Graha meaning in Vedic astrology: the nine planets

Seven planets are used: Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn, plus two shadow planets, Rahu and Ketu. A Vedic chart therefore has nine grahas.

Navagraha, 'the nine grahas', names this set of nine.

Related terms

• Rahu and Ketu →Rahu and Ketu are the two 'shadow planets' (chaya grahas) of Vedic astrology, also called the north node and the south node.
• Rashi →Rashi means sign in Vedic astrology: one of the 12 equal divisions of the zodiac, each 30 degrees wide.
• Bhava →Bhava means house in Vedic astrology: a sector of the chart counted from a reference point, usually the lagna (ascendant).
• Dasha →A dasha system divides a life into periods, sub-periods and so on, each ruled by a planet or a sign.
• Benefic and malefic planets →Benefic and malefic describe a graha's inherent nature: benefics (saumya or shubha grahas) are gentle by nature, malefics (krura or papa grahas) harsh by nature.
• Dignity →Dignity describes how a planet is placed by sign: exalted, debilitated, in its moolatrikona, or in its own sign (a sign it rules). It is a measure of planetary strength.

Lessons that use this term

• What is Vedic astrology (Jyotish)? A beginner's guide →
• Vedic vs Western astrology: sidereal and tropical zodiac differences →
• What is a birth chart (kundali) in Vedic astrology? →
• Nine planets (navagraha) in Vedic astrology: a beginner's guide →
• How Skybond reads a Vedic chart: method and conventions →
• Classical texts of Vedic astrology: BPHS, Phaladeepika, Saravali →
• What is moon sign (rashi) in Vedic astrology? →
• Sun (Surya) in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations →
• Moon (Chandra) in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations →
• Mars (Mangala) in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations →
• Mercury (Budha) in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations →
• Jupiter (Guru) in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations →
• Venus (Shukra) in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations →
• Saturn (Shani) in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations →
• Rahu (north node) in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations →
• Ketu (south node) in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations →
• Natural benefic and malefic planets in Vedic astrology →
• 11th house in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations →
• What is gochar? Planetary transits in Vedic astrology →
• Saturn in Pisces (Mar 2025 to Jun 2027) →
• Saturn enters Aries (Jun 2027) →
• Jupiter in Cancer, exalted (Jun to Oct 2026, again Jan to Jun 2027) →
• Jupiter in Leo (Oct 2026 to Jan 2027, again Jun to Nov 2027) →
• Nadi dosha and Bhakoot dosha in kundali matching →

Sources for this entry

1. P.V.R. Narasimha Rao, Vedic Astrology: An Integrated Approach
2. AstroSage, Learn Astrology part 1
3. AstroCentral, Learn Vedic Astrology