In the realm of American politics, 2024 is blowing out all the stops for history-making events. In the last two months alone, Donald Trump was convicted on 34 counts in the so-called “hush money” case, had two of his other federal cases delayed by sympathetic judges, and then survived an assassination attempt at one of his rallies. Meanwhile, Joe Biden scored a dismal “F” in his faltering debate with Trump, thereby unleashing a storm of criticism from anxious Democrats that put funding on hold, a crisis that culminated in Biden’s withdrawing from the race and endorsing VP Kamala Harris to run in his stead.
Although Harris has already made history in having been the first African American woman and first Asian American person to serve as Vice-President of the USA, she is now poised to make history all over again, first as the Presidential nominee for the 2024 election cycle, and possibly, as the 47th President of the USA.
She was born to a Tamil mother and a Jamaican father. Her mother emigrated from India and became a prominent breast cancer researcher, while her father emigrated from Jamaica and became an economics professor at Stanford University. Kamala excelled in school and university and, after two decades of public service in municipal and state judiciaries, went on to serve as attorney-general of California from 2011 to 2017, and as US senator from California from 2017 to 2021.
She was born October 20, 1964, at 9:28 pm PDT in Oakland, California. AstroDataBank assigns her birthtime a Rodden rating of AA, which provides us confidence in applying the many time-sensitive amshas that are an integral part of jyotish.
Her horoscope has a number of prominent and promising yogas, albeit none of those we might typically expect for the potential leader of the most powerful country in the world. She has no Mahapurusha yogas nor any Raja yogas, neither from the Udaya-lagna (natural ascendant), the Chandra-lagna or the Surya-lagna. In lieu of that, let’s assess what she does have, from the simplest to the most complex of patterns.
Yogas
Budhaditya yoga. This is formed by the association of the Sun and Mercury, whose placement also fulfills the other requisites of the yoga, ie, that one of them rules the 1st house of the Self or the 5th house of intelligence, and both either occupy or aspect the 1st or 5th houses.
Dhana yoga. This is formed through connections between trinal lords and money lords. Mercury as lagnesh is in mutual aspect with the 2nd lord Moon which is powerful at its peak full-moon brightness.
Parivartana yogas. Although it’s common (40%) to find one Parivartana in a horoscope, it’s much less likely (3%) to find two in a horoscope. The first is formed via the mutual reception (sign exchange) of 3rd lord Sun with 5th lord Venus, a combination that favors skills acquisition and rational analysis. The second is formed via the exchange between 2nd lord Moon and 11th lord Mars, a combination that favors fund-raising and engagement in social enterprises. (Of the latter, some also consider a 2/11 exchange to be another form of Dhana yoga.)
Shakata yoga. This is formed when a (non-kendra) Moon occupies the 6th, 8th or 12th sign from Jupiter. Although this yoga has some negative implications of financial stress, as often as not it indicates a bumpy ride in life, sometimes with major shakeups in career and/or lifestyle. However, in Kamala’s case, the potential gyrations could be mitigated by the relative strengths of both grahas – the full Moon in a positive house, and Jupiter being retrograde.
Neechabhanga. Both the Sun and Mars are debilitated. Since these are two kshatriya grahas, in kendras from the Moon, their weakness implies something of a lackluster command-and-control disposition, which could manifest as a lack of leadership and authority. (Hillary Clinton had both Sun and Mars debilitated in kendras from the Lagna.) But when we examine the two for their potential resolution of weaknesses via the agency of neechabhanga, we get very different outcomes.
- * The Sun, along with three other potential allies among the grahas, is assessed to gauge its capacity to surmount debilitation. This assessment achieves the threshold necessary to declare the Sun neechabhanga, ie, subject to mitigation. Furthermore, since the Sun participates in two “ordinary” yogas (Budhaditya and Parivartana), we can also say it achieves Neechabhanga yoga. However, because the Sun does not participate in any Dharma-Karma Adhipati yogas, we cannot say it achieves Neechabhanga Raja yoga. Notwithstanding these caveats, the Sun’s “recovery” from debilitation does facilitate effective leadership, assisted perhaps by capable advisors and a strong Cabinet.
- * Mars, along with three other potential allies, is also assessed to gauge its capacity to surmount debilitation. However, it fails to meet the threshold for mitigation, and remains irrevocably debilitated, therefore a liability. Notwithstanding some relief courtesy of the Parivartana between the Moon and Mars, a debilitated Mars in the 2nd house could manifest as a sort of “speech handicap”, eg, not being the most compelling orator, or liable to make outspoken remarks in debates or other public forums.
Viparita Raja yoga. Although many practitioners and students of jyotish are aware of the general rule under which Viparita appears in 3% of all horoscopes, few know how to correctly apply or assess it. Even fewer people are aware of another form of Viparita that appears in 10% of all horoscopes. Following are the two eligible patterns:
- * Single-graha Viparita is formed when any one of the three trik lords (6th, 8th, 12th) goes to another trikasthana not its own, where it enjoys some strength (exaltation, retrogression, swa-nakshatra, full moon), meanwhile avoiding any contamination via association or aspect from any non-trik lord. No such pattern exists in Kamala’s horoscope.
- * Multiple-graha Viparita is formed when any two or three trik lords associate with or mutually aspect each other in any house(s) whatsoever, and at least one of them enjoys strength, meanwhile both avoiding any contamination via contact from a non-trik lord. This pattern applies in Kamala’s horoscope:
- * Kamala’s 8th lord Saturn is in mutual aspect with 12th lord Venus across the axis of the 3th/9th houses. Saturn enjoys double strength (swa-rashi and retrograde) while Venus is swa-nakshatra, thus providing more than enough “juice” to empower the yoga. Meanwhile, Venus is aspected only by Saturn, while Saturn is aspected only by Venus and Mars, the latter of which does not create the yoga, but because it is also a trik lord, neither does it negate the yoga.
Other notable elements
Aside from yogas, two other aspects of her horoscope merit consideration – the position of Rahu, and the condition of the Moon.
Note that she has no grahas except for the lunar nodes in the kendras. Although some would suggest the absence of visible grahas in the kendras means the person has no grip on the wheel of Life, the devil is in the details. Rahu in the Lagna can provide charisma, drive and perhaps a novel approach to leadership. Rahu’s dispositor Mercury participates directly in two yogas (Budhaditya and Dhana) and therefore promotes intelligence, analysis and fund-raising. Furthermore, Rahu is in such close proximity (1deg22) to the Lagna that this pattern will be perpetuated through multiple amshas, a powerful placement whose significance will be discussed below under timeline considerations.
The other notable element is her full Moon, waxing to exactitude within 0deg09, achieving fullness a mere 15 minutes of clock time after birth. Because of the perfection of the Sun/Moon relationship, this pattern likewise perpetuates through multiple amshas.
Timeline: dasha-bhukti
As for planetary periods, Kamala is currently running Rahu dasha, Venus bhukti, a 3-year period that started in February 2024 and will continue through this election cycle and up until February 2027. One way of assessing this conjoined period is to look at what each period lord calls forth in the horoscope.
Dasha lord Rahu acts as a proxy for its rashi dispositor Mercury who is involved in two yogas – a Budhaditya and Dhana yoga – from which we might conclude that this is a timely fusion of intelligence and money. Further note that Rahu in the Lagna, irrespective of which sign, also connotes powerful ambitions for self-realization.
Since bhukti lord Venus occupies its own nakshatra, it functions powerfully to deliver results for itself alone. Although it occupies the 3rd house of desire, courage and adventure, it owns the 5th and 12th, whose significations are markedly different. However, for two different reasons, the 5th house is favored over the 12th. The primary reason is that Venus is in Parivartana with the Sun in the 5th house, which powerfully activates the 5th house. The secondary reason is that, for every graha except Mercury, the odd/male sign is favored by the graha in question. In Kamala’s case, Venus rules odd/male Libra and even/female Taurus. Hence, the 5th house of Libra is favored over the 12th house of Taurus, more likely to reflect good fortune than loss.
At this point we should recall a basic tenet of dasha vichara, which is that the period lord(s) will activate those yogas in the horoscope in which the lords are participants. Although Rahu is not part of any major yoga, Venus is a vital participant in two. The first is the Parivartana with the Sun, which highlights a hidden strength for Venus, revealed only after allowing a “swap” with the Sun. In hindsight, doesn’t this perfectly mirror the political tsunami of just a few weeks ago, where the “lady in waiting” exchanged places with the “aging King” on the throne?
The second major pattern is the Viparita Raja yoga formed by Venus with Saturn, as discussed earlier. The essential nature of Viparita is to surmount difficulties, to come from behind in a race, to snatch victory from the jaws of disaster.
We should also note that Venus and Saturn are mission-critical grahas when it comes to analyzing Kamala’s prospects for government service. Never mind that she’s already dedicated her life to public service, but now is a time in her life like no other. Venus (Parivartana and Viparita yogas) is lord of the 5th house, indicative of subject matter expertise, portfolio management or ministerial roles. Meanwhile, Saturn is lord of the 9th house, representing both the judiciary and legislative bodies such as parliaments and Congress. All that’s missing here is 10th lord Jupiter for administrative capacity, but no horoscope is perfect, and such gaps can be filled (in a mundane sense) by a strong Cabinet.
Timeline: amsha integration
As per theories originated by Seshadri Iyer and taught by Hart de Fouw, period lords not only bring forth the prospects suggested by their natal placement in the horoscope, but also activate the themes of key amshas in which such period lords are well- or poorly-placed.
According to Iyer, and substantiated by decades of “field work” by De Fouw, the Iyer Ekadashamsha (11th harmonic) is the amsha to analyze when considering notable achievements, the realization of which are not entirely under one’s control. This includes monetary benefits such as major insurance payouts, lottery wins and inheritances. Independently, it also includes major social distinctions such as Academy Awards, Nobel prizes, and winning elections.
The basic premise is that the dasha and bhukti lords should be well-placed, strong and stable in whatever amsha is under study. When we examine Kamala’s D-11, what do we find?
As expected, due to Rahu’s tight proximity to the natal Lagna, dasha lord Rahu occupies the Lagna, a positive house, of the D-11. Although ordinary in Aries, it is stabilized by double-strength Jupiter (retrograde and digbala), meanwhile unafflicted by any other graha, discounting Ketu since it’s always part of the Rahu/Ketu dyad.
Meanwhile, bhukti lord Venus occupies the 5th house, another positive bhava in the D-11. Although ordinary in Leo, it is stabilized by the aspects of two benefics, Jupiter and Mercury, meanwhile unafflicted by any other graha.
Thus, the prognosis for the Rahu-Venus period is good for both financial and electoral windfalls.
Timeline: gochara
Last but not least, let’s consider the planetary transits on election day, November 5th. Again, it’s instructional to consider some of the theories expounded by Seshadri Iyer, who says that the passage of a graha through a nakshatra will invoke the significations of that nakshatra lord in the horoscope. In his opinion, we can profitably focus on just three grahas – Jupiter to anticipate events occurring within a year, the Sun for events occurring within a month, and the Moon for events occurring within two-and-a-half days.
On election day, transiting Jupiter will be at approximately 26 degrees Taurus, in the Mars-ruled nakshatra of Mrigashira. Although this does invoke her somewhat problematic Mars – debilitated without neechabhanga, yet in Parivartana with the Moon – Mrigashira is also Kamala’s rising nakshatra, and Jupiter will be a mere five degrees away from her Lagna.
Transiting Sun will be approximately 19 degrees Libra, in the Rahu-ruled nakshatra of Swati. This will invoke Kamala’s natal Rahu which tightly conjoins her Lagna and acts as a proxy for her lagnesh Mercury in the 5th house.
Finally, transiting Moon will range across 4-10 degrees Sagittarius, in the Ketu-ruled nakshatra of Moola. This will invoke Kamala’s natal Ketu which acts as a proxy for her 10th lord Jupiter.
Thus, transits on election day are also indicative of a positive outcome for Kamala Harris.
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For a video discussion of this same topic, see my YouTube channel post.
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Alan Annand is a Vedic astrologer, palmist and author. He’s a graduate of the British Faculty of Astrological Studies and was for many years their sole tutor for students in USA and Canada. After being introduced to jyotish, he was certified by the American College of Vedic Astrology, and went on to enjoy advanced instruction from Hart de Fouw. Aside from consulting and tutoring, he has long been a professional writer, straddling the corporate and creative worlds. His New Age Noir crime novels feature an astrologer protagonist whom one reviewer has dubbed “Sherlock Holmes with a horoscope.” His books on Vedic astrology – Kala Sarpa, Parivartana Yoga, and Stellar Astrology, Vols 1-4 – have been praised for the quality of their research and writing. His latest book – Kama Yoga: Love, Marriage & Sexuality in Jyotish – is a complete guide to personal relationships as seen through the lens of Vedic astrology.
Services on Website: http://www.navamsa.com
Lessons on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AlanAnnand
Books on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Alan-Annand/e/B0052MM0PO
I appreciate your analysis as far as you took it, but there are several admissions of a very serious nature.
Most importantly, you ignored the profound Raja yoga formed when the lords of the fifth and ninth combine. This is clearly stated in Phaladeepika and taught to us by Hart.
Also championed by Hart is the Pancha Maha Purusha yoga formed when a planet is in its own sign or exalted in a trinal house, which the supremely powerful Saturn certainly is.
Finally, the Parivartana yogas actually do have more potency in Neecha Bhangha than your giving them, but more importantly: The Sun is aspected by Mars, it’s exaltation Lord, which is very profound, and the exaltation lord of Mars is the very powerful Saturn. You ignored both of these.
And so much more thorough analysis of her chart shows much more strength than you gave her.
Hank –
Thanks for your comments.
As for the L5/L9 yoga with VE/SA, I chose to reference it as a significant “government” signature as opposed to making much ado of its trinal yoga status, since I’ve never seen Hart give that pattern anything like the import of a standard DKA yoga. (As confirmed by regular reviews of more than a decade’s worth of very detailed course notes.) Incidentally, one of Hart’s yoga handouts dated 2003 attributes the L5/L9 pattern to Parashara, not Phaladeepika.
As for Pancha Maha Purusha formed by grahas in the trines, Hart stopped referencing those as such a very long time ago. Yes, he included that definition in his PMP discussion in Light on Life, but in later years, modified his stance. (Again, course notes and HdF handouts…)
Having said all this, however, your points are still germane, and I simply dispute your characterizing them as factors that Hart would “champion” above all else in this horoscope.
As for neechabhanga Sun and Mars, I chose not to get “into the weeds” of the analysis, simply because it is complicated, and involves a detailed protocol Hart privately shared with me a couple of years ago, one that is much more thorough than that which he presented in Light on Life.
In the case of the debilitated Sun, it scores 3/12 points, just enough to achieve lift-off, and indeed one of the three plus factors is that aspect of Mars upon the Sun that you referenced.
As for debilitated Mars, it scores only 1/11, which means it fails to achieve amelioration or remediation. And in that latter protocol, Saturn provides no support in Mars’ recovery, since it is kendra to neither the lagna nor the Moon, nor does it aspect Mars.
If you want to contact me privately (alan.annand@gmail.com) I can bring you up to speed on neechabhanga vichara.
Bottom line, I think we can both agree that Kamala has a strong chart and makes a good candidate in the upcoming election.
Thanks for your input.
– Alan