Three Hundred Important Combinations

Dr. Raman presents three hundred combinations in this book - beneficial ones which he calls yoga and malefic ones which he calls arishta - relating to all aspects of human life.

In the first chapter and throughout the book, the author stresses not to take these yogas at face value and deal with them with a little more maturity. He then explains these yogas in detail and with an example of each one, explains each of the yogas in detail and what are the pitfalls a student of astrology must avoid at all costs.

It is important to understand the attributes and characteristics of planets involved in the yoga. This would be due to their natural tendencies and by being rulers of certain houses in the horoscope with more importance given to latter. E.g. Jupiter, Venus, well associated Mercury and waxing Moon are benefics, but their natural characteristics are modified by lordship of certain houses. Since most planets own two signs, this influence is further modified. The author exhorts the reader to carefully go through his other texts viz. Manual of Hindu Astrology and Graha and Bhava Balas in order to accurately calculate the strength of the yoga, which is nothing but the strength of the planets involved in the yoga.

I cannot possibly write the names of all three hundred yogas here but will try to give some of the important ones - pancha mahapurusha yogas, budhaditya yoga, various raja yogas, raja yoga bhanga, neechabhanga rajayogas etc.

There is one whole chapter on Kal Sarpa Yoga where the author mentions a lot of new points regarding this yoga based on his own research. He mentions that KSY makes a person industrious, hard working and aware of ones own ability despite restlessness. In a KSY horoscope, (1) evil gets intensified if lagna is between Ketu and Rahu, (2) evil is almost neutralized if lagna is between Rahu and Ketu and (3) Yoga can be considered defunct if even one planet is with Rahu or Ketu or outside of this axis.

The book helps in creating the maturity and awareness required of a good astrologer. Overall, it is not just a reference book for three hundred yogas, it is a text book to be read and reread and logic and reasoning learnt from the book should be applied to every chart.