Planetary war (graha yuddha) is two planets almost on top of each other. Only Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn can be at war. They must be within 1° of longitude. Venus always wins. Otherwise the planet further north wins. The Sun, the Moon, Rahu and Ketu never take part.
☕ Two lights in one spot
Sometimes two planets pass very close in the sky. Seen from the earth, they almost touch. The tradition calls this a war between them.
Parashara's verse gives the rule (Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (Santhanam–Kapoor ed.), ch. 79, v. 9, p. 950). The five planets are Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn. Two of them are at war when they are within 1° of each other.
The same verse names the winner. Venus wins wherever it stands. In any other pair, the planet further north wins. The one to the south loses. North here means the planet's latitude: how far it stands above or below the Sun's path.
Another verse says what changes (Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (Santhanam–Kapoor ed.), ch. 27, v. 20, p. 284). Each planet has a six-fold strength, counted in virupas. The difference between the two totals is added to the winner and taken from the loser.
At a glance
- Who: two of Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn.
- How close: within 1° of longitude, measured the short way round.
- Who wins: Venus always; otherwise the planet further north.
- What moves: the difference of their six-fold strengths, to the winner from the loser.
- Calling any two planets in one sign a war. That is a conjunction. A war needs 1°.
- Counting the Sun in a war. A planet near the Sun is combust, which is a different rule.
- Counting the Moon, Rahu or Ketu. The verse names only the five.
- Mixing in other tests for the winner. This verse decides by Venus first, then by north.
Frequently asked questions
How close must two planets be to be at war?
Within 1° of longitude. It does not matter whether they are in the same sign. Two planets on either side of a sign's edge can be at war.
Who wins a planetary war?
Venus always wins when it is one of the two. In any other pair, the planet further north wins.
Does Nava compute planetary war?
Yes. For a birth chart, Nava checks every pair of the five planets. Its horoscope page lists each war with its winner. Its six-fold strength table moves the difference to the winner, as the verse says.
Deep dive: a worked pair
Checking a pair step by step. Where this sits in the series.
⚔️ Checking a pair
- Mars at 112.3°, Saturn at 112.9°. The gap is 0.6°, inside 1°: they are at war.
- Neither is Venus, so look at latitude. Say Mars is 1.1° north and Saturn 0.6° south.
- Mars is further north, so Mars wins.
- The difference of their six-fold strength totals goes to Mars and comes off Saturn.
🧭 Where this sits
A war is the closest kind of meeting. Two planets in one sign are a conjunction. A planet near the Sun is combust. Within 1°, two of the five are at war.
For the strength that moves, see aspect strength in virupas.