Vedic astrology uses nine grahas: the seven visible planets plus Rahu and Ketu, the two points where the Moon's path crosses the Sun's. Each graha carries certain meanings (karakatva). How well it can deliver them depends on its sign, house, strength and the planets with it.
| Graha | Signifies | Own sign | Exalted | Debilitated | Friends | Enemies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun (Surya) | Soul, father, authority, government, confidence, health and vitality. | Leo | Aries 10° | Libra 10° | Moon, Mars, Jupiter | Venus, Saturn |
| Moon (Chandra) | Mind, mother, emotions, public, comfort, water and travel. | Cancer | Taurus 3° | Scorpio 3° | Sun, Mercury | None |
| Mars (Mangal) | Courage, energy, brothers, land, police and army, surgery, accidents. | Aries, Scorpio | Capricorn 28° | Cancer 28° | Sun, Moon, Jupiter | Mercury |
| Mercury (Budh) | Intelligence, speech, trade, writing, accounts, friends, skin. | Gemini, Virgo | Virgo 15° | Pisces 15° | Sun, Venus | Moon |
| Jupiter (Guru) | Wisdom, teachers, children, wealth, dharma; husband in a woman's chart. | Sagittarius, Pisces | Cancer 5° | Capricorn 5° | Sun, Moon, Mars | Mercury, Venus |
| Venus (Shukra) | Love, marriage, comfort, vehicles, arts, beauty; wife in a man's chart. | Taurus, Libra | Pisces 27° | Virgo 27° | Mercury, Saturn | Sun, Moon |
| Saturn (Shani) | Discipline, hard work, delay, servants and labour, longevity, justice. | Capricorn, Aquarius | Libra 20° | Aries 20° | Mercury, Venus | Sun, Moon, Mars |
| Rahu | Desire, obsession, foreign lands, technology, sudden rise, illusion. | — | Taurus or Gemini (traditions differ) | Scorpio or Sagittarius | Venus, Saturn, Mercury | Sun, Moon, Mars |
| Ketu | Detachment, spirituality, past-life skill, research, sudden loss or cut. | — | Scorpio or Sagittarius (traditions differ) | Taurus or Gemini | Mars, Jupiter | Moon, Sun |
Aspects (drishti)
Every planet fully aspects the 7th house from itself. Mars also aspects the 4th and 8th, Jupiter the 5th and 9th, and Saturn the 3rd and 10th. A planet influences the houses it aspects as well as the one it sits in.
Benefic and malefic
Jupiter, Venus, a well-placed Mercury and a bright (waxing) Moon are natural benefics. Saturn, Mars, the Sun, Rahu and Ketu are natural malefics. For each ascendant, the houses a planet owns can change this: a natural malefic that rules a kendra and a trikona (a yogakaraka) becomes very helpful for that chart.
Combustion and retrogression
A planet very close to the Sun is called combust (asta) and gives weaker visible results. A retrograde planet appears to move backwards; it often acts more intensely or brings matters back for review.
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