Introduction
In Vedic astrology, each planet governs specific aspects of life, representing unique energies that shape your destiny, relationships, career, and spirituality. Planets are classified as benefic or malefic based on their inherent nature, and they have friendship or enmity with other planets, affecting their performance. Additionally, each planet has aspects (drishti) that influence other houses in the birth chart.
Here’s an in-depth look at each planet, including its governing day, element, friendly and adverse planets, and aspects.
The Nine Major Planets in Vedic Astrology
1. Sun (Surya): The Planet of Vitality and Authority
- Nature: Natural malefic
- Ruling Sign: Leo
- Ruling House: 5th House
- Exaltation: Aries
- Debilitation: Libra
- Element: Fire
- Day: Sunday
- Governs: Father, authority, government, leadership, and health
- Friendly Planets: Moon, Mars, Jupiter
- Adverse Planets: Saturn, Venus, Rahu
- Drishti (Aspects): 7th aspect (directly opposite)
The Sun represents the core self, vitality, and authority. It governs your ego, leadership abilities, and self-expression. A strong Sun provides confidence, power, and recognition, while a weak Sun can cause health issues and ego struggles.
| Sun | Ruling Sign | Exalted in | Debilitated in | Friendly Planets | Adverse Planets | Element | Day | Drishti |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | Leo | Aries | Libra | Moon, Mars, Jupiter | Saturn, Venus, Rahu | Fire | Sunday | 7th aspect |
2. Moon (Chandra): The Planet of Emotions and Mind
- Nature: Benefic (waxing), malefic (waning)
- Ruling Sign: Cancer
- Ruling House: 4th House
- Exaltation: Taurus
- Debilitation: Scorpio
- Element: Water
- Day: Monday
- Governs: Mind, emotions, mother, nurturing, intuition
- Friendly Planets: Sun, Mercury
- Adverse Planets: Rahu, Ketu, Saturn
- Drishti (Aspects): 7th aspect (directly opposite)
The Moon symbolizes emotions, mental peace, and intuition. It governs your mother, nurturing abilities, and your subconscious mind. A strong Moon provides emotional stability, while a weak Moon can cause mental instability and emotional insecurity.
| Moon | Ruling Sign | Exalted in | Debilitated in | Friendly Planets | Adverse Planets | Element | Day | Drishti |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moon | Cancer | Taurus | Scorpio | Sun, Mercury | Rahu, Ketu, Saturn | Water | Monday | 7th aspect |
3. Mars (Mangal): The Planet of Action and Energy
- Nature: Natural malefic
- Ruling Signs: Aries, Scorpio
- Ruling Houses: 1st, 8th Houses
- Exaltation: Capricorn
- Debilitation: Cancer
- Element: Fire
- Day: Tuesday
- Governs: Courage, physical strength, action, aggression, competition
- Friendly Planets: Sun, Moon, Jupiter
- Adverse Planets: Mercury, Saturn, Rahu
- Drishti (Aspects): 4th, 7th, and 8th aspects
Mars governs energy, courage, and the ability to take action. It represents your aggression, competitiveness, and drive. A strong Mars bestows physical strength and determination, while a weak Mars can lead to impulsiveness, anger, and conflicts.
| Mars | Ruling Signs | Exalted in | Debilitated in | Friendly Planets | Adverse Planets | Element | Day | Drishti |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mars | Aries, Scorpio | Capricorn | Cancer | Sun, Moon, Jupiter | Mercury, Saturn, Rahu | Fire | Tuesday | 4th, 7th, and 8th aspects |
4. Mercury (Budh): The Planet of Intellect and Communication
- Nature: Benefic (neutral)
- Ruling Signs: Gemini, Virgo
- Ruling Houses: 3rd, 6th Houses
- Exaltation: Virgo
- Debilitation: Pisces
- Element: Earth
- Day: Wednesday
- Governs: Intellect, communication, logic, trade, business
- Friendly Planets: Sun, Venus
- Adverse Planets: Moon, Mars
- Drishti (Aspects): 7th aspect (directly opposite)
Mercury governs intellect, communication, and business acumen. It influences how we think, communicate, and solve problems. A strong Mercury results in sharp intellect and effective communication, while a weak Mercury can cause nervousness, miscommunication, and indecision.
| Mercury | Ruling Signs | Exalted in | Debilitated in | Friendly Planets | Adverse Planets | Element | Day | Drishti |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury | Gemini, Virgo | Virgo | Pisces | Sun, Venus | Moon, Mars | Earth | Wednesday | 7th aspect |
5. Jupiter (Guru): The Planet of Wisdom and Expansion
- Nature: Natural benefic
- Ruling Signs: Sagittarius, Pisces
- Ruling Houses: 9th, 12th Houses
- Exaltation: Cancer
- Debilitation: Capricorn
- Element: Ether (Akash)
- Day: Thursday
- Governs: Wisdom, spirituality, prosperity, education, law
- Friendly Planets: Sun, Moon, Mars
- Adverse Planets: Mercury, Venus
- Drishti (Aspects): 5th, 7th, and 9th aspects
Jupiter governs expansion, wisdom, spiritual growth, and prosperity. It represents the higher mind, ethics, and abundance. A strong Jupiter brings good fortune, optimism, and spiritual wisdom, while a weak Jupiter can lead to lack of direction, excessive indulgence, or moral confusion.
| Jupiter | Ruling Signs | Exalted in | Debilitated in | Friendly Planets | Adverse Planets | Element | Day | Drishti |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jupiter | Sagittarius, Pisces | Cancer | Capricorn | Sun, Moon, Mars | Mercury, Venus | Ether | Thursday | 5th, 7th, and 9th aspects |
6. Venus (Shukra): The Planet of Love and Luxury
- Nature: Natural benefic
- Ruling Signs: Taurus, Libra
- Ruling Houses: 2nd, 7th Houses
- Exaltation: Pisces
- Debilitation: Virgo
- Element: Water
- Day: Friday
- Governs: Love, beauty, luxury, material wealth, relationships
- Friendly Planets: Mercury, Saturn
- Adverse Planets: Sun, Moon
- Drishti (Aspects): 7th aspect (directly opposite)
Venus governs love, beauty, luxury, and pleasure. It influences relationships, artistic talents, and one’s sense of material enjoyment. A strong Venus enhances romantic relationships, creativity, and wealth, while a weak Venus can lead to relationship issues, overindulgence, and materialism.
| Venus | Ruling Signs | Exalted in | Debilitated in | Friendly Planets | Adverse Planets | Element | Day | Drishti |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venus | Taurus, Libra | Pisces | Virgo | Mercury, Saturn | Sun, Moon | Water | Friday | 7th aspect |
7. Saturn (Shani): The Planet of Karma and Discipline
- Nature: Natural malefic
- Ruling Signs: Capricorn, Aquarius
- Ruling Houses: 10th, 11th Houses
- Exaltation: Libra
- Debilitation: Aries
- Element: Air
- Day: Saturday
- Governs: Karma, discipline, delays, responsibilities, hardships
- Friendly Planets: Mercury, Venus
- Adverse Planets: Sun, Moon, Mars
- Drishti (Aspects): 3rd, 7th, and 10th aspects
Saturn represents karma, discipline, and responsibilities. It brings delays, challenges, and hardships but rewards perseverance. A strong Saturn gives patience, endurance, and maturity, while a weak Saturn can lead to fears, limitations, and obstacles.
| Saturn | Ruling Signs | Exalted in | Debilitated in | Friendly Planets | Adverse Planets | Element | Day | Drishti |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturn | Capricorn, Aquarius | Libra | Aries | Mercury, Venus | Sun, Moon, Mars | Air | Saturday | 3rd, 7th, and 10th aspects |
8. Rahu: The North Node of the Moon
- Nature: Natural malefic
- Ruling Signs: None
- Element: Air
- Day: None (influential during eclipses)
- Governs: Materialism, ambition, illusions, unconventional desires
- Friendly Planets: Saturn, Mercury, Venus
- Adverse Planets: Sun, Moon, Mars
- Drishti (Aspects): 5th, 7th, 9th aspects
Rahu represents material desires, illusion, and ambition. It brings worldly success but also confusion and unfulfilled desires. A strong Rahu can lead to unconventional success, while an afflicted Rahu causes chaos, scandals, and obsessions.
| Rahu | Friendly Planets | Adverse Planets | Element | Drishti |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rahu | Saturn, Mercury, Venus | Sun, Moon, Mars | Air | 5th, 7th, and 9th aspects |
9. Ketu: The South Node of the Moon
- Nature: Natural malefic
- Ruling Signs: None
- Element: Fire
- Day: None (influential during eclipses)
- Governs: Spirituality, detachment, loss, past-life karma
- Friendly Planets: Mars, Jupiter
- Adverse Planets: Sun, Moon, Venus
- Drishti (Aspects): 5th, 7th, 9th aspects
Ketu represents spirituality, detachment, and enlightenment. It pushes one away from material desires and towards spiritual growth. A strong Ketu leads to mysticism and spiritual insight, while an afflicted Ketu can cause confusion, loss, and detachment from reality.
| Ketu | Friendly Planets | Adverse Planets | Element | Drishti |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ketu | Mars, Jupiter | Sun, Moon, Venus | Fire | 5th, 7th, and 9th aspects |
Outer Planets (Uranus, Neptune, Pluto) in Vedic Astrology
Though outer planets aren’t traditionally considered in Vedic astrology, they are sometimes used in modern interpretations:
- Uranus: Governs innovation, sudden changes, and rebellion.
- Neptune: Represents intuition, dreams, and spirituality.
- Pluto: Governs transformation, death, and rebirth.
Planetary Roles and Key Attributes
| Planet | Ruling Sign | Exaltation | Debilitation | Element | Day | Governs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | Leo | Aries | Libra | Fire | Sunday | Father, authority, leadership, health |
| Moon | Cancer | Taurus | Scorpio | Water | Monday | Emotions, mind, mother, nurturing, intuition |
| Mars | Aries, Scorpio | Capricorn | Cancer | Fire | Tuesday | Action, courage, physical strength, aggression |
| Mercury | Gemini, Virgo | Virgo | Pisces | Earth | Wednesday | Intellect, communication, logic, trade |
| Jupiter | Sagittarius, Pisces | Cancer | Capricorn | Ether (Akash) | Thursday | Wisdom, spirituality, prosperity, education |
| Venus | Taurus, Libra | Pisces | Virgo | Water | Friday | Love, beauty, luxury, material wealth, relationships |
| Saturn | Capricorn, Aquarius | Libra | Aries | Air | Saturday | Karma, discipline, delays, responsibilities |
| Rahu | None | Taurus | Scorpio | Air | No specific day | Materialism, ambition, unconventional desires |
| Ketu | None | Scorpio | Taurus | Fire | No specific day | Spirituality, detachment, past-life karma |
Planetary Friendships and Enmities
| Planet | Friendly Planets | Adverse Planets |
|---|---|---|
| Sun | Moon, Mars, Jupiter | Saturn, Venus, Rahu |
| Moon | Sun, Mercury | Rahu, Ketu, Saturn |
| Mars | Sun, Moon, Jupiter | Mercury, Saturn, Rahu |
| Mercury | Sun, Venus | Moon, Mars |
| Jupiter | Sun, Moon, Mars | Mercury, Venus |
| Venus | Mercury, Saturn | Sun, Moon |
| Saturn | Mercury, Venus | Sun, Moon, Mars |
| Rahu | Saturn, Mercury, Venus | Sun, Moon, Mars |
| Ketu | Mars, Jupiter | Sun, Moon, Venus |
Planetary Aspects (Drishti)
| Planet | Drishti (Aspects) |
|---|---|
| Sun | 7th aspect |
| Moon | 7th aspect |
| Mars | 4th, 7th, 8th aspects |
| Mercury | 7th aspect |
| Jupiter | 5th, 7th, 9th aspects |
| Venus | 7th aspect |
| Saturn | 3rd, 7th, 10th aspects |
| Rahu | 5th, 7th, 9th aspects |
| Ketu | 5th, 7th, 9th aspects |
Planetary Influences by House Placement (All 12 Houses)
| House | Sun | Moon | Mars | Mercury | Jupiter | Venus | Saturn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st House | Leadership, strong ego, vitality | Emotional, sensitive, nurturing | Energetic, aggressive, driven | Intelligent, communicative, quick-witted | Wise, spiritual growth, optimistic | Charismatic, loving, beauty-conscious | Disciplined, patient, serious |
| 2nd House | Wealth through authority, strong family values | Emotional attachment to wealth and family | Sharp speech, impulsive about money | Intellectual with finances, good communication | Wealth through wisdom, good family support | Material wealth, love of luxury, artistic talents | Delays in wealth, cautious with money, hardships |
| 3rd House | Bold communication, strong will | Emotionally connected to siblings, nurturing | Courageous, adventurous, competitive with siblings | Intelligent, good at communication, writing skills | Wise communicator, good with siblings | Harmonious communication, creativity | Delayed progress, hard work in communication |
| 4th House | Strong connection to roots, authority in home life | Emotional security, attachment to mother and home | Challenges in home life, aggressive relationships | Mental clarity at home, focus on studies | Family blessings, spiritual home life, wisdom | Luxurious home, comfort in family life, harmony | Delayed success in home life, difficult family matters |
| 5th House | Creative, strong willpower, intelligence | Emotional attachment to children, nurturing creativity | Competitive, energetic with children and creativity | Intellectual creativity, quick thinking, writing | Spiritual creativity, wisdom, love for children | Romantic, creative, strong connection to children | Challenges in creative expression, delayed children |
| 6th House | Health challenges, struggles with enemies | Emotional health, stress, attachment to routine | Competitive in work, good at overcoming challenges | Analytical skills, ability to solve conflicts | Good service to others, love for helping, wise | Harmonious in workplace, skilled in service, diplomatic | Delayed health, chronic issues, disciplined routine |
| 7th House | Powerful relationships, strong partnerships | Emotional relationships, attachment to spouse | Conflict in partnerships, impulsive in marriage | Skilled negotiator, good at partnerships, diplomacy | Harmonious relationships, balanced in partnerships | Romantic partnerships, harmonious marriage, love | Delayed marriage, challenges in relationships |
| 8th House | Challenges, sudden transformations, issues with health | Emotional instability, secrets, attachments to hidden things | Sudden changes, conflict with transformations, accidents | Analytical, good at solving mysteries, sharp-minded | Spiritual transformations, deep wisdom, occult interests | Secretive relationships, indulgence in hidden pleasures | Delays in transformation, challenges with death and rebirth |
| 9th House | Strong beliefs, leadership in spirituality | Emotional connection to spirituality and higher learning | Courageous in spiritual matters, risk-taker | Intellectual in higher learning, loves to travel | Spiritual growth, good fortune, love for learning | Harmonious in spiritual matters, artistic in higher education | Delayed success in higher education, slow spiritual growth |
| 10th House | Career success, authority in profession, leadership | Emotional connection to career, nurturing profession | Strong career drive, competitive in work | Success in business, skilled communicator in profession | High status, good fortune in career, leadership | Luxurious career, success in beauty-related professions | Delayed career growth, hard-earned success |
| 11th House | Gains through authority, influential in social circles | Emotional attachment to friends and gains | Strong social connections, competitive with friends | Intellectual social networks, clever with gains | Abundant gains, spiritual connections with social groups | Wealth through friends, harmonious social life | Delayed gains, challenges in achieving goals |
| 12th House | Isolation, loss of ego, spiritual detachment | Emotional isolation, connection to spirituality | Sudden losses, challenges in detachment | Analytical in spirituality, good at handling losses | Spiritual liberation, detachment from material world | Pleasure in isolation, love of luxury in foreign lands | Challenges in detachment, delayed spiritual growth |
Planetary Influences by House Placement (Rahu, Ketu, Outer Planets)
| House | Rahu | Ketu | Neptune | Uranus | Pluto |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st House | Charismatic, unconventional personality, ambitious | Spiritual detachment, introspective, mystical | Intuitive, spiritual awakening, dreamy | Rebel, revolutionary mindset, breaks traditions | Intense transformation, seeks power |
| 2nd House | Unconventional wealth, material obsession | Detached from wealth, minimalist lifestyle | Confusion in financial matters, dreams of luxury | Unpredictable financial gains, sudden changes in family | Major transformation in wealth, deep family issues |
| 3rd House | Bold and manipulative in communication | Detached communication, prefers isolation | Creative writing, artistic communication, dreamy nature | Sudden breakthroughs in communication, tech-savvy | Intense communication style, power struggles with siblings |
| 4th House | Unconventional home life, desire for luxury | Detached from family and home, spiritual focus | Dreamy home life, connected to water or mystical themes | Sudden changes in home environment, innovative family setting | Deep transformations in family life, hidden family secrets |
| 5th House | Unconventional creativity, speculative gains | Detached from romance and children, spiritual creativity | Spiritual creativity, artistic talents, imaginative with children | Sudden breakthroughs in creative projects, unconventional children | Deep transformation in creativity, obsessive with children |
| 6th House | Conflict with enemies, unconventional health issues | Strong ability to overcome obstacles, service-oriented | Confusion in health matters, spiritual healing | Sudden health issues, innovative approaches to work | Deep transformation through service, hidden health challenges |
| 7th House | Unconventional partnerships, obsessive relationships | Detachment from relationships, spiritual partnerships | Dreamy, romantic relationships, confusion in partnerships | Sudden changes in marriage or business partnerships, rebellion | Power struggles in marriage, intense transformative relationships |
| 8th House | Sudden transformations, occult interests | Deep spiritual insight, detachment from material life | Spiritual transformations, mystical experiences with death | Sudden changes in joint resources, breakthroughs in occult | Major life transformations, intense power dynamics |
| 9th House | Unconventional beliefs, ambitious traveler | Detached from traditional beliefs, mystical journey | Spiritual insights, dreams of higher learning | Breaks away from traditional religious beliefs, unconventional learning | Major transformation in beliefs, power through knowledge |
| 10th House | Obsession with career, unconventional leadership | Detached from public life, spiritually driven career | Dreamy career path, spiritual or artistic profession | Sudden changes in career, innovative leader, tech-related career | Power through career, intense control over public image |
| 11th House | Unconventional social circles, ambitious for gains | Detached from social circles, spiritual aspirations | Dreams of humanitarian work, confusion with social gains | Sudden gains through unconventional means, rebellious friends | Intense social dynamics, power struggles with friends |
| 12th House | Unconventional spirituality, detachment from material world | Deep spiritual growth, past-life karma | Dreams of liberation, confusion in spiritual matters | Sudden detachment, innovative spiritual practices | Deep spiritual transformation, intense subconscious exploration |
Conclusion:
Understanding the planets in Vedic astrology helps to navigate the karmic influences and life lessons they bring. Each planet governs specific areas of life, such as love, career, spirituality, and health, and interacts with other planets through its friendships, enmities, and aspects (drishti). By analyzing planetary positions in a birth chart, one can gain insights into their personality, challenges, and potential for growth.
