Moola - Trikona & Exaltation of a Planet

Moola - Trikona 

Moola – Trikona is basically a zone in a sign. It is a specific zone in the degrees of a sign, where a planet feels great and give the best results. They are;

• Sun - Sun’s own sign is Leo and from 4° to 20° is the Moola Trikona degrees for Sun. After 20 degrees Sun will not be in the Moola Trikona zone.

• Moon - Moon’s Moola Trikona sign is Taurus. In Taurus Moon is exalted too. From 4° to 20° of Taurus is the Moola Trikona zone for Moon.

• Mars - Mars gets Moola Trikona house as Aries and Moola Trikona zone is 0° to 12°.

• Mercury - Mercury gets exalted in its own house Virgo. Its Moola Trikona zone is also in Virgo from 16° to 20° in Virgo itself.

• Jupiter - Sagittarius is the Moola Trikona sign of Jupiter and the first 10° of this sign is the Moola Trikona zone.

• Venus - Libra is the Moola Trikona sign for Venus. Moola Trikona zone is from 0° to 15° of Libra.

• Saturn - Saturn owns Aquarius and 0° to 20° is the Moola Trikona zone of Saturn.

You must notice that all the planets except Moon have Moola Trikona in own signs. Moon is exalted in Taurus, and it owns Cancer, but its Moola Trikona zone is in Taurus.

How should we consider Moola Trikona Planets?

When a planet is placed in its exaltation sign, it is expected to give good results. In Moola Trikona, the planet will be far more effective because they are in their own sign (other than Moon). They may perform with more power than going into an exalted mode.

What is Exaltation?

Each planet becomes powerful in a particular sign at a particular degree that is called Exaltation. It can be its own sign or friends or enemy’s sign, that doesn’t matter. Only Mercury has its own sign as its Exaltation sign – Kanya /Virgo.  

When the planet is exact 180° away from its Exaltation sign, that sign is called Debilitation sign for that planet, which is 7th sign from its Exaltation sign.

Difference between Exaltation and Moola Trikona  

In Moola Trikona the added advantage is that the planet is in its own house. So the best placement of a planet will be its Moola Trikona then comes the exaltation. The 3rd best placement would be its own sign.

There can be exceptions when the planet is placed without good effects in Shadbala. It’s natural that we may choose exalted planet over a Moola Trikona planet, but it’s always good to check how many planets are in their Moola Trikona signs. The planets should be in the exact degrees. After or before those degrees, the planets will be considered as they are in own house.

(These are my study notes taken from Brihat parashar Hora shastra, Jatak Parijata and some guidance through Astrplogy bogs and websites)