Mangal
In Vedic astrology Mars is know as
MANGAL, ANGARAKA and KUJA. These names in Sanskrit
mean, "auspicious, burning coal, and the fair one". Mars is
a malefic. He rules over the two sidereal signs of Aries and
Scorpio. He is exalted in Capricorn and fallen in the opposite
sign of Cancer. Mars is often depicted as a god with a red
body exemplifying the natural color of the astronomical body
in the sky.
Kuja is a karaka, or indicator, of brother
and siblings, assertion, aggressiveness, soldiers and military
endeavors, mechanical ability, engineers and surgeons, commanders
and rulers, accidents, violence and war, ambition, strength,
arguments and conflict, passion and desire.
Like Surya, the Sun, Mars most powerful position is in the
10th House. He is a particularly beneficial
planet for Cancer or Leo Ascendants. His nature is PITTA,
or fiery. His gem is red coral and his direction is south.
Mars' day is Tuesday and he reaches full maturity at age 28.
In Vedic mythology Mars appears to have been born of the Earth.
SARVA, the archer, represents the element of Earth as the
supporter of life. Sarva's wife VIKESI, the disheveled, is
the Earth goddess. The Puranic literature of ancient India
declares that Angaraka, Mars is their son born of the Earth.
Mars is further identified with the Kartikeya, the god of
war. He is the son of the god Shiva, who was born without
Shiva's union with a woman. Kartikeya was born with six heads
as the six goddesses of the lunar constellation, Kritika,
or the Pleiades nurtured him. Kartikeya kills the seemingly
invincible demon Taraka, and releases the Devas from Taraka's
oppression. These myths depict valor, strength and courage,
and most fittingly, the protective quality of Mars. Thus,
Mars is known as the protector of dharma, the sacred path
and purpose in life that each of us follows.
In the Zodiac, ANGARAKA or MARS is
regarded as a God of martial character, red in every aspect.
Even the Romans held him as their Guru. In the Zodiac, He
is the Lord of "Mesha" and "Vrischika". He stays 1 1/2 months
in each Rasi taking 18 months to complete the cycle.
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| MANGAL AS SEEN IN TEMPLES |
A prayer to this planet frees one
from debts, poverty and illness afflicting the skin.
This graha bestows property and conveyance (Locomotion). A
prayer to Angaraka can restore loss of eyesight. Tuesdays
are intended for the worship of Angaraka who loves the chanting
of Sama Veda. If one observes the fast on Tuesday for 21 times,
the unlucky influence of Tuesday (Mangal) can be got rid off.
The legend that depict the influence of the worship of MANGAL
goes as follows, and is narrated whenever a worship or offering
is made to the deity.
An old woman used to observe fast on every Tuesday. Her son
was named Mangaliya. Mangal deity in disguise of a Brahmin came
and asked her "I am hungry. I shall prepare my own food but
you plaster the ground with cow-dung." The woman said, "Today
is a Tuesday; I do not plaster cow-dung on this day. I shall
sprinkle water and you can prepare food." The Brahmin said,
"I shall only cook on a cow-dung plastered surface." The woman
refused and said that she could do anything else except cow-dung
plaster." The Brahmin said, "Let your son lie upside down, I
shall cook on his back." After some thought, the woman agreed
to this and called her son. The disguised Brahmin lit the furnace
on his back and cooked food. After cooking, the Brahmin asked
the woman to call her son so that he could take the auspicious
food. The woman, in grief, said why he cut jokes and that after
your cooking on his back, he would have died. The Brahmin explained
and insisted her to call the son. When insisted the woman called,
and the son came running. The Brahmin said, "Old woman, your
fast is successful. With kindness, your mind is also full of
devotion and faith. May you be ever happy." The deity (Mangal)
in disguise disappeared. |
