How to judge strength of planets

In a horoscope, there are many ways to find the power of a planet. Many talk about exalted and debilitated planets, but you need an experienced astrologer to assess the actual strength of a planet. This needs a proper assessment of calculating the "shadbala" of any planet. People may say an exalted planet is strong or good, and a debilitated planet is weak or bad. But a planet exalted in one moon sign can be debilitated in another moon sign. I will reveal a simple system for the use of commoners that will be a real guide for understanding the planet's power. 

How does a planet impact person's behaviour

I always focus on human behaviour and habits than commenting on good or bad for any house or planet. Any planet's position in a horoscope depends on the trail of events of a person's past live(s). All such deeds reflect particular behaviour of a person in previous births, and accordingly, planets get strength in the present life chart. Therefore here also, I will try to co-relate some specific traits and characteristics in a person's behaviour to show if the impact of any planet is good or bad. 

Impact of Sun in your birth chart

If the native is energetic, optimistic, compassionate, have administrative skills, heads a group or organisation, respects the elders & gets respect means the person has a strong and positive Sun in a horoscope. On the contrary, if the person is arrogant, cunning, violent, neither respects the elders, higher-ups nor gets respect from them means that person has a weak Sun.

How these effects come is a direct result of the person's deeds in the previous births.

Impact of Moon in your birth chart

A positive and strong Moon bestows Intelligence, tolerance, faith, openness, prophecy, love, peace to the native. But suppose the person's nature is fickle, being lazy, orthodox, and insane or say sleep quenched. In that case, it means the Moon is in debilitated state and has weak or negative energies of Moon operating. 

Impact of Mars in your birth chart

A strong & positive Mars bestows qualities like Enthusiasm, boldness, confidence, organizing powers, ability to get work done, independence, and being argumentative to the native. But the traits like being ruthless, involved in misdeeds, unruliness, telling lies, crimes, violence, and litigation are embedded in the native, which means the upper energy of a negative Mars is playing on him/her. Likewise, if the intensity of the traits gets weaker, then the corresponding Mars (positive or negative) gets weaker.

Impact of Mercury in your birth chart

The ability to learn and grasp quicker, use skills, is studious, humorous, and has excellent expression power through speech means the person a strong and positive Mercury. On the contrary, if the native is irrational, confused mind, immature, or living in fantasies shows Mercury's weakness and shows its dominance on negative Mercury with upper energy. However, if the traits mentioned above become stronger, then the corresponding Mercury also gets stronger, be it negative or positive.  

Impact of Jupiter in your birth chart

If the person is blessed with good human qualities, ethical behavior, high moral standards, believes in justice, worldly wisdom, has adaptability, common sense, and broad-mindedness, it means the person is blessed with a positive and strong Jupiter. Here if the upper energy of Jupiter is not operating high, then the feel of the above traits will be a little weak. On the contrary, If a negative Jupiter operates with upper energy, the native will not have good luck, always be in need, and have disputes, overeater, plump, and orthodox in nature. Yes, if these negative Jupiter intensity is low, the impact of these traits will be on the lower side. 

Impact of Venus in your birth chart

I positive Venus with upper energy makes a person Beauty oriented, comfort-loving, pleasure-seeking, affectionate, good sense of taste, elegance, easy-going, and charismatic. But if the energy of Venus is lower though positive, the results of the above characteristics will be on the lower side. 

A negative Venus will make a person Intense, passionate, more towards sexuality & sensuality, having problems with the spouse. Such a person will have a disturbed family life and relationships. But if the intensity of Jupiter is lower though negative, the person will not have too much of the above negative effects. 

Impact of Saturn in your birth chart

Saturn in a birth chart primarily reflects all the good and flawed Karmas of the person's previous life(s). A positive Saturn in higher or upper energy will tend the person to do righteous & rightful (just) Karmas, avoid habits of harming others, have a long life, with good fate, better concentration, and being tactful. However, a negative Saturn with its upper energy gives humiliation, poverty, debt, sorrow, ugliness, and punishments from the authorities to the native. But here also, if these negative energies of Saturn are at lower energy, the impact of such negative results will be much lower. 

So the planets' significations and the corresponding results are negative or positive depends on whether they work in their upper energies (positive or negative). 

How to know strength of a planet?

Above was the narration from a commoner's mind for easy understanding. Now I will explain the astrological way of assessing whether a planet is weak or strong. To know the strength of a planet, we consider the below aspects in astrology. These primary factors decide the strength of a planet in the horoscope, which I will categorise as below: 

How to judge if planet is strong in a horoscope?

There are certain positions where a planet is considered strong in a horoscope. A planet is considered strong in the following situations.

1. Planet in its exaltation sign is considered to be the strongest.

2. When the planet is placed in a sign owned by the planet itself.

3. The planet is strong with high Vimsopaka Bala.

4. The planet is in Vargottama status.

5. When the planet is in a good Shastiamsha.

6. The planet is in conjunction with an aspect of natural benefics.

7. When the planet is in the ruling condition of 1st, 5th, or and 9th house.

8. The planet is under the aspect of its dispositor & the latter is in its own or exalted sign.

How to know/find if a planet is weak in a horoscope?

There are certain indications or rules in Vedic astrology which makes a planet weak or harmful to a person. These are mentioned as below: ,

1. When the planet is in its debilitation sign.

2. The planet is in a sign that is a great enemy sign.

3. When the planet has low Vimsopaka Bala.

4. When the planet is in a bad Shastiamsha.

5. Planet is weak in Mrityubhaga.

6. The planet is in conjunction or under the aspect of a natural malefic.

7. The planet is very close to Sun say is combust.

8. When the planets own or are in the 6th or 8th or 12th house.

9. When the planet is debilitated, weak in own strength, or is influenced by the qualities of ruler of the other sign.

Above are the basic rules that make a planet malefic or good, but if any planet is subject to afflictions, it will lead to many problems in native's life. Without any significant afflictions, the planet will give its natural results based on the above broader guidelines. And this decides whether the planet is weak or strong in a horoscope. 

Notwithstanding all written above, a negative planet will not always give negative results & strong or good planet will not automatically bless the native. How to draw the best of results from any planet depends on our own Karmas. 

You can also read other related articles on the subject:

Role of planets in astrology

How negative planets also give positive results

Saturn in 12th house is not bad always

Rahu & Ketu are not always harmful