Gochar (Transit): How Moving Planets Affect You
Gochar means the present movement of planets through the zodiac. Your birth chart is fixed, but the planets keep moving. Phaladeepika (chapter 26) says transits are counted from your Moon sign (janma rashi): the house a planet is passing through, counted from the Moon, shows its effect for that time.
Good transit houses (Phaladeepika)
| Planet | Good houses from Moon sign | Time in one sign |
|---|---|---|
| Sun | 3, 6, 10, 11 | about a month |
| Moon | 1, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11 | about 2¼ days |
| Mars | 3, 6, 11 | about 1½ months |
| Mercury | 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11 | about a month |
| Jupiter | 2, 5, 7, 9, 11 | about a year |
| Venus | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12 | about a month |
| Saturn | 3, 6, 11 | about 2½ years |
| Rahu / Ketu | 3, 6, 10, 11 | about 1½ years |
Rules that change the result
Vedha (obstruction): a good transit can be blocked if another planet is passing through its paired "vedha" house at the same time. Strength: a planet transiting its own or exaltation sign does little harm even in a difficult house; a planet that is debilitated or combust gives less good even in a good house. Aspects: a benefic aspect softens a difficult transit.
Transit works with dasha
Transit alone does not decide big events. The classical method is to see the running mahadasha first and then the transit — when both point the same way, results show clearly. Saturn's transit over the 12th, 1st and 2nd from the Moon is what is popularly called Sade Sati.
Slow planets (Saturn, Jupiter, Rahu–Ketu) matter most. See their real dates in the yearly horoscope.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is gochar seen from lagna or Moon sign?
Classical texts like Phaladeepika count gochar from the Moon sign. Many astrologers also look from the lagna as a second view.
Which transit is the most important?
The slow planets — Saturn, Jupiter and Rahu–Ketu — because they stay in one sign for a long time. Jupiter in the 2nd, 5th, 7th, 9th or 11th from the Moon is considered good.
Can a bad transit be reduced?
Yes. Vedha, the planet's own strength and benefic aspects can reduce it, and a good dasha gives support. Steady work, patience and simple mantra-jap also help.