A weak planet, too, has the capacity to protect its house if it is well-placed, is unafflicted, is under the beneficial influence of the functional benefics through close aspect or conjunction or it aspects its own house containing the mooltrikona sign.

IMPACT OF COMBUST PLANETS

When the Sun is a functional benefic planet its conjunction with other well-placed functional benefic planets is good and gives exponential growth for the significations of the planets in close conjunction with the Sun.  The combust planets suffer under the transit malefic influences.  This can, however, be guarded by application of the astral remedies, to a large extent.

When the Sun is a functional malefic planet or a functional malefic planet or planets are closely and mutually influencing the Sun, the significations of all the planets involved suffer in their sub-period as also during transit impacts.

For example see the following chart:-

All the three planets in the third house are in close conjunction amongst themselves and the conjunction is good except the transit afflictions which will be short-lived if the influencing Rahu and Ketu during the transit does not become stationary. In this chart, the sub-periods of Venus, the Sun and Mercury in the main periods of the functional benefics will give good initiatives, increased income and happiness, involvement in writing, artistic pursuits, and status rise through such activities.  In this example chart, the functional malefics do not cause natal afflictions.  The transit afflictions cause only short-lived results.