When we look at the sky, we see the Sun, the Moon, and the stars, and appreciate their heavenly beauty. For the ancient Indian sages, however, the sky was abode to the great planets, the Graha, nine to be precise. These are Surya, Chandra, Mangala, Budha, Guru, Shukra, Shani, Rahu and Ketu. Our learned ancestors discovered that the position of the planets at the time of a person’s birth determined their Kundali or birth chart, Raashi or birth-sign, and Raashi-phal or horoscope.
These nine planets, while residing far away, were found to have a direct impact on the life events of a person. From this knowledge emerged the tradition of Jyotisha (astrology), in which the Navagraha, the nine planets worshiped as deities, became revered figures.
Nava (nine) graha (grasping or holding), the Navagrahas are-
1. Surya (Sun) : The head of the Navagrahas, Surya in art is presented as a two-armed deity, standing or sitting on a chariot which is driven by Aruna (the god of dawn), holding lotuses in both his hands.
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2. Chandra (Moon) : Chandra is a heavenly being, with two hands, holding white lotuses and sits on a chariot with two or three wheels and ten horses.
Chandra Dev: The Hindu God of Moon
3. Mangala (Mars) : Mangala or Kuja, also known as Bhumiputra (son of Bhumi or earth) is depicted with mace, javelin, the gesture of Abhaya and Varada, and is seated on a Ram.
Mangala: The Planet Mars in Indian Culture
4. Budha (Mercury) : Budha is presented with four hands, holding weapons such as a sword, mace, and shield, and the Varada mudra. He sits on a lion or a Ratha of four horses.
Budha (बुध): God of Planet Mercury & Ruler of Intellect
5. Brihaspati (Jupiter) : The teacher of the gods, Brihaspati or Guru (master) is shown with a Mala (rosary) and book and sits on a golden chariot of eight horses.
Devguru Brihaspati - Jupiter, The Great Teacher of Gods
6. Shukra (Venus) : Shukra also sits on a golden chariot of eight horses or on a silver Ratha of ten horses. He holds treasures (gem or Nidhi) in one hand and a book in the other. Sometimes, he is four-armed carrying a rosary, water vessel, Danda, and the gesture of Varada.
Shukra : The Planet Venus in Indian Culture
7. Shani (Saturn) : Shani is enthroned on an iron chariot with right horses or on a vulture or crow. He carries a bow, arrows, javelin, and Varada mudra.
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8. Rahu (North Lunar Node) : Rahu is shown with the face and upper body of a divine being and the lower body of a serpent owing to his encounter with Mohini (Vishnu) during Samudra Manthan. Rahu is sometimes shown on a lion.
9. Ketu (South Lunar Node) : Ketu is depicted with the head of a serpent and stands on human legs. Sometimes he sits on a vulture.
Rahu-Ketu: The Twin Planets in Indian Culture
Jyotisha or astrology in Indian culture believes that the planets have an impact on every aspect of our life, which means they dictate the success and failures in endeavors and the degree of happiness or difficulties a person is going to face throughout their life.
To ensure that the Navagrahas are pleased and positive for a person, Jyotisha suggests the observance of Navagraha Shanti, a Puja done to yield the good gaze of the planets. The Navagraha Shanti rite is also called Navagraha Makha, which is an established tradition within Hinduism. The puja is of three kinds-
1. Ayutahoma (Ten Thousand Offerings in the Sacrificial Fire)
2. Lakshahoma (One Lakh offerings in the sacrificial fire)
3. Kotihoma (one crore offerings in the sacrificial fire)
For the Navagraha Shanti Puja, statues of the Navagraha are to be made with pure materials such as wood, metal, crystal, or stone or perishable materials such as sandalwood. The chants for this Puja are derived from the Vedas. A Homa or Vedic sacrifice is performed for each planet, where honey or ghee are offered and the priest is gifted with various rewards.
Special Puja is performed for any particular planet in an unfavorable position. The Navagraha Puja- collective worship of all the planets is usually performed during the beginning of auspicious events such as marriage, sacraments, Tirtha yatra (pilgrimage), etc.
Due to the importance the Navagraha have in Indian culture, their presence is visible all around, in temples, during festivals, and even in the traditional medicine system of India- Ayurveda.
🌀Temples and Worship: Temples for the Navagraha are found all over India, as a part of the larger sanctums of deities such as Vishnu, Shiva, Devi, and Ganesha or as separate cluster temples. The sacred shrine of Navagrahas in Kumbakonam (Tamil Nadu) is a powerful spot, where Rishi Kalava worshiped the nine planets who were pleased and cured his leprosy. Among the individual temples of the planets, Surya Mandir, and Sun temples (in Konark, Martanda, and Modhera) are especially popular in India, connecting people to the Vedic traditions of Sun worship.
🌀Festivals: Makara Sankranti, the festival that falls in the month of January, is the most popular festival dedicated to the Lord of all planets, Surya or Sun, who is worshipped on the occasion. Purnima (the full moon night) is also a religiously significant time in Hinduism, where devotees of Vishnu especially keep fasts and perform Pujas. People perform special rituals on the day and worship their Ishta (tutelary god and goddess) on Purnima.
🌀Ayurveda: This ancient system of medicine and healing believes that there is a connection between particular ailments and diseases and the planets, which are the causes of these issues. For example, Moon or Chandra is believed to control the mind, thus a weak Chandra means that a person might suffer from mental and emotional strains.
Besides the usual medicines and herbs in Ayurveda, the practitioners also rely on special herbs and planets associated with individual planets and refer to the position of planets in the birth chart to determine the root causes and possible health issues of an individual.
The cosmic space that the nine planets inhabit together is known as the Navagraha Mandala, often represented in art as the nine deities standing in a circle around the Sun or the planets placed in their individual orbits around the spherical Sun in the center. In sacred art, the Navagraha are also presented in the Navagraha Yantra, the powerful device that is used in the Puja of the planets. The Yantra is worshiped with special offerings and the mantra for the nine planets-
“ॐ ब्रह्मामुरारि त्रिपुरान्तकारी भानु: शशि भूमिसुतो बुध च।
गुरु च शुक्र: शनि राहु केतव: सर्वेग्रहा: शान्ति करा: भवन्तु।।”
“I pray to Brahma, Murari (Vishnu), Tripurantakari (Shiva, who annihilated the Tripura), for pacifying and removing the negative effects of Bhanu (Sun), Shashi (Moon), Bhumi-Suta (Mangala or Mars), Budha (Mercury), Guru (Jupiter), Shukra (Venus), Shani (Saturn), Rahu (northern node of Moon) and Ketu (southern node of Moon)”.
An integral part of Jyotisha is the science of gemstones, also known as Ratna Vigyaan or Ratna Shaastra, based on the sacred knowledge of Vedas and Puranas. It is believed that each planet has a gemstone associated with it, and an individual can wear a gemstone to gain a positive impact on the related planet in their life.
👉Surya- The brilliant red ruby or Manikya is considered the stone of the Sun.
👉Chandra- The lovely Moti or pearl is associated with the Moon.
👉Mangala- Moonga or red coral is the stone of Mars.
👉Budha- Panna or emerald, a stone also associated with Ganesha, is the gemstone of Mercury.
👉Brihaspati- The splendid Pukhraj or yellow sapphire is linked with Guru or Jupiter.
👉Shukra- Heera or diamond, the beautiful gemstone is related to Venus.
👉Shani- Neelam, the blue sapphire is the stone of Saturn.
👉Rahu- Gomedh or hessonite is the stone associated with Rahu.
👉Ketu- Vaiduryam or cat’s eye is the stone of Ketu.
The effect of these gemstones is considerable according to astrology, which is why it is always prescribed to consult a learned Jyotish before wearing a gemstone and get an idea about the size, weight, and form in which the stone has to be worn.
From the ancient sources of Hinduism to modern times, Navagraha is an integral part of the culture of India. They are believed to be deciders of destiny, a powerful force that with the right knowledge and the blessing of personal deities can be transformed into a useful and aiding energy, which can lead a person to new heights.
Interested in knowing more about the Navagraha, their significance, worship methods, or want to purchase Navagraha Mandala, statues of Navagraha, or Navagraha Yantra for Puja made with pure materials? Visit Exotic India Art, where a collection of books, sculptures, and sacred Yantras of the Navagraha are made available to anyone who wants to learn about and experience the blessings of these celestial beings.
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