Vakri grahas – An Insight into retrograde planets

Vakri grahas – An insight into retrograde planets

What is retrogression of planets ?

Retrogression of planets is nothing but an illusion of a planet going in backward motion when seen from the earth. The nature has a strict discipline and the planets have an orbit on which they move in a clockwise manner in their own orbits. It is when the planets come closer to the earth, we feel that they are moving backwards in retrogression. This illusion is caused due to motion of the earths orbit and not of the planets. Rahu and ketu are always retrograde whereas the sun and the moon are never retrograde, the remaining 5 planets mercury, venus, mars, jupiter and saturn move into retrograde motion. Let me explain in a simple manner how retrogression of planets is a mere illusion and not actual moving of planets in a backward motion. Suppose you are driving a car and there are 10 cars ahead of you, you increase your speed and try to overtake the other cars, now when you look around you will feel that the other car which you are overtaking is moving backwards. But in actual it is not moving backwards, it is your illusion which makes you feel that the car is moving backward, similarly the planets do not move backwards, it is the orbit of the earth which is moving with more speed giving us an illusion of the planet going backward. The term “vakri” is a sanskrit word which means twisted or crooked, hence we call a planet having “Vakra Dristi” when it is in “Vakri avastha”.

Every planet has certain span of time when it remains in “Vakri Avastha”.

Saturn remains vakri for approximately 4-5 months, Jupiter remains vakri for approximately 3-4 months, Mars is vakri for nearly 2-3 months, venus and mercury remain in vakri avastha for approximately 45 days and 30 days respectively. All these planets remain in stationery motion for 4-5 days before getting in direct or retrograde motion. Venus and mercury remain in stationery position for 1-2 days. We move backwards and stop for a moment before taking a huge leap or a jump, similarly planets stop for sometime before becoming retrograde or direct. We prepare ourselves to take a big jump by moving backward by gathering energy, similarly planets in stationery motion or retrograde motion are said to be very powerful and have more energy than normally moving planets. A retrograde planet can be equated with a sage preparing to meditate by directing his energy inwards, a stationery planet can be equated to a sage having attained to the higher state and tranquility of mind, whereas a planet getting ready to be in direct motion can be equated to a sage who has come out of meditation and is ready to bless the world.

From Karmic perspective, retrograde planets indicate some strong desire or karma left out or duties which were neglected in the past births. Those having retrograde planets focus their energies or have their energies focused on certain things or face struggles in certain areas very intensely. These people try to go against the flow and make things happen as the desire is very strong and the karma has to be liquidated. They either suffer badly or emerge as winners depending on their horoscopes. They have huge reserves of energy which is lies dormant or is directed inside creating irritations, problems related to the karakatwa of a retrograde planets. Such people Usually rise late in life but they can rise very high if their horoscope promises so. “Retrograde planets delay but do not deny”.

Mars when retrograde gives a lot of energy and such people need to direct this energy in the right direction, if this does not happen, they become aggressive, irritated, short tempered and quarrelsome. If the energy is directed into right channels these people can achieve heights.

Mercury when retrograde gives restless nervous disposition, such people are highly strung and hyper or may be too dull and silent. They may talk too much or be too silent, if this talking skills are utilized in a positive manner they can reach heights or pull success in fields related to communications, else they will just waste their energies gossiping and making tall claims.

Venus when retrograde creates problems on emotional level, such people are not able to express themselves in relationships, their relationships suffer due to their inability to express their desires, emotions, romance. They should learn to develop their creative side than burying it inside.

Jupiter when retrograde creates problems of inflated egos. Such people can be prone to very high Egos about self, they regard themselves as very knowledgeable and always keep blabbering about their knowledge, such people always give advice without being asked and will never be open to accept others point of view, they rigid in their own beliefs and sometimes blind followers of something. Such people easily fall prey to blind faiths and beliefs.

Saturn when retrograde creates depressive tendencies in a person, it makes one too much lazy regarding work or somebody who works without stopping. These people usually rise late in life as saturn is hard teacher and will make his favorite disciple rise only after he has learnt and digested the lessons. Such people need to focus their energies in positive thinking and doing the right karma. Saturn is a karaka of karma and hence this could be an indication to correct the bad karma you did in the past or complete the responsibility/duty you left midway.

Thus retrograde planets or vakri grahas are very powerful than planets in normal motion as they have some reserved energy which is lying dormant to spring into action similarly as the engine of a car boosts with more power as you put the car in first gear after being halted. These people need direction to fly high and once they find a way out they surely reach heights but there may be a delay in reaching there. Always remember that a “Retrograde planet delays but does not mean denial”.