Kemadruma yoga

WRITTEN BY

JAYASREE SARANATHAN

(Published in the August, 2010 issue of Astrological eMagazine)

Kemadruma yoga is a dreaded yoga that is said to turn the fortunes drastically from
riches to rags. This yoga arises when there are no planets on either side of the moon. The
commonly accepted version of this yoga is the absence of any planets – the sun and the
nodes are excluded in the reckoning – on the adjacent signs to the moon. According to
Mantreshwara, “One born under the Kemadruma yoga, even if he belongs to the royal
family will become unknown and lead a miserable life.” Varahamihira adds that a person
born under Kemadruma, “although he may take his birth in a royal family, will be dirty,
sorrowful, doing work against his caste, poor, dependent and roguish” Almost all ancient
writers have recorded this kind of effect for this yoga.

Though this yoga seems to be applicable to those born royal and rich, the real import is
that this yoga does not spare anyone. Commenting on this yoga (verse 6 in chapter 13 of
Brihad Jataka), Prof B. Suryanarain Rao points out that the emphasis given by
Varahamihira to persons born ‘even’ in royal families, shows that ordinary people are not
spared and that they will also undergo sufferings given by this yoga. This yoga is a cause
of concern because there are chances of nearly 50% of the people being born with no
planets on either side of the moon. Though life is not a bed of roses for anyone, it will
add to our understanding of troubled periods if we know the role played by Kemadruma
yoga in giving thorn-pricks to people. In this article, let us examine the combinations for
kemadruma yoga as given by different authors and how it is manifest in the life of the
rich and the ordinary.

What is Kemadruma yoga?

This is one of the Chandra yogas and the only Chandra yoga that is harmful. Let us see
some of the versions of Kemadruma yoga.

• When planets other than the sun and the nodes are present before or / and after the
moon, that is, in the 2nd or 12th house or in both the 2nd and 12th houses to the
moon, three types of auspicious yogas are formed namely Sunapha, Anapha and
Durudhara. The absence of these yogas (planets) causes Kemadruma yoga.
Prithuyasas says in Horasara that even if the three auspicious yogas of the moon
are present, the auspiciousness will not arise from these yogas if the moon is
waning.
 • According to him, Kemadruma yoga arises if there are no planets in the kendras
to the moon and the lagna, even if the three (above mentioned) yogas are present.
This means he does not consider the absence of planets on either side of the moon
as the essential condition for the rise of this yoga. The most important
requirement is to have planets in kendras to nullify the manifestation of this yoga.

• According to Saravali, this yoga arises when none of the three auspicious yogas
are present or there are no planets in Kendras to the moon or if the moon is
unaspected by any planet. Here again we find an emphasis to some kind of
connection of planets with the moon by association or aspect to upset the
manifestation of kemadruma yoga.

• Jataka Parijatha gives a few more combinations for the manifestation of this
yoga. According to this text, if moon in the lagna or in the 7th is not aspected by
Jupiter, Kemadruma arises.

• If all the planets are devoid of strength and if there are fewer points in the
Ashtakavarga in the sign occupied by the moon, this yoga arises.

• If the moon is accompanied with a malefic or is present in a malefic’s house in the

rasi or in the Navamsa and is aspected by the 10th lord, this yoga rises.

• If moon is in debility and the birth is in night time or if the moon is associated
with a debilitated planet and is aspected by the 9th lord, this yoga arises.

• Jataka Parijatha talks about another combination also – completely different from
a yoga of the moon – for this kemadruma to manifest. As per this, Venus and
Saturn in falling degrees or in inimical positions or in mutual aspects in inimical
positions cause this yoga whereby even a king will become a pauper. This is in
tune with another notion that when both Saturn and Venus are powerful – by
being placed in exalted or own houses, then also it is not good. In such cases, one
of these planets in the sub period of the main period of the other planet will make
even a wealthy person, very poor.

The exceptions to Kemadruma.

Kemadruma effect will not manifest

• If Venus is in Kendra to moon and is aspected by Jupiter.
• If there are benefics in Kendra to the moon or to the lagna.
• if moon is associated with an auspicious planet and is aspected by Jupiter.
• If moon is exalted or in own house and aspected by Jupiter
 • If moon is in a friendly Navamsa
• If it is full moon occupying the lagna
• If moon is exalted and that happens to be the 10th house (for Leo ascendant)
• If moon is in own house or in exaltation in Navamsa or aspected by Jupiter in
Navamsa.

The result of kemadruma

All ancient writers have said that kemadruma nullifies all the other Raja yogas in a
horoscope. This causes a drastic reversal of fortunes whereby it is said that a
prince will become a pauper. For this to happen, the moon must be devoid of whatever
exceptions we have said above. In today’s world of free market and
capitalistic societies and sudden fluctuations in stock market affecting many industries
globally, this yoga gains importance for its potency to cause drastic reverses to
individuals.

Today there are no kings, but many people enjoy the comforts of life and earn enough to
lead a minimum comfortable life. We have to see if a kemadruma yoga
affects such people. We have to also analyze whether the yoga becomes null when
exceptions are found in the horoscope, thereby sparing the native of any drastic
reversal of fortunes. In this article I have given some insights got from the many case
studies of kemadruma yoga.

Some of these insights are as follows:-

• It is rare to come across a 100% kemadruma yoga fulfilling all the conditions
above.
• Complete reversal of material prospects is found despite exceptions when other
malefic yogas are found. A prominent example is that of Ramalinga Raju, the
owner of Satyam computers. (Details given below)
• Even if exceptions are found, people suffer in the respective periods when moon
is devoid of planets on both the sides. In other words, a lonely moon is definitely
a cause of concern.
• The suffering need not always be about loss of wealth. True to its significance, the
lonely moon causes mental suffering with respect to the significance of the house
with which it is associated.
• The lonely moon, the planetary lord of the star occupied by moon, the other
planets occupying such a planetary lord’s asterism, planets in the asterisms of
moon are capable causing the ill effects of kemadruma yoga during their periods
or sub-periods.
• It must also be checked if the lonely moon happens to be the cuspal sub lord of
any bhava. The significance of such bhava will also suffer the impact of
kemadruma yoga.
• It is also known from cases studies that the presence of Kalpadruma yoga or
Parijatha yoga largely reduces the impact of Kemadruma yoga. So while
examining a chart for kemadruma, a remedial in the form of Kalpadruma must
 also be checked. The other exceptions must be checked to ensure limited impact
of Kemadruma.

A popular example for this last point is Mahatma Gandhi.

He had a lone moon in the 10th accompanied with Rahu. But exceptions to Kemadruma
are there in his horoscope with benefics in moon’s Kendras. Moon also happens to be the
10th lord positioned in the 10th. Moon is the sub-lord of the 5th cusp. In addition, he had
Kalpadruma yoga which made him like a king. In spite of all these remedial, we can see
the bad times happening in the sub periods of moon and related planets. Let see us take a
look at his chart.

Moon is in the asterism of the 12th lord mercury. We have to see other planets in the
asterism of moon and mercury. They are sun and ketu (in moon’s asterism) and saturn (in
mercury’s asterism) and Rahu (in whose star, mercury is posited). So the periods of
moon, mercury, sun, ketu, rahu and Saturn will have the impact of kemadruma to some
extent because the kalpadruma and other exceptions safeguarded the native to a larger
extent.

Gandhiji had moon dasa from 1905 to 1915 during which time he experienced repression
from the South African government. He was still an unknown entity to outside world
during this dasa. He rose to prominence only after this dasa ended. After the end of moon
dasa he came back to India and launched his tirade against the British. The main period
of moon prepared him for his agenda because mercury as the 9th lord (Moon in Aslesha),
prepared him for the dharmic war. The exceptions to kemadruma in tandem with
kalpadruma did not dent his image as a king or supreme man. But moon dasa as such, did
not propel him to that status. That status came to him after the end of moon dasa. That is
the limited way, a lone moon could react.

However if we look at the sufferings he had in the course of his karma (10th house
significance), they have happened in the sub-periods of moon or mercury. He was
arrested for Civil disobedience movement in Mars- moon period. In Rahu –Rahu period
(Mercury in Rahu’s star), he was released from prison to undergo appendicitis operation.
His wife died in Jupiter –Saturn period (Jupiter’s sub lord was moon and Saturn was in
the star of mercury). His imprisonment happened in the sub-periods of moon related
planets only.

The lonely moon as the sub-lord of the 5th cusp had its impact on his peace of mind with
reference to his children. Throughout moon maha dasa he had worries about his children.
His relationship with his first son Harilal was very bad during the course of moon maha
dasa. Harilal renounced family ties in 1911 (Moon- Mercury) and became an alcoholic.

Hillary Clinton is another dignitary who has a lonely moon – but with exceptions.

The 8th lord moon is in a Kendra to lagna, being aspected by Jupiter. Moon is in its own
house in Navamsa. So, by and large kemadruma must not trouble her. However we find
moon’s periods giving troubles in tandem with the significance with which moon is
connected.

Moon is the sub lord of the 7th cusp. Besides this, no bhava or planet is connected with
the moon. Moon is in the asterism of Jupiter. The other planets namely mercury, venus
and ketu will also bear impact of the lone moon as they are in the asterisms of Jupiter.
Even though kemadruma is not manifest, a lonely moon will have impact on her spouse
and in the periods or sub-periods of itself, Jupiter, Venus, Mercury and Ketu.

The Monica Lewinsky scandal involving her husband broke out in Venus- Moon period.
(from July 1997 to March 1999)
She initially supported her husband. But her husband admitted to the scandal on 17-08-
1998 in Venus- Moon - Mercury period. While everyone was expecting her
to leave Clinton, she didn’t. She underwent the trauma throughout the moon antardasa.
The Martian Bhinnashtakavarga also shows zero bindus in her 7th and 12th
houses showing a marital discord. But that happened during the moon antardasa. Once
the antardasa was over, she overcame her differences and disappointments
and surged ahead.

Yet another celebrity who has a lonely moon is the Hollywood actress, Jennifer Aniston.
She has a lonely moon owning the 11th louse, but exalted in the 9th. Moon is in own
Navamsa and the exceptions to kemadruma are well in place. She has
Kalpadruma yoga also. So her position and material status will not be affected by the
lonely moon.

Moon is the sub-lord of 4th and 8th cusps. Moon, mercury and Jupiter are all posited in the
asterisms of moon. Venus and Saturn are in the stars of mercury. There
are a number of planets that will carry the mental disturbance or suffering given by the
moon. And her life has been so in spite of all the career achievements.
She had an estrangement with her mother for 10 years starting from the Jupiter dasa. But
Jupiter dasa also saw her career graph to grow with her launch in the
series called ‘Friends’ which made her world-famous. Note the 9th lord, Venus (in whose
house moon is posited) in exaltation in the 7th, aspected by Jupiter. But
from the beginning of Jupiter sub-period to Venus sub- period, she was not in good
relations with her mother. Her much talked about marriage with Brad Pitt also
came to an end in Jupiter- moon only. (02-10-2005). The bhaadak 7th lord Jupiter in
moon’s asterism manifested in this way.

Another celebrity who actually suffered riches to rags tale is Ramalinga Raju of Satyam
Computers.
He has a lonely moon, the 9th lord in 6th with benefics in Kendra to moon. His fall
happened in Rahu dasa - moon bhukti only. Moon is in the asterism of Venus.
Rahu and Mars also are in the asterism of Venus. Mercury, the 8th lord is in the asterism
of moon. The 4th cusp has moon as sub-lord making him lose all his
properties.

His horoscope has a special feature of both Venus and Saturn in strength – but in the 12th
house and in opposition to the lonely moon! This is a combination that
would make a king a pauper. The fall will happen in the main and sub periods of these 2
planets. Saturn in the asterism of Rahu and Venus with moon posited in its
asterism made the fall happen in Rahu – Moon.

Kemadruma yoga is said to destroy Raja yogas, but it does not seem to touch the malefic
yogas. For instance Raju has Rajabhrasta and bhandana yogas
which had a role in the fall and in his imprisonment. Gandhiji also suffered
imprisonment, but that is for nation’s cause. The 12th lord in Kendra to Rahu /
Ketu and
joined by Saturn in Navamsa caused such predicament for Gandhiji which was part of
his karmasthaan - significance (moon in the asterism of mercury, the 12th
lord). But Ramalinga Raju suffered imprisonment for criminal offences. The 1st and 6th
lord Mars joining Rahu in a trikona to moon caused this. The complete
reversal of fortunes in spite of remedies to kemadruma happened due to this and the
Saturn – Venus combination in strength. According to Jataka Parijata, the
Venus- Saturn equation must be studied for Kemadruma effect. Since these two gain
strength in Libra, we have to take a look at them when we examine a chart.

In comparison we have Hillary Clinton’s chart in which Venus in Libra and Saturn in
cancer form a good equation. She became the Secretary of State in Venus-
Saturn period only. But her ultimate desire to occupy the President’s chair is not likely to
fructify as a counteracting Kalpadruma yoga is absent in her chart. The
moon maha dasa is going to begin in 2019 and if she has ambitions for becoming
President of the USA, the lonely moon’s dasa can not help her in the absence of
Kalpadruma yoga.

Thus we can see some effect of lonely moon despite of cancellation to kemadruma as told
in traditional texts. The mental agony is caused during the relevant periods
in connection with the significances with which moon is connected in a horoscope. This
trend can be seen in the horoscopes of ordinary folks.

For instance in this chart of this NRI, kemadruma is rectified by Venus in moon’s Kendra
aspected by Jupiter. However the moon did not spare him.
The moon is the 7th lord in the 12th. His moon dasa started in December 2007. He got
married before the start of the moon dasa. In the period of moon dasa so far,
he has been suffering from marital discord with his wife. His wife is running into losses
and mishaps in her career and that gets reflected at home in her relationship
with her husband.

In this chart of a businessman, kemadruma is rectified by benefics in Kendra.

However moon happens to be lord of 10th and the sub-lord of the 11th cusp. He suffered
losses in Rahu- Moon period .

In this chart of a medical practitioner, the lonely moon which is not rectified, resulted in
the death of his wife in a fire accident in Moon dasa –
Sun bhukthi. Moon is the lord of the 7th posited in the 4th house.
He had an estranged relationship with his wife throughout the moon dasa and his wife
died under tragic circumstances when she had gone to her mother’s place.

The insight from analyzing many charts with the kemadruma yoga - whether cancelled or
not - is that the lonely moon gives some agony and mental suffering in its
period in accordance with the significances. The severity of the impact depends of the
level of rectification of the yoga and the presence of Kalpadruma yoga.
Since a large number of people are born with a lonely moon, we have to develop a data
bank and analyze the manifestation of kemadruma yoga in
the light of modern day life-styles and hazards.

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