In Vedic Astrology, it is not enough to know your zodiac sign. Character, destiny, relationships—every aspect of life is influenced by the positions of the planets at the time of birth. To understand yourself or bring positive changes to life, it’s crucial to analyze the planetary positions and their strengths. Each planet has its own influence, and its strength determines how much it impacts the native.
Planets in the natal chart act as the main source of energy. Each planet is responsible for specific qualities, and your life’s direction depends on how well you harness the energy of these planets.
Interesting Fact: In Vedic Astrology, the houses in the natal chart represent areas of life, planets represent the actors, and zodiac signs reflect the roles or traits. This approach helps to create a comprehensive picture of an individual’s life.
The Nine Planets in Vedic Astrology
In Vedic Astrology, there are nine key planetary influences (Navagrahas) in the natal chart, and each planet has a unique symbol and energy:
1. The Sun (Surya) represents the native’s inner self or “Atman.” It governs self-esteem, desires, and overall vitality. The position of the Sun shows:
• How you assert your identity
• What gives you energy and pleasure
• How to raise self-confidence
2. The Moon (Chandra) represents emotions, mind, and subconscious tendencies. It governs your perception of the world, comfort zone, and emotional responses. The Moon’s position highlights:
• Your emotional security
• Your connection with family and home
3. Mercury (Budh) is the planet of intellect, communication, and reasoning. It indicates your ability to process information, think logically, and interact with others.
4. Venus (Shukra) governs love, relationships, and material pleasures. It highlights your romantic inclinations, attractiveness, and financial inclinations.
5. Mars (Mangal) represents energy, action, and courage. Its placement shows:
• How you handle challenges
• How you assert your willpower
• Your competitive nature
6. Jupiter (Guru) symbolizes wisdom, expansion, and growth. It represents knowledge, spiritual guidance, and prosperity. Its placement reveals:
• Your quest for knowledge
• Where you find opportunities for growth and abundance
7. Saturn (Shani) is the planet of discipline, responsibility, and hard work. It shows:
• Areas where you face obstacles and delays
• The life lessons you must learn through perseverance
8. Rahu represents illusion, obsession, and desires for worldly achievements. Its placement can show areas where you might feel confused or overly ambitious.
9. Ketu represents detachment, spirituality, and karmic lessons. It signifies areas where you might face sudden losses or develop a deep sense of disinterest in material aspects.
Saturn in Libra (uccha) ↑ – intellectual and artistic abilities, few sexual relations, high level of morality, success, fame and wealth come through hard work. Saturn is a planet that requires effort. Tactful, independent, respected person, with a healthy sense of pride, loves to sacrifice and help others.
If saturn is aspected or associated with Jupiter can speak of the profession of a lawyer, doctor, scientist.
If Saturn is spoiled – low morality, impatience, there may be delays in marriage, cold relations with a partner, difficulties with him. Enemies of women, especially in men. Regrets due to the loss of deep affections.
Affected saturn – speaks of a self-willed, dissatisfied, gloomy and vindictive person. Gives a feeling of superiority, explosive nature (especially if the graha is located in dusthan). If there are two or more neutralizations, the positions are smoothed out.
Saturn in Aries ↓ (niccha) strong, decisive character, prosperity comes through perseverance. The first half of life is difficult. Broken contracts, difficulties in home life, worries at work. Problems with the employer. If a person lives harmoniously, then all the bad things are leveled out.
Venus in Pisces (uchcha) ↑ – such people can sacrifice their lives for love, follow their emotions and feelings. Such people really like to help the weak. Inclined to music. Charming, good psychologists. They love comfort, bohemianism. Affected Venus – deceptions, loss of money, obstacles in life, anxiety in marriage, quirky, overly emotional people.
Venus in Virgo ↓ (nicchcha) – gives a great sense of morality, love, beauty in the orthodox sense, platonic love. Achievements through hearing, assistants, singing.
If Venus is affected, all of the above is denied. You can’t eat a lot of sweets, you need to follow a diet, as there is a possibility of problems with the intestines.
Jupiter in Cancer (uchcha) ↑ – friendly, sensitive, social, ambitious people with a good sense of humor. Popular, very pleasant speech, love entertainment. You need to develop according to Jupiter, otherwise all the good that this planet gives is closed.
Jupiter in Capricorn (niicha) ↓ – fanaticism, stubbornness, a very serious mind. However, this gives popularity, success in the type of activity that they are engaged in. Creative, methodical, organizational skills can be demonstrated with other indicators of the map.
Spoiled Jupiter – orthodox, fanatic, worries, obstacles in the profession, luck collapses because of friends, ardent preachers in some denomination. Problems with weight, liver, eczema.
Mercury in Virgo (uchchha) ↑ – active mind, good memory. Such people see details, have a logical mind, and a taste for mathematics and literature. Serious, but critical and skeptical.
Mercury in Pisces (niccha) ↓ – more intuitive people, good speech, useful for others, prone to depression. They have a kind heart and have psychological and creative abilities.
Mercury in defeat gives a sullen disposition, restlessness and superficiality. Such people need to live calmly, avoid information noise, keep their minds quiet.
Mars in Capricorn (uchchha) ↑ – courage, determination and patience, heroic nature. Gives you the strength to achieve what seems unattainable. The ability to both obey and lead. Subtle and receptive mind, prone to risks and manipulation. This situation speaks of accumulated sexual energy and internal aggression.
Mars in Cancer (niccha) ↓– gives a strong desire for home life. Such people need personal freedom, they are inclined to help others. A revolutionary spirit against authorities may prevail.
Weak Mars indicates problems in family life, frequent change of residence, since Mars is karaka of the 4th house. Worries through the earth, property, losses through fire, storm, electrical short circuits, dangers through water, infections.
If Mars is spoiled, the person is persistent, rude, vindictive. There may be losses through authorities, opponents, separation from partners, friends, relatives.
Sun in Aries (uchchha) ↑. A good Sun gives the quality of a leader, a hot temperament, a love of freedom, and enthusiasm. The spirit of a warrior is inside. Such people are capable of going into extreme situations and really want to take care of others. They take responsibility easily.
If the Sun is spoiled in a house (aspects, houses, connections) – this gives irritability, self-confidence, impulsiveness, pride.
The Sun in Libra (Nichcha) ↓ – gives a love of reasoning, a diplomatic approach in resolving conflicts, a harmonious and peaceful life, the person will be popular, people will like him, he will love the opposite sex. He will have many friends, such people are nice, natural diplomats. They need to work as a team; various types of partnerships are favorable.
If a person does not work on himself or the graha is in dusthan, this gives carelessness, suspiciousness, on the verge of madness, general failures in love, unstable career success, problems with authorities and money. A person needs to work hard on himself.
Moon in Taurus (uchchha) ↑ – impartial, emotional, reliable friends, conservative, decisive. Usually weak intuition, but stable mind. A charming, handsome man with a kind heart. They have talent in music or singing, they love art, beauty, and a comfortable life.
Weakened Moon (aspects, waning, in dusthan) – gives a lot of passion, weak logic, problems, failures through friends, too sensitive relationships.
Moon in Scorpio (niccha) ↓ (if the Moon is not afflicted) – gives strength to withstand the blows of fate, a lot of courage and energy, stubbornness, irritability, anger and vindictiveness. Powerful premonition, unfavorable position for mother and maternal relatives. Bad drinking habits can quickly develop. Thanks to his speech, he attracts some scandals. In the female horoscope it gives problems with childbirth.
Essential and Accidental Strength of Planets
Each planet can be strong or weak, depending on its placement in the natal chart. Two main methods are used in Vedic Astrology to determine the strength of a planet:
1. Essential Strength (Sthana Bala): This refers to the planet’s strength based on the zodiac sign it occupies. For example:
• Abode (Mooltrikona): A planet is in its own sign or a friendly sign where it feels comfortable and exerts a strong influence.
• Exaltation (Uchcha): A planet is exalted in certain signs where it reaches its highest potential.
• Debilitation (Neecha): A planet is debilitated in specific signs where it loses its strength and struggles to function properly.
• Exile (Enemy Sign): When a planet is in an enemy sign, it cannot exert its positive qualities effectively and may result in negative effects.
2. Accidental Strength (Cheshta Bala): This is determined by the planet’s position in a specific house. Planets placed in angular houses (1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th) are considered to be in stronger positions. Planets in cadent houses (3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th) are considered weaker.
Defining Essential Strength
In Vedic Astrology, the essential strength of a planet depends on its zodiac sign placement. Each planet can be in one of the following states:
• Abode (House): Each planet rules certain signs. When placed in its own sign (e.g., Sun in Leo, Moon in Cancer), it exerts a strong, harmonious influence.
• Exaltation: When a planet is exalted, it functions at its peak and brings maximum positive results. For instance, Jupiter is exalted in Cancer, bringing wisdom, prosperity, and growth.
• Debilitation: When a planet is debilitated, it struggles to provide positive effects. For example, Mars is debilitated in Cancer, leading to confusion in asserting one’s willpower.
• Enemy Sign: When a planet is in an enemy sign, it may not function well and bring challenges. For example, Venus in Virgo is in an enemy sign, making relationships and emotions difficult to manage.
Accidental Strength (Cheshta Bala)
Accidental strength depends on the planet’s position in a house within the natal chart. This is calculated based on which house the planet occupies:
• Angular Houses (Kendra: 1, 4, 7, 10): Planets here are the strongest and can provide the most positive results.
• Trine Houses (Trikona: 5, 9): Planets in trine houses also hold significant strength but are slightly less powerful than angular placements.
• Cadent Houses (Upachaya: 3, 6, 11): Planets here have moderate strength and can provide results gradually over time.
• Dussthana Houses (6, 8, 12): Planets here are considered weak and may indicate challenges or delays in the areas of life governed by these houses.
Are Debilitated Planets Always Weak or Bad?
Debilitated planets are not inherently bad, but they require more effort to bring out positive results. When a planet is debilitated, it does not perform at its best in its natural domain. However, with effort, remedies, and consciousness, a debilitated planet can still provide growth and progress, often through struggle and learning.
For instance, Mars in Cancer (debilitation) may lead to emotional confusion and indecisiveness in taking action, but with awareness and remedies (like Hanuman worship or Mars-related gemstones), this energy can be directed constructively.
In conclusion, while debilitated planets may present challenges, they also offer opportunities for growth through conscious effort. A comprehensive analysis of the birth chart, including aspects with other planets, is necessary to determine how to handle the energy of such planets.
Posted on my quora profile on June 2024 Source
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