Navagraha — The Nine Planets in Vedic Astrology

The word Navagraha comes from Sanskrit — "nava" meaning nine, and "graha" meaning one that grasps or influences. In Vedic astrology, these nine celestial bodies govern every aspect of human life: health, career, relationships, spirituality, and the timing of events through the Vimshottari Dasha system.

The Nine Planets

Unlike Western astrology which includes Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, the Vedic system works with these nine:

1. Surya (Sun ☉) — The king of the grahas. Soul, authority, father, vitality. Rules Simha (Leo). Dasha: 6 years.
2. Chandra (Moon ☽) — The mind of the cosmos. Emotions, mother, mental peace. Rules Karka (Cancer). Dasha: 10 years.
3. Mangala (Mars ♂) — The warrior. Energy, courage, siblings, land. Rules Mesha and Vrishchika. Dasha: 7 years.
4. Budha (Mercury ☿) — Intelligence and communication. Trade, writing, analysis. Rules Mithuna and Kanya. Dasha: 17 years.
5. Guru (Jupiter ♃) — The most auspicious graha. Wisdom, dharma, children, wealth. Rules Dhanu and Meena. Dasha: 16 years.
6. Shukra (Venus ♀) — Beauty and pleasure. Love, arts, marriage, luxury. Rules Vrishabha and Tula. Dasha: 20 years.
7. Shani (Saturn ♄) — The planet of karma. Discipline, longevity, hard work. Rules Makara and Kumbha. Dasha: 19 years.
8. Rahu (☊) — The north lunar node. Ambition, illusion, foreign influences. Always retrograde. Dasha: 18 years.
9. Ketu (☋) — The south lunar node. Spirituality, past-life karma, liberation. Always retrograde. Dasha: 7 years.

Rahu and Ketu — The Shadow Planets

Rahu and Ketu are not physical bodies. They are the two points where the Moon's orbit intersects the Sun's apparent path (the ecliptic). The point where the Moon crosses northward is Rahu; southward is Ketu. They are always exactly 180° apart and always retrograde — moving backward through the zodiac, completing one cycle in 18.6 years.

In mythology, both are the severed parts of a demon who drank the nectar of immortality during the Samudra Manthan. They cause solar and lunar eclipses by periodically "swallowing" the Sun and Moon.

How the Navagrahas Govern Life — Vimshottari Dasha

Every person is born under the Mahadasha (major period) of one planet, determined by the Moon's nakshatra at birth. The nine planets rule successive periods totalling 120 years. Within each Mahadasha are nine Antardashas (sub-periods) — one for each planet. This gives the Vimshottari system its extraordinary precision in timing life events.

For example, the Shukra (Venus) Mahadasha lasts 20 years. Within those 20 years, the Shukra-Shani Antardasha lasts about 3.2 years — a specific window when both Venus and Saturn themes are simultaneously active.

Planetary Strengths — Exaltation and Debilitation

Each planet is strongest in its exaltation sign and weakest in its debilitation sign:

• Surya — exalted in Mesha, debilitated in Tula
• Chandra — exalted in Vrishabha, debilitated in Vrishchika
• Mangala — exalted in Makara, debilitated in Karka
• Budha — exalted in Kanya, debilitated in Meena
• Guru — exalted in Karka, debilitated in Makara
• Shukra — exalted in Meena, debilitated in Kanya
• Shani — exalted in Tula, debilitated in Mesha

Rahu is considered exalted in Vrishabha and Ketu in Vrishchika (though traditions vary on this).

Navagraha Worship

In South Indian temples, there is almost always a Navagraha shrine — nine stone idols arranged in a specific pattern, each facing a different direction. Devotees circumambulate the shrine clockwise (and sometimes anti-clockwise for the shadow planets) while reciting each graha's mantra. Each planet has a specific day of the week, metal, gemstone, deity, and beej mantra associated with it.

You can explore the current transit position, mythology, and remedies for each of the nine grahas on our Navagraha pages.