Planetary Relationships Planetary Relationships Planetary Relationships
Planets due to their varying characteristics and traits form particular relationships with each other. Each planet has the other planets as either a friend, enemy or neutral. These relationships are considered in two ways. Firstly, the planets have natural relationships with each other due to their natures. Secondly they have temporal relationships due to their positions in the horoscope. These two types of relationships are combined and what is called a compound relationship is formed. The relationships between the planets are important for understanding the interaction of the planets with each other.
NATURAL RELATIONSHIPS
The lords of the 2nd, 12th, 5th, 9th, 4th, and 8th from a particular planet's Moolatrikona rasi, and the lord of that planet's exaltation rasi are its friends. Others are its enemies. If a planet, due to ruling two rasis, becomesboth a friend and an enemy of a particular planet, then it is regarded as neutral to that particular planet. The Moon, however, has no enemies.
The following table lists the natural relationships of the planets:
Friends Neutrals Enemies
Sun: Moon, Mars, Jupiter Mercury Venus, Saturn Moon: Sun, Mercury Mars, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn none
Mars: Sun, Moon, Jupiter Venus, Saturn Mercury Mercury: Sun, Venus Mars, Jupiter, Saturn Moon Jupiter: Sun, Moon, Mars Saturn Mercury, Venus Venus: Mercury, Saturn Mars, Jupiter Sun, Moon Saturn: Mercury, Venus Jupiter Sun, Moon, Mars
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It will be seen that friendship or enmity is not always mutual between planets. Just as in human relationships, one planet may be helpful towards, and consider another planet as its friend, without having its sentiments returned.
The nature of a planet that is a friend of another, improves, assists, or strengthens the natural characteristics of the planet to which it is a friend. The nature of a planet that is an enemy of another, weakens, frustrates, or harms the natural characteristics of the planet to which it is an enemy. If, however, one planet is a friend to another but has characteristics that are contrary to the characteristics of the other he will not strengthen that characteristic.
For example, Saturn is a friend of Venus, if he influences Venus her characteristic of lust will become strengthened; Venus’s quality of social enjoyment, on the other hand, will be harmed by Saturn’s quality of isolation.
A good exercise is to take each planet and think of how the nature of its friends improves its nature, and how the nature of its enemies weakens its nature.
RAHU’S AND KETU’S RELATIONSHIPS
There are different opinions regarding which planets are friendly or inimical to Rahu and Ketu. Some astrologers feel that since Rahu and Ketu are shadowy in nature they do not have relationships as do the other planets; that their relationships are dependent upon the relationship of the lord of the rasi in which they are placed to the other planets. I myself prefer this view, except for as stated in Satya Jatakam:
“Rahu and Ketu are the enemies of the Sun and the Moon.”
This makes the most sense to me, as in Vedic myth, the demon who became Rahu and Ketu was discovered by the Sun and the Moon when he was disguised as a deva with the intent of gaining the Amrita (nectar of immortality) during the Churning of the Ocean.
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This resulted in his decapitation, and the birth of Rahu from his head and Ketu from his body. Rahu and Ketu therefore have a special enmity with the Sun and Moon and have been “swallowing” them during eclipses ever since.
To determine if a planet is friendly to Rahu or Ketu, simply take the planet that rules the rasi in which Rahu or Ketu is placed and see if that planet is a friend or enemy of the planet in question. If you want to see if Rahu or Ketu is a friend of a planet, check the friendship or otherwise of their lord with the planet in question. Do not forget that the Sun and Moon have mutual enmity with Rahu and Ketu.
TEMPORARY RELATIONSHIPS
The planet posited in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 10th, 11th and 12th from another becomes a mutual friend. Otherwise there is enmity.
The easy way to remember this is “three in front, three behind;”
the planets in the three houses in front of a planet as well as the planets in the three houses behind it are its friends. This is illustrated in the following chart:
Temporal relationship, by itself, is not considered as important as the natural relationship.
Planet Friend
Friend Friend
Friend Friend Friend
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COMPOUND RELATIONSHIPS
The natural and temporal relationships between any two planets should be combined to determine their final, compound relationship as listed below:
Friend + Friend = Great Friend Friend + Neutral = Friend Enemy + Friend = Neutral Enemy + Neutral = Enemy Enemy + Enemy = Great Enemy
It is this compound relationship between a planet and the ruler of the rasi in which the planet is placed that is used to determine the dignity of a planet as per the next chapter.
The temporal relationship is fully applicable to Rahu and Ketu.
When you figure their compound relationship make sure you use the temporal relationship between them and the planet in question, and not the temporal relationship between their lord and the planet in question.
Following are some important points regarding the principle of planetary friendships:
1. The nature of planets that are friendly to another improve or strengthen the natural qualities of the planet if they aspect or conjoin it. The planet then has a greater capacity to fulfill its indications within the horoscope unless the friend in question has contrary indications to fulfill.
2. The nature of planets that are enemies to another planet weaken the natural qualities of the planet if they aspect or conjoin it. The planet then has a lesser capacity to fulfill its indications within the horoscope unless the enemy in question has similar indications to fulfill.
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Note: For determining the auspicious or inauspicious effects of a planet, the aspects and conjunction of planets, whether they are benefics or malefic is generally of greater importance than that of friendship or enmity. The aspects and conjunctions of friends and enemies is helpful in determining what planets are helpful or harmful to the planet’s expression of its natural qualities. For example, Mars aspecting the Sun as a friend inclines the Sun towards greater courage and independence, but as a malefic, Mars aspecting the Sun will indicated damage to the indications of the Sun due to fire, accident, injury, etc.
RELATIONSHIPS IN DASA INTERPRETATION
The antardasa of a planet that is friendly to the dasa lord gives better results and is smoother than the antardasa of a planet that is an enemy of the dasa lord, all else being considered the same:
1. The friendly antardasa lord assists the dasa lord in its goals as indicated in the horoscope. The inimical antardasa lord frustrates the goals of the dasa lord.
2. The nature of the dasa lord is influenced by the nature of the antardasa lord, in a supportive or diminishing capacity, depending upon the antardasa lord being a friend or enemy of the dasa lord.
3. The dasa and antardasa of planets that are friendly towards each other promotes mental peace. The dasa and antardasa of planets that are inimical to each other create division within the self and mental turmoil.
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