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CHARACTERISTICS OF PLANETS IN JYOTISH

Best viewed with devanagri and Times CE Sanskrit Fonts

Compiled by Gauranga Das Vedic Astrologer

 Copyright SJC and Gauranga Das

5.1. Names and K§rakatwas of the Planets

SaVaaRTMaa Ca idVaaNaaQaae MaNa" kuMaudbaNDaVa" )

SatVa& kuJaae buDaE" P]aae¢ ae buDaae va<aIP]adaYak ")) 12 ))

deveJYaae jaNaSau%dae >a*GauvIRYaRP]adaYak " )

Šizi>a" P]aa¢ NaE" P]aae¢X^aYaSaUNauXc du"%d" )) 13 ))

sarv§tm§ ca div§n§tho mana¤ kumuda-b§ndhava¤

sattva° kujo budhai¤ prokto budho v§£¦-prad§yaka¤

devejyo jñ§na-sukhado bh¥gur v¦rya-prad§yaka¤

¥¢ibhi¤ pr§ktanai¤ proktaª ch§y§-s¡nuªca du¤khada¤

"The Sun is the soul of all. The Moon is the mind. Mars is strength. Mercury is the
speech giver while Jupiter confers knowledge and happiness. Venus governs semen
(potency) while Saturn indicates grief." (BPHS. 3.12-13.)

In Vedic Astrology the position and significations of seven planets are considered: the
Sun (S¡rya, Ravi), Moon (Soma, Candra), Mars (Kuja, Ma¯gala), Mercury (Budha),
Jupiter (Guru, B¥haspati), Venus (¼ukra), Saturn (¼ani). Besides that, R§hu and Ketu
are shadowy planets, or ch§y§-grahas. These planets govern different significations
in the chart according to their nature. The Sun represents God, so it will also
represent the divine spark or the soul within us. But he may also represent the
aha¯k§ra or false ego, pride and desire to control and dominate. His counterpart, the
Moon represents the mind, emotions and feelings. Mars indicates one’s strength,
determination and fearlessness. Mercury indicates speech, communication and travel
as well. Venus indicates semen and sex life, and also arts, beauty and enjoyment.
Jupiter gives wealth, wisdom, happiness and children. Saturn usually gives pain,
grief, losses and represents old age also. He is the most malefic planet as compared
to Jupiter, who is the most benefic. Rahu indicates the negative karma, and usually
manifests as disease, sin, poison, illusion etc. Ketu is his counterpart, and he signifies
mok¢a or liberation, and also may give spiritual knowledge, although he sometimes
cuts attachments very abruptly thereby causing pains also.

Mah§r¢i Par§ªara gives a list of significations for the different planets, which are
presented in the following table:

Planets Sun Moon Mars Mercury Jupiter Venus Saturn

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Nature Malefic Benefic Malefic Benefic Benefic Benefic Malefic

K§raka of Soul Mind Strength Speech Knowledge, Potency Grief

happiness

Colour Red-orange Tawny Red Green Tawny Variegated Black

Cabinet King Queen General Prince Minister Minister Servant

Deities Agni Varu£a K§rtikkeya Mah§vi¢£u Indra ¼ac¦ Brahm§

Sex Male Female Male Eunuch Male Female Eunuch

Tattwa Agni (fire) Jala (water) Agni (fire) Bh¡ (earth) Ýk§ªa (ether) Jala (water) V§yu (air)

K¢atriya K¢atriya
Var£as Vaiªya Vaiªya Br§hma£a Br§hma£a ¼¡dra
(warrior) (trader) (warrior) (trader) (priest) (priest) (worker)

Gu£as Sattva Sattva Tamas Rajas Sattva Rajas Tamas

(goodness) (goodness) (ignorance) (passion) (goodness) (passion) (ignorance)

Abode Temple Watery Fireplace Sports Treasure Bedroom Filthy places

places ground house

Dh§tus Asthi Rakta Majj§ Tvak (skin) Vas§ (fat) V¦rya Sn§yu
(bones) (blood) (marrow) (semen) (muscle)

K¢a£a
Time Ýyana V§ra (day) ¹tu (season) M§sa (month) Pak¢a Var¢a (year)
periods (halfyear) (second) (fortnight)

Taste Pungent Saline Bitter Mixed Sweet Sour Astringent

¹tu Var¢a Gr¦¢ma Hemanta ¼¦ta (winter) Vasanta ¼i¢ira (fall)

(rainy) (summer) (Dew) (spring)

Division M¡la Dh§tu Dh§tu J¦va J¦va (animals) M¡la Dh§tu

(plants) (matter) (matter) (animals) (plants) (matter)

Mercury’s benefic-malefic nature depends on the planets conjoining, but alone he is a benefic.

R§hu and Ketu: Both are considered natural malefics for most indications, although
Mah§r¢i Jaimin¦ mentions Ketu to be a natural benefic, as he is mok¢a-k§raka or
singificator of liberation. So he is benefic for nav§°ªa-related things like dharma,
spirituality and marriage. But he is usually a malefic for health, longevity, etc. R§hu is
k§raka for karma form past life, while Ketu is k§raka for liberation from the cycle of
birth and death. Color of Ketu is smoky grey, and that of R§hu is brown. Most of the
time they take up the significations of their dispositors, i.e. lords of the houses
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ocuppied by them. Otherwise they are somewhat similar to the co-lords of the
houses owned by them. R§hu owns Aquarius together with Saturn, and Ketu owns
Scorpio together with Mars. Their cabinet is that they are the army of the planets.
The Deity is Durg§ or K§l¦ for R§hu and Ganeªa for Ketu. R§hu is male, and Ketu is
eunuch. Tattwa is according to their dispositor. Var£a is ca£¨§la or outcaste. Gu£a is
tamas for R§hu and rajas or nirgu£a for Ketu. Abode for R§hu is the forest, and for
Ketu is no specific abode. The rest of the characteristisc are not specified for the
nodes.

5.2. Planetary Strengths

There are several different systems existing in Jyoti¢a for judging planetary
strengths. In this chapter of B¥hat Par§ªara Hor§ ¼§stra the Mah§r¢i gives certain
elements of the ªadbala system, namely digbala (directional strength) and k§labala
(temporal strength). Planetary strengths are presented in another table as follows:

Planet Sun Moon Mars Mercury Jupiter Venus Saturn

Direction South North South East East North West

House Karma M§t¥ (4th) Karma Lagna (1st) Lagna (1st) M§t¥ (4th) Kalatra
(10th) (10th) (7th)

Day/Night Day Night Night Day&Night Day Day Night

Pak¢a K¥¢£a ¼ukla K¥¢£a K¥¢£a/¼ukla ¼ukla ¼ukla K¥¢£a

Ýyana Dak¢ina Uttara Dak¢ina Dak¢ina/Uttara Uttara Uttara Dak¢ina

5.3. Planetary Descriptions

Mah§r¢i Par§ªara gives the following description of the nine planets (BPHS 3.23-30.):

MaDauiPa®Lad*KSaUYaRXcTauró" XauiciÜRJa )

iPataPa]k*iTakae DaqMaaNa( PauMaaNaLPakcae iÜJa )) 23 ))

madhu-pi¯gala-d¥k s¡ryaª caturasta¤ ªucir dvija

pitta-prak¥tiko dh¦m§n pum§n alpa-kaco dvija

"The Sun has honey-coloured eyes, square body, he is of clean habits, is bilious,
intelligent, manly and has limited hair on his head." (23)

bhuvaTakf " Pa]ajaXcNd\ae v*taTaNauÜRJa )

Xau>ad*x(MaDauvaKYaXCa cÄLaae MadNaaTaur" )) 24 ))

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bahu-v§ta-kapha¤ pr§jñ§ª candro v¥tta-tanur dvija

ªubha-d¥¯-madhu-v§ky§ª ca cañcalo madan§tura¤

"O br§hma£a, the Moon is very windy and phlegmatic. Shea has round body and is
learned. Sha has auspicious looks and sweet speech, is fickleminded and very
lustful." (24)

k]Urae r¢e +a<aae >aaEMaXcPaLaaedarMaUiTaRk " )

iPataPa]k*iTak " k]aeDaq k*XaMaDYaTaNauiÜRJa )) 24 ))

kr¡ro rakte kªa£o bhaumaª capalod§ra-m¡rtika¤

pitta-prak¥tika¤ krodh¦ k¥ªa-madhya-tanur dvija

"O br§hma£a, Mars is cruel, has bloodred eyes, is fickleminded, liberal hearted,
bilious and has thin waist and thin physique." (25)

vPau"é]eï" iXLaívaKc ùiTahaSYaåicbRuDa" )

iPatavaNa( kfvaNa( ivPa] MaåTaPa]k*iTaSTaQaa )) 26 ))

vapu¤ ªre¢±ha¤ ªila¢±av§k ca hyatih§sya rucirbudha¤

pittav§n kaphav§n vipra maruta-prak¥tis tath§

"O vipra, Mercury possesses an attractive physique and the ability to make pun or to
speak words having double meaning, sense of humour. He has a blend of all three
humours of bile, phlegm and wind." (26)

b*hd(Gaa}aae GauåXcEv iPa®Laae MaUÖRJae+a<aE" )

kf Pa]k*iTakae DaqMaaNa( SavRXaañivXaard" )) 27 ))

b¥had-g§tro guruª caiva pi¯galo m¡rddhajekªa£ai¤

kapha prak¥tiko dh¦man sarva-ª§stra-viª§rada¤

"Jupiter is large bodied, has honey coloured eyes and hair, is phlegmatic, intelligent
and learned in all ª§stras." (27)

Sau%I kaNTavPau" é]eï" SauLaaecNaae >a*Gaae" SauTa" )

kaVYakTaaR kfaiDaKYaae _iNaLaaTMaa vk]MaUDaRJa" )) 28 ))

sukh¦ k§nta-vapu¤ ªre¢±ha¤ sulocano bh¥go¤ suta¤

k§vya-kart§ kaph§dhikyo ‘nil§tm§ vakra-m¡rdhaja¤

"O son of Bh¥gu! Venus is joyful, charming in physique, has beautiful brilliant eyes, is
a poet, is phlegmatic and windy and has curly hair." (28)

k*XadIgaRTaNau" XaaEir" iPa®d*XYaiNaLaaTMak " )

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SQaULadNTaae_LaSa" Pa&Gau" %rraeMakcae iÜJa )) 29 ))

k¥ªa-d¦rgha-tanu¤ ªauri¤ pi¯ga-d¥ªyanil§tmaka¤

sth¡la-danto ‘lasa¤ pa¯gu¤ khara-roma-kaco dvija

"O br§hma£a, Saturn has an emaciated and long physique, honey coloured eyes, is
windy in temperament, has big teeth, is indolent, lame and has coarse, rough hair."
(29)

DaUMa]akarae NaqLaTaNauvRNaSQaae_iPa >aYa&kr" )

vaTaPa]k*iTakae DaqMaNa( Sv>aaRNauSTaTSaMa" iXa%I )) 30 ))

dh¡mr§k§ro n¦latanur vanastho ‘pi bhaya£kara¤

v§taprak¥tiko dh¦man svarbh§nustatsama¤ ªikh¦

„R§hu has smoke-like blue body, lives in forests and is horrible. He is windy in
temperament and is intelligent. Like R§hu is Ketu." (30)

5.4. Additional Significations of Planets

I have collected some significations of the planets from K§lid§sa’s Uttara-

k§l§m¥ta as follows:

SUN: Soul, power or strength, greatest severity, fortress, good strength, heat, influence,
fires, worship of ¼iva, courage, trees having thorns, favour of the king or ruler, bitter taste,
old age, cattle, wickedness, land, father, taste, awakening of knowledge or enlightenment,
looking up towards the sky, very great ambition, one born to a timid person or one whose
actions are born out of fear, world of mortals, square or harmonious, bones, valour, grass,
stomach, enthusiasm, forest, half a year, eye, wandering in or over hills, quadrupeds, king,
travelling, dealings with affairs personal or social, bile, feverish or inflammatory
complaints, circular forms, diseases of the eye, body, timber, mental purity, sovereignty
over the entire country or over all countries, freedom from disease, rulership over Saur§¢
±ra- southern Gujarat, ornaments, disease of the head, pearls, ruler of the sky – control
over air space, short or dwarfish stature, rulership over the eastern direction, copper, blood
or blood-red gems like ruby, kingdom, blood-red cloth, stones, undisguised or open
conduct, shores of a river, red coral, strong at noon, east, face, long-standing anger or long
indignation, capturing the foe, s§ttvika or benevolent and good temper, red sandal paste or
saffron, opposition or hostility, thick or coarse yarn.

MOON: Intelligence, flowers, perfumes, going to a fortress, disease, br§hma£a or dvija,

laziness, phlegmatic constitution, epilepsy, hidden or ulcerous troubles in the stomach,
nature of the mind, heart, woman, benefic and malefic nature, acidity, sleep, happiness,
liquids, silver, stout sugarcane, malarial fever, pilgrimage, wells, tank, mother, impartial
outlook, noon, pearls, consumption, whiteness, waist-band, bell-metal, salt, short stature,
mind, abilities, ponds, diamond, autumn, muh¡rta or 48 minutes duration, facial lustre,
white colour, stomach, worship of Gaur¦, the consort of ¼iva, honey, grace of favour, sense
of fun or humour, nourishment, wheat, pleasures, splendour, face, swiftness of mind or
agility of mind, fondness for curd, one who does tapasya or penance, fame, beauty, strong
at night, facing west, lover, saline, acquiring a post, love of the west, middle world, nine
gems, middle age, self, eating, going to distant places, aliments of the shoulders, umbrella
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and other royal insignia, good fruits, fine blood circulation or vital energy, fish and other
aquatic beings, serpents and the like, clothes, fine blossoming, lustre, clean crystals,
refined clothing.

MARS: Valour, land, strength, carrying weapons, ruling over people – administrator, loss
of virility, thief, battle, opposition, foes, charitable nature, love of deep-red objects, ruler
over sacred places – archaeologist or sacred endowments, sound of a trumpet, fondness,
quadrupeds, king, obstinate fool, anger, going to a foreign country, steadfastness,
supporter, fire, controversy or arguments, bile, heat, wounds, service under the ruler, day,
sky, sight, shortness, ailment, fame, tin, sword, spear, minister, firmness of limbs, jewels,
worship of Subrahmanya (K§rttikeya), youth, pungent taste, hall of the ruler, earthenware,
obstacles, eating non-vegetarian food, abusing or bitterly criticising others, conquering
foes, bitterness of taste, strong towards the end of the night, gold, summer season, valour,
strength of enemy, profundity, courageous behaviour, man, character, Brahm§, axe,
moving in the forest, forest officer, chief ruler or officer of the village, favour of the king,
painful urination, square, goldsmith, wicked one, burnt place, good food, leanness, skill in
archery, blood, copper, variegated or peculiar clothes, face turned towards the south, fond
of the southern direction, desire, anger, spreading scandals, house, commander of the
army, a fire arm that kills a hundred (like a machine-gun), tree, S§ma Veda, brothers,
hatchet, controlling fierce or wild animals, independence, persistence, land, one who
awards punishment, snake, world, speech, fickleness or imbalance of the mind, getting on
a vehicle, seeing blood, drying or coagulating of blood.

MERCURY: Education, horses, treasury, mathematics, knowledge, speech, dvijas, infantry,

script, writing, new clothes, construction of palaces, green colour, sculpture, astrology and
astronomy, pilgrimages, wise or good conversation or lecturing, temples, commerce, best
ornaments, soft speech, system of philosophy, maternal grandfather, bad dreams, eunuch,
face turned to north, skin, moisture, bell-metal and the like, renunciation, seasons, fine
place, medical practitioner, neck, black magic, child, looking cross-wise, heaven, humility,
collaterals, fear, dancing, devotion, tendency to laughter, strong at sunrise or morning,
beginning of winter, scratching ailments, self-control, navel, flourishing of one’s own
dynasty, mixed or compound substances, presides over the Telugu language, worship of Vi
¢£u, ª¡dras, birds, younger co-borns or brothers and sisters, witty language, sticks, Atharva
Veda, carrying out the karmas or religious rites, towers of temples, dust, garden, sex
organs, evenness, beneficial nature, wandering in the villages, balanced nature and
outlook, fond of the north-western direction, well-versed in the Pur§£as or minor epics,
grammar, one skilled in researching and testing the precious stones, scholar, maternal
uncle, mantras or sacred spells, yantras or symbolic religious diagrams, very powerful
tantric and the like.

JUPITER: Br§hma£as, teachers, religious, social and other duties, chariot, cows, infantry,
deposits, M¦m§°s§- and Dharma-ª§stras, treasure, horses, buffaloes, large or stout body,
valour, fame, logic, astronomy and astrology, sons, grandsons, complaints of the digestive
system, wealth of elephants, Ved§nta philosophy, elders like great-grandfather, mansion,
Gomedha (hessonite), elder brother, grandfather, Indra, first half of winter, acts arising
from great indignation, precious stones, tradesman, physical health, strange or peculiar
palace, honour from the king, great Gods, penance, charity, Dharma, doing good to others,
impartial outlook, facing towards the north, circular forms, yellow colour, wandering in the
villages, north, dear friends, swinging on a plank or on an elephant, great eloquence, brain,
cloth of a medium count, happiness in a newly built house, old age or old persons, mantra,
dvijas, holy water or place of pilgrimage, knee, moving towards heaven, house that offers
happiness, intellect, great proficiency, great long poems, towers, delighting or impressing
audience, throne, installation of the idol of Brahm§, Cat’s eye, the great results of the agni
¢±oma sacrifice, sweet juices, s§ttvika nature, happiness and unhappiness, long things,
gentle or benefic, understanding the minds or thoughts of others, gold, decorations, tantra
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or technical subjects and the like, wind (v§ta) complaints, phlegm (kapha), good yellow
topaz, sound knowledge of the sacred texts and scriptures, soft and pleasant stones,
worship of Shiva, performing religious and moral acts strictly, and travelling in a carriage
covered on the four sides.

VENUS: White umbrella, which is a royal insignia, good cowry, good clothes, marriage,
income, bipeds, woman, dvijas, gentle or benefic, white colour, wife or husband, happiness
from sex life, short stature, acid taste, flowers, commands, fame, youth, pride,
conveyance, silver, fond of the south-east, salty taste, cross-wise vision, cough, fortnight,
r§jasika nature, firmness, pearls, Yajur Veda, vaiªyas, beauty, buying and selling articles
that contribute to beauty, pleasant talk arising from mutual love, watery place, elephants,
horses, peculiar or strange poetry, dancing, middle age, music, enjoyment, happiness from
wife or husband, precious stones, love of humour, swimming, servants, fortune, strange
lustre, tenderness, kingdom, fragrant garland, taking pleasure in violin and flute, pleasant
movement or walking, eight kinds of prosperity, well-proportioned limbs, frugal in taking
food, season of spring, ornaments, possessing many women, facing east, eyes, speaking
truth, skilled in the fine arts, semen, sporting in water with love, profundity, excess or
eminence, pleasant musical instruments, decoration for dramatic shows, indulgence in
amorous sports, declining physical form, one who attaches great importance to sex,
receiving good respect or honour, fondness for having white clothes, expert in Bharata’s
N§±ya ª§stra (science of drama), having the seal of authority or of the government, ruler,
fond of worshipping Gaur¦ and Lak¢m¦, emaciated from the pleasures of sex, playing the
role of mother for those born during daytime, skilled in composing poems, minor epics and
the like, blue-black hair, benefic, genitals, urine or urinary tract, moving in the world of the
snakes, strong in the afternoon, and an awareness of the genital organs and the secrets
connected with them.

SATURN: Ill-health and other sufferings, obstruction, horses, elephants, skin, income,
standards, distress, disease, enmity, sorrow, death, happiness from a woman, maid-
servant, asses, outcastes, persons with strange or mutilated limbs, roaring in the woods,
disgust, charity, lords, longevity, eunuch, one born outside the four castes, birds, Tret§gni,
one of the sacred domestic fires, servant’s duties, doing something other than the
traditional or accepted duties, one losing his ego, telling lies, lasting long, wind, old age,
tendon, strong at the end of the day, the second half of winter, indignation, exertion, born
of a low woman, born in adultery, a widow’s bastard, dirty cloth, dirty house, mind turned
to dirty things, friendship with the wicked, black colour, sins, cruelty, ashes, grains in black
colour, precious stones, iron, generosity, a year, ª¡dras, vital or supporters of the lover,
significator of father for one born at night, learning what belongs to another caste,
lameness, fierce or severe, blanket, facing west, remedies for restoring life, looking
downwards, living by agriculture or farming, one who knows where the arms are kept,
manager of an ordnance factory, cousin, an external position, fond of the north-east, world
of the snakes, falling, wandering in the battlefields, bones, lead, wrong or wicked valour,
Turks, torn clothes or things, oil, wood, br§hma£as having t§masika quality, wandering in
poisonous places, roaming in hilly areas, long standing fear, hunter, strange or ugly hair,
whole kingdom, fear, goats and the like, buffaloes and the like, indulgence in sex,
displaying amorous intentions in dressing, worship of Yama, dogs, thefts and hard-
heartedness.

RAHU: Umbrella, chowry, acquiring a kingdom, faulty logic, harsh speech, one belonging
to a caste outside the four main castes, a sinful woman, a conveyance covered on all four
sides, an irreligious person or a ª¡dra, gambling, strong at sunset, having sex with a wicked
woman, going to a different country, unclean, bones, hidden abdominal ulcer, falsehood,
looking downwards, perplexity, emerald, facing south, depending on mlecch§s, low castes
and the like, malignant tumour, great forest, wandering in difficult places, suffering from
mountains, staying outside, south-western direction, complaints of wind and phlegm,
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serpents, southern breeze, severe, long, reptiles, interpretation of dreams, travels, one
muh¡rta (48 minutes), old age, conveyance, world of the snakes, maternal grandfather, air,
acute duodenal pain, catarrh, breathing, great valour, worship of Vana-Durg§, wickedness,
association with animals, writing Urdu or Persian, and harsh speech.

KETU: Worship of the lord of C§£¨¦, Ganeªa and others, medical practitioner, dogs, cocks,
vultures, final salvation, all sorts of prosperity, consumption, painful fevers, bath in the
Ga¯g§, great penance, wind complaints, friendship with hunters, acquiring prosperity,
stones, wounds, Mantra-ª§stra, instability of mind, knowledge of Brahman, diseases of the
stomach and eye, stupidity, thorn, knowledge of animals, zoology, observing silence
religiously, Ved§nta, all kind of luxury, fortune, suffering from foes, sparing in eating,
renunciation, father’s father, hunger, great pain from peptic or duodenal ulcer, small pox,
or boils and such other diseases, horned animals, a servant of ¼iva, getting the order of
imprisonment revoked, and conversation or association with ª¡dras.

Of course some of the above listed naisargika k§rakatwas (natural significations) of the
planets may seem to be contradictory to those given by other sources, but this often
happens in the classic Jyoti¢a texts. By learning to use these significations in practice and
developing our intuition we learn to interpret them properly.

© Gauranga Das