Rashi · Sign 9/12
Sagittarius धनु Dhanu
philosophy · freedom · faith · optimism
Dhanu (Sagittarius) is mutable fire ruled by Jupiter — the sign of philosophy, freedom and higher truth. The archer aims at distant horizons: its natives are optimistic, principled and adventurous, seekers of meaning who value honesty and independence above comfort.
| Sanskrit name | Dhanu धनु |
|---|---|
| Symbol | The Archer |
| Order | 9th of 12 |
| Zodiac span | 240°–270° sidereal |
| Ruling planet | Jupiter (Guru) |
| Element | Fire |
| Modality | Dual (Dvisvabhava) |
| Gender | Male |
| Body part | Hips and thighs |
| Planet exalted here | Ketu (by tradition) |
| Planet debilitated here | Rahu (by tradition) |
Sagittarius personality & traits
Strengths: Optimistic, philosophical, honest, adventurous, generous and faithful.
Challenges: Blunt, restless, over-confident and preachy.
Ruling planet — Jupiter
Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter, so the condition of Jupiter in a chart strongly shapes any Sagittarius placement — and especially a Sagittarius ascendant. wisdom, fortune, the guru — the great benefic (Brihaspati).
A note on sidereal signs
Vedic astrology uses the sidereal zodiac (Lahiri ayanamsa), measured against the fixed stars — not the season-based tropical zodiac of Western astrology. The two differ by about 24°, so your Vedic Sun sign is often the one before your familiar Western sign. See how sidereal positions are calculated.