The nine grahas
What each planet means in your life
In Vedic astrology every planet looks after particular people, parts of the body and matters of life. Here is each one in plain words, and what changes when it is strong, weak or hidden by the Sun.
The sky now
Where the planets are right now
- Sun SuryaTula 15°55′Swati pada 3
- Moon ChandraKarka 25°13′Ashlesha pada 3
- Mars MangalaKarka 25°10′Ashlesha pada 3
- Mercury BudhaTula 20°33′Vishakha pada 1
- Jupiter GuruSimha 0°16′Magha pada 1
- Venus ShukraTula 1°15′Chitra pada 3
- Saturn ShaniMeena 14°57′Uttara Bhadrapada pada 4
- Rahu RahuKumbha 2°41′Dhanishta pada 3
- Ketu KetuSimha 2°41′Magha pada 1
Rahu and Ketu always move backwards. These positions are the same for everyone; what they mean for you depends on the houses they fall in your own chart.
Five words you will hear
Strong, weak, backwards or hidden
Exalted
The planet is in the sign where it works at its best, like a person in their ideal job. Its matters flow easily and generously.
Own sign
The planet is at home: comfortable, steady and in control of what it gives.
Debilitated
The planet is in its hardest sign, like working in a language you do not speak. Its matters need more effort, and often improve with age and awareness.
Retrograde
Seen from Earth the planet appears to move backwards. Its matters turn inward: revisited, reconsidered and often delayed, but thought through deeply.
Combust
The planet is too close to the Sun and lost in its glare. Its qualities are present but overshadowed, often by ego or by someone more senior.
Surya · Sunday
Sun
Your sense of self, your confidence and the authority you carry.
Warm, principled and naturally looked up to; people trust you to lead.
Pride that bruises easily, clashes with bosses or the father, and recognition that comes late.
- Exalted
- Recognition comes readily and your word carries weight.
- Debilitated
- Confidence has to be built; friction with authority until you learn to lead quietly.
- Retrograde
- The Sun never moves backwards.
- Combust
- The Sun itself is never combust; it is the planet that burns others.
Chandra · Monday
Moon
Your mind and moods, your mother, and how settled you feel inside.
Caring, intuitive and easy to be with; you sense what others feel.
Moods that swing, worry that keeps you awake, and a need for reassurance.
- Exalted
- A calm, resilient mind and a close bond with the mother.
- Debilitated
- Feelings run deep and heavy; peace of mind needs routine and care.
- Retrograde
- The Moon never moves backwards.
- Combust
- Near the new moon: lower energy and self-doubt, which lift as the Moon grows.
Mangala · Tuesday
Mars
Your energy and courage, your siblings, land, and how you fight for things.
Brave, direct and quick to act; you protect your people and finish fights.
A short fuse, rushed decisions, disputes over property, and a body prone to cuts.
- Exalted
- Disciplined courage and stamina; success through effort and property.
- Debilitated
- Energy comes in bursts; anger turned inward; land matters take longer.
- Retrograde
- You rethink fights before taking them and return to the same goal again and again.
- Combust
- Your drive is overshadowed by someone senior; initiative needs space to show.
Budha · Wednesday
Mercury
How you think, speak, learn and do business.
Quick, witty and clear; you explain, sell and negotiate well.
Over-thinking, nervous restlessness, and words that come out before they are weighed.
- Exalted
- Sharp analysis and precise speech; excellent with numbers and writing.
- Debilitated
- Second-guessing and misunderstandings; important papers need a second reading.
- Retrograde
- You think things through more than once: strong at research and editing, slower to decide.
- Combust
- Judgement coloured by ego or by someone senior; check contracts twice.
Guru · Thursday
Jupiter
Your luck and wisdom, your teachers and children, and how life expands for you.
Generous, hopeful and wise; good advice and good fortune find you.
Over-confidence, advice that misleads, and growth that comes only after mistakes.
- Exalted
- Deep wisdom, respected guidance and blessings through children and teachers.
- Debilitated
- Faith is tested; delays with children or studies; growth through hard lessons.
- Retrograde
- Wisdom earned through questioning; beliefs revised; second attempts succeed.
- Combust
- Good advice gets ignored; guidance arrives only after the period passes.
Shukra · Friday
Venus
Love, marriage, beauty, comfort and the pleasures you enjoy.
Charming, tasteful and affectionate; relationships and comforts come easily.
Expectations in love that clash with reality, and spending on comfort.
- Exalted
- Refined taste and a loving, harmonious marriage.
- Debilitated
- Love feels critical or unfulfilled until expectations become realistic.
- Retrograde
- Old relationships return; love is decided after a second look.
- Combust
- Love takes a back seat to duty; the partner may feel unheard.
Shani · Saturday
Saturn
Discipline, hard work, delays, and the results that last.
Patient, fair and dependable; what you build stays built.
Heavy responsibility, fear of failure, and results that arrive late.
- Exalted
- Steady effort is rewarded; fair authority and lasting success.
- Debilitated
- Burdens with little support until discipline turns into strength.
- Retrograde
- Delays repeat until a lesson is learned; results come late but stay.
- Combust
- Your effort goes unseen by seniors; take care not to overwork.
Rahu · Saturday
North Node
Your strongest desires, the unconventional path and links with far-off places.
Bold, inventive and unafraid of the new; you rise in fields others avoid.
Restlessness, shortcuts that backfire, and confusion about what you really want.
- Exalted
- Ambition finds the right channel; success abroad or in new fields.
- Debilitated
- Restless choices and mistrust; slow down before big moves.
- Retrograde
- Rahu always moves backwards; that is its nature, not a weakness.
- Combust
- Rahu is never counted as combust.
Ketu · Tuesday
South Node
What you let go of, your spiritual side and skills that come naturally.
Intuitive, self-contained and deep; you see past appearances.
Feeling cut off, sudden endings, and doubt about your direction.
- Exalted
- Deep intuition and a detachment that brings peace.
- Debilitated
- Feeling misunderstood; losses that teach what truly matters.
- Retrograde
- Ketu always moves backwards; that is its nature, not a weakness.
- Combust
- Ketu is never counted as combust.
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