Planets other than the Sun and Moon at times appear to stop, move backwards for a while and then regain their course; this is retrogression, vakra in Sanskrit. Rahu and Ketu always move from east to west, backwards through the signs, about 18 months per sign.
P.V.R. Narasimha Rao (PVR) notes that a planet's speed reduces under retrogression, and that rules, for example in annual charts, have to be adapted for it.
In Skybond's sample chart, Mars in Gemini is retrograde.
Lessons that use this term
- What is a birth chart (kundali) in Vedic astrology?
- Nine planets (navagraha) in Vedic astrology: a beginner's guide
- 12 houses in Vedic astrology (bhavas) explained
- Functional benefic and malefic planets for each ascendant
- How Skybond reads a Vedic chart: method and conventions
- How to read a North Indian birth chart
- How to read a South Indian birth chart
- How to read the planet table in a Vedic chart
- 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
- Planetary dignity in Vedic astrology: strong and weak planets
- Gemini (Mithuna) sign in Vedic astrology: traits and lord
- 12th house in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations
- Kendra, trikona, dusthana and upachaya houses explained
- What is a yogakaraka planet? Yogakaraka for each ascendant
- What is gochar? Planetary transits in Vedic astrology
- Read a sample Vedic chart: practice 1 (foundations)
- 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)
- Manglik dosha: calculation, cancellation and myths
- Sade Sati: Saturn's 7.5-year transit explained
- Shani dhaiya: Ashtama Shani and Kantaka Shani explained
Sources for this entry
- B.V. Raman, Hindu Predictive Astrology
- P.V.R. Narasimha Rao, Vedic Astrology: An Integrated Approach
- Skybond sample chart (sidereal, True Chitra Paksha, whole-sign houses, mean node) (Skybond calculation with the Swiss Ephemeris)
Drafted with AI from verified sources, fact-checked and edited by Skybond before publishing. Read more.