Mahatma Gandhi and Bandhana Yoga

Ever since I stumbled up on Bandhana Yoga (ref: Please read my earlier article from July 2007 for the definition of Bandhana Yoga), I always wondered if it possible to explain this Yoga using Mahatma Gandhi’s chart, as all of us know that Mahatma Gandhi was arrested multiple times through out his life. He was not only arrested by British in India, he was also arrested by South African regime in South Africa. Hence, it is very interesting to view Mahatma Gandhi’s Chart from the angle of Bandhana Yoga. Initially, when I looked at this chart, I failed to recognise the yoga formation. Probably, I didn’t look carefully enough and I might have not looked at both Rasi and Bhava charts. I was also thinking that the birth time of Mahatma Gandhi that we have today is not quite reliable (Refer to details given in Astrodatabank). May be because of this reason I did not look at his chart hard enough. After I wrote my article on Bandhana Yoga, I decided to take a closer look at Mahatma Gandhi’s chart. To my surprise, I found more than one combinations of Bandha Yoga in his chart! His Yoga formation is not very strong (not strictly as per classical definition, unlike that of Nelson Mandela or Suu Kyi) and I attribute this reason for his short stints behind the bars. Astrodabank gives 7:11:48 am LMT as the birth time with the following comments to arrive at the correct birth time of Mahatma Gandhi:



Fagan in AFA 3/l948 gives "Shake 1791, Bhadrapad Vadya 12th, three Ghatis and 12 Palas after sunrise, from Yeshawant K. Pradhan in "Voice of India," 2/24, confirmed by Ramon, who nonetheless gave 7:56 AM IST as his translation." Much later, in American Astrology 10/1976, Fagan gave 2:29:48 AM GMT which equals 7:08:12 AM LMT of Porbandar….
Even though there were so many theories about the correct birth time, I decided to go with the one chosen by Astrodatabank.

Following is my attempt to locate Bandhana Yogas in Mahatma Gandhi’s chart. But in this chart, I could locate the Bandhana Yoga in the Rasi chart and not in Sripathi Bhava. Hence, now I tend to believe that the Yoga can be traced to either in the Rasi Chart or in the Bhava Chart.

Bandhana Yoga 1 (From Lagna)

Lagna lord is Sukra, occupies a Kendra. 6th lord is Guru, also occupies a Kendra. Budha, sitting in the nakshatra of Rahu, afflicts both Sukra and Guru! Sixth lord Guru aspects lagna lord.

Bandhana Yoga 2 (From Chandra Lagna)

Chandra lagna lord is Chandra, occupies a Kendra. 6th lord from Chandra is Guru, also occupies a Kendra. Sani aspects both Chandra and Guru by Rasi Drishti! 6th lord Guru aspects Chandra Lagna lord Chandra by Sphuta Drishti. As Aroodha Lagna falls in Cancer (which is same as Chandra Lagna), one might even say that the Bandhana Yoga could be seen from Aroodha Lagna as well in this chart! No wonder Gandhiji was arrested and released so many times throughout his life time.

As each and every planet is involved either directly or indirectly in one of the Bandhana Yogas, I don’t think it is necessary to look at dasha bhuktis of the dates of arrest. He was arrested in all most all dashas starting Chandra dasha, first time on January 10, 1908(Chandra-Rahu) in South Africa. Note that Rahu is disposited by Chandra who is involved in the first Bandhana Yoga. In the span of 6 years from 1908 to 1913, Gandhiji was arrested and released 6 times! All of this was in South Africa.

He was first arrested in India on April 16, 1917 (Kuja-Sukra), first time in Kuja dasha. Note that Kuja is conjunct Sukra. He was arrested thrice in Kuja dasha.

Next, in Rahu dasha, he was first arrested on May 5, 1930 (Rahu-Budha). Note that Budha is in the nakshatra of Rahu. He was arrested thrice overall in Rahu dasha as well.

Finally, he was arrected once in Guru dasha on August 9, 1942 (Guru-Sani). Please note that Guru is involved in all the Bandhana Yogas and Sani aspects Guru by Rasi drishti.

Overall, in a span of 36 years (between 1908 and 1944), Mahatma Gandhi was arrested and released 13 times! This is really mind blowing! So is the fate of a great soul and how can mere mortals like us escape the clutches of our own Karma?

Food for thought - I only wonder why he did not face any arrest during Sukra dasha...

I am extremely thankful to Astrodatabank (http://www.astrodatabank.com/NM/GandhiMohandas.htm) for providing the birth data of Mahatma Gandhi and the web site mkgandhi.org (http://www.mkgandhi.org/arrestofmahatma.htm) for providing the dates of arrests of Mahatma Gandhi.

© Krishnamurthy Seetharama