Pravrajya / Sanyasa Yoga

sanskrit: प्रव्रज्या योग (Pravrajyā Yoga)

Definition

Pravrajya Yoga (also Sanyasa Yoga) is a family of combinations that point to renunciation — giving up home and being initiated into an ascetic or monastic order. Its chief form is four or more strong planets sharing a single house or sign, with the strongest of them deciding what kind of ascetic results. Related forms read renunciation instead from the 10th house and the Moon, and from several Moon-and-Saturn configurations. The ascetic who results is named Tapasvi (one who practises austerity), Sanyasi (a renunciate), or Parivraja (one who withdraws from worldly life).

In Tradition

Across the classical Jyotish texts this family shares one core: four or more strong planets gathered in a single house or sign incline a person toward renunciation, and the strongest planet of that group decides which kind of ascetic they become. BPHS, Brihat Jataka, Phaladeepika and Saravali state it directly, and modern authors such as Charak and Rao carry it forward. The classical sources also agree that a Raja yoga present at the same time modifies the result.

In Practice

A jyotishi finds the yoga in four or more strong planets clustered in one house or sign, and reads the kind of ascetic from the strongest planet. Brihat Jataka gives seven classes by that planet: Mars to Sakya, Mercury to Ajivika, Jupiter to Bhikshuka, Moon to Vriddhasravaka, Venus to Chakra, Saturn to Nirgrandha, Sun to Vanyasana. If that planet is defeated in planetary war the ascetic returns to lay life; if combust (too near the Sun), the person attaches to ascetics without taking initiation. Phaladeepika adds the 10th lord with four planets in a kendra (angle) or trikona (trine). Named variants have their own rules: Srikantha (Phaladipika 6:28) wants the lagna (ascendant) lord, Sun and Moon in a kendra or kona, exalted or in their own or a friend's sign; Brahma Yoga wants Jupiter in a kendra from the 9th lord, Venus from the 11th lord, Mercury from the lagna or 10th lord; Virinchi Yoga points to deep religiousness and Brahminical conduct.

Historical Origin

The classical texts handle Pravrajya Yoga in chapters set aside for renunciation: the Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra (Ch.79), Varahamihira's Brihat Jataka (Ch.XV), Mantreswara's Phaladeepika (Ch.27), and Kalyana Varma's Saravali (Ch.20). Modern authors carry it further — Charak, Rath, Raman, Larsen, deFouw and Svoboda, and Rao — naming variant forms such as Srikantha, Brahma and Virinchi.

Definition

In Tradition

In Practice

Historical Origin

Further Reading