Last Updated on July 30, 2020 by astrologerbydefault

In a horoscope you will often see planets which are debilitated/ neech-avastha or exalted/ uccha-avashta. The normal reaction is to feel worried if you have some neech planets and feel happy if you have some planets exalted. The general understanding is that the planet gives his perfect results when he is placed in his exalted sign and gives his worst results when he is situated in his sign of debilitation. But this is not the complete picture so if you have a few debilitated planets in your chart, there is no need to get stressed out.

Every planet gives his results, in whatever condition he is in, he will express his energies. This expression may be on your physical level, mental state, material level, spiritual level, etc. It might be sadness, happiness, despair, ecstasy, neutral plain-ness. It may promote outgoing behaviour, social engagements, business sense, spiritual inclination, seclusion, desire for learning, etc. Every placement in the chart was chosen by you at your moment of birth. This was your higher self choosing, so the chart is the best possible alignment for you to potentially work off your karma. What you make of this potential is your free will and conscious choice.

On to exalted and debilitated planets, a quick re-cap,

(I follow B.V. Raman/Parashara)

Now the finer detail, on exaltation. Eg Jupiter is exalted at the precise 5th deg of Cancer. ie from 4.01 deg to 5 deg. So if in your chart he is,

• Eg at 3^rd deg Cancer in the forward motion. He is moving towards his exact exaltation point. He is in a state of pleasurable anticipation, optimistic, thus gives better visible results. The things connected to Cancer, the house in which Cancer is placed in and the houses/signs owned by Jupiter, are all viewed positively because of Jupiter’s upbeat mood. You can thus expect auspicious results.
• Eg at 3^rd deg Cancer in retrograde motion. Here Jupiter is moving in an apparent backward motion. Now he feels bad. He had his sights on the point of exaltation but as he has become retrograde he could not achieve his goal. He is moving away from the goal, retracing his steps. He knows he will be re-attempting his goal again when he enters his forward motion. This state of the planet is rather demotivated, he does not give his full results despite being in his sign of exaltation Cancer. Something like a mountaineer who has to turn back, when touching distance of the summit he desires.
• Exact 5^th deg in forward motion. He is exalted delighted satisfied. This is the top of the zodiac for Jupiter, from 4.01deg to 5deg, he has achieved everything. The visible results of this placement will be excellent!
• Exact 5^th degree and in retrograde movement. He is happy at the summit, that does not change. But when he is retrograde he will apparently move backward, then again start forward and cross his exhalation degree again. Thus the happiness is colored with this knowledge. He knows there will be a brief going downwards but he will get one more opportunity to be at the top. So good results.
• Eg in the 10^th deg in forward movement. Jupiter has crossed his highest point, it is behind him now. The state of remembered happiness does exist, so he is willing to give good results. But this quantum will be less than the happiness of the exaltation point as he is on his way down from his personal top. So slightly less exuberant results.
• Eg in the 10^th deg and retrograde. He has reversed his motion and is going back towards his point of exaltation. He will give quite good results, as he is again optimistic. There is a shade of seriousness now, the planet seems to be more intent about his work. This is his second attempt at the summit and he is determined to make the most of it. Good results.

In general, when a planet is approaching his exact point of exhalation, his results are optimistic. This phase is called the Aroha phase, he is ascending. When he is moving away from the exaltation point, ie in Avaroha phase, the quantum of optimism reduces changing the results that he is capable of delivering. I consider a 15deg section before the high point as the Aroha section as the planet is preparing himself for the climb, is optimistic. So for Jupiter this would be 20-30deg Gemini and 0-5deg Cancer. And similarly a 15deg section after the high point as the section where he descends as the Avaroha section. For Jupiter this would be 5-20 deg Cancer. See the topmost point is only 1deg, very short, it is rather unstable, as every way from here is down. So if you are born with such a highly exalted planet, make sure that you use its energies sensibly with your conscience as your guide. Do some spiritual practice so that you create some asset which will be useful in your next lives too.

Now about debilitation. Again eg Jupiter, who is debilitated deepest at 5^th deg Capricorn, ie 4.01-5 deg.

• Eg If he is at 3^rd deg Capricorn in forward motion. He knows that he is falling into his deepest point of the zodiac. There is desperation and intense dejection, so the results are not auspicious.
• Eg if he is at 3^rd deg Capricorn in retrograde motion, here it is like he has been saved at the last minute from falling into the abyss. His results will be better than expected. He was descending, falling to his deepest neech-point, but the change of apparent motion has helped him, now he is climbing away. This puts him in a good mood. He knows that debilitation will come later but at present he is relieved and able to give reasonably good results. The mindset would be wary for the future but reasonably well-settled for the present.
• Eg if he is in 5^th deg Capricorn in forward motion. He is in the exact point of highest debilitation. Highly pessimistic, depressed, dejected etc. But as the motion is forward, he knows that he is moving out of the depths. However the mind-set has to be trained to remain patient and endure as this is just 1 deg, after this, the only way is up.
• Eg if he is in 5^th deg Capricorn in retrograde motion. This is again the deepest nadir, so the dejection depression etc will exist. As he will move in the apparent backward position and climb up there will be improvement. The mind should be trained to remain patient. But the planet will fall again as soon as he regains his forward motion. So overall this position gives a very pessimistic mindset.
• Eg If he is at 10^th deg Capricorn in forward motion. Here Jupiter would be very happy to have come out of the nadir point and is moving away from it. He has suffered, there is more seriousness and maturity but he is getting back up. The mindset would be eager, but with a wary eye on possible problems.
• Eg if he is at 10^th deg Capricorn in retrograde motion. Here the hopelessness is the maximum as the planet has already experienced his full Neech-state and is falling back again. The planet will give quite inauspicious results.

The 15deg section before the low point is the Avaroha-descending section. The planet is falling into the abyss. So for Jupiter this would be 20-30deg Sagittarius and 0-5deg Capricorn. But Sagittarius is his own sign so the effect of the impending debilitation will not be much here. And similarly a 15deg section after the high point as the section where he climbs out of the depth is the Aroha section. For Jupiter this would be 5-20 deg Capricorn. Results will always be better in a climbing up placement rather than in the falling down placement.

The depth of debilitation is just one degree, the falling in and climbing out is longer. As in life, the climbing up/down parts are longer for the planets too, the extreme point is just one degree. So if you are born with a debilitated planet know that you have to act. Act with intention and a desire to achieve.The energies are stilled at this point, if you can manage to move them even a bit, you will be going up. The tremendous potential of this position can be best diverted into the sub-conscious for internal growth. There will be disappointments but use the energy of the external negativity to search for permanent happiness within. With this placement you can actually find it within you. The route will not be easy, but you are aiming for the greatest prize, naturally the difficulties will be the hardest. Start a regular spiritual practice, this is the crutch you will use on your way.

The speed of planets, the nature and direction of their movement is a very important criterion in analysing horoscopes. There are eight types of movements of the planets (Post), and the faster planets give quick results. Especially for Saturn, Jupiter and to some extent Mars, this factor is quite important. Venus and Mercury also go retrograde/ fast/ slow etc but the time periods are shorter for them.

Another way of looking at this is, suppose Jupiter always gives 100 units of results. These will expressed in the conscious and the sub-conscious in different ratios. These 100 units as per your chart are then divided into various types of results, eg 20% for material riches, 30% for wisdom, 20% for spirituality and 30% for religiousness. In his best exalted state he will give expression to all these results in your conscious life. The full % of each type of result will be given to you. You will see and feel these effects of Jupiter in your life. There will be satisfaction and pleasure in achievements. Involved more in these Jupiter things, you will want more of these. (On the sub-conscious levels, you are using up the accumulated luck/merit/benefit of your past lives. So remember to do some merit-giving activities so that you have something for your next life.)

In his worst debilitated state however, he will be unable to give the full 100 units in the conscious state. His expression here will be less maybe just 20 units will be given depending on your chart. You will consciously be made aware of the decrease in satisfaction, the ephemeral nature of the material. There will be a movement away from the external show of Jupiter-things a desperate search for pleasure. This is a crucial point. If your moral compass is weak or you are willing to be satisfied by temporary measures, you might take the wrong path in life, eg drugs, addictions etc. This is a slippery slope and most of the debilitations cause such problems. In fact addictive behaviour with its very temporary ‘high’, is actually a desire for the permanent ‘high’ that you get during your spiritual practice.

But see, Jupiter has to give 100 units, it is compulsory. The remaining 80 units are ‘locked’ due to debilitation. If you can divert your mind or do some astrological remedies, or do some mantras, you can use their power to unlock the remaining 80units, which will be then used in giving you spiritual satisfaction. For the rare few, who can divert this desire for satisfaction, this energy to the correct direction, the spiritual results will be unimaginably high. Your sub-conscious mind will be pulling in these energies and Jupiter will give his results more internally. You will be made aware of the higher divinity within you. (If the pull of the debilitated planet is very strong and the person intends to find his real self, then such people can actually renounce the society and take sanyas.)

If there are several debilitated planets in your chart first analyse them in depth. Then try to shift your mindset consciously. Try to focus on the higher spiritual. Do some regular spiritual practice, try to be patient, keep your intention strong. They will benefit. Every planet gives his full results, only their style and direction of expression varies.