KP Exaltation Debilitation Revisited

There appears to be some prevailing confusion about exactly what Exaltation and Debilitation actually mean in evaluation of a KP chart. So below is a brief overview of the planetary interactions, followed by my attempts at explaining the effects of exaltation and debilitation, and their usage in KP, according to my understanding of the basic and primary teachings of the KP system.

What we know already is that a planet moving under the influence of his star lord, will act according to the dictates of that star lord. With that in mind, we are also well aware that the planet will predominately offer the results of the house in which the star lord is posited, in addition to the house(s) owned by the star lord. Then, the planet itself, offers the results of the house it occupies and the house(s) it owns. So basically each planet has a role to play, and both the star lord and the planet combine their influence to determine whether the event will be favorable or not. ( If unfamiliar with this concept, more examples of how a planet will act can be found in my article KP: How Does the Dasha Lord Function?)

Several indicators are simply "givens" in KP, and must not only be considered, but must also be both integrated and synthesized into your analysis before a final determination is made. But according to sizing up an event, only the house results are offered - so where does that leave the sign effects that the planet is placed in - such as the planet's exalted or debilitated status? Here is where much confusion seems prevalent in KP assessments- especially when a planet is badly placed in the 8th or 12th house, but simultaneously exalted in status. Or when a planet is in a debilitated state, but posited in the benefic 11th house? How do we assess these results?

Exaltation and debilitation are "strength" and "weakness" indicators respectively, and therefore their specific job is to give us an idea of how much "muscle" (strength or weakness) the planet carries - within its environment - to carry out its function determined by its house placement. So if a planet is strong due to exaltation, but badly placed in the 12th, the planet does not change its role and become good for the 12th house, but rather the effects are that the planet will not hasten to quickly carry out the functions for his position in any given house, and will therefore quickly bring about loss (or other 12th house function) in a very timely manner. Why? Because he has the strength to act quickly and with no delay, and he is very comfortable where he is positioned in his exalted status. He works fast because he is in a happy and exalted state - caring not that he is working quickly to bring about less than fortunate events. He's just doing his job with the muscle provided to do it with. When the planet has established a set of results that need to be carried out due to his star level placement, exaltation does not absolve him of the adverse results that need to be carried out, and subsequently make the results pleasant. This is simply not the way exaltation and debilitation work, nor is it part of their role as "strength indicators" for a planet. The planets do not give contrary results due to their strength status.

So, also, do we judge the effects of a planet posited in a good house but in the state of debilitation. This debilitated planet will still carry out the positive acts for the house in which he is posited, but his strength factor will not allow him to do so quickly or in a timely manner. So the result is that he will eventually bring the good effects about, but not in a timely manner or with speed under his wings. He only carries enough strength to respond to his mission in a slow and delayed manner because he is not happy being posited where he is and at the degree at which he is debilitated, but he has a job to do and will carry it out and do his job, but NOT in a manner contrary to what his position indicates - it will just be carried out at a snails pace.

Now the KP confusion I'm seeing frequently, and the catch to the exaltation/debilitation game is this...Exactly WHEN is a planet considered to be exalted or debilitated? Is is just by being posited in the respective signs of exaltation or debilitation - such as Jupiter is considered debilitated simply because he is posited in Capricorn? Or Venus is considered exalted just because she is posited in Pisces? The answer to this question is no! There are refinements to strengths and weaknesses that need to be addressed before blanket statements are made due to assessing these planetary strengths and weaknesses. For example, is Jupiter, when posited at 15 Cancer, considered to be in an exalted state? No! Why? Jupiter is exalted at 05 Cancer - not at 15 degrees Cancer. Orbs must be set in place and respected for the effects of exalted or debilitated status to be truly effective - sign positions alone are irrelevant when assessing planetary strengths. So to say that a planet is exalted or debilitated simply because it is posited in its sign of exaltation or debilitation is incorrect - the degrees of the sign placement are necessary to determine whether that planet is truly in an exalted or debilitated state. The KP preferred orb allowance is 50' on either side of its exaltation or debilitation degree. Below is a Table showing the exalted and debilitated placements. I sincerely hope this further clarifies the positon of exaltation versus debilitation.

(With reference to Navamsha positions, my take on this is that in KP, this varga has been used to further refine the strength of a planet).

Planet	Exalted	Debilitated
Sun	10 Degrees Aries	10 Degrees Libra
Moon	03 Degrees Taurus	03 Degrees Scorpio
Mars	28 Degrees Capricorn	28 Degrees Cancer
Mercury	15 Degrees Virgo	15 Degrees Pisces
Jupiter	05 Degrees Cancer	05 Degrees Capricorn
Venus	27 Degrees Pisces	27 Degrees Virgo
Saturn	20 Libra	20 Degrees Aries
Rahu	20 Degrees Taurus	20 Degrees Scorpio
Ketu	20 Degrees Scorpio	20 Degrees Taurus

I had not seen an orb reference in any of the KP books but was feeling like this overall planetary "exalted/debilitation" assessment by some Krishnamurti enthusiasts was getting a bit out of hand, (but I had nothing concrete in KP to base my gut feelings on.) So I was absolutely delighted when I finally came across a KP reference addressing the acceptable orb that should be in place, for exaltation and debilitation to be truly effective.

If you do not have the book at hand, below is the direct quote for your reference: (When he begins his sentence "From this" [first sentence below], he is referring to the preceding planetary star and pada information for debilitation to be in effect).

"From this it will be clear that planets in a particular sign, and in a particular pada alone should be considered as exalted or debilitated, and to speak of exaltation or Debilitation other than the said pada will not be correct. Planets moving in a star, gets its exaltation level 50 minutes before approaching the stipulated degree level to exhibit a brilliant light and again attains the normal original brightness 50 minutes after leaving before the same stipulated degree levels."

"In the same way debilitation needs to be understood. To repeat, a planet moving in a sign if it is its exaltation house, one should not be blind to say that planet is exalted. Similarly debilitation. That is a planet is exalted at a particular degree level only, and that planet is moving in it exaltation sign are two different things. Such observations contrary to the real, not only of exaltation - debilitation, but several other matters in astrology only make this Astro science a sick one. No doctor can cure such sickness. A deep search and to arrive at the truth alone can cure this malady."

Later on in this same chapter, the author addresses the fact that the "devil in the astrologer" often gives a blanket reading, and that the astrologer may have made some serious errors (for what could have and should have resulted in a happy marriage), by misrepresenting the real truths behind the concept of debilitation, and thereby spoiling the marital match by declaring it an unfit match through his reading. The result was that the marriage never took place when it should have, and in fact, the union could have resulted in a happy marriage, but never stood the chance due to the astrologer. (In my opinion - These are errors we must all (as serious and conscientious astrologers) concern ourselves with when reading for a client - and only by addressing these subtleties publicly will we all be made more aware of the same, and then more attentive to details.)