Planets
Planetary positions and their interactions significantly influence various aspects of an individual's life outcomes, including personality, health, wealth, relationships, and career. These influences stem from the specific characteristics of each planet (Graha / ग्रह), their placement in different houses (स्थान / भाव ) of a birth chart, and the various combinations (Yutis / युती) or aspects (Yogas / योग) they form with each other, as well as the zodiac signs (Rashi / रास) and constellations (Nakshatras / नक्षत्र) they occupy.
Historically, Indian Vedic Astrology considered 9 Planets – Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupitar, Saturn, Rahu, Ketu. Subsequently, another 3 plantes, namely Uranus, Neptune and Pluto were added in the list. Astronomically not all of these are planets. As we know, Sun is a star, Rahu & Ketu are Mathematical nodes, Moon is the Satellite of Earth while Pluto is a dwarf planet. However as all these celestial bodies & nodes impact our lives, these are put under the category of “Planets” for the convenience.
Vedic texts classify & group these planets in various categories based on their Characteristics as they play a crucial role in astrological predictions. Some of these categories are –
Speed – Low & High
Position with respect to Earth – Inner & Outer
Basic Nature –Natural Benefic (सौम्य) & Natural Malefic (क्रूर)
Element – Space, Fire, Earth, Air or Water
Male, Female, Impotent (Neutral)
Now lets look at some of the the General Influences of Individual Planets : Each planet is associated with distinct qualities and life aspects:
Ravi / रवि (Sun): As the primary karaka (significator) of the first house, Ravi represents self-image, authority, ambition, career, father, energy, and immunity. A strong Ravi denotes good health and a powerful personality.
Chandra / चंद्र (Moon): This feminine and gentle planet governs emotions, the mind, mother, family, relationships, and mental stability. Chandra also indicates an individual's mental tendencies and early life experiences.
Mangal / मंगळ (Mars): A fiery and masculine planet, Mangal symbolises courage, effort, strength, aggression, leadership, physical power, and the ability to fight through struggles. It also governs lands and siblings.
Budh / बुध (Mercury): This dual-natured, intellectual planet is associated with intellect, communication, business, education, analytical ability, and quick wit. It indicates how the mind functions.
Guru / गुरु (Jupiter): A benevolent and masculine planet, Guru represents wisdom, knowledge, spirituality, fortune, higher education, and expansion. It is a karaka for children and marital happiness.
Shukra / शुक्र (Venus): This feminine and gentle planet controls pleasure, beauty, luxury, artistic pursuits, love, relationships, and material wealth. It signifies a taste for enjoyment and aesthetics.
Shani / शनि (Saturn): A slow-moving, stoic, and masculine planet, Shani denotes discipline, delays, hard work, struggles, responsibility, detachment, and longevity. It brings maturity and a realistic outlook.
Rahu / राहू & Ketu / केतू: These are shadow planets that represent mathematical points rather than physical bodies. They are known to give sudden, unexpected results, obsessions, unusual experiences, and are linked to past life karma. Rahu creates desires and ambition, while Ketu signifies detachment and spiritual inclination.
Harshal / हर्षल / अरुण (Uranus): Represents innovation, science, modern technology, sudden events, Revolutionary thoughts, Radical, progressive mind.
Neptune / नेपच्यून / वरुण : Represents dreams, imagination, spirituality, illusion. Signifies empathy, compassion. Creates confusion, delusion. Influences subconscious mind.
Pluto / प्लुटो / यम: Agent of deep change that causes impacts on mass scale e.g. social and political upheaval, major crisis (economic / pandemic etc.) impacting a large mass of people.
While above causalities of each planet indicate their generic areas of impact, the specific aspects need to be determined, in each horoscope, based on the positions of the planets in the horoscope, their conjunction with each other, their friendliness (or unfriendliness) with each other, Zodiac Sign they are in (favourable or unfavourable), strength in the Navmansh etc.
During our course, we teach interpretation of all these aspects to Predict the future event in a person’s life.