Meanings of the 7 Planets and Rahu & Ketu
By Laura Barat © 2019
The following is a description of the meanings of the 7 planets and Rahu and Ketu. These descriptions are based on Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra (BPHS), Jatika Parijata and Upadesa Sutras. These descriptions span the centuries and are timeless. They are just as applicable today as they were in ancient times. Included are descriptions of how the planets function in Vargas or divisional charts.
Sun
The Sun is Sarva Atman, the Soul and shows how we feel our intuitive, soul-like nature. The Sun represents the body in its entirety and also the skeletal system which is the foundation of the body. The Soul is not bound to anything of this world, so those planets the Sun influences are areas of life that we will be separated from. The Sun is a separating influence. When planets are too close to the Sun, they are said to be combust and cannot be seen with the naked eye.
The Sun is a purifier, thus along with the skeletal system he rules the immune system.
The Sun at first separates us from the significations of the house cusp it is conjoined, inspiring us to develop that house to its fullest potential. If the Sun is in the 5th house, we strive to be the most creative we can be, if the Sun is in the first house, we strives for the healthiest body, if in the 4th house, we strive for supreme happiness and blissful home life and so on.
Because the Sun separates us from things of the world, he is said to be a cruel or malefic planet.
The Sun is the King or Ruler of the Planetary Kingdom and acts out of his inspiration, steadfastness, confidence and intelligence. If the Sun is well disposed, the person projects these qualities, if he is afflicted the person acts out of fears, doubts, inconstancy and conformity. The Sun is self-confidence rather than self-worth which are two different things.
The Sun is a masculine planet and represents the pure creative force in creation.
As a caste, the Sun is Kshatriya or warrior of which his main inspiration is to lead and protect.
The Sun is a sattvic planet meaning his main motivation comes from inspiration and truth. All of his actions come from inspiration rather than fear, compulsion or habit. The Three Gunas operate from motivations rather than the actions themselves.
The Sun represents the foundation of the body or bone as it is named in Parasara under “Nature and Form of Planetsâ€
The Sun has as his place of residence all places of worship such as churches, temples, synagogues, mosques, etc. If the Sun is influences the home in the chart, the person can live near a place of worship. The altar or place of meditation in the home is ruled by the Sun. The Sun is also said to live in forested mountains. So the Sun influencing the environment can have the person living in the woods.
The Sun rules the pungent taste which is spices that are hot and cause heat.
In the plant kingdom, the Sun rules stout plants and trees that are harvested for lumber.
The stronger of Sun or Venus rules the father. The Sun as the father is the guiding masculine force in our lives, if he gives us confidence and steadfastness. The Sun is the active role of the father. Venus is the passive role as the DNA we receive from the semen which Venus rules and all the hereditary talents we inherit.
The Sun is said to have the form of a bird (as well as Mercury, but I’ll get to that when I cover Mercury). So if animals are of concern in a horoscope, one would need to look at what type of animal, and the Sun influencing would be a bird. Venus rules vehicles but there are many types of vehicles, so the Sun influencing vehicles would indicate airplanes.
The Sun looks upward, as he looks to the things he is inspired by.
The Sun has a drying influence. He can dry out things he influences such as the environment or body parts.
The Sun rules number 1.
The Sun produces the father, the leader of the country, the skeleton, the immune system, kingdoms, government service, titles, status and power, stout trees, and the pungent taste. He produces all of these things in different divisional charts called Vargas in the Vedic system.  They all are not produced solely in the birth chart. That is why divisional charts are so important when predicting. The divisional charts are based on the various houses and I will be doing videos on those when I do videos on the ‘houses’.
The Sun can give the profession of a singer. Jaimini says the Sun also makes one “knowledgeable in the Vedasâ€. This would make sense as the Vedas were most likely sung from memory before being written down.
The Sun can give a wife who already belongs to someone else, who is already married when you meet her and a wife who is of the same caste, in the modern world a wife who is interested in the same things and has the same goals whether career, spiritual, emotional, or financial. The technique of determining this will be presented in the compatibility courses.
The Sun’s Sign of Leo rules the Ajna Chakra.
The Sun’s exaltation is Aries with deep exaltation at 10 degrees. Conversely his debilitation is Libra with deep debilitation at 10 degrees Libra. The root trine for the Sun is 0 – 20 degrees Leo and his own Sign is 20 to 30 degrees Leo.
Finding Dignities and the strongest planets and Signs will be covered in other videos. The dignity of a planet is extremely important in determining its overall performance in the horoscope, so please watch that video if you don’t already know how to find the dignity of a planet.
Determining the strongest planet for certain significations, i.e. the Sun or Venus for father and the Moon or Mars for the Mother is covered in another video and has a downloadable PDF as well. This method is also applies to finding the strongest Sign and is used in many Jaimini techniques so learning this is imperative for doing predictive astrology.
Myth of the Sun:
The Sun had several wives but the most important wife was named “Consciousness†or (Samjna). She ran away from him because he was so bright and could penetrate with his light all the places she did not want to see or face. Since the Sun represents the Soul, he represents our purest being and the consciousness cannot withstand the light of the pure because it shows us things about ourselves in human form that we don’t want to understand and try to transform.
Consciousness had her handmaiden, Chaya, which means ‘shadow’, pretend that she was her and Consciousness went off into the forest to perform spiritual practices. “Shadow†gave birth to Saturn from her union with the Sun and soon the deceptiveness was discovered.
The Sun wanted his wife Consciousness back and went to his father-in-law for advice. His father-in-law told him why Consciousness had run away and offered to shave off his bright rays to make it more comfortable for his wife. He agreed and Consciousness returned to her husband.
The Sun shows us where we sacrifice for the greater good. The Sun is the King and as such must sacrifice his own wants and needs for the greater good of his kingdom. Whatever house cusp the Sun joins shows an area of life from which we will be separated and then do our best to develop to perfection because the Soul wants perfection.
Summary:
| Sun Produces… | Related to House… | Related to Divisional Chart… |
| Father | 10th | 12th (Dwadasamsa) |
| Body/Self/Health | 1st and 6th | 1st (Rasi) and 30th (Trimsamsa) |
| Medals/Trophies | 3rd | 3rd (Drekkana) |
| Palaces/Kingdoms | 4th | 4th (Chaturthamsha) |
| Trees harvested for lumber | 4th | 4th (Chaturthamsha) |
| Consistency/Loyalty | 1st | 1st (Rasi) |
| Creativity/Inspiration | 5th | 7th (Saptamsha) |
| Government Service | 10th | 10th (Dasamsa) |
| Status/Power | 10th | 10th (Dasamsa) |
| Titles | 10th | 10th (Dasamsa) |
| Temples/Churches/Holy Places | 8th | 20th (Vimsamsa) |
| Government/Politicians | 10th | 1st (Rasi) and 10th (Dasamsa) |
| Skeletal & Immune System | 1st and 6th | 1st (Rasi) and 30th (Trimsamsa) |
| Soul Nature | 1st | 1st (Rasi) |
Moon
 The Moon rules all growth and early life when we have the need to be loved and cherished. The Moon is considered a benefic while waxing and a slight malefic while waning. The house the waxing Moon occupies is a house the person wants to develop. The house the waning moon occupies is a house the significations of which will wither and fall away, so the person turns inward to find fulfillment and contentment in the things that house signifies.
 The Moon is manas, or the Mind and the idea of individuality or separate existence that is experiencing manifest creation.
 The moon is also a sovereign like the Sun, the queen or first lady. The Moon is the social aspect of leadership, interacting with others, being sensitive to the subjects’ needs.
 The Moon can give a fair complexion, eyes and hair as he is called ‘fair-limbed’ in Parasara. The Moon is the most feminine of the planets and thus is receptive, wanting to bond with something greater that itself. Parasara calls the Moon lovesick.
 As far as caste goes, the Moon is Vaishya or a businessman or trader. It’s a person who wants to develop their skills for their own prosperity in addition to providing a useful service to others.
 The Moon is a Sattvic planet, meaning its motivations are based on inspiration rather than habit or fear. The key word here is motivations, not actions.
 Parasara says the Moon is round so the Moon can easily adapt to changing situations and is changeable in nature. Thus he rules over moods and adaptability.
 The Moon rules intuition as he is ‘filled with knowing’ and also kind, sweet speech.
 The Moon is said to rule Rakta which translates as blood, but it is really all the water in the body most of which is in the blood.
 For environments, the Moon rules all places of water. In the home, he rules the bathroom.
 The Moon rules the salty taste. Makes sense since the Moon rules the oceans.
 In the plant kingdom, the moon rules milky plants and trees that produce sap.
The Moon’s Sign of Cancer rules the Bindu Chakra.
 The stronger of the Moon or Mars rules the Mother. The Moon is the mother in her passive, receptive, comforting, emotionally validating aspect. Mars is the mother in her active role such as protecting the child from harm and jumping into action when the child is harmed. He also rules women in general.
 The Moon rules creeping-formed animals such as insects, spiders and snakes.
 The Moon looks everywhere, up, down and side-to side. He can see the big picture of any situation in its entirety.
 The Moon is a moist planet. If he influences the environment, the air is humid, if he influences the body parts, those parts can become inflamed or have oily skin or hair.
 The Moon rules the number two.
 The Moon rules music and rhythm. He also rules the public and popularity.
Myth of the Moon:
 He was married to twenty-seven different wives which are represented by the Nakshatras but his favorite was Rohini and as a punishment for spending too much time with her, he was cursed to wane and become dark. In his waning phase he got a wasting disease and died but then was renewed. All his wives were still not enough for him so he had an affair with Jupiter’s wife Tara, which produced a son, Mercury. When the Moon is afflicted in a horoscope, it can show infidelity and many affairs.
 The Moon is said to be exalted in the first 3 degrees of Taurus and debilitated in the 1st 3 degrees of Scorpio. Its root trine (also a very auspicious place for the Moon) is from 3 to 27 degrees Taurus. His own Sign in Cancer.
Summary:
| Moon Produces… | Related to House… | Related to Divisional Chart… |
| Self/Ego | 1st | 1st (Rasi) and 30th (Trimsamsa) |
| Face | 2nd | 1st (Rasi) and 30th (Trimsamsa) |
| Satisfaction | 2nd | 2nd (Hora) |
| Growth | 4th | 1st (Rasi) and 30th (Trimsamsa) |
| Music | 3rd | 27th (Bhamsa) |
| Character of One’s Heart | 4th | 1st (Rasi) and 30th (Trimsamsa) |
| Fortune | 4th | 4th (Chaturthamsa) |
| Mother | 4th | 12th (Dwadasamsa) |
| Popularity/Public | 7th | 1st (Rasi) and 30th (Trimsamsa) |
 Mars
One of the names of Mars is Kuja which means born from the Earth, so Mars rules all those things that come from the Earth like minerals, gems, crude oil and natural gas. Life on earth is hard and competitive so Mars provides the action and will necessary to withstand life on Earth.
Mars breaks things and is crooked. In the Jaimini system, if a person has Mars in the 7th from the Swamsha, that person will marry someone who has a defective limb, back or torso. Something about their body is crooked or broken.
The stronger of Moon and Mars is the mother. Mars is the mother in her active aspect as when she protects her child from danger so they don’t fall down the stairs or drink bleach, or when they do fall to harm she flies into action to remedy it. Mars also rules all siblings except the oldest brother. We compete with our siblings for attention from our parents, toys, etc and competition is ruled by Mars.
Mars like the Sun is a Kshatriya, a warrior, a righteous fighter. Kshatriyas are concerned with inspiration that comes from leading and helping others.
Mars rules the fire element and as such Mars rules the electricity in the body which is the nervous system. The Fire element also gives the power of sight, therefore Mars rules the sense of sight. Mars rules all lights, hunger and thirst as the fire element creates these things. Mars rules heaters, dryers, stoves, and ovens. Exercise and exertion generate heat in the body therefore Mars rules athletes.
Mars rules hot and dry places, and like the Sun has a drying influence over everything he influences.
Whatever house cusp Mars is conjoined will be an area of life the person will fight to develop their security.
Mars is strength of convictions and will-power. This provides character for the person as they see right and wrong through Mars and act on it.
Mars’ Signs of Aries and Scorpio rules the masculine and feminine sides of the Manipura Chakra.
In the planetary kingdom, Mars is the Overseer and director of whatever is commanded by the two sovereigns, the Sun and Moon. He takes the wishes of the Sun and Moon and through his will, puts them into action in the kingdom.
As far as appearance, Mars gives a medium-sized, thin body and ruddy complexion. He can give red hair.
Mars is the baby of the planets, in fact one of his presiding deities is a seven day old child. Mars influencing the ascendant, the ascendant lord, or AK can give a very youthful appearance all the way into old age.
Since Mars is primarily concerned with survival and taking care of problems as they arise he is a tamasic planet. Tamas is the motivation of actions due to fear rather than the actions themselves.
Mars is a cruel planet in that he doesn’t have time for pleasantries, diplomacy and courtesy. He sees something he must do and flies into action to do it.
The environments of Mars are ‘places of fire’ like a weapons plant, a military base, a place just scorched by a forest fire and in the home Mars rules the kitchen, the heater, wood burning stove or fire place.
Another environment that Mars rules along with the Sun, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu is forested mountains.
Mars rules bitter plants and herbs, a lot of herbs used for healing purposes rather than satisfaction of the appetite. As such Mars rules the bitter taste also.
Mars is upward looking, seeing the many opportunities to best an opponent and overcome obstacles to increase in his convictions and power.
Mars rules the person’s house, real estate, buildings. He also rules all martial professions such a military, police officer, firefighter, MMArtists. Etc.
Mars rules the number three. There was the creative force (Sun) then the reflection of that force (the Moon) then the power to put that force into action (Mars).
Mars is exalted in Capricorn and debilitated in Cancer. The most intense degree of exaltation and debilitation is 28 degrees. Mars’ root trine sign is 0 – 12 degrees Aries. Mars’ own sign is 12 – 30 degrees Aries and Scorpio.
In the Vedic astrological system, Mars has three different full planetary aspects: he aspects his opposition point (180 degrees) to 100% as do all the planets. He aspects 90 degrees in the zodiacal direction (the 4th house from his position to 100% and he aspects 210 degrees (the 8th house from his position to 100%). Why the 4th and 8th house from his position? Because Mars fights for survival. To survive we need a home (the 4th house) and life or longevity (the 8th house).
Myth of Mars:
Mars was born from the Earth and has no father. As such, Mars rules those things that come from the Earth such as minerals and gems. Mars rules over the struggle to survive that every creature experiences here on planet Earth. Mars enjoys this struggle. Mars has no wife or consort either, and thus rules over brahmachari or celibacy and the independent character it takes to lead such a life.
Summary:
| Mars Produces… | Related to House… | Related to Divisional Chart… |
| Mineral Wealth,(Gold, Gems,etc) | 2nd | 2nd (Hora) |
| Teammates | 3rd | 3rd (Drekkana) |
| Exercise | 6th | 1st (Rasi) and 30th (Trimsamsa) |
| Capacity to Accomplish | 10th | 2nd (Hora) |
| Siblings | 3rd | 3rd (Drekkana) |
| Neighbors | 4th | 4th (Chaturtamsa) |
| Compromise in Marriage | 7th | 9th (Navamsa) |
| Logic & Research | 8th | 24th (Siddhamsa) |
| Weapons | 3rd | 3rd (Drekkana) |
| House/Property | 4th | 4th (Chaturthamsa) |
| Mother | 4th | 12th (Dwadasamsa) |
| Accidents | 8th | 1st (Rasi) and 30th (Trimsamsa) |
| Enemies | 6th | 30th (Trimsamsa) |
| Surgery | 8th | 1st (Rasi) and 30th (Trimsamsa) |
| Commander/Overseer | 10th | 10th (Dasamsa) |
Mercury
Mercury rules over the intellect and as such, he has two names, Buddha & Bodhana. Mercury rules discrimination and categorization, both products of the intellect to perceive phenomena. Mercury rules over friendship as seen by another one of his names, Priyakrit. Mercury is communication and concrete manifestation of phenomena on the Earthly plane as Mercury rules over the Earth element.
Mercury alone is naturally a benefic planet but if he is joined a malefic, he takes on a more malefic nature. If he is joined both a benefic and malefic, he takes on the nature of the planet he is closest to in degrees.
Mercury is the consciousness spoken. He is the son of the Moon, so it shows the speech springs from the individual consciousness which is the moon.
In the planetary kingdom, Mercury is the prince, young sovereign or apprentice to the ruler. This is why he becomes the apprentice of any planet he conjoins. He has managerial and negotiating abilities through his rulership of communication.
Mercury has a golden brown complexion.
Mercury’s deity is Vishnu according to Parasara and Jaimini. Vishnu sits atop Adishesha, the multi-headed snake which is the deity of Rahu, therefore Mercury conjoined Rahu is actually a good combination and Mercury handles the malefic influence of Rahu very well, better than any other planet.
Mercury is a neuter planet possessing masculine and feminine qualities equally.
Mercury rules the Earth element and this is what is said about the Earth element in the Srimad Bhagavatam, “Manifesting, standing, holding, desiccating the real and differentiating all good qualities are the characteristics of Earth.†Mercury rules all containers and pipes, anything that can hold something, also foundations. Mercury is needed to manifest into concrete reality. The Earth element rules over the sense of smell and the power of excretion so Mercury rules smell and the anus.
Mercury is a vaishya caste which is a business, trade, craftsman, professional caste. Mercury rules performing art, artistic ability and craftsmanship. Venus rules the finished work of Art but it’s Mercury that gives the dexterity to create the painting or sculpture.
Mercury is a rajasic planet meaning he is motivated by activity and habit.
Mercury rules Tvag which means ‘coverings’ so it rules the skin and cell membranes. In the body, Mercury rules the cognitive system, meaning the organs of perception, eyes, nose, tongue, skin, and ears.
Mercury rules places of sport and games. In the home, he rules the rec room, the tennis court, etc.
As far as environment, Mercury inhabits villages of the wise, usually that means cities and especially cities or towns with universities.
Mercury rules plants that do not bear fruit.
Mercury rules all animals in general.
Mercury rules relatives in general, especially on the maternal side, he rules friends, and nannies and step-mothers or ‘those like the mother’.
Mercury along with Venus, look sideways, for opportunities in the manifest world.
Mercury’s Signs of Gemini and Virgo rule the Vishuddha Chakra.
Mercury as a planet is both wet and dry, so mixed and not excessive in either.
Mercury is exalted between 0 and 15 degrees Virgo and debilitated in the same degrees of Pisces. 15 to 20 degrees Virgo is the root trine and he’s in his own sign in Gemini and the rest of Virgo.
Myth of Mercury:
Mercury was born from the illicit union of Tara “Starâ€, Jupiter’s wife, and the Moon, so Mercury is the son of the Moon. Mercury loves the Moon and does his best to help him but the Moon hates Mercury. Mercury is our cognizance and discrimination and when the Moon, which is the planet of individuality (the ego) is conjoined him, the person has trouble discerning a realistic view of their place in the world and the reactions of others to them, they tend to bend reality to fit their ego needs.
Mercury married Ida who was at one time a man then a woman then a man again. So Mercury can give a propensity for homosexuality and transgenderism.
Summary:
| Mercury Produces… | Related to House… | Related to Divisional Chart… |
| Cognizance | 1st | 1st (Rasi) and 30th (Trimsamsa) |
| Speech | 2nd | 1st (Rasi) and 30th (Trimsamsa) |
| Travel/Commuting | 3rd | 3rd (Drekkana) |
| Journeys in Vehicles | 3rd | 16th (Shodamsa) |
| Spiritual Discernment | 9th | 20th (Vimsamsa) |
| Initiatory Instructions | 3rd | 24th (Siddhamsa) |
| Learning by Rote | 3rd | 24th (Siddhamsa) |
| Artistry, Craftsmanship | 3rd | 27th (Bhamsa) |
| Relatives | 6th | 1st (Rasi) |
| Investments/Speculation | 5th | 2nd (Hora) |
| Mantra/Buddhi | 5th | 20th (Vimamsa) |
| Yantras/Spells | 5th | 20th (Vimsamsa) |
| Maternal Aunts/Uncles | 6th | 12th (Dwadasamsa) |
| Business Partners | 7th | 1st (Rasi) |
| Commerce/Trade | 7th | 2nd (Hora) |
| Corporations | 8th | 2nd (Hora) |
| Occult Knowledge | 8th | 24th (Siddhamsa) |
| Pilgrimages | 7th | 3rd (Drekkana) |
| Apprenticeship | 3rd | 1st (Rasi) |
| Managerial Capacity | 6th | 2nd (Hora) |
| Finance/Capital Gains | 2nd | 2nd (Hora) |
| Long-Term Investments | 5th | 2nd (Hora) |
| Currency | 8th | 2nd (Hora) |
 Jupiter
Jupiter is the great benefic in Vedic astrology imparting wisdom, wealth, children, luck, grace and spirituality. Jupiter is commonly referred to as Guru which literally means heavy but refers to the heaviness of one’s spiritual teacher. Jupiter rules books and ‘higher knowledge’ or knowledge centered in wisdom and philosophy. Higher knowledge is also knowledge of the future and Jupiter rules over astrologers.
Jupiter rules joy and happiness. Those things Jupiter influences including houses and other planets will be areas of life where we can find more happiness.
In the planetary kingdom, Jupiter along with Venus are the counselors to the sovereign. Jupiter provides counsel that is based in philosophy, religious or spiritual precepts.
Jupiter like the Moon gives a fairer complexion, hair and eyes.
Jupiter is a masculine planet.
Jupiter rules the Ether element and also sound, the ears and the sense of hearing. “Providing access for the Tattvas, causing exteriors and interiors, and housing pranas, the senses and the individual self are characteristics of Ether.†Srimad Bhagavatam 3.26.34
Jupiter rules the various rooms of your home as ‘creating interiors and exteriors’. The Ether element provides space to house the pranas, Self and senses – in other words, for creation to manifest.
According to Jaimini, Jupiter along with the Moon gives beauty. Interestingly, Jaimini doesn’t mention Venus but he does say to consult other authoritative texts on astrology and he only says exactly what is necessary in cryptic sutras, so he may not want to repeat what other texts say and especially Parasara gives beauty to Venus. Jupiter can also make a person an astrologer.
Jupiter rules over priests, monks, gurus, any kind of spiritual mentor and counselor. Jupiter rules over institutions of higher knowledge like universities.
Jupiter is of Brahmin caste, what is considered the ‘highest caste’ in those days.
Jupiter is a sattvic planet and as such is motivated by inspiration and truth.
Jupiter has a tall, big body, not obese because obesity is an unnatural state, but a big-boned body. Jupiter rules the fats in the body and also the endocrine system.
Jupiter rules places of treasure like banks and anywhere in the house where wealth is stored.
For environments, Jupiter like Mercury inhabits towns and cities, especially those with universities.
Jupiter rules trees and plants that bear fruit.
Jupiter rules over humans in the mineral/plant/animal kingdoms, it’s because of his rulership over the brain and that humans have it in unusually large proportion to the rest of the body.
Jupiter rules the paternal grandfather, the husband or boyfriend for a woman and children.
Jupiter looks in every direction which aligns with his wisdom-centered, philosophical nature.
Jupiter rules the number 5.
Jupiter’s Signs of Sagittarius and Pisces rule the Swadhisthana Chakra.
Jupiter is exalted in Cancer and debilitated in Capricorn, Jupiter’s root trine is 0 – 10 degrees Sag and its own Sign is the rest of Sag and all of Pisces.
Jupiter has special 100% aspects in addition to aspecting the 180 degrees away from him to 100% . Jupiter aspects 120 degrees away (5th house aspect) fully and 240 degrees (9th house aspect). Jupiter’s significations are children (5th house) luck and grace (5th and 9th house) creativity (5th house) and wisdom, higher learning (9th house).
Myth of Jupiter:
Jupiter is the guru of the Devas (gods) and is always warring with Venus who is guru to the Asuras(Demons). Jupiter and the Devas usually win the wars against the Asuras, many times through trickery. Jupiter is the son of Angiras and had four mothers, Memory, Faith, Oblation and Truth. Jupiter embodies all these qualities. Angiras was an astronomer and Jupiter has taken his father’s knowledge as Jupiter is one of the main planets that gives talent in astrology. Jupiter’s wife is Tara (Star) whom the Moon seduced to father Mercury.
| Jupiter Produces… | Related to House… | Related to Divisional Chart… |
| Wealth | 2nd | 2nd (Hora) |
| Happiness | 4th | 16th (Shodamsa) |
| Banks | 8th | 2nd (Hora) |
| Orchards | 4th | 4th (Chaturthamsa) |
| Children | 5th | 7th (Saptamsa) |
| Paternal Grandfather | 6th | 12th (Dwadasamsa) |
| Knowledge/Higher Education | 9th | 24th (Siddhamsa) |
| Husband | 7th | 9th (Navamsa) |
| Inheritance, Other’s Money | 8th | 2nd (Hora) |
| Guru | 9th | 20th (Vimsamsa) |
| Teacher | 9th | 24th (Siddhamsa) |
| Income | 11th | 2nd (Hora) |
| Paternal Grandmother | 6th | 12th (Dwadasamsa) |
| Charitable Contributions | 8th | 2nd (Hora) |
Venus
Venus rules healthy pride and self worth. If Venus is afflicted the person can find themselves in humiliating and degrading circumstances. Venus as the ruler of healthy pride can also show arrogance if he is afflicted. Venus is the planet of devotion and loyalty, if afflicted the person will lack these qualities.
Venus rules remedial measures such as mantras, fasting, charity or cleansing rituals where we propitiate the planets and cleanse our negative karmas. This rulership is based on a myth of his avatar, Parasurama, who did several austerities to cleanse the negative karma of killing 10,000 warriors and several kings.
Venus rules nursing and therapists, practical advice given by the astrologer or advice that can be used to advance the person in their mundane affairs, as Venus rules the water element which comforts.
Venus is a benefic and a feminine planet.
Venus is the ‘giver of virya’ according to BPHS. Virya translates as semen, but it is the general vitality and vigor of the person. A good Venus will give a robust body and passion in pursuing the desires of life. Venus rules the time we recuperate after physical exertion therefore athletes must have a well-situated Venus. Venus is the water element that cools the body after heat (Mars) is exerted. Venus rebuilds and rejuvenates, in fact in a myth Venus was given the power to resurrect.
Like Jupiter, Venus is the counselor in the Planetary Kingdom and he gives practical, worldly council as opposed to Jupiter which gives spiritual counsel. Venus is the decision maker and also our self-worth. With a robust Venus, we have a healthy sense of self-worth and are therefore able to make the best decisions regarding our well-being and spiritual advancement. If Venus is afflicted in a chart, the person makes poor decisions that destroy the foundation for their well-being.
Venus rules entertainment. Mercury rules the profession of acting but Venus rules entertainment and can make someone a talk-show host, a presenter, a Youtube star, etc.
Venus rules the Water element. “Moistening, cohesing, satiating, maintaining Prana and life, removing heat and increasing are the characteristics of water.†Srimad Bhagavatam 3.26.46
Venus brings things and people together which is meant by “cohesingâ€. Venus comforts as in ‘satiating’. As I said before, Venus removes the heat and increases whatever it touches. That’s why we tend to say water weight gain and fat cells are surrounded by water. Venus rules lotion, sweat, air conditioners, freezer and refrigerators. Venus rules glue, marriage for both men and women, the girlfriend or wife in a man’s chart.
Venus rules the sense of taste and the tongue. As a caste, Venus is a Brahmin. He was the guru of the Asuras given the power to resurrect.
Venus like Mercury is a rajasic planet and is motivated to do things through habit and activity.
“Pleasing, lovely-formed, the most splendid and beautifully eyes is Venus, who is poetical, abounding in Kapha, of Vata nature and curly haired.†BPHS: Nature and Form of Grahas, 28
Venus rules all curls and vortexes and of course, curly hair. Venus gives a lovely figure and beautiful eyes. Venus also gives the gift of poetry. In the Jaimini system, Venus can give a career in writing poetry.
The place of Venus is the “Place of Bedsâ€, so Venus rules all beds but also hotels, spas, etc.. Venus rules bedrooms.
Like the Moon, Venus is ‘lying in water’, so anything he touches can have a watery element to it, if he influences the home, one can live on a lake or near the ocean, if it influences food, then the food can come from fresh water or oceans.
Venus rules all vehicles.
In the plant kingdom, Venus rules flowers and flowering plants.
“O wise, consider Antevasina as wife, father, mother and father-in-law and maternal grandfather, etc. Thus are the fixed karakas.†BPHS Karakas, 21
Of the Sun and Venus, take the stronger to indicate the Father. Venus rules virya which is our genetic material in the DNA, so if Venus is stronger the influence of our father is mostly felt through the genetic code he has left us, in our talents and temperaments. Venus also rules students.
Venus has a two-footed form, so Venus rules all vehicles but there are many types of vehicles. Since he is two footed, he rules those things with two wheels like bikes and motorcycles.
Venus’s Signs of Taurus and Libra rule the Anahata Chakra.
Venus is exalted in Pisces and debilitated in Virgo. It’s root trine Sign is 0 – 15 degrees Libra and its own Signs are the rest of Libra and Taurus.
Venus has to do with transformation. He rules the second sign of Taurus and 7th sign of Libra which are natural “maraka†or death inflicting houses. Venus rules the water element which renews growth and life after death takes place. Venus was given the boon of resurrection and could resurrect the Asuras, thus giving life after death.
 Myth of Venus:
Venus is also the son of an astrologer named Bhrigu. According to Jaimini, Venus gives the power of prophecy so is a necessary planet of astrology along with Jupiter and Ketu. As guru of the Asuras, Venus was given the power of resurrection, because the Asuras were always losing to the Devas and many of them were being killed, thus Venus rejuvenates and revitalizes within the body and the psyche. It is the water element ruled by Venus that cools the body after exercise, it is Venus that heals and rehabilitates the body after physical exertion, so an athlete must have a strong Venus. Psychologically, Venus is what heals us and gives us the will to move on after painful or humiliating transgressions.
| Venus Produces… | Related to House… | Related to Divisional Chart… |
| Virya (Vitality, Robustness) | 1st | 1st (Rasi) and 30th (Trimsamsa) |
| Food | 2nd | 1st (Rasi) and 30th (Trimsamsa) |
| Wealth of Jewelry | 2nd | 2nd (Hora) |
| Works of Art | 4th | 2nd (Hora) |
| Graciousness/Manners | 3rd | 3rd (Drekkana) |
| Father-in-Law | 6th | 9th (Navamsa) |
| Entertainment | 3rd | 3rd (Drekkana) |
| Pools, Lakes | 4th | 4th (Chaturthamsa) |
| Vehicles | 4th | 16th (Shodamsa) |
| Romance | 5th | 7th (Saptamsa) |
| Devotees | 5th | 20th (Vimsamsa) |
| Students | 5th | 24th (Siddhamsa) |
| Physical Care, Nurse, etc. | 6th | 30th (Trimsamsa) |
| Wife | 7th | 9th (Navamsa) |
| Marriage | 9th | 9th (Navamsa) |
| Maternal Grandmother | 7th | 12th (Dwadasamsa) |
| Prosperity | 2nd | 2nd (Hora) |
| Father | 10th | 12th (Dwadasamsa) |
| Mother-in-Law | 6th | 9th (Navamsa) |
| Hospitals/Nursing Homes | 6th | 1st (Rasi) and 30th (Trimsamsa) |
| Mistress/Girlfriend | 7th | 7th (Saptamsa) |
| Maternal Grandfather | 1st | 12th (Dwadasamsa) |
Saturn
Saturn’s Sanskrit name is Shani which means ‘slow’ and Saturn is the slowest planet that can be seen with the naked eye. Saturn rules slowness and everything that is slow.
Saturn is a loner but he also rules over focus and concentration. Another name for him is Prasiddha which means very accomplished. A well disposed Saturn gives the necessary focus and concentration to shun distraction, to work hard and do something great. Another name for Saturn is Yama, which is literally the god of death. Yama means restraint and it’s the self-restraint we need to navigate a world and reject distractions that pull us away from our goals.
Saturn rules longevity and a well-placed Saturn can give a long life. Saturn has another name, Pangu which means lame so Saturn rules those who are crippled.
Saturn rules old age, death but also longevity. Saturn rules the oldest brother. Saturn makes a person tall and thin, sometimes too thin and also gives larger than usual teeth.
Saturn rules cold and dry climates such as the Tundra. Saturn rules time. He rules fear and security. Saturn is always looking for security because he thinks of all the things that could go wrong. Saturn conjoined a house cusp will give a need for security in the area of life that house cusp signifies.
Sasa Yoga which means ‘rabbit yoga’ manifests when Saturn is exalted or in his own Sign as well as occupying an angle. Rabbits are known for their fear and someone with this yoga in their chart attempts to create security in the house Saturn is influencing and usually does it very well.
Saturn represents loss and the planets he is influencing will cause delays and loss. Saturn rules sorrow but also the perseverance to overcome sorrow and depression. The planets and houses Saturn is influencing is where we feel a lack or emptiness so we approach these things with fear. If one perseveres, Saturn will overcome the fear but the person will still need to work hard to enjoy those things Saturn touches.
In the planetary kingdom Saturn represents menial labor but labor that is needed to keep society running, such as garbage collectors, housekeepers, septic workers, plumbers, window washers, etc. Saturn also rules over tedious, boring tasks but tasks that must be done if anything great is to be accomplished. He is a servant who does all the hard work.
In the body, Saturn rules the musculature system because it’s the muscles that do the hard work. The Sun is the skeletal system and as father and son, they work together even though they are enemies.
The complexion of Saturn is dark, so he will give a darker than usual complexion within a person’s race and will give dark hair and eyes.
Saturn is a neuter planet meaning he has equal portion masculine and feminine qualities.
Saturn rules over the air element which shakes and displaces things so Saturn rules over devices that serve to shake and separate. The air element provides for the sense of Touch so Saturn rules this sense.
For caste, Saturn is a Sudra or someone who is in service to others usually through bodily labor and is concerned with the world of the senses and satisfying them.
Saturn’s prime motivation comes from fear so Saturn is a tamasic planet.
Saturn in the body also represents ‘snayu’ or that which binds. These are the tendons and ligaments that bind the muscle to the bone.
For places, Saturn rules places of rubbish, so the landfill, sewer treatment plant, etc. In the house, Saturn rules the garbage can, the toilet and the compost bin.
For environments, Saturn lives in forested mountains, like Rahu, Ketu the Sun and Mars.
Saturn rules plants that are withered or dried for some purpose, like tobacco and also trees with knots or some deformity, like trees with beetle kill.
In the family, Saturn rules the oldest brother.
Saturn like Rahu looks down. He does that because he doesn’t see all the possibilities, it is Saturn’s job to merely survive. Because Saturn is looking down, he can’t see what he already has or what he already has does not give him happiness.
Saturn is the 7th planet and rules number seven.
Saturn has special 100% planetary aspects in addition to his 100% 180 degree aspect. Saturn aspects to 100% the point 60 degrees in front of him so the 3rd house aspect. The 3rd house has to do with effort and siblings. We compete with our siblings for resources. Saturn is the effort put into something to improve oneself. Saturn also 100% aspects the 240 degree point from his position, the 10th house from him. The tenth house is one’s power and one’s karma in the world. Saturn is related to career because he gives us the perseverance and concentration to make a mark in the world, to succeed after hard work and effort.
Saturn in exalted in Libra and debilitated in Aries. Saturn’s root trine is 0 – 20 degrees of Aquarius and his own Signs are the rest of Aquarius and Capricorn.
Myth of Saturn:
Saturn is the illegitimate son of the Sun and Chaya which means shadow, as mentioned in the myth of the Sun. So Saturn was born from shadow meaning the subconscious. Through the subconscious we get all our deep-seated fears and hang-ups, psychological and emotional traumas that have not been brought to the surface to shine a light upon them. This is what Saturn represents. Saturn has no wife and is a neuter planet. He remains unmarried because he enjoys being alone rather than with company. Saturn is the perseverance that gets us through the trying times of life.
Summary:
| Saturn Produces… | Related to House… | Related to Divisional Chart… |
| Servants | 6th | 1st (Rasi) |
| Longevity | 8th | 1st (Rasi) and 30th (Trimsamsa) |
| Prison | 12th | 1st (Rasi) and 30th (Trimsamsa) |
| Fall from Position | 5th | 10th (Dwadasamsa) |
| Debts | 6th | 2nd (Hora) |
| Illness | 6th | 1st (Rasi) and 30th (Trimsamsa) |
| Duty | 10th | 10th (Dasamsa) |
| Eldest Sibling | 11th | 3rd (Drekkana) |
| Livestock | 11th | 1st (Rasi) |
| Expense | 12th | 2nd (Rasi) |
Rahu and Ketu
I do not assign exaltations or debilitations to Rahu or Ketu. Parasara nor Jaimini give any for these two shadowy planets, astrologers assigning exaltations and debilitations came later in the medieval period and there are so many different opinions about the signs of exaltation and debilitation that I don’t adhere to any of those opinions. For me, Rahu and Ketu are not exalted or debilitated in any sign.
I also do not use planetary aspects for Rahu and Ketu. They are not embodied planets, we cannot see them so they cannot give glances. The only aspects for Rahu and Ketu I use are Rasi aspects, when they occupy a sign and the sign is looking at other signs. These are the only aspects I use with Rahu and Ketu.
Rahu has an avatar that has full para atman consciousness, they are fully godlike. Rahu is among those that do as well as the Sun, Moon and Mars.
The myth of Rahu is a myth of creation and the myth of Ketu is a myth of dissolution. Throughout world cultures there are myths of creation. Many of them involve a great flood or of water covering the entire Earth. Water represents consciousness, but not manifest creation. It is within this consciousness that creation can come forth. If we have an idea, it is not yet manifest in physicality, but can be through hard work. The same can be said of the Earth and all of its creatures. To gain experience, to grow, to learn, to create, and to perfect; these things are inextricably entwined with Rahu and Ketu and on an individual level, their placement in an individual’s horoscope.
Myth of Rahu:
Brahma, the creator, had been commanded by the Supreme Being to create. He gave this instruction to his son. His son came back to him and said, “But the Earth is submerged underneath he Waters, how am I to create with no Earth?†Brahma thought about this long and hard, but not being able to come up with an answer in normal consciousness, withdrew into meditation. Suddenly, a tiny boar emerged from his nostril and flew down to the Waters to retrieve the Earth. The boar’s name was Varaha and as he flew, he grew larger and larger, until he grew to giant proportions. When he hit the water, he swam down and retrieved the Earth from under the water. While he was swimming to the surface, he was attacked by a demon. A fierce battle ensued, but the demon was eventually slain by Varaha and the Earth was brought to the surface of the Waters. For bringing the Earth from beneath the Waters, Varaha was praised by Brahma. The Earth was then considered the wife of Varaha. Varaha then gave sacred rites on creating balance and fulfilling desires, called Yagyas after which, he disappeared.
As mentioned before, Water represents consciousness. The Earth was submerged in consciousness and Varaha, the avatar of Rahu, brought Earth to the surface of consciousness just as Rahu is said to bring Souls to the Earth, to the ‘surface’ where they can experience what has previously been buried within their consciousness.
Why did the Boar fly out of the nostril? The sense of smell is made possible by the Earth element. We cannot smell unless the Earth element is present.
The demon that Varaha encountered on his way to the surface represents all of the doubts, fears and ‘inner demons’ we encounter when we try to go in the direction of Rahu, when we try to manifest those things that are unknown and unfamiliar to us, represented by Rahu. The fact that Varaha brought the Earth into manifest creation signifies that the Earth cannot exist without Rahu or the Earth exists because of Rahu. This concept is spotlighted by the legend that Rahu is the reason Souls incarnate on the Earth to gain experience.
All aspects of the horoscope can be transmuted, or worked out, internally. Everything in the horoscope can be worked out in the mind, except for the placement of Rahu and whatever it touches in the horoscope. Rahu is married to the Earth and everything Rahu influences must be worked out in concrete, physical existence, i.e., on the Earth and not in the Mind.
Rahu is the birth of the individual consciousness. As such he is much like the Ascendant which is the birth of the body.
There is much to say about what Rahu does in a horoscope psychologically and spiritually, but I’m going to keep this video mostly on the topic of concrete things Rahu rules. For more on Rahu, please see my videos under Rahu and Ketu under the category of “Psychological Astrologyâ€
The name Rahu means ‘seizer’ and refers to its role as a seizer of the Sun and Moon during eclipses. Rahu seizing the moon is worse than Rahu seizing the Sun. Another name for Rahu is Vidhumtuta (moon troubler). Rahu has the name Gata which means destruction and Pata which means falling. It is said that when the Rahu mahadasa begins, he destroys the significations of whatever house he occupies, and also causes a fall from position in the significations of that house. He does this so the consciousness can be born anew and begin to remake and re-energize those things that Rahu has destroyed.
Rahu is a first rate malefic, like Saturn and Mars, and Rahu is of feminine nature.
Rahu and Ketu are the army in the planetary kingdom. Rahu is that part of the army that goes out and conquers new territory. Rahu is that part of ourselves that seeks out new experiences to create balance where there is none.
The presiding deity of Rahu is Adishesha, the thousand headed serpent that holds Vishnu during the non-manifest stage of creation. Adishesha holds the potentialities of creating in a suspended state just as Rahu holds potentialities of the person and the new experiences they are destined to experience this lifetime. Vishnu is the deity of Mercury and as such, Mercury does very well with Rahu, in fact Rahu and Ketu do not have a malefic effect upon Mercury.
“Smoky, dark-bodied, forest dwelling, terrible, of Vata nature and intelligent is Rahu. Similar is Ketu†BPHS Nature and form of grahas, 30. Rahu lives in forested mountains. Rahu like Ketu is smoky and causes smoke so things are not what they seem and we are stumbling around in the dark with things Rahu influences.
As far as castes, Rahu rules chandalas or outcastes like homeless people, prostitutes, drug-addicts, criminals, people who are not a benefit to society.
Rahu is said to be like Saturn, so Rahu will give the effects of Saturn which will cause delays and separations. Through fear and separation, both Saturnian qualities, Rahu will at first separate us from that which we wish to develop because of inexperience but since Rahu is the birth of consciousness, it will try to create these things in the life anew and the hopes and expectations will not be realized because previous karmas is not there.
Rahu is very intelligent and when placed in the Ascendant, with the AK or with the Asc Lord, the person is intelligent and can use his intelligence for life changing and unexpected progress in discoveries.
Rahu and Ketu both rules corners. So they reside in the corners of the home.
“Rahu, Ketu and Saturn stand on anthills†BPHS, Nature and Form of Grahas, 41
Rahu does not provide a solid foundation to build upon because he rules new experiences and experiences in which we don’t have a lot of previous karma, so these things fall apart or do not give us what we hoped for.
Rahu is downward looking and does not see what is in front of him, Rahu desires what he cannot have.
Rahu is number 8, as the eighth planet and this number represents balance, the balance Rahu must create.
As I said before, Rahu doesn’t have a body, so he cannot look or give drishti aspects and there is nothing written in Parasara about it, the aspects were given in later, medieval texts. Rahu can give aspects through Sign aspect according to Jaimini, so the Sign he is deposited within will give his aspect.
Ketu
If Rahu is the birth of the mind or consciousness, Ketu is the death of the mind or consciousness, in other words, liberation.
The Myth of Ketu:
One day a mighty king went fishing in a pond. He caught a small fish and was surprised to learn that the fish could talk. The fish said, “Hello Mighty King, my name is Meena.  Please take me home with you.â€Â The King, knowing that this was no ordinary fish, took Meena home and placed him in a fish bowl. The next day, the King looked in on the fish and was amazed to find that the fish had grown so large, he filled the entire fish bow. The king took him to a pond in his back yard. The next day, Meena had grown to the size of the pond. The King then took the fish to a large lake. Sure enough the next day, the fish had grown so that he filled up the lake. Meena said, “Please dear King, take me to the Ocean.â€Â The King took the fish to the Ocean and said to him, “I know you are no ordinary fish. You are the Lord incarnate come for some great purpose that you wish to tell me.â€Â The fish said, “You are right dear King. In seven days there will be a great flood. Gather together the other six Rishis and build a boat. I will carry you across the flood until the time the Earth reemerges.â€
The King did as Meena had told him and built the boat. On the appointed day, the King and the other Rishis got into the boat and Meena came and pulled them across the Waters into the next Cycle of Time when the Earth reemerged.
At the end of a Cycle of Time, the Earth is submerged under the Waters and the Fish, Meena, which is the Avatar of Ketu, is able to keep knowledge alive represented by the Rishis. He does this by pulling them in a boat to the next Cycle of Time when the Earth begins anew.
In an individual horoscope, whatever Ketu is influencing is so ingrained in the psyche that it has been kept alive in the consciousness between lifetimes. As the death of the Earth is portrayed as an end to the Cycle, a death of a human being is the same thing. But Meena, the avatar of Ketu, carries certain aspects of a person’s consciousness through death and into the next incarnation. Whatever Ketu planet, sign or house influences is an area of life the person will be very familiar with and very talented in. In this lifetime, the goal is to perfect those things Ketu influences by following the path of Rahu. Those things that Ketu influences cannot be perfected by relying on Ketu which most people do in the 1st half of their life. We have doubt and we scrutinize those things Ketu influences because we know they are not perfected and we want to perfect them, but cannot while operating out of Ketu.
Ketu literally means ‘flag’ and as such we put a flag down when we’ve conquered a territory. Ketu is the territory that we know well, and that we must perfect. We feel a certain amount of skill, talent and satisfaction with the areas of life Ketu touches but we’re not completely satisfied and we’ve only perfected it in our own little world.
Ketu rules over the AUM vibration and Jaimini says his deities are Siva and Ganesh. See my Jaimini Occult astrology videos.
Ketu gives the natural effects of Mars, where you can strive and make effort to perfect the areas of life Ketu touches.
Ketu is that part of the army that stays behind to guard already conquered territory.
Ketu is a neuter planet having equal shares of masculine and feminine energies.
Ketu is all castes. Ketu is forest dwelling and causes smoke, so things are not as they appear.
Ketu lives in the corner of the house and also rules over anthills, giving a poor foundation. As said before, Ketu has perfection in his own little world, but not a deeper understanding and phenomena given by Ketu will create crisis where we are forced to see a bigger picture and gain deeper understanding.
Ketu doesn’t look in any direction because he doesn’t have a head.
In professions, Ketu can make a person a car salesman, a pawn shop dealer, selling anything on Ebay, doing odd jobs just to get by. Ketu can also make a person a thief.
Ketu as the 9th planet is number nine. Nine gives completions of cycles and endings, just like Ketu rules over the completions of karmas and enlightenment.
In addition to Mars, Ketu will give the results of the planets he is conjoined and his lord.
Summary:
| Rahu Produces… | Related to House… | Related to Divisional Chart… |
| Medical Drugs | 6th | 1st (Rasi) and 30th (Trimsamsa) |
| Technical Skills | 3rd | 27th (Bhamsa) |
| Technology | 3rd | 1st (Rasi) |
| Patala (Netherworld) | 12th | 4th (Chaturthamsa) |
| Maternal Ancestry | 4th | 12th (Dwadasamsa) |
| Addictive Drugs | 2nd | 1st (Rasi) and 30th (Trimsamsa) |
| Cheats | 8th | 1st (Rasi) |
| Ketu Produces… | Related to House… | Related to Divisional Chart… |
| Mathematics | 3rd | 24th (Siddhamsa) |
| Robbers | 8th | 1st (Rasi) |
| Epidemics | 8th | 1st (Rasi) and 30th (Trimsamsa) |
| Moksha | 12th | 20th (Vimsamsa) |
| Paternal Ancestry | 10th | 12th (Dwadasamsa) |