divisional charts, can be sensitive to even small inaccuracies in the birth time. Like any birth chart, it needs to be “verified” before it can be trusted and used in giving predictions. The Law of Karma

Remember also that according to the law of karma any one who becomes wealthy has “earned it” through their efforts either in a past or the present life—or both. Of course, that “earning” could come from legitimate or illegitimate means. The law of karma suggests that if the wealth were derived from the exploitation and suffering of others, then the money gained would ultimately have a recoiling, negative impact on that soul—if not in the present life, then in some future life. Dhana Yogas in the Birth Chart

So what did I see in the horoscope of Bill Gates that was so fascinating? Dhana yogas upon dhana yogas, both in the rashi and the navamsha —precisely the wealth-giving combinations outlined in the jyotish shastra over a thousand years ago. The rising sign is Gemini, making the planet Mercury “lord of the ascendant.” As was mentioned above, both of these should be strong and relatively benign for the full benefic effect of any yogas to manifest. Bear in mind that planets become strong in a chart and are capable of giving their best results when they are: 1) In an angle or trine house 2) Well placed by sign (in exaltation, moolatrikona, own or friends sign) 3) Have other sources of strength like dik bala and vargottama 4) Well placed in the divisional charts, particularly the navamsha. 5) Conjunct or aspected by natural or functional benefics. 6) Involved in special yogas that enhance their status.


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5 Now see his horoscope.

Here we find Mercury in the 4th house, an angle, and in its exaltation sign, Virgo. See that it is closely associated with a wealth–producing Chandra-Mangala yoga created by the mutual aspect between Moon and Mars. However, additionally note that from the standpoint of house lordship these three planets also produce multiple dhana yogas. From a Gemini lagna the Moon and Mars rule the money houses, 2 and 11, and Mercury as lord of the 1 st house rules a lakshmi-sthana. This three-planet combination creates dramatic dhana yogas of both the graha and house lordship variety. But there is something more to be seen about Mercury’s involvement in these wealth-giving combinations. Parashara devotes a chapter in his famous work to some very special yogas, referred to as the Pancha Mahapurusha Yogas, or Five Types of Great Personalities. These occur in a chart when either Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn, or Jupiter are in an angle from the ascendant, and exalted, or in their own sign. Each is given a special name with a description of characteristics that result. Since Mercury is in its exaltation sign and in an angle, Bill Gates has the mercurial version of these known as Bhadra Mahapurusha Yoga. The following is a partial translation of Parashara’s description: “The Bhadra native is ....of commanding stature, very intelligent and learned, enjoying high status, a ruler, blessed with comforts, wife, and children, and living to an old age .”

This description is very interesting in the light of what is known about Bill Gates. He is the Founder/CEO of the hugely successful software company, Microsoft, which has made him one of the richest men in the world. (I’ve also contributed to that wealth since I’m utilizing his word processing software, Microsoft Word, and his Windows operating system to write this article!)


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In other words, here is a man with an extremely powerful and benefic Mercury who just happens to head up one of the most dominant forces, if not the most dominant force, in information technology in the world.

Why Mercury? Those with even a passing familiarity with astrological symbology know that Mercury (the messenger of the gods in Greek/Roman mythology) is the planet pertaining to intelligence, communication, and information. We should also realize that the astrological symbology expresses itself on three levels: through the planets, signs, and houses. The planet Mercury, the sign Gemini and the 3rd house all relate to the same basic factor in astrology, roughly analogous to the way water, steam, and ice are different forms of the chemical compound H2O. In the chart of Bill Gates we have already seen how strong Mercury is. Add to this the fact that Gemini is his rising sign, and that Jupiter, the ruler of his 10th house of professional achievement is in the 3rd house and we begin to “see” astrologically why he is who he is. Information processing is what Bill Gates is all about, both personally and professionally, and it is the source of his wealth as well.

But Mercury’s power in this chart goes beyond even the mahapurusha and dhana yogas in which it participates. It is a fundamental interpretive principle of Jyotish that the greater number of benefic yogas a planet participates in the more dramatic the result. Now see that in addition to the ones already mentioned Mercury is also the strong focal point of a rare variety of the Adhi-Yoga. Adhi means “to add or receive” and Adhi-Yoga occurs in a chart when natural benefics fall simultaneously in the 6 th, 7th, and 8th for the lagna or the Moon. In the chart of Bill Gates, Jupiter falls 6 th from the Moon, Mercury falls in the7th house, and Venus in the 8 th. And look how dignified these planets are. Jupiter is in the sign of a Great Friend, Mercury is in the sign of its exaltation, and Venus is in its own sign. Hart deFouw in his wonderful book Light on Life comments:


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In Adhi-Yoga benefics in the 6 th and 8th house flank the 7 th house, which strengthens that house and any planets therein. The aspect on the 1st house of such a strengthened benefic in the 7 th house will then produce most favorable effects. This yoga is particularly good for raising one to a position of leadership.

As the benefic in the 7 th house from the Moon, Mercury becomes the focal point

of this exceptional Adhi-yoga, adding to its already considerable luster. Being the head of Microsoft, Bill Gates is not only one of the wealthiest men in the world but also one of the most influential in the global business community. The condition of his lagna lord is an astrological testimony to his status in the world, and its strength permits the other benefic yogas in the chart to give their full effect. Earlier, dhana yogas were defined as combinations that tie together houses 1, 2, 5, 9, and 11. Let’s now look at each of these houses separately, see their relation to the others, and then count the dhana yogas in Bill Gates’ chart. 1st House

We have already noted how the 1st lord, Mercury, is conjunct the 11th lord, Mars. In addition, the lord of the 2nd house, the Moon, also makes aspect onto this conjunction from the 10 th. This makes three dhana yogas related to the 1st house based on lordship. Add the Chandra-Mangala yoga and the Bhadra Mahapurusha Yoga and that gives two more wealth-giving combinations, coming to a total of five dhana yogas related to the 1 st house. 2nd House

There are no planets in the 2 nd house but the 2 nd lord Moon participates in the same five dhana yoga, just mentioned, that are related to the 1 st house. However, it should be additionally noted that this is a particularly benefic Moon


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8 since it is waxing to near fullness. This adds additional luster to the dhana yogas she participates in as the 2 nd lord of income. 5th House

It is here that we really find a whole host of rare quality precious gems. The lord of the 5th is in the 5th: a dhana yoga. The lord of 9th is in the 5th: a dhana yoga. The lord of the 5th and 9th are conjunct: a dhana yoga. With respect to the last combination, not only are these two lords of the Lakshmi houses conjunct in a Lakshmi house, but one is exalted and the other is in its own sign. These three are brilliant dhana yogas . This particular combination is so wealth producing that it has been given the name Lakshmi Yoga, for Lakshmi, the Vedic goddess of wealth. Whenever the lord of the 9 th house and Venus occupy their own or exaltation sign in an angular or trinal house, a Lakshmi Yoga is formed, and this is a particularly beautiful one. Note that the 3rd lord is also conjunct these planets in the 5th showing wealth derived from 3rd house matters, like information technology . 9th House

There are no planets in the 9th, but as seen above, the lord of this house of bhagya (fortune) is exalted, and participates in the Lakshmi Yoga in the 5 th house. It also receives a full aspect from Jupiter in the 3rd house. 11th House

Wealth of this magnitude is not possible without a powerful 11th house, referred to in Jyotisha as the “great multiplier” and the “house of gains.” At first glance something might seem amiss since there are no planets here. But we have already seen that its lord, Mars participates in five first-rate dhana yogas, including the classic Chandra-Mangala yoga. Also recall the statement earlier about the significance of the 5/11 axis in creating wealth. The “gems” in the 5th house make aspect onto the 11 th. To add to this “embarrassment of riches,” Jupiter aspects as well. Look closely and you will see that every angle lord, every trine lord, and every natural benefic—all the planetary forces in a chart that have power to bestow auspicious results— influence this house, or its lord: •

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Mercury as an exalted natural benefic and lord of two angles and a trine influences the 11 th house through its conjunction with the 11 th lord Mars. Venus as a natural benefic in its own sign, and lord of a trine influences the 11th house by full aspect from its placement in the 5 th house. Jupiter as a natural benefic and lord of two angles aspects the 11 th house.


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9 •

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The benefic Moon, waxing to fullness influences the 11 th house through its mutual aspect with the 11 th lord, Mars. An exalted 9 th lord aspects the 11 th house.

With such a powerful and benefic 11 th house this man’s stupendous wealth is hardly a mystery astrologically. Yet this is still only part of the story. Multiple Perspectives

Parashara clearly states in his famous work that when examining a particular issue, like wealth, you must analyze the chart from three vantage points. Look first from the ascendant (as we have done), then use the Moon sign as the ascendant ( Chandra lagna) and finally, see things from the planetary significator of the matter in question. Note that from Chandra lagna the Moon-Mars combination continues to give a strong dhana yoga, since it connects the 2 nd and 9th lords with the 5 th lord. Then there is the Adhi-yoga formed from the Moon that has already been discussed. Parashara tells us that the planet Jupiter is the natural significator for wealth. We have already seen Jupiter’s role in giving Gates wealth from the other two perspectives. Will using Jupiter’s place in Leo as an ascendant reveal a similar picture? Have a look. From Leo, exalted Mercury is both the 2nd and 11th lord . It is in its exaltation sign and conjunct Mars, who is the yogakaraka planet for a Leo ascendant, since it rules 9 and 4, creating another spectacular dhana yoga. The 5th lord becomes Jupiter, whose placement in the 1 st house is another dhana yoga. Jupiter’s aspect onto its own 5 th house as well as the 9 th house, are still more dhana yogas. Using the Indu Lagna

Given what is known about Bill Gates’ wealth, his chart becomes an interesting test case for this special technique for assessing wealth. The calculation of the Indu lagna for his chart is as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4.

The 9th lord from the birth lagna is Saturn whose point value is 1. The 9th lord from the Moon is Mars whose point value is 6. Adding these values together gives a total of 7. Counting 7 houses from the Moon gives Virgo as the Indu lagna.

Note how Virgo is the very sign that participates in six of the benefic, wealthgiving yogas outlined earlier. Gates’ Indu lagna contains:


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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

The dhana yoga created by the 1 st lord conjunct the 11 th lord. The dhana yoga created by the 1 st lord in mutual aspect with the 2 nd lord The dhana yoga created by the 11 th lord in mutual aspect with the 2 nd lord. The Chandra-Mangala yoga The Adhi-yoga The Bhadra Mahapurusha Yoga

As if this were not enough, see how the conjunction of the exalted Saturn and Venus is again the conjunction of the lords of the 5 th and 9th houses, the two lakshmi-sthanas. Seeing Gates’ chart from the Indu lagna clearly shows the potential for phenomenal wealth. Navamsha and the Problem of Accurate Birth Times

The use of the 16 vargas, or divisional charts in addition to the birth chart gives a marvelous intricacy and sophistication to Jyotisha not found in any other system of astrology. However, beginners should be aware that the divisional charts are very sensitive to even minor inaccuracies in the birth time, not to mention differences in ayanamsha. Experience has taught me that even recorded birth times from birth certificates or other written records should never be taken for granted. The birth data for Bill Gates used in this article comes from one of his biographies, Hard Drive: Bill Gates and the Making of the Microsoft Empire , where it was stated that he was born a little after 9:00pm. It became a controversial birth time, however, when some years later Gates stated at a Microsoft event that his birth time was near 10:00pm. This would give him Cancer lagna. The consensus opinion, however, of many Vedic astrologers is that a Gemini lagna is correct. When considering the navamsha I always consider it suspect until proven otherwise, since a few minutes inaccuracy in the given time can effect the navamsha lagna as well as that of the other vargas. The given birth time of 9:15 pm gives 24 degrees 58 minutes of Gemini as the ascending degree, and hence a Taurus navamsha lagna. A good case could be made for this navamsha lagna since the significator of wealth, Jupiter, is in the lagna as the 11 th lord, and the wealth-producing VenusSaturn conjunction in the rashi chart remains a strong dhana yoga here as well. These two planets are again conjunct, remain well dignified in a Great Friend’s sign, again rule two lakshmi-sthanas (1 and 9) and fall in the 2 nd house of wealth. This divisional chart is given below.


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Bill Gates’ Navamsha Chart However, if Bill Gates were born just 8 minutes and 30 seconds later this would give him a Gemini navamsha lagna, and if he were born 8 minutes and 18 seconds earlier his navamsha lagna would be Aries. As an exercise, I leave it to the reader to decide whether a Taurus navamsha lagna best reflects the known facts of his incredible business success and resulting personal wealth, or if the other two possibilities seem to “work” better. Importance of Dasha

It is the dasha sequence that makes the promise of a horoscope a living reality, and it is fascinating to see that most of this incredible wealth has come to Bill Gates in his Venus mahadasha. This is a classic case of a person getting their “best” dasha in the prime of life. Bill Gates began his Venus period right around the time of his 27 th birthday. Parashara clearly indicates that Venus is the best planet for a Gemini lagna and we have seen in the rashi the dramatic Lakshmi th yoga that it forms with its natural friend Saturn in the 5 house. We have also seen how it remains well dignified in the navamsha and regardless of which of the three proposed navamsha lagnas that you use, Venus participates in powerful dhana yoga combinations.


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12 It is fascinating to note that from August of 1995 until October 1998 he ran his Venus-Saturn dasha, a dasha-antardasha combination that activates the Lakshmi yoga in his chart. It was during this time that Microsoft’s global domination of the industry took on new proportions due to the explosion of the internet. Microsoft launched both Windows 95 and Internet Explorer in August 1995, exactly at the beginning of this dasha. His success actually spawned organizations dedicated to preventing Bill Gates from eventually owning the entire industry worldwide! Examples of Other Modern-Day Midas’s

To solidify the lesson, let’s look at the charts of some other extraordinary wealthy individuals. Before reading my analysis, you may want to take a look at their charts yourself, and see if you can find the wealth giving combinations between the two money houses 2 and 11, and the lakshmi-sthanas 1, 5, 9. Bear in mind that these connections can take place by: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Position Aspect Conjunction Exchange of house lords

(Example: The lord of the 2 nd in the 5 th house) (Example: The lords of 5 and 9 in mutual aspect) (Example: The lords of 9 and 2 conjunct) (Example: Lords of 1 and 11 exchanging houses)

The Chart of Ross Perot

Ross Perot is another man who has made a fortune in the computer industry, and his chart also shows multiple dhana yogas, though they are not quite so spectacular. Again, since we are looking for PAC connections (position, aspect, conjunction) between houses 1, 2, 5, 9, 11 and their lords, let’s remove everything but these factors.

From this, can you see the dhana yoga combinations? They are as follows: www.LightOnVedicAstrology.com

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The 2nd lord Moon in the 1 st house is a 2-1 combination. The 2nd lord Moon and 9 th lord Saturn “glancing” at each other from the opposite houses are a 2-9 combination. The 9th lord Saturn’s “glance” onto the 1 st house is a 9-1 combination. The 5th lord Venus in the 2 nd house is a 5-2 combination. The 11th lord Mars is in the 11 th house, “magnified” by Rahu, an 11-11 combination. The 11th lord Mars glances at the 5 th house, an 11-5 combination.

Note that his Mars, the 11 th lord of gains, is very well placed in its own sign Aries. I mentioned earlier that Rahu and Ketu form an axis in a chart, and whenever planets get connected to this axis, their results are greatly magnified. In this case, connection to the Rahu-Ketu axis significantly enhances the dhana yoga formed by Mars. However, the question remains as to when this wealth would come into his life. The following table gives Ross Perot’s planetary periods. Planetary Periods

Jupiter Saturn Mercury Ketu Venus Sun

Began

Duration

Born with six years left August 1940 August 1959 August 1976 August 1983 August 2003

16 years 19 years 17 years 7 years 20 years 6 years

Look at this sequence and recall that Saturn, Ketu, and Venus all participate in dhana yogas. The majority of his wealth has come in Ketu and Venus. Ketu is in the 5th house and receives the “glance” of the powerful 11 th lord Mars, thereby giving the results of Mars. Being in Libra, it also gives the results of the ruler of that sign, which is Venus. Venus, in turn, as the 5 th lord in the 2 nd, gives a very good dhana yoga. Towards the end of Ketu, he sold his company at a huge profit and has been a billionaire throughout the 20-year Venus period. Like we saw with Bill Gates, the wealth-giving combinations in Ross Perot’s chart got activated throughout his life, and his has been a case of ever increasing fortune. The Chart of Ted Turner

The chart of billionaire media mogul Ted Turner, founder of CNN news, illustrates how the exchange of house lords can form a very powerful dhana yoga.


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In his chart the 1 st lord Mars and 11 th lord Mercury are in an “exchange,” also know as a Parivartana Yoga, with Mars in Mercury’s sign of Virgo in the 11 th house, while Mercury is in Mars’ sign of Scorpio in the 1 st house. Besides combining these two wealth-giving houses, this exchange makes these planets very “strong” and capable of giving dramatic results. Turner started his 17 year Mercury period in September 1992, and since this time he has grown so enormously wealthy that he’s been giving away billions to good causes, while challenging others with such a fortune to do the same. Here are Ted Turner’s dashas: Planetary Periods

Mars Rahu Jupiter Saturn Mercury Ketu Venus

Began

Duration

Born with 10 months left September 1939 September 1957 September 1973 September 1992 September 2009 September 2016

7 years 18 years 16 years 19 years 17 years 7 years 20 years

This illustrates the important point that yogas in a chart only show the potential for wealth. According to Jyotisha, the individual would have to run the right periods of the planets involved in order for them to actually experience that wealth. In other words, the dashas activate the yogas in the chart that the dasha lords are involved in. The Chart of Rupert Murdoch

Another global media tycoon is Rupert Murdoch, the billionaire founder of Fox news, and main competitor of Ted Turner’s CNN news. His birth chart shows why it has been his karma to accumulate such a vast fortune. Removing all but the relevant factors gives the following planetary picture. Can you see how the houses 1, 2, 5, 9, 11 and their lords are combining in this chart?


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Like Ross Perot, Murdoch’s chart has the 2 nd lord in the 1 st house. This 2nd lord Saturn is “mutually glancing at” the 1 st lord Jupiter in the 7 th house. The 11th lord Venus is in the 2 nd house. The 5th lord Mars “glances” at the 2 nd house. The 5th lord Mars and the 11 th lord Venus are mutually “glancing” at each other. The 9th lord Sun “glances” at its own 9 th house from its position in the 3 rd house.

Once again, there are more connections than I’m listing here, but I’m trying to keep it as uncomplicated as possible and still illustrate the point. Now see his planetary periods since birth: Planetary Periods

Ketu Venus Sun Moon Mars Rahu Jupiter

Began

Duration

Born at the beginning June 1937 June 1957 June 1963 June 1973 June 1980 June 1998

Less than full 7 years 20 years 6 years 10 years 7 years 18 years 16 years

Look again at his chart, and you will see that all of these planets participates in or are connected to dhana yogas, except Ketu, which covers the first seven years of his life. Keep in mind that Rahu gives the results of Jupiter since it is in Jupiter’s sign Pisces. At age twenty-one during the Venus period, he inherited the newspaper that his


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16 father owned, and proceeded to build his media empire from there. It is again a case of steadily increasing fortune amid the normal ups and downs of business.

Murdoch and Turner facing off Murdoch made his money in the media, which can be clearly seen in his chart. The media is represented by the 3 rd house, Gemini, and Mercury as previously stated. Notice how the dhana yoga formed by Jupiter and Saturn, the 1 st and 2nd lords, is also a combination of the 1 st and 3rd lords. The media connection is also strengthened by the fact that Jupiter is placed in the sign of Gemini. In addition, the 3rd house has a powerful dhana yoga combination between the two Lakshmi sthana lords, the 5 th lord Mars and the 9 th lord Sun. Lastly, Mercury the 10 th lord is placed in the 3 rd house, and forming an extremely powerful raja yoga with the Sun and Mars. The Chart of Donald Trump

Given above is the chart of real estate mogul, Donald Trump, whose name is almost synonymous with ostentatious display of wealth and conspicuous consumption. Regardless of what you might think of the man, his birth chart perfectly illustrates the principles of Jyotish concerning wealth-giving


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17 combinations. Now see the dhana yogas. • • • • •

•

The 1st house has the 11 th lord Venus. The 1st lord Moon goes into the 5 th house. The 2nd house has the 5 th lord Mars. The 2nd lord Sun goes into the 11 th house. The 1st lord Moon and the 2 nd lord Sun “mutually glance at” each other along the wealth giving 5-11 house axis, and are “magnified” by the Rahu-Ketu axis. Incidentally, Rahu is exalted in Taurus, while Ketu is exalted in Scorpio according to sage Parashara, which strengthens this axis even further. The 9th lord Jupiter “glances” at its own 9 th house from its position in the opposite 3rd house.

This is yet another incredible planetary picture for wealth. His planetary periods tell the story of when he got it. Planetary Periods

Mercury Ketu Venus Sun Moon Mars Rahu

Began

Duration

Born towards the end June 1949 June 1956 June 1976 June 1982 June 1992 June 1999

About 3 years 7 years 20 years 6 years 10 years 7 years 18 years

In his adult life, he has been running the periods of Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars and Rahu (which gives the results of the Sun and Moon who aspect it, as well as Venus who rules it). All of these planets are configured in significant dhana yogas. During the Venus period, Trump took over his father’s successful real estate development company, and turned it into a money making machine. In 1990 he also “crashed and burned,” barely avoiding bankruptcy. The period and sub-period was Moon-Ketu, the two planets together in his 5 th house. This is fascinating when you consider the “condition” of his Moon. Notice that it is in its debilitation sign Scorpio, and therefore has some “weakness,” even though it is also configured in significant dhana yogas. When Trump ran Moon-Ketu (the sub-period of the planet most connected to the Moon) “Trump Towers” almost came tumbling down. However, by June of 1992 he began his Mars period, the 5th lord in the 2 nd house, and he was able to recoup his fortune. But now let’s return to an earlier era, and look at the chart of a King Midas of the 19th century.


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18 The Chart of J.P. Morgan

John Pierpont Morgan was the financial titan of his time and his personal net worth once helped prop up the U.S. banking system during a troubled time. His birth chart is a lesson in dhana yogas.

As you look at it, remember that the best condition a planet can obtain is “exaltation.” Morgan’s chart is extraordinary from this standpoint. • • • •

The Sun is in its exaltation sign Aries Venus is in its exaltation sign Pisces Jupiter is in its exaltation sign Cancer Saturn is in its exaltation sign Libra

I would like to call the reader’s attention in particular to Venus and Saturn, whose exact degrees are given. At 27 degrees Venus is at its most extreme point of exaltation. At 23 degrees Saturn is within 3 degrees of its most extreme point of exaltation. Believe me when I tell you that this is a rare occurrence and according to Jyotisha, would give these planets the ability to give extraordinary results.

Now look again and see the dhana yoga-giving houses and lords in his chart. The 9th house is specifically referred to in Jyotish as bhagya bhava or the “house of good fortune” and I have already mentioned how the 1 st house and its lord are considered of paramount importance. •

•

See that in this chart the 1 st house is Aquarius ruled by Saturn. Saturn goes into the 9th house Libra, in extreme exaltation, forming a dhana yoga. Saturn is “mutually glancing at” the 5 th lord Mercury giving another dhana yoga, which is also magnified by the Rahu-Ketu axis. Venus, in turn, rules the 9 th house and goes into the 2 nd house of money in extreme exaltation.


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19 •

Jupiter, rules both the 2 nd house of money and the 11 th house of gains and is exalted in the 6th house Cancer

(Note: For anyone with Aquarius as the 1 st house, the 2 nd and 11th houses become Pisces and Sagittarius, respectively. Both these signs are ruled by Jupiter, so Jupiter becomes the lord of both the 2 nd house of money and the 11 th house of gains. When well placed by sign or house it becomes capable of giving tremendous wealth in its period.) This is an extraordinary astrological picture and it gave him extraordinary wealth when he ran the periods of these planets, particularly Rahu and Jupiter, which occurred in the prime of his life. Planetary Periods

Venus Sun Moon Mars Rahu Jupiter Saturn Mercury

Began

Duration

Born 1837 towards the end November 1841 November 1847 November 1857 November 1864 November 1882 November 1898 November 1917

About 4 years remaining 6 years 10 years 7 years 18 years 16 years 19 years 17 years

Like our other billionaires, his was not a “rags to riches” story. Born in the Venus period, his father owned banks, which he worked in as a young man. At around age twenty-seven he began the Rahu period, which gives the results of the dhana yoga created by the mutual glance between the 5 th lord Mercury and exalted 1st lord Saturn. It lasted for 18 years and was followed by the even more wealth-giving 16-year Jupiter period. Then came the period of Saturn, a planet that is even more exalted and more wealth giving. In his later life, Morgan redefined the phrase “rich old man”, enjoying all the fruits of his dhana yogas until his death at age 76. Clearly, all five of these billionaires earned their wealth. However, at least four of them got a big head start from their fathers - a circumstance of birth. But what of those who become enormously wealthy with little or no effort? What of people who inherit fortunes? Inherited Wealth

Queen Elizabeth II of England was not in line to inherit the throne and all the enormous wealth that goes with it. For her to become Queen, a very strange and unprecedented twist of fate needed to occur. Her Uncle, the Duke of Windsor, fell in love with an American, Mrs. Simpson, and abdicated his right to the throne


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20 to marry his ladylove. His brother George, Elizabeth’s father, then became King, making her heir. Now see her chart.

It is a veritable cornucopia of dhana yogas. However, first notice the number of planets in her chart that are in the best or second best condition. • • •

Mars is in extreme exaltation at exactly 28 degrees Capricorn The Sun at 7 degrees Aries is within 3 degrees of extreme exaltation The Moon is in its own sign Cancer

Two of these planets, as well as others, combine in multiple ways to form spectacular dhana yogas. • •

• • •

The 1st and 2nd lord Saturn goes into the 11 th house giving two dhana yogas. The 11th lord Mars, in turn, goes into the 1 st house (exchange of signs) at an extreme degree of exaltation. This is the same Parivartana Yoga that we saw in Ted Turner’s chart between the 1 st and 11th lords. The 5th lord Venus goes into the 2 nd house Capricorn The 9th lord Mercury “glances” onto the 9 th house, Virgo, its sign of exaltation. Her Moon in its own sign Cancer is “mutually glancing at” her exalted Mars, and along the powerful 1-7 house axis. This is the special, wealth-giving Moon-Mars combination, Chandra-Mangala Yoga, as seen also in the chart of Bill Gates.

What is remarkable about these dhana yogas is their quality. Most noteworthy is the exchange between the extremely exalted 11 th lord Mars and Saturn, who just happens to be both the 1 st lord and the 2 nd lord. Do you see how Mars goes into Saturn’s sign Capricorn and Saturn goes into Scorpio, a sign ruled by Mars? Saturn now can give results as if its status was that of its “own sign.” The intriguing question that remains is “In what period and sub-period did she


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21 ascend to the throne?” Planetary Periods

Mercury Ketu Venus Sun Moon Mars Rahu Jupiter

Began

Duration

Born 1926 November 1939 November 1946 November 1966 November 1972 November 1982 November 1989 November 2007

With about 13 years left 7 years 20 years 6 years 10 years 7 years 18 years 16 years

Elizabeth began her 20-year Venus period around age 20. We have seen that her Venus forms dhana yoga because it is the 5 th lord in the 2 nd house. The first sub-periods in Venus were: Venus-Venus Venus-Sun Venus-Moon Venus-Mars Venus-Rahu

Nov. 1946 March 1950 March 1951 Nov. 1952 Jan. 1954

After her father died in February of 1952, Elizabeth was crowned Queen in June of 1953. As you can see, it was the sub-period of Mars, the planet in extreme exaltation and forming an exchange with the 1 st and 2nd lord Saturn. The 20 years of Venus, was followed by the 7 years of her exalted Sun, followed by the 10 years of the Moon in its own sign Cancer and in mutual glance with Mars. Then came the 7 years of exalted Mars, which ended in 1989. This is the beautiful astrological picture of her long and successful reign. However, since she has been in her Rahu period, placed in the “bad” 6 th house, and giving the results of her debilitated Mercury, her crown has been tarnished somewhat by the much-publicized scandals/divorces of her sons and daughters-in-law, most notably Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Before leaving her chart, there is one more interesting point that you should see. I’ve mentioned in previous sections that “inheritances” and “property” are said to pertain to the 8 th house and 4 th house respectively. Anyone who inherits the throne of England inherits all of the ancestral property associated with it, including Buckingham Palace, country estates etc. One would expect then to see connections in her chart between these two houses. Aries is the 4th house of her chart, ruled by the extremely exalted Mars . Leo is the 8th house of her birth chart, ruled by her extremely exalted Sun. Now notice that this 8 th lord of inheritances goes into the 4 th house of ancestral property. From an astrological standpoint, this is how you end up with Buckingham Palace.


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22 Elizabeth didn’t “earn” any of the extreme wealth she’s enjoys, it’s all been a matter of her birth. Nor could anyone have predicted it, since her father wasn’t even in line for the throne—no one that is, except perhaps a practitioner of Jyotisha. Incidentally, Queen Elizabeth’s chart is another example, like Bill Gates’ chart, of a misunderstood birth time. Some sources give her birth time to be 2:48 am, while others give 2:40 am, which places her ascendant in Sagittarius, not Capricorn. With Sagittarius ascendant we see none of the spectacular results of her Venus dasha at the beginning of her reign. Venus in the 2 nd house represents the jewels, luxuries and riches that she acquired in her Venus dasha. From Sagittarius, Venus would still rule a dhana yoga house, the 11 th house, but it would not form a dhana yoga with its placement in the 3 rd house. An additional point in her case for Capricorn lagna is the fact that she gave birth to all four of her children during her 20 year Venus dasha. From Capricorn, Venus rules the 5th house of children. A Happy King Midas?

The story of King Midas is, of course, a morality tale, cautioning the listener against the disastrous consequence of unbridled greed. King Midas was made quite miserable by the granting of his wish to the point that he had to ask Dionysius to reverse it. And what of Bill Gates? Has his billions made him happy? I wonder. And what effect will the possession of such wealth have on his soul? Pondering such questions recalls to mind my Catholic upbringing and such biblical quotations as “It is more difficult for a rich man to get to heaven than a camel through the eye of a needle. ” If it is our attachments that bind us to the illusory world of form, as eastern approaches to spirituality suggest, then this may very well be true. I have never encountered a self-made millionaire who wasn’t attached to his wealth. On the other hand, I think about the enormous amount of good in the world that could be done with such wealth. In recent years, Gates and his wife have been donating billions to worthy causes. These musings aside, one thing is certain. The birth chart of Bill Gates reveals him to be unquestionably a man with the Midas Touch. An Unfulfilled Promise?

Is it possible that a chart could show the promise of wealth without it ever being actualized? The answer is yes, because the dasha sequence may not favor the activation of the wealth-giving dhana yogas in the chart. It’s a very special karma to have the best dasha at the prime of one’s life, as we saw in the chart of Bill Gates who started his twenty year dasha of Venus at age 27. However, what about the case when the opposite happens, and someone begins their best period later in life?


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23 The following chart is of a woman who has many of the same wealth-giving dhana yogas that we’ve seen in the charts of the billionaires discussed earlier:

For instance you’ll find: • • •

• •

• • •

Like Ross Perot and Murdoch’s chart she has the 2 nd lord in the 1 st house. This 2nd lord Sun is conjunct the 11 th lord Venus in the 1 st house. The 11th lord Venus is in an exchange or Parivartana Yoga with the 1st lord, Moon. The 1st lord Moon is in a Chandra-Mangala Yoga, with the 5 th lord Mars. The 1st lord Moon is in mutual aspect with the 9 th lord Jupiter. This also forms a Gajakesari Yoga further strengthening this dhana yoga. The 9th lord Jupiter and the 5 th lord Mars mutual “glance” at one another. The 9th lord Jupiter “glances” onto the 2 nd house. From the Moon lagna, the 1 st lord Venus is conjunct the 11 th lord Sun.

Surely, there are enough high quality dhana yogas in her chart to indicate at least the “potential” for considerable wealth. Now let’s look at her dasha sequence: Planetary Periods

Rahu Jupiter Saturn Mercury Ketu Venus Sun Moon Mars

Began

Born 1952 January 1955 January 1971 January 1990 January 2007 January 2014 January 2034 January 2040 January 2050

Duration

Age

About 2 1/2 years left 16 years 19 years 17 years 7 years 20 years 6 years 10 years 7 years

0 3 19 38 55 62 82 88 98

The planets involved in dhana yogas are: the Sun, Moon, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter. Ketu and Rahu can be included in this list because of their association


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24 with the Sun and Venus, the 2 nd and 11th lords. The maha dashas of these planets will therefore activate the wealth-giving karma. The only two planets not included in this list are Saturn and Mercury, who are not involved in any dhana yogas (except that Mercury is the 9 th lord in the 11 th house from the Moon.) As her karma would have it, her Saturn and Mercury dashas covered her prime working years from age 19 until 55! Her 7 year Ketu dasha recently began in 2007 at age 55. However, Ketu is not a materialistic and ambitious planet by nature. It’s just the opposite, and generally inclines the mind of the person toward the aspirations of spiritual development. Her Venus dasha begins at age 62, followed by her Sun dasha at 82, and her Moon dasha at 88! This is the chart of a woman who has had various careers as a massage therapist, aesthetician, and social worker. The reason she has not amassed a fortune is clearly shown by the dasha sequence. Summary of Technical Points •

•

•

•

Dhana is the Sanskrit word for “wealth,” and those planetary combinations in a birth chart that bring wealth are referred to as dhana yogas.

The classical literature of Jyotisha contain many such combinations, but beginning students should look for interactive combinations of the money houses 2 and 11 and their lords, with the trinal houses 1, 5, and 9, the Lakshmi-stanas, and their lords. These should be seen from both the birth lagna and the Chandra lagna. Supported by other factors, such graha yogas like the Chandra-Mangala, or Moon-Mars combination can also confer wealth. In particular, the combination of Venus exalted or in its own sign, combining with the 9th lord exalted or in its own sign and in a trine or an angle can bring extraordinary wealth, and is referred to as a Lakshmi yoga.

Special lagnas such as the Indu lagna can be employed to further assess the wealth-giving potentials of a chart.

•

•

•

As always, the disposition of those planets forming dhana yogas in the rashi must also be seen in the navamsha. Are they well placed by sign and house? Do they continue to participate in dhana yoga combinations? It’s the dasha sequence that makes the potential for wealth in the chart a reality. Without the right dashas to activate the dhana yogas in the chart, the promise for wealth may never be actualized.


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25 Bill Gates and the other billionaires discussed in this article had the karma of acquiring vast personal fortunes because of the multiple, high-quality dhana yogas in their charts, and their activation by the dasha sequence. Whether their Midas Touch has led them to real happiness is a question that perhaps only they will be able to answer. All Praise to the Rishis and their Divine Science of Jyotish


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a8 the Midas Touch s

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