All 52 chapters
  1. Part 1 · The sky and the chart
  2. The sky above us
  3. Time and place of birth
  4. Two zodiacs
  5. How a chart is drawn
  6. Part 2 · The building blocks
  7. The 9 planets
  8. The 12 signs
  9. The 27 nakshatras
  10. The 12 houses
  11. The lagnas
  12. Part 3 · How planets work together
  13. How planets interact
  14. Friends, dispositors, exchanges
  15. House lords
  16. Reading one placement
  17. Part 4 · Strength and condition
  18. Dignity in depth
  19. A planet's mood
  20. Planetary strength
  21. Ashtakavarga in depth
  22. Part 5 · Patterns: yogas and doshas
  23. Yogas
  24. Doshas
  25. Part 6 · The nakshatras up close
  26. Reading a nakshatra
  27. Tara Bala
  28. Part 7 · Divisional charts
  29. Divisional charts
  30. Navamsa in depth
  31. Part 8 · Timing
  32. Dashas
  33. Transits
  34. The annual chart (Tajika)
  35. Part 9 · Relationships
  36. Compatibility
  37. Marriage in depth
  38. Part 10 · Advanced systems
  39. Special points
  40. Jaimini astrology
  41. Arudha padas
  42. KP astrology
  43. Nadi astrology
  44. Part 11 · Choosing the moment
  45. Panchanga
  46. Muhurta
  47. Prashna (horary)
  48. Part 12 · Life areas
  49. Career, money and business
  50. Travel, abroad, spirituality
  51. Health and longevity
  52. Karma and past lives
  53. Remedies
  54. Rectifying a birth time
  55. Part 13 · Western astrology
  56. Western astrology basics
  57. Aspects and chart shapes
  58. Western prediction
  59. Synastry
  60. Horary and electional
  61. Part 14 · The wider world
  62. Mundane astrology and eclipses
  63. Astrocartography and branches
  64. Part 15 · Putting it all together
  65. How it all fits
  66. How AstroMatch4u scores a chart
  67. Using astrology well
Part 4Strength and condition
CHAPTER 16

Planetary strength

How strong is each planet?

Two people can both have Jupiter in the 10th house and still get different results, because one Jupiter is strong and the other is weak. Astrology measures strength in several ways. The biggest is Shadbala, "six strengths", which adds up six separate sources into one score, measured in units called rupas:

Sthana BalaFrom position: a good sign, a good house.
Dig BalaFrom direction: each planet has a best spot in the chart.
Kala BalaFrom time: day or night, the season, the Moon's phase.
Cheshta BalaFrom motion: how the planet is moving.
Naisargika BalaNatural strength: some planets are simply brighter and stronger.
Drik BalaFrom aspects: help or pressure from other planets.

Each planet has a minimum it needs to count as strong. A planet above its line can deliver what it promises; one below it struggles to.

The Shadbala each planet needs to be called strong, as Parashara gives it.

Ashtakavarga is a second, simpler score. Each planet gives each sign 0 or 1 point from eight reference points, and the totals give every house a score. Across all twelve houses the total is always 337, so the average is about 28: a house above 28 is supported, one below it has to work harder. It is also used to judge transits.

An example chart's points per house. Taller bars are houses where things come more easily.

the same job given to two people: one rested and well equipped, one tired and short of tools. Same job, different results.

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