The effects of retrograde planets

The Sun and the Moon never change the direction of their movement. Rahu and Ketu are always retrograde. Mercury, Jupiter, Mars, Venus and Saturn become retrograde from time to time.
Western astrologers hold the opinion that however good the promises of a retrograde planet may be, it will not give the expected results.

Mantreshvara observed that a retrograde planet not only possesses strength but produces effects similar to exaltation, even if it is in debilitation or in an unfriendly sign. Kalyana Varma notes that retrograde benefic planets endow a person with political power, while retrograde malefic planets send sorrows and dispatch one on aimless wanderings. The «Jataka-tattva» agrees with Kalyana Varma. The treatise «Bhavartha-ratnakara» says that malefic planets in retrograde motion show themselves well. The «Uttara-kalamrita» supports the opinion that retrograde planets act like exalted ones; a retrograde planet in the sign of its exaltation, however, works like a debilitated one, and a retrograde planet in debilitation behaves as if in exaltation.

In practice retrograde planets show the following results:

1. A retrograde planet possesses a certain strength, provided that it does not fall into the sign of its debilitation.

2. Retrograde motion endows a planet with Cheshta-bala [one of the components of the Shadbala. — translator’s note], which, depending on the status of the planet in the chart, may have positive or negative consequences.

3. An exalted retrograde planet does not give the effects of debilitation.

4. Retrograde benefic planets foretell many blessings and privileges, while malefic ones in the same condition attract griefs and sufferings.

5. When a planet is in retrograde motion, it functions as if in exaltation, even if it stays in a hostile sign or in debilitation.

6. A retrograde planet, in its own period or in the dasha of a planet placed in its nakshatra, influences positively the house it occupies, aspects or rules.

7. Retrograde planets in the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 7th, 9th or 11th houses favour good health, while in the 1st, 3rd, 6th, 8th or 12th they aggravate existing health problems.

8. The assertion that a retrograde planet gives the results of the preceding house/sign receives no confirmation in practice.

9. In horary charts retrograde planets placed in the nakshatras of planets in ordinary motion foretell delays. In such a case the matter that interests the querent will be accomplished when the retrograde planet begins to move in the direct direction and crosses the point at which it became retrograde.

10. If the significator of the question in a chart is a malefic planet (Mars or Saturn), and moreover a well-placed and retrograde one, the answer to the question will be negative. When, however, the significator is a natural benefic (Jupiter, Venus or Mercury) in retrograde motion, the person will attain the goal that interests him by unusual methods.

11. An afflicted and retrograde Venus represents a danger to a happy marriage.

12. The placement of a retrograde planet in the 8th house tells badly on the length of life.

13. A retrograde Saturn in the 10th house grants a person the highest honours, and then suddenly knocks the ground from under his feet.

14. If the 5th house is ruled by a retrograde Saturn, children and the questions connected with them will cause the person sufferings.

15. When Saturn rules the 6th house and is placed there as well, it strengthens the person’s health. If this Saturn is retrograde, however, it will harm the health.

16. The retrogression of slow-moving planets in transit produces far more noticeable effects than the retrogression of fast planets.

17. Riju is a planet that has ceased its retrograde motion and gone in the direct direction.

Sri Govind Swarup Agarwal — «Vedic Astrology»

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If a planet moves forward, it is considered to move directly. If a planet moves backwards (through the degrees of the signs of the zodiac), it is considered to move retrograde — «vakra-graha»; the word «vakri» in Sanskrit literally means: crooked, indirect, winding… Retrogression is a kind of illusion, a deception; it is a special type of planetary movement in which it seems to an earthly observer that the planet is moving backwards — «retreating». Such an effect arises because of the different speeds of movement. Recall how, when you are travelling in a train and see from the window another train moving in the same direction but more slowly, it seems to you that the other train is going backwards. For the inner planets, Mercury and Venus, the principle of retrogression is the same.

The properties of retrograde planets

• Retrograde planets point to karmic debts, to certain things left undone, to lessons not learned and examinations not passed from past lives, in particular spheres of our karma.
• Retrograde planets are always strong, since this phenomenon occurs at the maximum approach of the Earth to the planet.
• Retrogression turns the properties of a planet somewhat inward, and therefore it becomes less productive in terms of outer achievements. A retrograde planet is like a person who was walking confidently somewhere, to a shop for example, with the goal of buying food, but who suddenly remembered that he had forgotten to take money with him. He has to go back home for the money, and at that moment he experiences inner emotions: embarrassment, irritation, something like «what a fool I am, now I shall have to go back». To other people the problems of this person are not outwardly noticeable; only he knows of them. The same happens with a retrograde planet: its energy is not directed at outer achievements, it experiences an inner embarrassment, there is a certain dissatisfaction with itself.
• A retro planet creates an element of unusualness, of unconventionality, of difference from others.
• Malefic planets in retrogression torment a person less, but they also give fewer outer achievements, that is, they do not give material fruits.
• Benefic planets in retrogression are less beneficent, since they do not reach the peak of their beneficence.

General rules of retrograde planets

• The Sun and the Moon are never retrograde;
• Rahu and Ketu are always retrograde;
• All the other planets are retrograde periodically;
• Harmful planets in retrogression are less pernicious;
• Benefic planets in retrogression are less beneficent (since they are immersed in themselves);
• If an exalted planet is retrograde, this weakens it and it may behave as if in fall (debilitation);
• If a debilitated planet is retrograde, this strengthens it and it may behave as if exalted;
• If the lord of the 1st house is retrograde, this may give a person indecision and a lack of self-confidence. Even in the case where a retrograde planet is merely next to the 1st house (the 2nd, the 12th), this energy is passed on to the 1st house too, and so the person may feel indecisive and unsure of himself.

The time planets spend in retrogression (in days)

• Saturn is in retrogression most of all — 140 days in the year,
• Jupiter — for 120 days.

The closer a planet is to the Earth, the less it is in the state of retrogression:

• Mars — 80 days,
• Venus — 42 days,
• Mercury — 24 days.

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The characteristics of retrograde planets

Using the data on which house each planet is the karaka of, R. Blekt derives the following characteristics of retrograde planets.

A retrograde Mars: shows that it is hard for a person to finish what he has begun; at the last moment his will abandons him, his strength of will and persistence are inconstant.

A retrograde Mercury: here retrogression has the least influence and, perhaps, gives a person only an originality of thinking, a peculiar approach to solving problems; such people find solutions where others neither see nor look for them.

A retrograde Jupiter: such people look at the world and try to solve problems in a somewhat philosophical key. It may also point to certain karmic relations with a guru, to spiritual debts and the like.

A retrograde Venus: such a person looks at the world through the prism of love relations.

A retrograde Saturn: may give despondency, gloominess, an inclination to approach everything seriously.

At the same time R. Blekt draws attention to the fact that if a retrograde planet is strong (that is, is in exaltation, in its Mulatrikona or in its own sign), this may introduce certain nuances.

A strong retrograde Mars: excessive activity, an inability to govern the will; such a person does not always apply force adequately.

A strong retrograde Mercury: excessive mental tension, a greed for knowledge; it is very hard for such a person to relax and think of nothing, he always passes everything through his mind and weighs all his words and deeds. Such people are very mental, intelligent and logical. Such people need to learn to relax, to listen to their intuition, to try to move away from well-worn mental patterns.

A strong retrograde Jupiter: often met with in religious fanatics, in people who follow prescriptions and ideals fanatically. In their behaviour they are very correct, but their consciousness is squeezed within the frame of a religious or some other (philosophical, political) conception. They are excessively strict and often condemn and criticise others.

A strong retrograde Venus: the person is too attached to sensual enjoyments. Such people must without fail fast periodically and limit themselves in sensual enjoyments.

A strong retrograde Saturn: the person is inclined to approach everything too seriously, is too responsible and tense.

Besides this (and this too is said in the quotation from R. Blekt), attention must be paid to which houses the retrograde planet is connected with.

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Vrajendra Kumar: The influence of a retrograde planet