Introduction
"Pancha Mahapurusha" means five kinds of great personality. These five yogas appear in BPHS (ch. 75), Phaladeepika (ch. 6) and Saravali (ch. 37). The Sun, the Moon, Rahu and Ketu are not part of them; only the five star-planets, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn, form them.
Each follows the same pattern: the planet is in its own sign or its exaltation sign, and that sign is a kendra (the 1st, 4th, 7th or 10th house) from the lagna.
The five yogas and their signs
| Yoga | Planet | Own signs | Exaltation sign |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ruchaka | Mars | Mesha, Vrishchika | Makara |
| Bhadra | Mercury | Mithuna, Kanya | Kanya |
| Hamsa | Jupiter | Dhanu, Meena | Karka |
| Malavya | Venus | Vrishabha, Tula | Meena |
| Shasha | Saturn | Makara, Kumbha | Tula |
Example: for a Mesha lagna with Jupiter in Karka (the 4th house), Jupiter is exalted and in a kendra, so Hamsa yoga forms.
Raman points out that not every yoga is possible for every lagna. Shasha, for instance, can arise only for movable and fixed lagnas, not dual ones, because Saturn's signs never fall in a kendra from them.
From the lagna, or also from the Moon?
BPHS (75.1-2) states that the planet should be in a kendra from the lagna. Saravali (37.2) also speaks of own or exaltation signs in a kendra.
Phaladeepika (6.4) goes a step further: just as these yogas arise counted from the lagna, they are also possible counted from the Moon. A note in Hora Sara likewise reads Malavya yoga from both the lagna and the Moon in an example chart.
ePandit shows both, but separately: "from the lagna" and "from the Moon". Without a birth time only the Moon form is checked.
What tradition associates with them
The texts tie each yoga to the nature of its planet:
- Ruchaka (Mars): courage, discipline, leadership, respect for custom.
- Bhadra (Mercury): a sharp mind, skill in addressing an assembly, helping one's family.
- Hamsa (Jupiter): interest in dharma, a clear mind, good conduct.
- Malavya (Venus): a feel for art and beauty, comforts, contentment in family life.
- Shasha (Saturn): the ability to run an organisation, patience, working with people.
Some old phrases (such as becoming a king, or a few harsh descriptions in Shasha) are not read literally today. Raman writes that if the planet is not well placed the yoga is only nominal, and that one must see which other planets the yoga-forming planet is linked with.
How ePandit shows it
Each Mahapurusha yoga is shown with the planet, its sign (own or exaltation), the kendra it occupies from the lagna or the Moon, and the source. If more than one forms, each is listed separately.
Phaladeepika grades one, two, three or more Mahapurusha yogas in rising order; ePandit shows how many are present but makes no large claim from it.