Planetary friends and enemies in Vedic astrology

Also called: natural relationships, natural friends, temporary friends, compound relationships, adhimitra, adhishatru, friendly sign, enemy's sign

Definition

Planetary relationships describe which planets treat each other as friends, enemies or neutrals, both naturally and within a specific chart.

BPHS (Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra) judges natural relationships from a planet's moolatrikona: the lords of the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 8th, 9th and 12th signs from it, plus the lord of its exaltation sign, are its natural friends; the rest are enemies; a planet that is both is neutral. For example, the table of P.V.R. Narasimha Rao (PVR) shows the Sun's friends as the Moon, Mars and Jupiter, Mercury as neutral, and Venus and Saturn as enemies.

Temporary relationships depend on one chart: planets in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 10th, 11th and 12th signs from a planet are its temporary friends. Combining both kinds gives five grades, from adhimitra (great friend) to adhishatru (great enemy).

PVR adds that a planet in a sign owned by a friend or great friend is in a friendly house, while one in a sign owned by an enemy or great enemy is in an inimical house.

Lessons that use this term

Sources for this entry

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