The Planetary Positions Table

The planetary position table — the graha sphuta — is the numerical backbone of a birth chart. Before any interpretation begins, the astrologer needs to know exactly where each planet stood at the moment of birth: its longitude in degrees, the sign and nakshatra it occupied, whether it was moving forward or backward, and how strong or weak its position was considered. Everything drawn in the chart diagram is a visual summary of the numbers in this table.

The Nine Grahas

Vedic astrology works with nine grahas, not the modern list of planets. Seven are visible bodies and two are mathematical points.

Surya (Sun) — traditionally the soul, vitality, authority, the father and self-expression.
Chandra (Moon) — the mind, emotion, the mother, comfort and receptivity.
Mangal (Mars) — energy, courage, conflict, siblings, land and surgery.
Budha (Mercury) — intellect, speech, commerce, learning and analysis.
Guru (Jupiter) — wisdom, expansion, teachers, wealth, children and dharma.
Shukra (Venus) — relationship, comfort, art, refinement and vehicles.
Shani (Saturn) — discipline, delay, endurance, labour and longevity.
Rahu — the north lunar node, associated with ambition, foreign matters and amplification.
Ketu — the south lunar node, associated with detachment, past tendencies and liberation.

Rahu and Ketu are not physical bodies but the two points where the Moon's orbit crosses the ecliptic — the same points that govern eclipses. They are always exactly 180 degrees apart and always move in retrograde direction. Uranus, Neptune and Pluto have no role in classical Vedic technique, though some modern practitioners include them.

Degrees, Signs and Nakshatras

Each planet's longitude is given from 0 to 360 degrees around the zodiac, and then expressed within its sign as degrees, minutes and seconds. The same longitude also locates the planet within one of the 27 nakshatras, each spanning 13 degrees 20 minutes, and within one of the four padas subdividing each nakshatra.

These finer coordinates matter. The nakshatra lord governs the dasha sequence, the pada determines placement in the navamsha divisional chart, and in Stellar Transit the sub-divisions of the nakshatra are used for still more precise timing. A planet at the very end of one sign and one at the start of the next may be less than a degree apart yet read quite differently. The full nakshatra breakdown is available on the planetary positions page.

Retrograde Motion

A planet is retrograde (vakri) when it appears from Earth to move backwards through the zodiac. This is an apparent effect caused by the relative orbital speeds of Earth and the planet, not an actual reversal. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn all go retrograde periodically; the Sun and Moon never do, and Rahu and Ketu are always reckoned retrograde.

Classical texts treat retrograde planets as unusually strong in terms of raw output, since a retrograde planet is near its closest approach to Earth, while also describing their results as turned inward, delayed or repeated rather than straightforward. A planet stationary at the turning point is considered particularly emphatic. Retrograde status is marked in the position table, usually with an R.

Combustion

A planet close in longitude to the Sun is said to be combust (astangata), traditionally described as having its significations obscured by the Sun's glare. The orbs given in classical texts vary by planet, commonly around 12 degrees for most planets, with narrower orbs for Mercury and Venus, and different values again when they are retrograde. Interpretations of combustion differ between authorities: some treat it as a serious weakening, others as a burning away of the planet's outer expression while leaving its inner function intact.

Dignity and Strength

Where a planet sits determines its dignity, the traditional measure of how comfortably it can deliver its results.

Exalted (uccha) — the sign of greatest strength, for example the Sun in Aries or Jupiter in Cancer.
Own sign (swakshetra) — the planet rules the sign it occupies and is considered self-sufficient there.
Moolatrikona — a specific degree range within a planet's own sign, considered close to exaltation in strength.
Friendly, neutral or inimical sign — graded by the relationship between the planet and the sign's lord.
Debilitated (neecha) — the sign opposite exaltation, where the planet is considered least able to act directly.

Beyond these categories, the classical Shadbala system scores six kinds of strength — positional, directional, temporal, motional, natural and aspectual — to produce a numerical comparison between planets. Debilitation is not automatically taken as misfortune; several classical cancellation rules, known as neechabhanga, can offset it. In Stellar Transit the table reports dignity alongside the raw longitudes so both the position and its traditional assessment are visible together.

Planetary strength interacts directly with timing. A dasha period belonging to a well-placed planet is read differently from one belonging to a weak or afflicted planet, which is why the position table and the dasha sequence are usually studied side by side.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a retrograde planet bad in a birth chart?

Traditionally it is not treated as inherently bad. Retrograde planets are considered strong in output but inward-turned or delayed in the way they deliver results. The overall reading depends on the planet's dignity, house placement and the aspects it receives.

What does combust mean for a planet?

It means the planet is within a short arc of the Sun and, in traditional terms, has its significations obscured. Mercury is combust most often because it never travels far from the Sun. Authorities differ on how much weight combustion should be given.

Why are Uranus, Neptune and Pluto not in the table?

Classical Vedic astrology was built around the nine grahas, seven of which are visible to the naked eye plus the two lunar nodes. The outer planets were unknown to the classical authors and have no role in the traditional rules for dignity, aspects or dasha periods.

How precise do the degrees need to be?

Quite precise. The Moon moves roughly one degree every two hours, so a small error in birth time can shift its nakshatra pada and change the dasha balance at birth. Divisional charts magnify the same error further, which is why exact ephemeris calculation is used rather than rounded values. Related timing tools such as ruling planets depend on the same precision.