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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