The 9 grahas (planets)
See where the planets are in the sky right now, and tap one to learn about it.
Real positions from the calculation engine for this moment. Aries (Mesha) is at the top, signs run clockwise. R = retrograde.
Chandra चन्द्र
The Moon: the mind and emotions. In Vedic astrology the Moon sign and Moon nakshatra matter more than the Sun sign.
- Now in
- Leo 22°50′
- Nakshatra
- Purva Phalguni · Pada 3
- Motion
- Direct (forward)
- Dasha period
- 10-year dasha
- Ruled weekday
- Monday
- Exalted (strongest)
- Vrishabha 3°
- Debilitated (weakest)
- Vrishchika 3°
- Own signs
- Karka
- Friends
- Sun, Mercury
- Enemies
- —
Traditional themes: mind, emotion, mother, public
How it moves: The Moon circles the Earth in 27.3 days (sidereal) and completes its cycle of phases in 29.5 days, so it spends only about 2¼ days in each sign.
The traditional story: In the Puranic story, Chandra's waxing and waning follows a curse from his father-in-law Daksha, softened so the Moon could regrow each fortnight.
The Moon is the most important planet in this system. Panchang, festivals, the dasha cycle and the 'Rashi' people mean when they ask 'what is your sign' are all Moon-based.
Because the Moon moves about 13° a day, it is the quickest way to see how the sky changes: its nakshatra changes roughly daily, its tithi changes each day.
Read as the mind, mood, mother, and the public. A bright (waxing) Moon is traditionally taken as stronger; the Moon is exalted in Vrishabha at 3°.
The Moon's gravity drives the tides and its orbit is tilted about 5° to Earth's orbital plane, which is why eclipses happen only at certain new and full Moons.
Sources
- Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, attributed to Maharishi Parashara; a compiled text of uncertain date. The central reference for Parashari jyotisha: planets, signs, houses, yogas, and the Vimshottari dasha system.
- Vedanga Jyotisha, attributed to Lagadha. The earliest surviving text of Indian astronomy-for-ritual-timing (calendar, tithis, nakshatras). Its date is debated by scholars.
These are the works the tradition and the astronomy draw on. Astavya paraphrases them; verse-level quotations are not reproduced, and editorial review by a qualified Jyotisha scholar is pending.