Seven planets along with the shadowy planets Rahu and Ketu are called as NAVAGRAHA in Vedic Astrology (Jyotish). All the principles and theories of jyotish or vedic astrology is based on the planetary positions and house position of Navagraha.
According to Vedic Astrology, the planets (Navagraha) are relay stations for the reception and transmission of stellar energies. In Vedic Astrology, the seven major or visible planets are normally listed in order of the days they rule: Sun, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn for Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Satutday.These seven planets along with the shadowy planets Rahu and Ketu are called as NAVAGRAHA in Vedic Astrology (Jyotish). All the principles and theories of jyotish or vedic astrology is based on the planetary positions and house position of Navagraha.
Of the Navagraha, the Sun and the Moon, as the two luminaries are most important. Next in importance are Mars, Jupiter and Saturn as the major planets beyond the orbit of the earth. Then come Venus and Mercury as the major planets within the orbit of Earth and therefore always close to the Sun. The Lunar nodes, norh and south, called Rahu and Ketu, regarded as shadowy or secondary planets, are of yet less imporatance.
The Navagraha are generally given the three qualities as follows:
QUALITIES
NAVAGRAHA
Sattva
Sun, Moon and Jupiter
Rajas
Mercury and Venus
Tamas
Mars and Saturn (also Rahu and Ketu)
The traditional association of elements and navagraha in Vedic Astrology are as follows:
ELEMENTS - TATVA
NAVAGRAHA
Space
Jupiter
Air
Saturn and Rahu
Fire
Sun, Mars and Ketu
Water
Moon and Venus
Earth
Mercury
In Vedic Astrology navagraha give their results depending upon the benefic and malefic nature. The nature or prakriti of Navagraha is as follows:
NATURE - PRAKRITI
NAVAGRAHA
Greater Benefic
Jupiter
Lesser Benefic
Venus
Genaral Benefic
Moon and Mercury
Greater Malefic
Saturn and Rahu
Lesser Malefic
Mars and Ketu
Greater Malefic
Sun