Essential planetary dignities – the powerful and the frail

Planetary strengths and weakness, to my mind, are really another misnomer when it comes to Jyotish. The scriptures say that each planet a.k.a Graha is but an incarnation of the Supreme Lord Vishnu. The ONE from which all of us emerge and the ONE that all of us merge into. The ONE that is therefore by definition way above and beyond any binary classification including strengths and weaknesses.

To me planetary strengths and weakness are merely indicators, indicators of the planetary energies that an invidual’s soul has come to comprehend well (strenghts) and not so well (weakness), over the myriad of lifetimes that it has traversed. Strengths are not innately good and weaknesses are not innately bad. The former being something to be used to benefit others. The latter being something to be fortified with help from others. Strengths and weaknesses are therefore yet another sign board on our life map a.k.a chart (Kundali).

I typically look for the following strengths and weaknesses during my initial chart analysis.

Exaltation (Uccha) and Debilitation (Neecha)

Each planet has a Zodiac Sign (see table below) where it is just thrilled to be in as well as a sign where it is just bored to death. That’s how I think of planetary exaltation (uchcha) and debilitation (neecha) respectively. A thrilled planet in turn means a thrilled native when it comes to Bhava where the sign and planet fall as well as the bhaavas that the planet rules. In other words, areas of life where the native cruises along. A bored planet indicates an areas of life where the native feels like a deer in headlights and tries hard to avoid. Areas of life where the native needs to face his fears and better himself in this lifetime.

The concept even applies to the nodes, but gets a little trickier since there are multiple schools of thoughts regarding the exaltation and debilitation of Rahu-Ketu.

A planet placed in bhaava, notwithstanding the rashi, which represents its exaltation / debilation position in the Kalachakra is considered a favorable / not so favorable placement for the planet, irrespective of the nature of the Bhava. e.g. Venus in the 12th Bhava is considered favorable irrespective of Lagna Rashi because Venus is exalted in the 12th Bhava (Pisces) in the Kalachakra.

Own signs (Swarashi) and Mooltrikona

Each planet (except the luminaries and Rahu-Ketu) owns two signs in the Zodiac (see table below). A planet in its own sign is simply akin to someone in their own house, comfortable and in command. Since each planet owns two signs, there is one among the two signs the planet prefers over the other one it owns, very much like owning a house in the city and a vacation home with the vacation home being the hands down favorite. The “mooltirkona” sign is the vacation home.

Theoretically, the exaltation and debilitation points are exact degress whereas the Moolatrikona is a range of degrees. In practice, however, a planet’s sign placement determines its exaltation, debilitation or Mooltirkona vs. the exact degrees.

Listed below are the exaltation, debilitation, owernship and mooltrikona signs and degrees for the planets.

Planet	Owns	Exaltation	Debilitation	Mooltrikona
Sun	Leo	Aries 10°	Libra 10°	Leo – 0 to 20°
Moon	Cancer	Taurus 3°	Scorpio 3°	Taurus – 4 to 30°
Mars	Aries, Scorpio	Capricon 28°	Cancer 28°	Aries – 0 to 12°
Mercury	Gemini, Virgo	Virgo 15°	Pisces 15°	Virgo – 16 to 20°
Jupiter	Saggitarius, Pisces	Cancer 5°	Capricon 5°	Saggitarius – 0 to 10°
Venus	Taurus, Libra	Pisces 27°	Virgo 27°	Libra – 0 to 15°
Saturn	Capricorn, Aquarius	Libra 20°	Aries 20°	Aquarius – 0 to 20°

Examples : Pablo Picasso and Stephen King both have as many as 3 debilitated planets in their chart.

Combustion

Ever try to have a staring contest with the Sun? Of course not! Well, fortunately for us mere mortals that’s an option. For the celestial orbiters that isn’t really an option. Periodically each planet passses through extremely close proximity of the Sun. These proximity zones are akin to “blinding zones” or “burning zones”. The planet therefore, temporarily, while in the zone, loses its ability to deliver its usual results. This phenomenon is referred to as Combustion.

Planetary War

Imagine two Sumo wrestlers traveling on air plane seated next to each other in economy class seats. They’d be uncomfortable to say the least and most likely participate in a game of one upmanship all throughout the flight. That’s exactly what happens when two planets are within 1° degree (longitudanly) of each other.

The classics differ in opinion on which planet emerges as the winner of a planetary war. Some day the planet with the higher latitude wins, other say the brighter planet wins. Venus (when involved) being the brightest always emerges a victor. There is consensus, however, that even though there might be a winner, the war noticeably damanges the areas of life ruled by the two planets.