Dignity in depth

How comfortable is each planet, exactly?

Dignity is a ladder, from most to least comfortable. A planet higher up the ladder gives its results more fully and more easily.

Step	Meaning	Like…
Exalted (uchcha)	Its best sign, with a peak degree	a guest of honour
Moolatrikona	A special stretch of its own sign where it works best	at its own office desk
Own sign (swakshetra)	A sign it rules	at home
Great friend's / friend's sign	A sign ruled by a friend	staying with friends
Neutral sign	Neither friend nor enemy	in a hotel
Enemy's / great enemy's sign	A sign ruled by an enemy	in a rival's house
Debilitated (neecha)	Opposite its exaltation sign	out of its depth

Planet	Exaltation (peak)	Moolatrikona	Own signs	Debilitation
Sun	Aries 10°	Leo 0–20°	Leo	Libra 10°
Moon	Taurus 3°	Taurus 4–30°	Cancer	Scorpio 3°
Mars	Capricorn 28°	Aries 0–12°	Aries, Scorpio	Cancer 28°
Mercury	Virgo 15°	Virgo 16–20°	Gemini, Virgo	Pisces 15°
Jupiter	Cancer 5°	Sagittarius 0–10°	Sagittarius, Pisces	Capricorn 5°
Venus	Pisces 27°	Libra 0–15°	Taurus, Libra	Virgo 27°
Saturn	Libra 20°	Aquarius 0–20°	Capricorn, Aquarius	Aries 20°

Neecha Bhanga: when weakness is cancelled

A debilitated planet is not doomed. Its weakness is said to be cancelled, and it can even rise to great strength (Neecha Bhanga Raja Yoga), when for example:

the lord of the sign it is debilitated in is in a kendra (1, 4, 7, 10) from the lagna or the Moon;
the planet that is exalted in that same sign is in a kendra from the lagna or the Moon;
the debilitated planet is aspected by the lord of its sign;
it is exalted in the navamsa (D9);
it has exchanged signs with its dispositor.

People with a cancelled debilitation often describe a slow, hard start in that area that turns into real mastery later.

Vargottama and Pushkara

Vargottama: a planet in the same sign in the D1 and the D9. It is consistent inside and out, and counts as strong, almost like being in its own sign. It happens in the first navamsa of a movable sign, the middle (fifth) of a fixed sign and the last of a dual sign.
Pushkara navamsha: certain navamsas, two in each sign, that fall in the gentle signs of Jupiter and Venus. A planet there is said to be "nourished".
Pushkara bhaga: one especially auspicious degree in each sign.

Combustion

A planet very close to the Sun is combust (asta): drowned out by the Sun's light, so its meanings struggle to show or get absorbed into the ego. The usual distances, from the Surya Siddhanta:

Moonwithin 12°

Marswithin 17°

Mercury14° (12° when retrograde)

Jupiterwithin 11°

Venus10° (8° when retrograde)

Saturnwithin 15°

Rahu and Ketu are never combust. Mercury is so often near the Sun that many astrologers treat its combustion lightly; a combust Venus or Jupiter is read more seriously. A planet that is both retrograde and combust is close to Earth and bright, and some astrologers say the retrograde strength offsets the combustion.

Retrograde planets

A retrograde planet (vakri) is closest to the Earth and at its brightest, so Vedic texts give it extra strength (cheshta bala), not less. Its expression turns inward, repeats or comes late:

Mercury retrogradeThinking that rechecks itself: a reviser, an independent mind.

Venus retrogradeUnusual tastes in love and beauty; old relationships return.

Mars retrogradeEnergy held back and released in bursts; fights fought inside.

Jupiter retrogradeBeliefs questioned and rebuilt; wisdom earned rather than inherited.

Saturn retrogradeDuties felt heavily; lessons that repeat until learned.

Rahu and KetuAlways retrograde (in mean motion), so it is never read as special for them.

Planetary war (graha yuddha)

When two of Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn come within 1° of each other, they are at war. The texts judge the winner by which planet is further north in the sky or brighter (Venus usually wins). The loser gives weaker results for the houses it rules. The Sun, Moon, Rahu and Ketu do not take part.

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