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The Nine Planets (Grahas) of Vedic Astrology

In Vedic astrology there are nine grahas — literally "seizers," forces that take hold of and shape life. Seven are visible: the Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn. Two are mathematical points where the Moon's path crosses the Sun's path: the Moon's North Node (Rahu) and South Node (Ketu). Together these form the navagraha — the "nine planets" — and every reading in Jyotish ultimately traces back to their interplay.

This article is a quick reference. Tap any planet's name in your chart inside KarmaWheel to see a fuller, chart-specific reading.

Sun (Surya · Ravi)

Significates: soul, ego, father, authority, government, vitality, the bones, the eyes (especially the right eye), kingship, fame, dharma, self-confidence.

Sign of exaltation: Aries (Mesha) · 10° Sign of debilitation: Libra (Tula) · 10° Own sign: Leo (Simha) Mooltrikona: Leo · 0–20° Friendly to: Moon, Mars, Jupiter Enemy of: Venus, Saturn Neutral with: Mercury

The Sun is the atmakaraka of the soul. A strong Sun gives natural authority, clear purpose, and physical health. A weak or afflicted Sun can produce ego problems, low vitality, or strained relations with the father and authority figures. Sun in the 10th house tends to give status; Sun in the 6th can give a fighting spirit.

Moon (Chandra · Soma)

Significates: mind, emotions, mother, the public, comfort, water, intuition, beauty, milk, navigation, memory, the chest and lungs, the left eye.

Sign of exaltation: Taurus (Vrishabha) · 3° Sign of debilitation: Scorpio (Vrishchika) · 3° Own sign: Cancer (Karka) Mooltrikona: Taurus · 0–3° Friendly to: Sun, Mercury Enemy of: none (a peaceful planet) Neutral with: Mars, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn

The Moon is treated almost as a second lagna in Vedic astrology — when readings refer to "the chart," they often mean the chart calculated from the Moon's position. A waxing Moon (close to full) gives strong mental peace; a waning Moon (close to new) can give restlessness. The nakshatra the Moon occupies is the basis of your Vimshottari Dasha.

Mars (Mangala · Kuja · Bhauma)

Significates: courage, energy, brothers (especially younger siblings), real estate, the military, surgery, athletics, accidents, anger, blood, muscle, technology, fire.

Sign of exaltation: Capricorn (Makara) · 28° Sign of debilitation: Cancer (Karka) · 28° Own signs: Aries (Mesha), Scorpio (Vrishchika) Mooltrikona: Aries · 0–12° Friendly to: Sun, Moon, Jupiter Enemy of: Mercury Neutral with: Venus, Saturn

Mars governs decisive action and physical courage. A well-placed Mars gives a person who finishes what they start; a poorly placed Mars can give violence, irritability, accidents, or surgical events. Mars in the 7th, 4th, 8th, or 12th house from the Lagna or Moon is called mangala dosha and is examined carefully in compatibility readings.

Mercury (Budha)

Significates: intellect, speech, writing, mathematics, commerce, travel, friends, nervous system, skin, students, communication, wit, learning.

Sign of exaltation: Virgo (Kanya) · 15° Sign of debilitation: Pisces (Meena) · 15° Own signs: Gemini (Mithuna), Virgo (Kanya) Mooltrikona: Virgo · 16–20° Friendly to: Sun, Venus Enemy of: Moon Neutral with: Mars, Jupiter, Saturn

Mercury is prince-like — sharp, adaptable, and quick to take on the qualities of whatever planet it sits with. With a benefic, Mercury is a great benefic; with a malefic, it can magnify malefic influence. Mercury rules speech and writing, so it's central in charts of writers, teachers, accountants, and traders.

Jupiter (Brihaspati · Guru · Devaguru)

Significates: wisdom, dharma, teachers, priests, husband (in a woman's chart), children, philosophy, religion, wealth, expansion, the liver, fat tissues, optimism.

Sign of exaltation: Cancer (Karka) · 5° Sign of debilitation: Capricorn (Makara) · 5° Own signs: Sagittarius (Dhanu), Pisces (Meena) Mooltrikona: Sagittarius · 0–10° Friendly to: Sun, Moon, Mars Enemy of: Mercury, Venus Neutral with: Saturn

Jupiter is the great benefic — guru of the gods. A strong Jupiter gives wisdom, ethical sensibility, fortunate circumstances, and good children. Jupiter's transit (the "Jupiter return" every 12 years) is a major life marker. In a woman's chart, Jupiter is the prime indicator of the husband; in a man's chart, it is the indicator of children and dharma.

Venus (Shukra · Bhargava)

Significates: love, marriage, beauty, art, music, vehicles, luxury, wife (in a man's chart), creativity, cosmetics, the reproductive system, kidneys, the eyes (general), refined pleasures.

Sign of exaltation: Pisces (Meena) · 27° Sign of debilitation: Virgo (Kanya) · 27° Own signs: Taurus (Vrishabha), Libra (Tula) Mooltrikona: Libra · 0–15° Friendly to: Mercury, Saturn Enemy of: Sun, Moon Neutral with: Mars, Jupiter

Venus is the second great benefic, governing love, romance, and the arts. In a man's chart, Venus is the prime indicator of the wife; in a woman's chart, it indicates the kind of partnership the woman seeks and her sense of beauty. A debilitated Venus can give difficulties in marriage, cosmetic concerns, or creative blocks; a well-placed Venus gives charm, talent, and an artistic life.

Saturn (Shani · Yama)

Significates: longevity, discipline, work, servants and laborers, the elderly, sorrow, asceticism, iron, oil, the bones (later in life), chronic illness, justice, karmic lessons.

Sign of exaltation: Libra (Tula) · 20° Sign of debilitation: Aries (Mesha) · 20° Own signs: Capricorn (Makara), Aquarius (Kumbha) Mooltrikona: Aquarius · 0–20° Friendly to: Mercury, Venus Enemy of: Sun, Moon, Mars Neutral with: Jupiter

Saturn is the great teacher and the great malefic — slow, sober, and uncompromising. Saturn rewards patience and discipline; it punishes shortcuts. The transit of Saturn through the 12th, 1st, and 2nd from the natal Moon is called Sade Sati ("seven-and-a-half years"), one of the most-discussed timing periods in Jyotish. KarmaWheel includes a Sade Sati timeline showing exactly when each phase begins, peaks, and ends for your chart.

Rahu (North Node)

Significates: unconventional desires, foreign lands, technology, intoxication, fame, fascination, sudden gains and losses, illusion, ambition, eclipses, the unknown.

Sign of exaltation: classically Taurus (some traditions say Gemini) Sign of debilitation: classically Scorpio (some traditions say Sagittarius) Friendships: debated; treat as Saturn-like Always retrograde

Rahu is a chhaya graha — a shadow planet, the Moon's North Node. It has no body of its own; it amplifies whatever it touches. A well-placed Rahu can give meteoric rise, foreign success, and mastery of the unconventional; a poorly placed Rahu can give addictions, deceptions, and unstable ambition.

Ketu (South Node)

Significates: moksha, detachment, spirituality, mysticism, secrets, surgery, intuition, separation, the past, hidden things, eclipses.

Sign of exaltation: classically Scorpio (some traditions say Sagittarius) Sign of debilitation: classically Taurus (some traditions say Gemini) Always retrograde (and always exactly opposite to Rahu)

Ketu is the second shadow planet — the Moon's South Node — and represents the karmic past: where the soul has already excelled, what it must release, and the doorway to liberation. Ketu placed prominently is common in charts of mystics, surgeons, and researchers. Ketu's nature is detached and cuts through illusion, but afflicted Ketu can give isolation or sudden separations.

How to use this in your chart

Inside KarmaWheel, tap any planet's glyph or name in your Rasi chart to open a fullscreen reference. You'll see:

  • The same classical attributes listed here, scoped to your specific placement
  • The planet's current dignity (exalted / debilitated / own / friendly / enemy / neutral)
  • Friendships in your chart (the Panchadha-maitri compound score)
  • Every classical reading in your chart that involves this planet
  • The planet's current transit position (live)

That's the fastest way to deepen your understanding — start with whichever planet is your Atmakaraka (the highest-degree planet — Vedic "soul indicator"), or whichever is in the strongest house in your chart.

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