Mahapurusha Yogas

The five Mahapurusha, or "great person", yogas (Ruchaka, Bhadra, Hamsa, Malavya and Sasa), are formed when Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus or Saturn respectively sits in its own sign or in exaltation and in an angular house from the ascendant or the Moon. Each is held to mark out a person of distinction, stamping the character and fortunes with the nature of the planet that forms it.

They are among the most celebrated of the named yogas, and a chart that contains one is traditionally read as belonging to someone raised above the ordinary in the sphere that planet governs.

Each of the five carries the signature of its planet: Ruchaka (Mars) the bold commander, Bhadra (Mercury) the learned and eloquent, Hamsa (Jupiter) the wise and virtuous, Malavya (Venus) the refined and fortunate, Sasa (Saturn) the disciplined and powerful. The strength of the yoga depends on the exact dignity and placement of the planet.

The atlas gives each of the five its forming planet, its condition, and its traditional character. They are a distinguished subset of the yogas and belong to the Vedic Astrology section.