◈ LESSON 07 · 10 MIN READ

Exaltation & Debilitation.

उच्च · नीच

Every planet has a sign where it's strongest (uccha) and weakest (nīcha). Plus 3 in-between dignity tiers.

The 5-tier dignity system

From strongest to weakest:

1. Exalted (Uccha): peak strength · best results
2. Mūla-trikoṇa: own sign · "main triangle" · very strong
3. Own sign (Sva-rāśi): comfortable · strong
4. Friend's sign: moderate strength
5. Enemy's sign: weak
6. Debilitated (Nīcha): weakest · poor results unless cancelled

Exaltation & debilitation table · all 9 grahas

Planet	Exalted in	Debilitated in	Own sign
Sun (Sūrya)	Aries (10°)	Libra (10°)	Leo
Moon (Candra)	Taurus (3°)	Scorpio (3°)	Cancer
Mars (Maṅgala)	Capricorn (28°)	Cancer (28°)	Aries · Scorpio
Mercury (Budha)	Virgo (15°)	Pisces (15°)	Gemini · Virgo
Jupiter (Guru)	Cancer (5°)	Capricorn (5°)	Sagittarius · Pisces
Venus (Śukra)	Pisces (27°)	Virgo (27°)	Taurus · Libra
Saturn (Śani)	Libra (20°)	Aries (20°)	Capricorn · Aquarius
Rāhu	Taurus (or Gemini)	Scorpio (or Sag)	—
Ketu	Scorpio (or Sag)	Taurus (or Gemini)	—

The degree shown is the "deepest" exaltation/debilitation point. A planet exact at that degree has maximum effect; further away weakens (but stays exalted/debilitated within the sign).

Nīca-bhaṅga rāja-yoga (cancellation rule)

A debilitated planet's weakness can be cancelled if any of these conditions hold:

Lord of the debilitation-sign is in a kendra (1/4/7/10) from Lagna or Moon
Lord of the exaltation-sign of that same planet is in a kendra from Lagna or Moon
The debilitated planet is conjunct or aspected by an exalted planet
The debilitated planet is in a kendra from Lagna or Moon

When cancelled, the planet often produces nīca-bhaṅga rāja-yoga — a powerful "reverse-king" yoga where adversity becomes the source of strength. This is one reason why a debilitated planet isn't necessarily bad news.

Worked example · Saturn in Aries (debilitated)

"Saturn debilitated in Aries can produce a hardworking, persistent person who succeeds late · IF the cancellation conditions are met. If not, it's a major life-friction signal that requires conscious work."

Born with Saturn in Aries:

→ Check: Is Mars (Aries-lord) in a kendra from Lagna? If yes, cancellation kicks in.
→ Check: Is Venus (Saturn's exaltation-lord, Libra-ruler) in a kendra? If yes, cancellation.
→ Check: Is Saturn aspected by an exalted Sun, Mars, etc.? If yes, cancellation.

The TRIKĀLA Deep-Dive PDF automates this · checks all cancellation conditions for every debilitated planet in your chart.