Planets (Grahas) in Vedic Astrology
The nine Grahas form the backbone of every Vedic horoscope. Truly understanding planetary significations—beyond the textbook definitions—separates sound interpretation from guesswork. This guide covers the essential dignity rules, functional roles, and relationships needed to interpret any chart in Jagannatha Hora.
This page provides a conceptual overview and navigation. Detailed interpretations are covered on individual planet pages.
The Nine Planets (Navagraha)
Vedic astrology recognizes nine celestial bodies as Grahas—cosmic principles that “seize” consciousness to deliver karmic results. Each Graha carries specific significations that manifest differently based on house placement, sign dignity, and stellar position.
Select any planet below to access its dedicated guide.
☉ The Luminaries
- ☉ Sun (Surya) Soul, father, authority, vitality
- ☾ Moon (Chandra) Mind, emotions, mother, public life
♂ Action & Intellect
- ♂ Mars (Mangala) Energy, courage, siblings, property
- ☿ Mercury (Budha) Speech, intellect, commerce, logic
♃ Wisdom & Prosperity
- ♃ Jupiter (Guru) Wisdom, children, dharma, wealth
- ♀ Venus (Shukra) Love, marriage, luxury, arts
♄ Karma & Shadow Planets
- ♄ Saturn (Shani) Karma, discipline, longevity, delays
- ☊ Rahu (North Node) Obsession, illusion, foreign, innovation
- ☋ Ketu (South Node) Liberation, detachment, spirituality
How Planets Function in Your Horoscope
Every Graha operates through four distinct mechanisms. Understanding these layers is essential for accurate interpretation.
1. House Placement: Where the Planet Acts
The house (bhava) where a planet sits describes the life area where its energy manifests most directly. A planet in the 1st House colors your entire personality. A planet in the 7th House directly affects your relationships.
2. Sign Dignity: How Capable the Planet Is
The sign where a planet sits describes how it expresses. Mars in Aries is direct and pioneering. Mars in Libra is diplomatic and strategic. Each of the 12 signs modifies planetary expression.
3. House Lordship: What Areas It Controls
Every house has a ruling planet—the planet that governs that house’s themes. If Venus rules your 7th House (marriage), Venus becomes your marriage significator. This lordship creates a permanent “agenda” for that planet.
4. Aspects (Drishti): Who Influences It
Planets influence other houses through aspects. All planets aspect the 7th house from their position. Special aspects include:
- Mars: 4th & 8th houses
- Jupiter: 5th & 9th houses
- Saturn: 3rd & 10th houses
Planetary Dignity & Strength Assessment
Dignity determines a planet’s operational capacity. An exalted planet delivers its significations with minimal obstruction.
| Planet | Exalted Sign | Exalted Degree | Moolatrikona | Own Sign(s) | Debilitated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | Aries | 10° | Leo 0°–20° | Leo | Libra |
| Moon | Taurus | 3° | Taurus 3°–30° | Cancer | Scorpio |
| Mars | Capricorn | 28° | Aries 0°–12° | Aries, Scorpio | Cancer |
| Mercury | Virgo | 15° | Virgo 15°–20° | Gemini, Virgo | Pisces |
| Jupiter | Cancer | 5° | Sagittarius 0°–10° | Sag, Pisces | Capricorn |
| Venus | Pisces | 27° | Libra 0°–15° | Taurus, Libra | Virgo |
| Saturn | Libra | 20° | Aquarius 0°–20° | Cap, Aquarius | Aries |
| Note: JHora follows the Taurus (Rahu exalted) / Scorpio (Ketu exalted) model by default. | |||||
Natural Benefics vs. Malefics
☽ Natural Benefics (Shubha)
Jupiter, Venus, well-associated Mercury, Waxing Moon
Promote growth, harmony, and preservation. They generally protect the houses they influence.
♄ Natural Malefics (Krura)
Saturn, Mars, Rahu, Ketu, Sun, Waning Moon
Create challenges, separation, and discipline. Essential for overcoming obstacles and building resilience.
Planetary Friendships & Enmities
Planets have natural relationships that affect their combined influence. Friendly combinations cooperate; enemy combinations create friction.
| Planet | Natural Friends | Natural Enemies | Neutral |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | Moon, Mars, Jup | Ven, Sat | Mer |
| Moon | Sun, Mer | None | Mar, Jup, Ven, Sat |
| Mars | Sun, Moon, Jup | Mer | Ven, Sat |
| Mercury | Sun, Ven | Moon | Mar, Jup, Sat |
| Jupiter | Sun, Moon, Mar | Mer, Ven | Sat |
| Venus | Mer, Sat | Sun, Moon | Mar, Jup |
| Saturn | Mer, Ven | Sun, Moon, Mar | Jup |
Advanced: KP Stellar Principles
For KP Practitioners: In the Krishnamurti Paddhati system, a planet’s results are determined primarily by its Star Lord.
The Star-Lord Principle
A planet acts as the “source” of the event, but the nature of the result comes from its Nakshatra Lord (Star Lord). If Mars is in the 10th house but in a Star owned by the 12th lord, it may bring career loss rather than gain.
To analyze this in JHora, ensure you have enabled KP settings in preferences and check the “Significators” table under Related Charts.
Advanced: JHora Analysis Workflow
Use this workflow to analyze any planet in Jagannatha Hora software:
- Basic Data: Right-click the planet to see exact degree, Nakshatra, and Pada.
- Strength (Shadbala): Go to Varga Charts → Strength → Shadbala. Look for high Sthana Bala (positional strength).
- Relationships: Go to Varga Charts → Relationships. Check the “Panchada” (Five-fold) relationship column to see the final friendly/enemy status in that specific chart.
- Dashas: Go to Dashas → Vimshottari to see when the planet’s period is active.
Advanced: Upagrahas & Deities
Upagrahas (Shadow Points)
Mathematical points like Gulika and Mandi modify results. Gulika’s placement often indicates areas of chronic difficulty or poison.
Planetary Deities & Mantras
For remedial measures, specific deities are associated with each Graha:
| Planet | Presiding Deity | Mantra Recitation |
|---|---|---|
| Sun | Lord Shiva / Rama | Traditional Vedic Count |
| Moon | Goddess Parvati / Krishna | Traditional Vedic Count |
| Mars | Kartikeya / Narasimha | Traditional Vedic Count |
| Mercury | Lord Vishnu | Traditional Vedic Count |
| Jupiter | Dakshinamurthy / Vamana | Traditional Vedic Count |
| Venus | Lakshmi | Traditional Vedic Count |
| Saturn | Yama / Kurma | Traditional Vedic Count |
| Rahu | Durga | Traditional Vedic Count |
| Ketu | Ganesha | Traditional Vedic Count |