Introduction of Navagraha
In Hindu religion and mythology, the nine
planets occupy an important role. The planet
deities are referred to as the NAVAGRAHA and are suppose to
have a significant impact on the lives of individual and therefore a Hindu adorns these planets as deities, so
that they may bring peace and harmony in their life and to
avert any mishap. NAVA means nine. GRAHA
means planet. Graha literally means to grab. They are
probably called so because they cause eclipses by grabbing
the Sun and other stars.
PLANETS |
RULING DEITY |
OVER RULER |
STONES |
Surya - The Sun |
AGNI, God of
Fire |
SHIVA |
Red Ruby |
Soma - The Moon |
APAS, Water
Goddess |
PARVATI |
Moonstone and Natural Pearls |
Mangal - The Mars |
BHUMI, Earth
Goddess |
SKANDA |
Red Coral |
Budha - The Mercury |
VISHNU, The Preserver |
VISHNU |
Emerald |
Brihaspati-The
Jupiter |
INDRA, King
of Gods |
BRAHMA |
Yellow Sapphire
and Yellow Topaz |
Sukra - The Venus |
INDRANI, Queen of Gods |
INDRA |
Diamond |
Shani - The Saturn |
YAMA, God of
Death |
PRAJAPATI |
Blue Sapphire
and Black Stones |
Rahu - The Dragon's Head |
DURGA, Goddess
of Power |
SARPA |
Honey Colored
Hessonite |
Ketu - The Dragon's Tail |
CHITRAGUPTA, God of Karma |
BRAHMA |
Cat's Eye |
Each of the planets is supposed to bestow a particular boon
to humans. The Hindu science of study of
these planets is called the Vedic Astrology. Classical
Vedic astrology uses the seven visible planets Sun, Moon, Mars,
Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn, along with the two lunar
nodes, the north and south nodes, Rahu and Ketu. The Hindu astrology
is based on an elaborate calculation of the positions of these
planets at the time of one's birth. For example, the zodiac
is divided in to twelve zones ('houses' of 30 degrees each).
The planet Sun travels in to one of these houses each month.
Similarly, the other planets have their times of travel through
the zodiac assigned to them. As the planets travel through these
zodiac signs, their relative positions with respect to each
other changes and is supposed to determine the fate of the human
affairs. An astrologer can draw up a horoscope of a person based
on his time of birth and calculate the relative positions of
the planets relative to this horoscope. The planets are also
believed to influence the outcomes of historical events of entire
nations and the Earth. Each planet has its own mode of circumambulation
- clockwise or anti-clockwise. Each planet faces a different
direction. In religious rites, beetle nuts represent the planets
and the priest invites each planet to be present there and witness
and bless the puja.
Navagrahas the planet deities of which the first seven are Sun,
Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn give names to the
days of the week: Sunday to Saturday respectively. The other
two Rahu (Ascending node) and Ketu (Descending node) are also
fabled as planets, the former as a planet with a head and no
body and the latter as a planet with a body and no head. In
the Puranas, they are all represented as deities borne in cars.
They are propitiated because of their sinister effects (Saturn,
Rahu and Ketu) and for their favorable influences (Jupiter,
Venus, Mercury, Mars, the sun and the moon). The favor of all
must be conciliated before marriages and other auspicious events
can be successfully accomplished.
In addition to the nine planets, twenty seven
nakshatras (constellations) through which the moon passes and
twelve signs of zodiac of the sun, regarded as deities, are
consulted at births, marriages and on all occasions of family
rejoicing, distress or calamity. Shanti (Peace) propitiation
ceremony is held to appease any unfavorable constellations.
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