Mercury is the planet of intelligence. Mercury is street smart. The conjunction of Mercury with the Sun creates the Budh Aditya yoga. This is because the intelligence is being lit up by the rays of the Sun. It bestows the person with the highest intelligence. Mercury is also the karaka of primary education, which is considered up to Bachelors degree in astrology. If Budha is well placed and beneficially aspected, the concerned person will have a good experience with their education. If Venus and Mercury are conjunct in a man’s chart, the wife will be intelligent.

If Mercury is placed in the ascendant, the person will definitely have practical intelligence. Mercury is the karaka of teaching as well, as teaching is primarily a form of communication of knowledge and Mercury represents communication as well. Further, Gemini, the sign ruled by Mercury is a cerebral sign as well. Gemini ascendant people are usually considered intelligent, the extent depending on other supporting factors.

However, Mercury does not endow wisdom to a person. Mercury has breadth, knows a little bit about everything, but is considered shallow and superficial. After all, Mercury is only a child in mythology, whose final results often depend on the influences it is under, much more than other planets.

It is Jupiter which is the karaka of wisdom. Jupiter’s influence on the dharma trine of the chart, the 1st, 5th and 9th houses, or its influence on the 1st house lord or even Sun, the karaka of 1st house, will make the person wise. It is Jupiter that takes the person towards higher education.

Again, this is not to be confused with which is the wisest planet, which is Venus. The daitya guru Shukracharya, is considered the wisest of all planets, much more than the dev guru Jupiter. However, despite being the wisest, Venus is not the karaka of wisdom.

So, to sum up, Mercury is the planet of intelligence. The more benefic Mercury gets, with more and more factors turning in its favor, the more intelligent the person will be. It will be easy for such a person to grasp new concepts and learn new subjects. Picking up on studies will be a cakewalk for them. However, for the intelligence to be translated into wisdom, Jupiter’s influence will be needed on Mercury, and hopefully the ascendant house or the ascendant lord.