VEDIC ASTROLOGY

LESSON – 4
PLANETS – SWAKSHETRA (RULERSHIP) , EXALTATION (UCHATHVA) AND DEBILITIATION (NEECHATHVA)

Each house or Rasi is associated with a planet as its Ruler. It is like you staying in your own house, where you
feel comfortable and free.

Table
DEEP
UCHA UCHATHVA
RASI LORD EXLTATION Neecha Graha
EXALTED EXALTATION
GRAHA RULER DEERGA (Debilitated Planet)
Graha DEGREES
UCHATVADEGREES

10 0 11 – 30 degrees – Sun
MESHA
1 SUN 0 -9 DEGREES 0 -11 degrees – Mars Sani
MARS
12- 30 0 own house - Mars

30 4 – 30 degrees
RISHABA
2 MOON 0 -2 DEGREES --
VENUS

MITHUNA
3 RAHU Rahu Kethu
MERCURY

50 6 – 30 degrees
KATAKA
4 JUPITER 0 - 4 DEGREES Mars
MOON

SIMHA 0 – 20 degrees – Sun

5 - -- --
SUN 21 – 30 0 – own house

15 0 16 – 20 degrees
KANYA
6 MERCURY 0 -15 DEGREES 21 -30 0 own house Venus
MERCURY

20 0 21-30 Degrees – Saturn

TULA 0 -19 0-15 0 – Venus
7 SATURN Sun
VENUS DEGREES 16 – 30 0 Own house Venus

VRICHIKA
8 - -- Moon
MARS

0 – 10 degrees – Jupiter
DHANUR
9 KETHU Kethu 11- 20 0 own house - Rahu
JUPITER
Jupiter

28 0 29 – 30 degrees
MAKARA
10 MARS 0 -27 DEGREES Jupiter
SATURN

KUMBA
11 - -- --
SATURN

27 0
MEENA
12 VENUS 0 -27 DEGREES Budha (Mercury)
JUPITER
The ruling planet is strong and powerful in his own house. Each planet has very high power in certain
degrees range in one of the houses. This is called Ucha or exaltation. Exactly 180 degrees away is its Neecha
or Debilitation sthana, where the planet is totally powerless.

A planet is in the best condition when he is exalted. The next best placement is called Moolatrikona,
followed by its Swasthana or own house, followed by Mitrasthana or friends house and the worst condition
is Neecha or Debilitation. The following are the placement conditions of the planets.

Sun or Surya is exalted in Aries upto the 10th degree. In the 10th degree he is in deep exaltation. After that
it is his Moolatrikona. In Leo upto 20 is his moolatrikona and after that it is his own house.

Moon or Chandra is exalted in Taurus upto the 3rd degree. In the 3rd degree he is in deep exaltation and
after that it is his moolatrikona house. Karka is his own house.

Mars or Mangal is exalted in Makara upto 28 degrees. In the 28th degree he is in deep exaltation. After that
it is his Moolatrikona. In Mesha upto 12 degrees his moolatrikona and after that it is his own house.
Vrischika is also his own house.

Mercury or Budha is exalted in Kanya upto 15 degrees. In the 15th degree he is in deep exaltation. After
that the next 5 degrees are his Moolatrikona and after that his own house. Mithuna is also his own house.

Jupiter or Guru is exalted in Karka upto 5 degrees. In the 5th degree he is in deep exaltation. After that it is
his Moolatrikona. In Dhanur upto 10 degrees his moolatrikona and after that it is his own house. Meena is
also his own house.

Venus or Sukra is exalted in Meena upto 27 degrees. In the 27th degree he is in deep exaltation. After that it
is his Moolatrikona. In Libra upto 15 degrees his moolatrikona and after that it is his own house. Vrishabha is
also his own house.

Saturn or Sani is exalted in Tula upto 20 degrees. In the 20th degree he is in deep exaltation. After that it is
his Moolatrikona. In Kumbha upto 20 degrees his moolatrikona and after that it is his own house. Makara is
also his own house.

Rahu and Ketu There is a controversy about their exaltation etc. as they do not really own any houses. In
fact, they were ignored in this regard in some of the major shastras. However, several other later generation
authors generally agreed that Mithuna and Dhanur are the exaltation houses of Rahu and Ketu respectively,
Vrishabha and Vrischika are their respective Moolatrikonas and Meena and Kanya are their respective own
houses.

Neecha or Debilitation: All exalted planets get debilitated in the opposite seventh house exactly 180 0 from
their point of exaltation. The highest point of debilitation is the exact opposite of the highest point of
exaltation. After that the debilitation effect is not there.

It must also be noted that in the order of auspicious placement, next to his own house, comes a planet
placed in a friend’s house and then the neutrals house.

Each Planet is associated with certain qualities or characters. If a planet is strong and powerful in your
horoscope, you will also possess those qualities or characters.
 PLANETARY FRIENDSHIP (Mithrathwa) AND ENMITY (Chathruthwa)

The planets have among them friendship and enmity with certain other planets.

Permanent relationships between planets (Niranthara Graha Maitri)

Planet «Friends» (Mithron) Neutral (sama) planets «Enemies» (Chathroon)
Sun Moon, Mars, Jupiter Mercury Venus, Saturn
Moon Sun, Mercury Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn No
Mars Sun, Moon, Jupiter Venus, Saturn Mercury
Mercury Sun, Venus Mars, Jupiter, Saturn Moon
Jupiter Sun, Moon, Mars Saturn Mercury, Venus, Sun, Moon
Venus Mercury, Saturn Mars, Jupiter Sun, Moon
Saturn Mercury, Venus Jupiter Mars

In terms of planetary relationships, planets fall into two groups:

• "permanent" or Niranthara relationships depend upon the natural status of the planets.
• temporary" Tatkaalika relationships are like aspects and are another kind of relationship by position
in a particular chart.

In terms of permanent planetary relationships, planets fall into two major groups:

• Sun, Moon, Mars and Jupiter are the first group of "friends".
• Mercury, Venus and Saturn are the second group of "friends".

Planets in each group tend to be inimically disposed to planets in the other.

The list of Permanent Planetary Relationships shows the more specific scheme that evolves from this. The
Moon for example, is a friendly planet and is inimical towards none. Hence planets with which it would be
enemies are mainly neutrals. The Sun and Mercury are always close together. Hence Mercury is a neutral to
the Sun, and the Sun is a friend to Mercury, rather than inimical as would be expected. Other exceptions
exist but usually do not extend beyond a group friend or a group enemy becoming a neutral. Rahu and
Kethu are sometimes given relationships like Saturn, but, since they are not primary planets, most
astrologers do not consider them.

Temporary planetary relationships or (Tatkaalika Graha Maithri)

Rule: Planets located in the second, third, fourth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth signs from the sign in which a
planet is in a chart (counting that sign as the first) are to be regarded as its temporary friends. Planets in the
same sign, or in the fifth, sixth seventh, eighth and ninth from it, are treated as its temporary enemies.

In other words, friendship occurs according to the quarter of the zodiac preceding and the quarter
succeeding the sign in which a planet is located. They are in proximity but not on top of each other. Enmity
occurs when a planet is distant from a planet or occupying the same sign. They are either too close or too far
away for their rays to combine harmoniously.
Composite planetary relationships

The factors of both natural and temporal friendship must be combined to get an accurate measure of the
relationships between planets in any specific chart:
• Permanent "friend" + Temporary "friend" = "Best friend" -Athi Mithra
• Permanent "friend" + Temporary "enemy" = Neutral - Sama
• Permanent neutral + Temporary "friend" = "Friend" - Mithra
• Permanent neutral + Temporary "enemy" = "Enemy" - Chathru or Amithra
• Permanent "enemy" + Temporary "friend" = Neutral - Sama
• Permanent "enemy" + Temporary "enemy" = "Worst enemy" – Athi Chathru

The correct ascertainment of planetary relationships is essential for determining the value of planetary
location or the effect of aspects. An aspect between friends proves beneficial but one between enemies
gives difficulty. Moreover, planets in a relationship of friendship function well for each other, even if not in
any aspectual relationship, just as those in a relationship of enmity function adversely

BENEFIC PLANETS
The term ‘benefic’ (Shuba Graha) literally means planet doing good. A planet with negative attributes
would be classified as Malefic (Ashuba Garaha) Planets are naturally Malefic or Benefic, however, a Planet
can change because of the astrological signs they house. Changes are dependent upon, and specific to each
individual person. Horoscopes and their Zodiac signs indicate the goal of the planet for each person, as to
which will be malefic, and which will be Benefic

Some examples of Benefic planets are:

• Jupiter is considered to provide abundance and good fortune. It demonstrates these tendencies
when a person is forgiving, kind, ethical, and overall a good person.
• Venus provides comfort and social graces. This is especially shown when dealing with others and
interacting with others in a diplomatic way, being kind and considering other people)'s feelings.
• Moon has benefic tendencies, which are determined by the amount of light she gives (depends on
the phase of the moon). It becomes Benefic during the New Moon to Full Moon phase. This is
because there is a greater amount of light given, which is considered good and healthy.
• Mercury is evenhanded and fair. It encourages people to behave equitably. However, the planet can
adapt into a Malefic planet. It can do this through its ability to take on attributes of other planets it
associates itself with.

MALEFIC PLANETS (ASHUBA GRAHA)

In Vedic astrology, a malefic planet, or simply malefic, is a planet thought to bring bad luck and misfortune
to those born within its radius. Traditionally, Mars and Saturn are considered the malefic planets, with Mars
being the lesser malefic and Saturn the greater. They are opposed to the benefic planets such as Jupiter and
Venus which are said to grant good fortune by contrast.

A planet that is placed between two malefic planets, traditionally Mars and Saturn, is said to be "besieged."
Or uparudhdha. Besieged planets are believed to be very restricted in their functioning, so even if a planet
is a benefic, the fact that it is besieged means the beneficial attributes it would normally emanate will be
lessened whilst in that configuration.

To be Continued in Lesson 5