Jyotish commonly works with nine grahas: Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu. Graha names a role in Jyotish and is not the same as the astronomical category “planet.” The Sun is a star, the Moon a natural satellite, and Rahu and Ketu are lunar nodes. In chart interpretation, the nine grahas are judged through their sign, house, dignity, rulership, aspects, conjunctions, nakshatras and timing.
A short map of the grahas
The planetary descriptions in the Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra are one source for traditional associations. This table is vocabulary for reading Jyotish texts, not a set of effects every person must exhibit:
| Graha | Common traditional association | A useful reading question |
|---|---|---|
| Sun (Surya) | Authority and selfhood | How is this chart’s Sun connected to public or personal roles? |
| Moon (Chandra) | Mind and change | How does its phase and chart condition affect the traditional reading? |
| Mars (Mangala) | Action and assertion | Where does this symbol of initiative appear in the chart? |
| Mercury (Budha) | Speech and exchange | How are communication topics connected to a house? |
| Jupiter (Guru) | Teaching and counsel | Where can knowledge become useful guidance, and what obstructs it? |
| Venus (Shukra) | Pleasure and relationship | How do cooperation and pleasure operate through the occupied house? |
| Saturn (Shani) | Duty and time | What responsibilities appear in this house reading? |
| Rahu | Ascending lunar node; desire in many interpretations | What does the node’s house axis ask the reader to compare? |
| Ketu | Descending lunar node; detachment in many interpretations | How is the opposite end of that axis read? |
NASA’s explanation of the Moon’s orbit identifies the ascending and descending nodes as the crossings of the Moon’s path with the ecliptic. They are points, not physical planets. Jyotish reads their house axis, dispositors and associations as an important part of the chart. Uranus, Neptune and Pluto appear in some modern methods, but are outside this traditional nine-graha framework.
From planetary function to practical judgment
Begin with the graha’s function, then locate the house in which it works and the houses it rules. Sign, dispositor, conjunctions and aspects show how strongly it can deliver. A capable planet may offer support while a damaged receiving lord obstructs the result; identify both instead of collapsing the chart into one favorable or unfavorable label. Start with the ascendant and twelve houses, then consider benefic and malefic classifications and planetary friendship. The Jyotish foundations hub connects these topics to example placement readings.