Graha Bala (Planetary Strength)

Graha bala is the quantified strength of a planet in a horoscope. It determines how

fully a planet can deliver its promised results. Classical texts express strength
in rūpa (units) and ṣaṣṭy-aṁśa (sub-units), where 60 ṣaṣṭy-aṁśa = 1 rūpa. This
article outlines how to compute the sixfold (ṣaḍbala) strength and how to combine
its parts into a planet’s final strength.

Contents
Units of planetary strength
Ṣaḍbala: six sources of strength
I. Sthāna bala (positional strength)
II. Dig-bala (directional strength)
III. Kāla bala (temporal strength)
IV. Cheṣṭā bala (motional strength)
V. Naiṣargika bala (inherent strength)
VI. Dṛg-bala (aspectual strength)
Combining the balas into total strength
Bhāva bala (strength of houses)
Units of planetary strength
Strength is expressed in rūpa and ṣaṣṭy-aṁśa. One rūpa equals 60 ṣaṣṭy-aṁśa. After
computing all components, divide total ṣaṣṭy-aṁśa by 60 to get rūpa.

Ṣaḍbala: six sources of strength

The sixfold strength comprises: (1) sthāna bala, (2) dig-bala, (3) kāla bala, (4)
cheṣṭā bala, (5) naiṣargika bala, and (6) dṛg-bala.

I. Sthāna bala (positional strength)

Sthāna bala is the strength a planet gets from its position. It is the sum of six
parts: ucca bala, sapta-vargaja bala, oja-yugma rāśi bala, oja-yugma navāṁśa bala,
kendrādi bala, and drekkāṇa bala.

1) Ucca bala (exaltation/debilitation scale)

At deep exaltation a planet has 60 ṣaṣṭy-aṁśa (1 rūpa); at deep debilitation it has
0. Between the two (span of 180°), strength changes proportionally: every 3° of
longitude equals 1 ṣaṣṭy-aṁśa.

2) Sapta-vargaja bala (seven divisional charts)

The seven vargas considered are: rāśi, horā, drekkāṇa, saptāṁśa, navāṁśa,
dvādaśāṁśa, and triṁśāṁśa. In the rāśi chart the allocation is: mūlatrikoṇa 45.000,
own sign 30.000, adhi-mitra 22.500, mitra 15.000, sama 7.500, śatru 3.750, adhi-
śatru 1.875 (all in ṣaṣṭy-aṁśa). In the remaining six vargas, mūlatrikoṇa is not
considered; the same friend/enemy scale applies as above.

3) Oja-yugma rāśi bala

In the rāśi chart, the Moon and Venus in even signs, and the Sun, Mars, Mercury,
Jupiter, Saturn in odd signs each get 15 ṣaṣṭy-aṁśa; elsewhere 0.

4) Oja-yugma navāṁśa bala

In the navāṁśa, the Moon and Venus in even signs, and the Sun, Mars, Mercury,
Jupiter, Saturn in odd signs each get 15 ṣaṣṭy-aṁśa; elsewhere 0.

5) Kendrādi bala
Planets in kendras (angles) get 60; in paṇaphara (succedent) 30; in apoklima
(cadent) 15 ṣaṣṭy-aṁśa.

6) Drekkāṇa bala
Male planets (Sun, Mars, Jupiter) in the 1st drekkāṇa; neutral/eunuch planets
(Mercury, Saturn) in the middle; and female planets (Moon, Venus) in the last
drekkāṇa each get 15 ṣaṣṭy-aṁśa; otherwise 0.
II. Dig-bala (directional strength)
Strength varies by direction/angle from the horizon: Sun & Mars — strongest at the
10th cusp (south), zero at the 4th; Moon & Venus — strongest at the 4th (north),
zero at the 10th; Mercury & Jupiter — strongest at the ascendant (east), zero at
the 7th; Saturn — strongest at the 7th (west), zero at the ascendant. Interpolate
proportionally at 1 ṣaṣṭy-aṁśa per 3°.

III. Kāla bala (temporal strength)

This depends on the moment of birth and has nine components.

1) Nāta-unnata bala (noon–midnight)

Sun, Jupiter, Venus: full (60) at exact local noon; zero at exact local midnight;
proportional in between.
Moon, Mars, Saturn: full (60) at exact local midnight; zero at exact local noon;
proportional in between.
Mercury: always full under this head.
2) Pakṣa bala (lunar phase)
Benefics (Moon, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus): full at Full Moon (Sun–Moon 180°), zero
at New Moon; proportional in between.
Malefics (Sun, Mars, Saturn): full at New Moon (exact conjunction), zero at Full
Moon; proportional in between.
Moon’s computed pakṣa bala is doubled for strength reckoning.
3) Tri-bhāga bala (thirds of day/night)
Divide daytime (sunrise–sunset) or nighttime (sunset–sunrise) into three equal
parts:

Day births: 1st third → Mercury full; 2nd → Sun full; 3rd → Saturn full.
Night births: 1st third → Moon full; 2nd → Venus full; 3rd → Mars full.
Jupiter gets full strength here regardless of birth time.
4) Abda bala (year-lord)
Lord of the first weekday of the “year of birth” gets 15. The “year” may mean (a) a
360-day year from Creation (computed by special methods), or (b) the solar year
beginning with the Sun’s ingress into Meṣa (sidereal).

5) Māsa bala (month-lord)

Lord of the first weekday of the “month of birth” gets 30. The “month” may mean (a)
a 30-day month from Creation, or (b) the solar month beginning with each sidereal
ingress.

6) Vāra bala (weekday-lord)

Lord of the weekday of birth gets 45.

7) Horā bala (hour-lord)

Find the operating horā at birth; its lord gets 60.

8) Ayana bala (declination)

All planets have 30 at 0° declination.
Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Venus: full (60) at +24° (≈23°27′) north declination; zero at
south declination.
Moon, Saturn: full (60) at −24° south; zero at north declination.
Mercury increases away from 0° (30 at 0°, tending to full as it moves to either
north or south).
Use sayana (tropical) longitudes to determine north/south declination: 0–180° →
north; 180–360° → south.
Double the Sun’s ayana bala.
9) Yuddha bala (planetary war)
Except the Sun and Moon, two planets within 1° are in yuddha. The one with greater
longitude is considered subjugated. Compute each planet’s subtotal (sthāna + dig +
kāla up to horā). One view: the difference is yuddha bala — add to victor, subtract
from loser. Another view: divide that difference by the difference of their disc
diameters (Mars 9.4″, Mercury 6.6″, Jupiter 190.4″, Venus 16.6″, Saturn 158.0″) to
get yuddha bala, then add/subtract as above.

IV. Cheṣṭā bala (motional strength)

Based on apparent speed/state (direct, retrograde, etc.). Classical allocation by
motion:

Apparent motion Strength (ṣaṣṭy-aṁśa)

Vakra (retrograde) 60
Anuvakra / Ativakra 30
Vikala 15
Madhya 30
Maṇḍa 15
Maṇḍatara 7.5
Śīghra 45
Ati-śīghra 30
Notes: the Sun’s cheṣṭā bala equals its ayana bala; the Moon’s cheṣṭā bala equals
its pakṣa bala.

V. Naiṣargika bala (inherent strength)

Divide 60 by 7 and multiply successively by 1…7 to get, in order, Saturn, Mars,
Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Moon, Sun. Thus the Sun has the maximum (60), Saturn the
minimum (~8.57).

VI. Dṛg-bala (aspectual strength)

A planet gains positive strength from benefic aspects and negative from malefic
aspects; sum over all aspects (special aspects of Mars, Jupiter, Saturn included).
The net aspect total, divided by four, gives dṛg-bala in ṣaṣṭy-aṁśa (positive or
negative). Interpolate proportionally between listed aspect arcs. Add (if positive)
or subtract (if negative) this from the combined strength to get the final.

Combining the balas into total strength

Compute and sum: sthāna + dig + kāla + cheṣṭā + naiṣargika, then adjust by dṛg-bala
(add/subtract). Convert the final ṣaṣṭy-aṁśa to rūpa by dividing by 60.

Bhāva bala (strength of houses)

House strength includes three parts: (1) strength of the house lord (as above), (2)
dṛg-bala of the house (using the cusp in place of a planet), and (3) dig-bala of
the house.

Computing house dig-bala (Parāśara’s rule)

For dvipada signs (Mithuna, Kanyā, Tulā, Kumbha, first half of Dhanu): subtract the
7th cusp. For catuṣpada signs (Meṣa, Vṛṣabha, Siṁha, second half of Dhanu, first
half of Makara): subtract the 4th cusp. For kīta signs (Karka, Vṛścika): subtract
the lagna cusp. For jalacara signs (Mīna, second half of Makara): subtract the 10th
cusp. Convert the remainder to degrees and divide by 3 for ṣaṣṭy-aṁśa. If the
remainder exceeds six signs, subtract from 12 before conversion. Then add one-
fourth of benefic aspects (subtract one-fourth of malefic aspects), and finally add
the house-lord’s strength — the result is total bhāva bala.

Practical “how-to” for beginners

Calculate each planet’s contributions under sthāna bala (apply ucca scale, varga
friend/enemy weights, oja-yugma bonuses, kendra/succedent/cadent, and drekkāṇa
placement).
Add dig-bala from the planet’s angle (10th/4th/1st/7th), interpolating at 1 per 3°.
Add nine parts of kāla bala (use local noon/midnight, lunar phase, day/night
thirds, the year/month/weekday/horā lords, declination rules, and yuddha if
applicable).
Add cheṣṭā bala per the planet’s apparent motion; remember the Sun/Moon notes.
Add naiṣargika bala (fixed inherent share per planet).
Compute net dṛg-bala from aspects (benefics positive, malefics negative), divide
aspect total by 4, then add/subtract to get the final.
Convert total ṣaṣṭy-aṁśa → rūpa by dividing by 60.
Key terminology (IAST)
Ucca / nīca: exaltation / debilitation scale used in ucca bala.
Oja-yugma: odd/even-sign bonuses in rāśi and navāṁśa.
Kendrādi: angular/succedent/cadent weighting.
Tri-bhāga: thirds of day/night for temporal allocation.
Ayana bala: declination-based strength (use sayana longitude; double the Sun’s
share).
Yuddha: planetary war within 1° (rules for victor/vanquished adjustments).