Graha Strength & Dignity

Own Sign & Moolatrikona

At home, and the strongest stretch of home.

Own sign (sva-kshetra)

A graha in a sign it owns is on home ground: it acts freely, without needing anyone's permission. Not as amplified as exaltation, but reliable — and never fighting the sign it stands in.

You already know the ownership map from the Rashis chapter. Sun–Leo. Moon–Cancer. Mars–Aries/Scorpio. Mercury–Gemini/Virgo. Jupiter–Sagittarius/Pisces. Venus–Taurus/Libra. Saturn–Capricorn/Aquarius.

Moolatrikona — the 'root trine' portion

Moolatrikona (mūlatrikoṇa, "root triangle") is a specially strong portion of one owned sign — stronger than an ordinary own-sign placement, just below exaltation.

| Graha | Moolatrikona sign |
|---|---|
| Sun | Leo |
| Moon | Taurus |
| Mars | Aries |
| Mercury | Virgo |
| Jupiter | Sagittarius |
| Venus | Libra |
| Saturn | Aquarius |

Where a graha owns two signs, only one of them carries its moolatrikona — Mars's is Aries not Scorpio, Jupiter's is Sagittarius not Pisces, Saturn's is Aquarius not Capricorn.

The Moon's odd one out

Spot the exception in that table: the Moon's moolatrikona is Taurus — a sign it does not own (Venus does). It's the same sign as the Moon's exaltation.

Every other graha's moolatrikona sits inside a sign it owns. The Moon is the single irregular entry, and it's worth knowing precisely because it breaks the pattern you'd otherwise assume.

About the degrees

Classically, moolatrikona is not the whole sign but a degree range within it — the Sun's is the first 20° of Leo, Jupiter's the first 10° of Sagittarius, and so on. Outside that stretch the same sign is an ordinary own-sign placement.

This app works at sign level for moolatrikona and doesn't split the degrees, which is why the dignity badge shows "own" rather than a separate moolatrikona state. Know the distinction exists; don't expect the badge to draw it.

Remember it

Own sign = at home. Moolatrikona = the best room in the house. Of the two-sign owners, moolatrikona is always the odd-numbered/fiery-or-airy one: Aries, Sagittarius, Aquarius — plus Leo, Virgo, Libra, and the Moon's odd Taurus.

Terms introduced here

Own sign & moolatrikona

A graha in a sign it owns is at home; moolatrikona is a specially strong portion of one owned sign.