In the grand kingdom of your birth chart, the nine planets (Grahas) are not just isolated forces; they are a divine cabinet of ministers. And like any cabinet, this one is full of “office politics.” There are deep friendships, bitter rivalries, and neutral, professional relationships. Understanding this planetary friendship chart tells you which forces in your life are working in harmony and which are in conflict.
This system of planet relations is known as Graha Maitri (Planetary Friendship), and it is one of the most essential keys to unlocking the true story of your chart.
Why does a Sun-Saturn combination often create intense inner conflict with authority? Why does a Jupiter-Moon combination often bless a person with profound peace and wisdom? The answer lies in their relationship.
Naisargika Maitri: The Natural (Permanent) Friendship Chart
This is the most important “base layer” of planet friendship enmity table. Naisargika means “natural,” and these are the permanent, universal relationships based on the planets’ divine nature and mythology.
The easiest way to remember this is to divide the planets into two “teams” or “camps.”
Team 1: The Devas (Gods) – The “Royal” Camp
This team is led by the King and his divine council. They represent the soul, the mind, and divine law.
- Sun (Surya): The King
- Moon (Chandra): The Queen
- Jupiter (Guru): The Divine Teacher (Guru of the Devas)
- Mars (Mangal): The Commander-in-Chief
The Rule: Naturally, all members of this “royal cabinet” are friends.
Team 2: The “Material” Camp
This team is led by the forces that govern the material world, discipline, and pleasure.
- Saturn (Shani): The Lord of Karma, The Great Servant
- Venus (Shukra): The Teacher of the Asuras (Master of the material world)
- Rahu & Ketu: The Shadowy Outcasts
The Rule: Saturn and Venus are great friends. They are both friends with Rahu and Ketu.
The Neutral Prince: Mercury (Budha)
Mercury is the intellect, the prince, the messenger. He is a “chameleon” and a diplomat.
- Mercury’s Friends: He is friends with the “Material” camp (Saturn & Venus) because his intellect is needed for commerce and structure. He is also friends with the Sun, his royal father.
- Mercury’s Enemy: Mercury’s only enemy is the Moon. This is the classic, mythological conflict between the logical mind (Mercury) and the emotional heart (Moon).
Graha Maitri Table (Natural Planetary Friendships)
Here is the complete graha maitri chart for easy reference:
| Planet (Graha) | Friends (Mitra) | Enemies (Shatru) | Neutral (Sama) |
| Sun (Surya) | Moon, Mars, Jupiter | Saturn, Venus | Mercury |
| Moon (Chandra) | Sun, Mercury | None | Mars, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn |
| Mars (Mangal) | Sun, Moon, Jupiter | Mercury | Venus, Saturn |
| Mercury (Budha) | Sun, Venus, Saturn | Moon | Mars, Jupiter |
| Jupiter (Guru) | Sun, Moon, Mars | Mercury, Venus | Saturn |
| Venus (Shukra) | Mercury, Saturn | Sun, Moon | Mars, Jupiter |
| Saturn (Shani) | Mercury, Venus | Sun, Moon, Mars | Jupiter |
(Note: Rahu & Ketu are shadows. They generally adopt the friendships/enmities of Saturn and Mars, respectively. They are friends with Saturn & Venus and enemies with Sun, Moon, & Mars.)
Beyond Natural: The 5-Fold Friendship (Panchadha Maitri)
The Naisargika Maitri (Natural Friendship) is the “base” relationship. But there is a second type of relationship, a temporary one, that is unique to your chart. This is called Tatkalika Maitri (Temporal Friendship).
- The Rule: This is simple. Look at any planet in your chart. Any planet in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 10th, 11th, or 12th house from that planet becomes its Temporary Friend. (Planets in the 1st, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, or 9th are temporary enemies).
How to Combine Them (Panchadha Maitri)
This 5-fold system is how you get the final, true relationship between planets in your chart.
- Great Friend (Adhi Mitra):
- Natural Friend + Temporal Friend
- Friend (Mitra):
- Natural Neutral + Temporal Friend
- Neutral (Sama):
- Natural Friend + Temporal Enemy
- Natural Enemy + Temporal Friend
- Enemy (Shatru):
- Natural Neutral + Temporal Enemy
- Great Enemy (Adhi Shatru):
- Natural Enemy + Temporal Enemy
Why This Matters to You
This isn’t just theory. This is the key to interpretation.
- A planet sitting with its Great Friend (Adhi Mitra) becomes incredibly strong, harmonious, and supportive. It’s like having your best friend work with you.
- A planet sitting with its Great Enemy (Adhi Shatru) feels afflicted. This creates immense inner conflict and struggle in your life related to those planets. This is the classic “office politics” at play. The most famous example is Sun-Saturn: the King (ego, father) and the Servant (restriction, reality) are natural enemies. When they are together, it creates a “Great Enemy” combination, often leading to a lifelong struggle between one’s inner authority and the harsh realities of life and “father figures.”
By understanding this divine web of planet relations, you can move beyond seeing planets as isolated points of light and start to see them as a living, breathing, and interacting “cabinet” that forms the complex, beautiful, and dynamic story of you.
