Strength Analysis

Planet Strength & Dosha Tools

A planet's sign placement is a starting point, not a conclusion. Vedic astrology developed two rigorous quantitative systems — Shadbala and Ashtakavarga — to measure how much functional power a planet actually has. These sit alongside the dosha checkers: Mangal Dosha (classical, with extensive cancellations), Kala Sarpa (late-traditional, with important historical context), and the dignity and Avastha table that shows each planet's comfort level in your chart.

The Tools

Five calculators using classical algorithms from BPHS and the Phaladeepika.

VEDIC

Shadbala Calculator

Computes all six strength components for each planet in Virupas: Sthana (positional), Dig (directional), Kala (temporal), Chesta (motional), Naisargika (natural fixed-order), and Drik (aspectual). Total divided by 60 gives the Rupa score.

From BPHS Chapters 27–39

VEDIC

Ashtakavarga Points

Calculates Bhinnashtakavarga (0–8 bindus per sign, per planet) and Sarvashtakavarga (sum of all 7 planets per sign). A chart always distributes exactly 337 bindus total across 12 signs. SAV above 30 per house is the classical strength threshold.

337 total bindus · SAV 30+ = strong

VEDIC

Mangal Dosha Checker

Screens Mars from Lagna, Moon, and Venus. Returns a Poorna (full) diagnosis only when dosha appears from two or more reference points. Runs the full classical cancellation list — own sign, exaltation, debilitation, Jupiter aspect, mutual Manglik, and ascendant-specific exceptions.

Three reference points · full cancellation rules

VEDIC

Planetary Dignity Table

Ranks each planet's sign placement: exalted, moolatrikona, own sign, friend's sign, neutral sign, enemy sign, or debilitated. Also calculates Avastha — the age-state of each planet (Bala/infant through Mrita/dead) based on degree position.

Exaltation → Debilitation · Avastha states

VEDIC

Kala Sarpa Configuration

Checks whether all seven classical planets (Sun–Saturn) are hemmed on one side of the Rahu–Ketu axis — degree-level, not just sign-level. Identifies the type (Anant through Sheshnag) and direction (Savya ascending or Apasavya descending).

12 types by Rahu house · Savya / Apasavya

Shadbala — Six Sources of Strength

Defined in BPHS Chapters 27–39. All six components are measured in Virupas (1 Rupa = 60 Virupas). The total Shadbala is compared against each planet's minimum required Rupa to determine whether it is functionally strong or weak.

Sthana Bala

Positional

Sign placement — exaltation gives maximum; debilitation subtracts. Five sub-components including Uchcha Bala (degree proximity to exaltation point) and Saptavarga Bala (strength across seven divisional charts).

Dig Bala

Directional

House placement relative to a planet's directional stronghold. Sun & Mars peak in the 10th, Jupiter & Mercury in the 1st, Moon & Venus in the 4th, Saturn in the 7th. Maximum 60 Virupas at the stronghold, 0 at the opposite house.

Kala Bala

Temporal

Six time-based sub-factors: day vs night birth, lunar paksha (waxing/waning Moon), hora ruler, weekday ruler, month lord, and year lord. Most complex component to compute.

Chesta Bala

Motional

A planet's apparent motion — retrograde, stationary, fast, or slow. Retrograde planets score high here, which is why a retrograde Saturn in a difficult sign can still be functionally powerful.

Naisargika Bala

Natural (fixed)

The only chart-independent component. Fixed ranking: Sun > Moon > Venus > Jupiter > Mercury > Mars > Saturn. Tells you inherent expressive capacity regardless of placement.

Drik Bala

Aspectual

Net of aspects received. Benefic aspects (Jupiter, Venus) add Virupas; malefic aspects (Sun, Mars, Saturn) subtract. The only Shadbala component that can go negative, dragging the total down.

Key insight: Naisargika Bala is the only fixed component — Sun is always strongest, Saturn always weakest, regardless of chart. Drik Bala is the only component that can go negative, meaning malefic aspects from Saturn, Mars, and the Sun can actively reduce a planet's total Shadbala below what its placement alone would suggest.

Ashtakavarga — 337 Bindus for Transit Prediction

Every chart distributes exactly 337 bindus across 12 signs. The Bhinnashtakavarga (BAV) gives each planet a score of 0–8 per sign. The Sarvashtakavarga (SAV) sums all seven planets per sign. Both layers are needed for transit prediction.

BAV 5–8

Favorable transit

BAV 4

Mixed results

BAV 0–3

Challenging transit

SAV 30+

Strong house overall

The most meaningful transit signal: a slow planet (Saturn at 2.5 years per sign, Jupiter at 13 months) entering a sign where its own BAV is 6–8 and the SAV is 32+, during that planet's own Mahadasha or Antardasha. The opposing combination — BAV 1–2, SAV below 25, difficult Dasha — is the strongest classical caution flag in the system.

Frequently Asked Questions

Technical answers about the calculation systems.

What does a "strong" planet in Shadbala actually mean in practice?

Each planet has a minimum Rupa threshold from BPHS. Sun needs 5 Rupas, Moon 6, Mars 5, Mercury 7, Jupiter 6.5, Venus 5.5, Saturn 5. A planet above its threshold is considered strong enough to deliver its significations when active in a Dasha period. A planet below threshold may still produce results but with more friction, delay, or unusual expression. Shadbala does not predict events directly — it tells you how reliably a planet can execute its promises during its timing periods.

How do I use Ashtakavarga to predict whether a transit will go well?

Look up the transiting planet's Bhinnashtakavarga (BAV) score for the sign it is entering. A BAV of 5 or higher means the transit has structural support — expect the planet's significations to manifest with less friction. A BAV of 0–3 means the transit is entering a sign that does not support that planet's energy in your chart. The Sarvashtakavarga (SAV) of that sign adds a second layer: SAV above 30 is a strong house for general planetary activity; below 25 is weak. A Saturn transit through a sign where Saturn's BAV is 6 and the SAV is 34 is a completely different experience from the same Saturn transit through a sign with BAV 1 and SAV 21.

Is Kala Sarpa Dosha actually in the classical texts?

No. Kala Sarpa Dosha does not appear in the Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra or the core canonical Jyotish literature. It enters the tradition through later regional commentary (Lal Kitab and South Indian texts) and became popularized in 20th-century commercial astrology. The configuration — all seven planets hemmed between Rahu and Ketu — is geometrically real and has astrological implications, but the dramatic fear attached to it in popular sources is not supported by classical sources. Many highly accomplished people have this configuration. The tool reports it accurately and contextually, without exaggerating its significance.

What is the difference between exaltation and moolatrikona in the dignity table?

Exaltation is a specific degree point where a planet functions with maximum strength — the Sun is exalted at 10° Aries, the Moon at 3° Taurus, and so on. Moolatrikona is a sign region (different from exaltation) that classical texts treat as second in strength to exaltation. For example, the Sun's moolatrikona is 0–20° Leo; outside that range (20–30° Leo), the Sun is simply in its own sign. The distinction matters because a planet in its exaltation degree is stronger than a planet in moolatrikona, which is stronger than a planet in its own sign.

Can a debilitated planet still produce good results?

Yes, under two conditions. First, Neecha Bhanga (debilitation cancellation): when specific chart conditions are met, a debilitated planet's weakness is reversed and can actually produce exceptionally strong results — sometimes stronger than a planet in exaltation. The Neecha Bhanga conditions involve the sign lord, the exaltation lord, and their house placements. Second, even without Neecha Bhanga, a debilitated planet can produce results in the domain it rules, but typically with more effort, delay, or through unconventional paths.

Full Vedic Kundali

Complete birth chart + full reading

Transit & Timing Tools

Sade Sati, Vimshottari Dasha, Gochar

Compatibility Tools

Kundali Milan, Mangal Dosha, Synastry