Last Updated on July 30, 2020 by astrologerbydefault

Mutual exchange is a very significant combination and you will see it in your client’s charts often. It is when planet 1 resides in the sign of planet 2 and planet 2 is placed in the sign of the planet 1. e.g. Saturn is placed in Virgo and Mercury is placed in Capricorn. But to make sense of this we also have to see which houses are involved in this exchange. So e.g. Taurus ascendant, Saturn in Virgo in 5^th house and Mercury in Capricorn in the 9^th house gives the complete picture. This is called Parivartan Yog, or mutual exchange of signs.

This combination is like two house-owners have exchanged houses, one lives in the property of the other. So both take care of the other’s house and remain in harmony with each other. It increases the power of both the houses involved.

First analyse the houses concerned and what kind of results are expected from them. If the results are positive they will be enhanced and if the expected results are negative they too will be enhanced. If the planets involved are benefics you can expect ease in life. And if they are malefics they will make life more difficult, but also grant the power to face situations and come out successfully. In the long term this exchange does improve the results of both the houses.

In this combination, the power of both planets to give results is boosted. If one of these planets is debilitated or in his maran-karak sthan/ death zone, the exchange helps him come out of his discomfort. This combination will subtly influence the other signs owned by each other too. Eg Mars and Venus have exchanged their signs, Venus in Aries and Mars in Taurus. In this case, Scorpio and Libra things in life will also be boosted. If the two planets are inherent friends/ neutral to each other, then the exchange gives better results on all levels. If the two planets involved are inherent enemies, then there will be material benefits but some side-effects on the internal levels.

The types of Mutual exchange combinations,

1. One of the two planets rules the 6^th, 8^th or 12^th houses of turmoil, dushamsthan and the other planet owns a house other than these. This is a challenging and potentially difficult placement. If you have this in your chart, do channelise your energies by doing some regular spiritual practice. Here the owner of the 6^th, 8^th or 12^th house benefits, he becomes stronger and the results of the dushamsthan house concerned are enhanced but are more purposeful by the influence of the other planet. The dusham and its owner become less malefic in life. The other planet however takes on the qualities of the house of turmoil ie the ‘servitude and suffering’ of the 6^th or ‘shocking transformation’ of the 8^th or ‘loss of manifested’ indicated by the 12^th house. His capacity to give good results is now colored by the effect of these qualities on him.

e.g. ruler of the 12^th exchanges with the 4^th lord, there would be secrecy, perhaps illegal deals, patriotic but living away from homeland in secret as a spy, an executioner/jailor serving the nation, etc. Here the mother will be the cause of more pain and spiritual growth will be faster. But you have to go through the entire chart for the exact results as the nature of the planets involved will also add more details.

2. When one planet rules 1^st, 2^nd, 4^th, 5^th or 9^th  and the second is the ruler of any house except 6^th, 8^th or 12^th. This is the most powerful type of exchange. Here all the houses involved are the shubh/auspicious houses and signify the good things in life, 1^st is your personal health, body, vitality, environment etc. If both the planets are reasonably well placed in their signs, you can expect very good results. Matters of the two exchanged houses are enhanced. There have been film stars and politicians with this type of combination. It shows a sudden rise, social status, riches, successes connected to the matters of the houses and planets involved.

3. There is one possibility where both the planets are the owners of the 6^th, 8^th or 12^th houses. The owners of the turbulent houses exchange within themselves. This is highly beneficial and is called Vipreet Raj Yog, have written about it in this post here. This combination can elevate the chart’s quality and grant very good results related to material as well as spiritual life.

4. The 3^rd house is very typical, it can go both ways. So before judging, check if there are more malefic or benefic influences on it. If there are more malefic influences, you should consider it to be a house of turmoil, dushamsthan, just like the 6^th, 8^th and 12^th houses. The 3^rd house, if given scope, can act as an even worse house than the usual three dushamsthan. So if your 3^rd house is tenanted by malefics, consider it to have gone over to the dark side! But if you have beneficial influences on the 3^rd house it can grant exceptional ability to think, work, take decisions, gives courage and this increases with time.

So if the ruler of the 3^rd house and the ruler of any other house, except the three dushamsthan (6^th, 8^th, 12^th) exchange, this combination can produce exceptional individuals, writers, authors, literary genius, politicians, celebrities etc. Such a person is hardworking and can ultimately be quite well-known/ prosperous. Can be skilled in drawing, teaching, handicrafts, trading etc. Can use the hands and voice very well. has the ability to think, choose and act. However can be superficial in all other aspects of life and over-think stuff. There might be problems in life, but the person is quite capable of overcoming them.

After you have analysed the houses in exchange check out the planets next. If the planets involved are the natural benefics, Jupiter, Venus, Mercury and Moon they will grant generally auspicious results. These effects of the planets have to be seen in the context of the houses as above, not stand alone. And check for the chart specific malefic, functional benefic or Yogkarak possibilities first.

• Eg Mars is a natural malefic but will grant more competitiveness and ability to win. The added skills will depend on the other planet, ie Mercury here will add his logic/analytical ability to the fire of Mars.
• Saturn is a natural malefic, so any exchange with Saturn will increase the workload and also the stamina. Things might get more slow and require more disciplined work. Depending on the other planet, the type of work will be indicated, eg Venus here will add to business, legal cases, judicial activity etc, might be a lawyer or a judge.
• Sun is a natural malefic so will grant confidence for all the houses involved. He will channelise the abilities of the other planet and use it to create opportunities for himself. This can grant self-centered behaviour, the person will focus on himself always, but creativity, gains and luck is enhanced.

If you get a chart with exchanges, analyse it carefully. Add up the keywords and see what you get.

• Consider first the houses involved,
• Then the types of houses involved as detailed above in the four points.
• Then the planets involved and their characteristics.

The effects of this exchange of signs or Parivartan are especially enhanced if,

• The ascendant sign or ascendant lord is involved
• The birth Moon is involved.
• You are going through the Mahadasha or Antardasha of the planets who have exchanged the houses/signs. Open the Vimshottari dasha section of your Vedic astrology software to know which planets main-period and sub-period is on for you.

Mutual exchange or Parivartan is a good combination in the horoscope and its overall result seen over a life-time is always beneficial on some level or the other.