Rashmi means rays. At its deep exaltation each planet has a set number of rays: the Sun 10, the Moon 9, Venus 8, Jupiter 7, and Mars, Mercury and Saturn 5. At deep debilitation it has none, and in between the count is in proportion to the distance from the fall point. Some teachers then multiply by dignity, three times in exaltation down to two-fifths in a great enemy's sign. The Nava app does not compute this. This page explains the rule only.
☕ Brightness as a count
Parashara gives each planet a most-rays figure, reached at its deepest exaltation (Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (Santhanam–Kapoor ed.), ch. 73, vv. 1–2, p. 905). They are in the card “Most rays by planet” below. At the opposite point, deepest debilitation, the planet has no rays.
To count a planet's rays, measure its distance from its fall point, folded so it is no more than six signs. Multiply by the planet's maximum and divide by six signs (Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (Santhanam–Kapoor ed.), ch. 73, p. 905). Jupiter three signs from its fall point, halfway to exaltation, has 3.5 rays.
The book then reports a correction other teachers apply (Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (Santhanam–Kapoor ed.), ch. 73, vv. 3–7, p. 906): multiply the rays by a figure set by the sign's dignity, listed in “The other teachers' dignity multipliers” further down. A neutral sign leaves the count as it is.
The chapter goes on to read the totals in terms of a person's standing; this page leaves those lines out. The Nava app does not compute this. This page explains the rule only.
How many rays each planet can have
- Sun: 10 rays
- Moon: 9 rays
- Mars: 5 rays
- Mercury: 5 rays
- Jupiter: 7 rays
- Venus: 8 rays
- Saturn: 5 rays
- Mix-up: these rays are the ones used for ishta. Those run from 1 to 7 for every planet; these have a different maximum for each planet.
- Mix-up: the multipliers are Parashara's own rule. The book reports them as other teachers' correction.
- Mix-up: more rays settle a person's place in life. This page keeps to the count; it gives no reading of it.
Frequently asked questions
Are the rays in my Nava horoscope?
No. This page explains the count only; it is not worked for any chart.
Why does the Sun have the most rays?
The book gives the Sun 10, the most of any planet, and the Moon 9 after it; the two lights lead the list.
Do Rahu and Ketu have rays?
The book's list has the seven planets only.
Deep dive: the multipliers, the other rays, and what this builds on
The table “The other teachers' dignity multipliers”, then the two counts of rays in one book.
✖️ The other teachers' dignity multipliers
| Sign | Multiply by |
|---|---|
| Exalted | × 3 |
| Moolatrikona | × 2 |
| Own sign | × 3/2 |
| Great friend's sign | × 4/3 |
| Friend's sign | × 6/5 |
| Neutral sign | × 1 |
| Enemy's sign | × 1/2 |
| Great enemy's sign | × 2/5 |
✨ The rays of ishta
An earlier chapter uses a different ray measure, from 1 to 7, to reach a planet's good and bad potential. It is on ishta and kashta.
🧭 What this builds on
Each planet's points of deep exaltation and debilitation are on exaltation and debilitation.