Navagrahas - About The Nine planets and Their Influence In Human Life.

What are Navagrahas?

In Sanskrit Nava -  nine and Grha – a body or an entitiy. The nine planets in our solar system are collectively called as Navagrahas.

Why Navagarahas Are important?

 In Hinduism when a baby is born, depending upon the location and angle of inclination of the navagrahas at the time of its birth,the birth chart or the horoscope is drafted. According to the past karma of the new born, the navagrahas are supposed to bestow the being with good luck or difficulties. Each grha has its own identities and individualities. Their collective influence decides a person’s fate. But a person can overcome the difficulties caused by the navagrahas through immense bhakthi or devotion to the God,who is the ultimate and by following dharma or righteousness .

A look at Navagrahas and their specialities:

 In Sanskrit the Sun is called – Surya; Moon – Chandra; Mars- Mangal; Mercury – Buddha ; Jupiter – Guru; Venus – Shukra; Saturn – Shani ; Rahu and Ketu .

1) The Surya – is the chief of Navagrahas. He represents the soul. He is responsible for willpower, fame, courage, vitality. He represents the eyes in our body. Wheat is the grain associated with him. Shani, Yama and Karna are his sons.Aditya hridayam is the mantra for the Surya.

2) The Chandra - is the lunar deity. He represents fertility. He is responsible for emotions, imagination, softness and sensitivity. He represents the brain in our body. Rice is the grain associated with him.

3) The  Mangal – is the son of Bhumi( the Earth) and is red in colour. He represents physical energy. He is responsible for adventurous nature, ego, strength, anger, impulsiveness and heroism. He represents blood muscles and bone marrow. Red gram is the grain associated with him.

4) The Budha – is the god of merchandise. He is responsible for intelligent, intellect, communication and analysis. He represents the senses, especially the skin.Mathematics,science,business, education and research are associated with him. Green gram is associated with him.

5) The Guru – is also called as Brihaspathi – the preceptor of the devas.He is responsible for a person’s progress, growth and expansion in life. He is associated with knowledge, offspring, piety, teaching and prosperity. Stomach is the organ associated with him. Chick pea is associated with him.

6) The Shukra – means pure, clear, and bright. He is the asura guru or the guru of the demons. He represents love, marriage, prosperity, happiness, harmony, romance, artistic talents etc. He is responsible for impotency, venereal complaints, indigestion etc.White Kidney beans is associated with him.

7) The Shani – is the son of the Surya.And he is the bestower of the results of past karma. When the Shani is at its peak in one’s horoscope a person suffers good luck or ill luck according to his good or bad karma of his past life.He is the teacher of dharma – righteousness through pain. He is associated with constriction, poor blood supply,atrophy etc.Psychologically narrow mindedness is caused by him. Black sesame is associated with him.

8) The Rahu – is also called the master of manipulation. He is responsible for material manifestation and worldly desires. He is associated with all sorts of chemicals like pesticides, fertilizers etc.He is a demon. And he is not a planet but an ascending point in moon. His upper body is of a man and lower is of a snake. Black gram is the grain associated with him.

9) The Kethu – is a mixture of both good and bad. He is responsible for spirituality and supernatural influences. He is associated with wisdom, insight, psychic abilities, health and wealth. He is a demon with upper half of his body as a snake and lower half as a man. Horse gram is the grain associated with Ketu.

Author: Harini