Those are called planets (or Grahas) that move through the Nakshatras (or asterisms) in the zodiac.
The said zodiac comprises of 27 asterisms commencing from Aswini. The same area is divided in 12 parts equal to 12 Rasis (or signs) commencing from Aries. The names of the planets commence from the Sun.
The sign rising is known as Lagna (or the ascendant). Based on the ascendant and the planets joining and departing from each other, the native’s good and bad effects are deduced.
| Ascendant | Benefics | Malefics | Killers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aries | * Jupiter, Sun, and Mars are benefics. | * Saturn, Mercury, and Venus are malefics. | * Jupiter with Malefic is inauspicious. * Venus is a direct killer. * Saturn also inflicts death if associated with adverse planet (example: Venus). |
| Taurus | * Saturn, and Sun are benefics. * Saturn causes Raja Yoga. Mercury is somewhat auspicious. | * Jupiter, Venus, and Moon are malefics. | * Jupiter and Mars inflict death. |
| Gemini | * Venus is benefic. | * Mars, Jupiter, and Sun are malefics. | * Jupiter and Saturn conjunction inflicts death. * Moon is the prime killer |
| Cancer | * Mars, Jupiter, and Moon are benefics. * Mars is capable of conferring full-fledged Raja Yoga and giving auspicious results. | * Venus, and Mercury are malefics | * Saturn and Sun are killers and they give effects according to their association. |
| Leo | * Mars, Jupiter, and the Sun are benefics. | * Mercury, Venus, and Saturn are malefics. | * Conjunction of Jupiter and Venus will not produce auspicious results (though Kendra and Kona lords). * Saturn and Moon are killers who give effects according to association. * Moon could become Yogakaraka or auspicious planet for Leo ascendant. |
| Virgo | * Mercury and Venus are auspicious. * Conjunction of Venus and Mercury will produce Yoga. | * Mars, Jupiter, and Moon are malefics. | * Venus is a killer as well. * Sun's role depends on his association. |
| Libra | * Saturn, and Mercury are benefics. * Moon and Mercury cause Raja Yoga. | * Jupiter, Sun, Mars are malefics. | * Mars is a killer. * Jupiter and other malefics will also acquire a deposition to inflict death. * Venus is neutral. |
| Scorpio | * Jupiter, and Moon are benefics. * Sun as well as Moon are Yogakarakas. | * Venus, Mercury, and Saturn are malefics. | * Venus, Mercury, and Saturn acquire quality of causing death. * Mars in neutral. |
| Sagittarius | * Mars, and Sun are auspicious. * Sun and Mercury are capable of conferring Yoga. | * Venus is the only malefic. | * Saturn is a killer. * Jupiter is neutral. * Venus acquires killing powers. |
| Capricorn | * Venus, and Mercury are auspicious. * Saturn will not be killer of his own. * Only Venus is capable of causing superior yoga. | * Mars, Jupiter, and Moon are malefics. | * Mars, Jupiter, and Moon inflict death. * Sun is neutral. |
| Aquarius | * Venus and Saturn are auspicious. * Venus is the only Raja Yoga causing planet. | * Jupiter, Moon, and Mars are malefics. | * Jupiter, Sun, and Mars are killers. * Mercury gives meddling effects. |
| Pisces | * Mars and Moon are auspicious. * Mars and Jupiter will cause Yoga. | * Saturn, Venus, Sun and Mercury are malefics. | * Though Mars is a killer, he will not kill the native (independently). * Saturn and Mercury are killers. |