The traditional rulers of the zodiac signs
Find the traditional ruling graha for each zodiac sign, with a simple example you can follow on your own chart.
STEP 1
Meet the seven rulers
The Brihat Jataka uses seven grahas as sign lords: the Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn. The Sun and Moon each rule one sign, and the other five rule two signs each. Together they cover all twelve rashis.
STEP 2
The full list
Mars rules Aries (Mesha) and Scorpio (Vrischika). Venus rules Taurus (Vrishabha) and Libra (Tula). Mercury rules Gemini (Mithuna) and Virgo (Kanya). The Moon rules Cancer (Kataka); the Sun rules Leo (Simha). Jupiter rules Sagittarius (Dhanus) and Pisces (Meena). Saturn rules Capricorn (Makara) and Aquarius (Kumbha). A graha’s own sign is called its swakshetra.
STEP 3
A small lookup
If a report says the Moon is in Kanya, the lord of that sign is Mercury. The translator's notes add that the same rulers apply to the navamsha and dwadashamsha divisions. So a navamsha named Kumbha is also ruled by Saturn.
STEP 4
Draw a reference wheel
Write the twelve rashis in a circle starting from Mesha, and add each lord. You will see a mirror pattern. With Kataka and Simha at the center, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn appear in the same order on both sides.
Rulership is a traditional assignment used for lookup. It is not a forecast, and it does not mean any sign is better or worse than another. This passage lists only these seven grahas and does not assign signs to Rahu or Ketu.