Nine important planets are considered to affect the terrestrial phenomena in Hindu astrology.

The meaning of a planet in astrology is slightly different from the modern astronomy. Before, the age of telescopes, the night sky was thought to consist of two very similar components. The fixed stars which remained motionless in relation to each other and wandering stars which moved relative to the fixed stars over the course of the year.

As per the Greeks and the other earliest astronomers, this group comprised of the five planets visible to the naked eye. The term planet applied only to those five objects and the term was latterly broadened to include the Sun and the Moon making a total of seven planets. Astrologers retained this as the definition of planets today.

As per ancient astrologers, the planets represented the will of the gods and their direct influence upon human affairs. According to modern astrologers, the planets represent the basic drives or impulses in the human psyche. These drives express themselves with different qualities through the twelve zodiac signs and in different spheres of life through the twelve houses. Modern astrologers differ on the source of the power of planets. Some hold that the planets exert their influence directly through gravitational or unknown power.

Finally, the Indian astrology came up with the conclusion of 9 planets. The five active planets included Mercury, Mars, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn. The other two planets included the Sun and the Moon. The 2 shadow planets are Rahu and Ketu.

The Sun

The Sun is the parent body of the solar system. It has no latitude being always in the ecliptic and never in the inferior state. He cooperates with all the planets sympathetically except with Saturn.

The Sun is temperately hot, dry and masculine in gender. He can be benefic or malefic depending on the configuration of planets with him. The Sun is the ruler of the zodiac sign Leo. The Sun has the nature of bile.The direction is east. The Nakshatra governed by the Sun are Kritika, Uttara phalguni and Uttara Ashad.

The Sun is exalted in the Aries sign upto 10 degrees in Aries.The Sun is Mooltrikona in Leo and debilitated in Libra upto 10 degrees.

The Moon

The Moon is the queen of all the planets and is fastest moving planet. It is considered as the heart and imagination of Kaalpurush because of this reason. Moon is the planet of 15 kalas that include art, looks, love, attraction, beautifying, beauty, youth, mental state, peace, gentleness, sweetness, grace and mental strength. It has a great importance in astrology and this is the reason an astrologer has to study Chandra Kundli also for prefect prediction.

The Sun is cool, moist and feminine in gender. He is considered as benefic while waxing and to some extent malefic while waning. The Moon is the ruler of the zodiac sign Cancer. Moon has a  Phelgmatic(Kapha) nature. Its direction is north-east. The Nakshatra governed by the Moon are Rohini, Hasta and Shravan nakshatra.

The Moon is exalted in the Aries sign upto 3 degrees in Taurus. The Moon is Mooltrikona in Taurus and debilitated in Scorpio upto 3 degrees.

The Mars

The Mars is the nearest planet to the earth. It is considered a bloody planet. The friendly planets are Sun, Jupiter and Moon and the enemy planets are Mercury and Rahu.

The Mars is a hot, dry, violent and masculine in gender. He is malefic in nature. The Mars is the ruler of the zodiac sign Aries and Scorpio. The basic property of Mars is bile. The direction is South. The Nakshatra governed by the Mars are Chitra, Mrigasira and Dhanishtha.

The Mars is exalted in Capricorn sign upto 28 degrees. The Mars is Mooltrikona in Aries upto 12 degrees and debilitated in Cancer upto 28 degrees.

The Mercury

The Mercury is the chief ruler of the nerve forces and mental faculties of mankind. He is considered as a child planet. The friendly planets are the Sun, Venus and Rahu and the enemy planets are the Moon and Saturn.

The Mercury lacks manliness as its gender is neutral. Mercury is malefic if it is aspected by a malefic planet and is benefic if he is individual or with benefic planet. The Mercury is the ruler of the zodiac sign Gemini and Virgo. The basic property of Mercury is the mixture of all three tridoshas i.e wind, bile and phelgm.The direction is North. The Nakshatra governed by the Mercury are Revati, Ashleasha and Jyeshtha.

The Mercury is exalted in the Virgo sign upto 15 degrees.The Mercury is Mooltrikona in Virgo from 16 degrees to 25 degrees and debilitated in Pisces up to 15 degrees.

The Venus

The Venus is never above 48 degrees distance from the Sun. It takes 224 days and 7 hours to complete path of her orbit. She is considered as the most fortunate planet of the nine planets. The most friendly planets are the Saturn, Mercury and Rahu. The enemy planets are the Sun and Jupiter.

Venus is feminine and governs sensual satisfaction. It is a benefic planet and the marital happiness largely depends on this planet. It is the ruler of the zodiac sign, Taurus and Libra. Venus governs mainly wind(Vatha) and phelgm(Kaph) among the tridoshas. The direction is south-east. The Nakshatra governed by the Venus are Purva Phalguni, Bharani and Purva Sharda.

Venus is exalted in the Pisces sign up to 27 degrees. The Venus is mooltrikona in Libra upto 20 degrees and debilitated in Virgo up to 27 degrees.

The Jupiter

The Jupiter is considered as the most beneficent  social planet. He is also known as ‘Greator fortune’ of all the planets. The friendly planets are the Sun, Moon and Mars. and the enemy planets are Venus, Mercury and Rahu.

The Jupiter is is masculine and gives wealth if placed. The special characteristic of Jupiter is that whichever house it is placed it makes native unresponsive to that house and whichever house it aspects it strengthens.  Jupiter is benefic in nature and rules the 2nd, 5th and 9th house. The Jupiter is the ruler of the zodiac sign Sagittarius and Pisces. The basic Tridosha nature of Jupiter  is the phelgm.The direction is North-east. The Nakshatra governed by the Jupiter are Vishakha, Purva Bhadrapad and Punarvasa.

The Jupiter is exalted in the Cancer sign upto 5 degrees.The Mercury is Mooltrikona in Sagittarius upto 20 degrees and debilitated in Capricorn upto 5 degrees.

The Saturn

The Saturn is the most distant planet from the Sun. It completes his revolution in 29 years. The friendly planets are the Sun, Venus and Rahu and the enemy planets are Moon and Saturn.

The Saturn is the planet that gives the retribution of all the bad Karmas done in life.The Saturn  is  neutral in gender. It is malefic in nature and is most dominant in the first 36 years of life. The Saturn is the ruler of the zodiac sign, Capricorn and Aquarius. The basic Tridosha property of Saturn is wind or Vatha. The direction is West. The Nakshatra governed by the Saturn  are Anuradha, Pushya and Uttara Bhadrapada.

The Saturn is exalted in the Libra sign up to 20 degrees.The Saturn is Mooltrikona in Aquarius up to 20 degrees and debilitated in Aries up to 20 degrees.

The Rahu

The Rahu is the shadow planet. It is considered as the shadow of Saturn. In western astrology, he is known as dragon’s head. He is considered as the most unfortunate planet of all the nine planets. The friendly planets are the Saturn, Venus and Mercury and the enemy planets are the Moon, the Sun and Mars.

The Rahu is the planet which moves in retrogression. The Rahu is masculine in gender and is malefic in nature. It is most active in sudden incidents such as accidents, robbery, and gambling. The Nakshatra governed by the Ketu are Magha, Mool and Ashwini.

The Rahu is exalted in the Gemini sign up to 15 degrees. The Rahu is debilitated in Sagittarius up to 15 degrees.

The Ketu

The Ketu is the shadow planet. It is considered as the shadow of Mars. In western astrology, he is known as Dragon’s tail. Ketu is always placed seventh from the Rahu and moves retrograded. The friendly planets of Ketu are the Mars, Venus and Mercury and the enemy planets are the Moon, the Sun and Saturn.

Ketu is the planet which being malefic leads to spirituality when is benefic.The Ketu  is  masculine in gender and is malefic in nature. It is most involved in  incidents related to occult activities, secret knowledge and international languages. It’s direction is South-West. The Nakshatra is governed by the Rahu are Swati, Shatbhisha and Ardra.

The Ketu is exalted in the Sagittarius sign upto 15 degrees.The Ketu is debilitated in Gemini upto 15 degrees.Leo is the Mooltrikona rashi of Ketu.