Planets: Sex, Deities, and Elements
In Vedic astrology, planets (grahas) are assigned specific attributes including gender (sex), ruling deities, and elemental associations. These characteristics help explain the fundamental nature of each planet and their influence on various aspects of life.
| Planet | Symbol | Sex | Deity | Element | Sanskrit Name | Nature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KETU | ☋ | Neutral | Ganesha (Remover of Obstacles) | Fire | Agni tattva | Leadership, enterprise, courage |
| VENUS | ♀ | Female | Sachi Devi (Indra's Wife) | Water | Jala tattva | Imagination, creativity, emotions |
| SUN | ☉ | Male | Agni (Fire God) | Fire | Agni tattva | Leadership, enterprise, courage |
| MOON | ☽ | Female | Varuna (Rain God) | Water | Jala tattva | Imagination, creativity, emotions |
| MARS | ♂ | Male | Subrahmanya (Army Chief of Gods) | Fire | Agni tattva | Leadership, enterprise, courage |
| RAHU | ☊ | Neutral | Durga (Goddess of Power) | Air | Vaayu tattva | Wandering, free spirit, movement |
| JUPITER | ♃ | Male | Indra (Ruler of Gods) | Ether | Aakaasa tattva | Wisdom, intelligence, perceiving knowledge |
| SATURN | ♄ | Female | Brahma (Creator) | Air | Vaayu tattva | Wandering, free spirit, movement |
| MERCURY | ☿ | Female | Maha Vishnu (Supreme Sustaining Force) | Earth | Bhoo tattva | Memory, logical abilities, practicality |
Planetary Deities
In Vedic astrology, each planet is associated with a specific deity from Hindu mythology. These deities represent the cosmic forces that the planets embody and help explain their influence on human affairs.
☋ KETU
Ganesha (Remover of Obstacles)
♀ VENUS
Sachi Devi (Indra's Wife)
☉ SUN
Agni (Fire God)
☽ MOON
Varuna (Rain God)
♂ MARS
Subrahmanya (Army Chief of Gods)
☊ RAHU
Durga (Goddess of Power)
♃ JUPITER
Indra (Ruler of Gods)
♄ SATURN
Brahma (Creator)
☿ MERCURY
Maha Vishnu (Supreme Sustaining Force)
Sex of Planets
Planets in Vedic astrology are assigned gender (sex) which influences their nature and interactions. This classification is used in various predictive techniques, including determining the gender of children based on planetary influences in a birth chart.
Male Planets
Male planets generally represent active, assertive, and outwardly directed energies.
Female Planets
Female planets generally represent receptive, nurturing, and inwardly focused energies.
Neutral Planets
Shadow planets (Rahu and Ketu) are generally considered neutral or having mixed energies.
Planets & Five Elements
In Vedic philosophy, the universe is composed of five fundamental elements (Pancha Mahabhuta): Fire (Agni), Earth (Prithvi), Air (Vaayu), Water (Jala), and Ether (Aakaasa). Each planet is associated with one of these elements, which influences its basic nature and effects.
Fire (Agni) Planets
Leadership & Energy
Fire planets govern leadership, enterprise, courage, and transformation.
Earth (Bhoo) Planets
Logic & Practicality
Earth planets govern memory, logical abilities, and practical matters.
Air (Vaayu) Planets
Movement & Freedom
Air planets govern wandering, free spirit, and movement.
Water (Jala) Planets
Creativity & Emotion
Water planets govern imagination, creativity, and emotional aspects.
Ether (Aakaasa) Planets
Wisdom & Knowledge
Ether planets govern wisdom, intelligence, and perceiving knowledge.
Applications in Vedic Astrology
The sex, deity, and elemental associations of planets have several important applications in Vedic astrology:
- The sex of planets can be used in predicting the gender of children based on planetary influences.
- Planetary deities help understand the cosmic forces that each planet represents and their influence on human affairs.
- Elemental associations explain the basic nature of planets and their effects on different aspects of life.
- These attributes are considered in remedial measures (upayas) to balance planetary energies.