Graha Reference
The nine, with nature, significations, dignity, relationships and Dig Bala — everything a chart reading needs on one page.
Drawn from BPHS 3, BPHS 34, BPHS 36. Ch. 3 · Ch. 34 · Ch. 36
The nine, and what each fundamentally signifies
BPHS 3.12–13 gives the core significations in two verses. Every longer list you will meet elsewhere is an unfolding of one of these words.
| Graha | Core signification | Natural nature |
|---|---|---|
| Sun | the soul | malefic |
| Moon | the mind | benefic when waxing, malefic when waning |
| Mars | strength | malefic |
| Mercury | speech | benefic alone; malefic in malefic company |
| Jupiter | knowledge and happiness | benefic |
| Venus | potency | benefic |
| Saturn | grief | malefic |
| Rahu | — | malefic |
| Ketu | — | malefic |
Natural nature is graded, not binary (BPHS 36.8–10). Ascending among benefics: full Moon, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus. Ascending among malefics: waning Moon, Sun, Saturn, Mars.
Dignity
| Graha | Exalted | Deep | Debilitated | Mūlatrikoṇa | Own signs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | Aries | 10° | Libra 10° | Leo 0–20° | Leo |
| Moon | Taurus | 3° | Scorpio 3° | Taurus 4–30° | Cancer |
| Mars | Capricorn | 28° | Cancer 28° | Aries 0–12° | Aries, Scorpio |
| Mercury | Virgo | 15° | Pisces 15° | Virgo 16–20° | Gemini, Virgo |
| Jupiter | Cancer | 5° | Capricorn 5° | Sagittarius 0–10° | Sagittarius, Pisces |
| Venus | Pisces | 27° | Virgo 27° | Libra 0–15° | Taurus, Libra |
| Saturn | Libra | 20° | Aries 20° | Aquarius 0–20° | Capricorn, Aquarius |
Debilitation is always the 7th sign from exaltation, at the same degree. Use it as a check on any table you meet, including this one.
Only one of a double-ruler’s two signs carries the Mūlatrikoṇa portion. Mars in Scorpio, Jupiter in Pisces, Venus in Taurus, Mercury in Gemini and Saturn in Capricorn are own-sign throughout.
Rahu and Ketu are assigned no sign lordship in BPHS. Confirmed at Chapters 3, 29 and 36. They take the effects of their dispositor and of any conjunct planet (36.16).
The Ratio of Effects — BPHS 3.59–60
Exaltation full · Mūlatrikoṇa ¾ · own sign ½ · friend’s sign ¼ · neutral’s sign ⅛ · enemy’s sign, debilitation or combustion nil.
“Inauspicious effects are quite the reverse with reference to these houses.” A strong malefic is more effectively malefic. Use to rank, never to compute.
Natural relationships — BPHS 3.55
Friends are the lords of the 4th, 2nd, 12th, 5th, 9th and 8th signs from a planet’s Mūlatrikoṇa, plus the lord of its exaltation sign. Everything else is an enemy. A planet appearing on both sides, because it rules two signs, is neutral.
Derive rather than copy — printed tables disagree at the borderline cases.
Temporary relationships — BPHS 3.56
Planets in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 10th, 11th or 12th from each other are temporary friends. All others, including the same sign, are temporary enemies.
Compound — BPHS 3.57–58
| Natural | Temporary | Compound |
|---|---|---|
| Friend | Friend | Extreme friend |
| Friend | Neutral | Friend |
| Friend | Enemy | Neutral |
| Enemy | Neutral | Enemy |
| Enemy | Enemy | Extreme enemy |
Dig Bala — BPHS 29.7
Directional strength, measured as angular distance from a house:
- Sun and Mars — from the 10th
- Jupiter and Mercury — from the Lagna
- Venus and Moon — from the 4th
- Saturn — from the 7th
Fixed kārakas — BPHS 34.18–24
| Matter | Kāraka |
|---|---|
| Father | stronger of Sun and Venus |
| Mother | stronger of Moon and Mars |
| Siblings | Mars |
| Children | Jupiter |
| Spouse | Venus (Jupiter for a woman’s chart in most practice) |
| Enemies, maternal uncle | Mercury |
Counted kārakas (34.22–24): the 9th from the Sun for the father; the 4th from the Moon for the mother; the 3rd from Mars for siblings; the 5th from Jupiter for children; the 6th from Mercury for the maternal uncle.
Cabinet and guṇa — BPHS 3.14–15, 3.22
Cabinet: Sun and Moon royalty · Mars army chief · Mercury heir apparent · Jupiter and Venus ministers · Saturn servant · Rahu and Ketu the army. Describes function, not strength.
Guṇa: Sāttvika — Sun, Moon, Jupiter. Rājasika — Venus, Mercury. Tāmasika — Mars, Saturn. A third independent classification; it does not line up with benefic nature.
Aspects — BPHS 9.10–15
Every graha aspects the 7th from itself at full strength.
General grading: 3rd and 10th one quarter · 5th and 9th one half · 4th and 8th three quarters · 7th full.
Special aspects, raised to full: Jupiter on the 5th and 9th · Mars on the 4th and 8th · Saturn on the 3rd and 10th.