A Planet at Greatest Weakness
Debilitation (नीच, neecha) is the opposite of exaltation. A planet in its debilitation sign is in the sign 180° from its exaltation — the most uncomfortable, constrained placement. The Sun debilitated in Libra struggles to assert itself; Saturn debilitated in Aries is impatient and erratic. Debilitated planets often show as blocked, distorted, or frustrated significations — but they are not fatal. Context, cancellation (neecha-bhanga), and aspects can all modify the outcome significantly.
Planetary Debilitations
| Planet | Debilitation Sign | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| Sun | Libra | 10° |
| Moon | Scorpio | 3° |
| Mercury | Pisces | 15° |
| Venus | Virgo | 27° |
| Mars | Cancer | 28° |
| Jupiter | Capricorn | 5° |
| Saturn | Aries | 20° |
Neecha Bhanga — Cancellation of Debility
In Vedic astrology, debilitation can be cancelled (neecha-bhanga) by several factors: the lord of the debilitation sign is exalted elsewhere; the planet that would be exalted in that sign is angular; the debilitated planet receives an aspect from its debilitation sign's lord. When neecha-bhanga occurs, the planet often becomes exceptionally powerful — the suppressed energy, once freed, produces results exceeding even natural exaltation. Always check for these conditions before pronouncing a debilitated planet entirely harmful.