प्लनेत्स्

ग्रहस्

/

GRAHAS

(

planets

).

Indians

from

very

ancient

days

have

maintained

certain

definite

ideas

and

inferences

about

the

planets.

Though

those

ideas

differ

somewhat

from

the

results

of

modern

researches,

the

influence

of

the

ancient

ideas

is

discernible

in

all

the

Purāṇic

texts

in

india.

The

main

ideas

are

summarised

below.

sūrya

(

Sun

),

candra

(

Moon

),

śukra

(

Venus

),

budha

(

Mercury

),

kuja

(

Mars

),

bṛhaspati

(

Jupiter

),

śani

(

Saturn

),

rāhu

and

ketu

are

the

navagrahas

(

the

nine

planets

).Sūryaścandro

maṅgalaśca

Budhaścāpi

bṛhaspatiḥ

Śukraḥ

śanaiścaro

rāhuḥ

Ketuśceti

navagrahāḥ

Besides

the

above

nine

planets,

Indian

astronomers

take

into

account

a

starry

sphere

in

the

sky

called

saptarṣis

and

the

star

called

dhruva.1

)

sūrya.

The

sun

gives

light

to

all

the

other

planets.

It

has

an

area

of

50

crore

yojanas

and

its

distance

from

the

earth

is

22

crore

yojanas.

Śūrya

exists

within

the

universe,

and

is

called

also

Mārtaṇḍa

as

it

originated

from

dead

(

mṛta

)

egg

(

aṇḍa

).

sūrya

divides

the

sky,

heaven,

hell,

the

earth,

east,

west,

north,

south

etc.

from

one

another.

According

to

the

course

of

sūrya

three

periods

of

time

or

‘seasons’

like

uttarāyaṇa,

dakṣiṇāyana

and

viṣuvat

are

caused.

Five

months

from

May

is

the

uttarāyaṇa

period,

five

months

from

November

the

dakṣiṇāyana

period,

and

the

months

of

April

and

October

are

the

Viṣuvats.

Since

during

the

uttarāyaṇa

the

sun

rises

up

comparatively

slowly

(

mandagati

)

during

this

period

the

day

is

longer

than

night.

As

in

dakṣiṇāyana

the

course

of

the

sun

is

quicker

in

pace

(

Śīghragati

)

night

is

longer

than

day,

and

during

viṣuvat,

(

samagati

)

day

and

night

are

of

equal

duration.

The

other

planets

have

three

positions

called

Jaradgava,

airāvata

and

vaiśvānara,

the

first

being

the

central

position,

the

second

the

northern

position

and

the

third

the

southern

position.

Nine

stars,

Aśvinī,

bharaṇī,

kṛttikā,

rohiṇī,

Mṛgaśiras,

Ārdrā,

Punarvasu

and

Puṣya

occupy

the

airāvata

vīthī

(

northern

position

or

segment

).

Another

nine

stars,

maghā,

Pūrva

Phalgunī,

uttara

Phalgunī,

Hasta,

citrā,

Svātī,

Viśakhā,

Anurādhā

and

jyeṣṭhā

occupy

the

central

position,

and

the

last

nine

stars,

Mūla,

Purvāṣāḍha,

Uttarāṣāḍha,

śravaṇa,

Śraviṣṭhā,

śatabhiṣak,

Pūrvaproṣṭhapada,

Uttaraproṣṭhapada

and

revatī

occupy

the

southern

position.

To

the

east,

south,

west

and

north

of

Mount

mahāmeru

exist

Devadhānikā

(

Indrapurī

)

saṁyamanī

(

Yamapurī

)

Ṅimlocanī

(

Varuṇapurī

)

and

vibhāvarī

(

Kuberapurī

)

respectively.

When

sūrya

appears

in

Devadhānikā

it

will

be

dawn,

when

he

has

travelled

to

saṁyamanī

it

will

be

noon,

when

he

is

in

Nimlocanī

it

will

be

sunset

and

when

he

is

in

vibhāvarī

it

will

be

mid-night.

This

is

how

Śurya

circles

the

mahāmeru.

Within

15

nāḍikās

(

6

hours

)

the

sun

travels

2(

1/2

)

crores

plus

2(

1/2

)

lakhs

of

yojanas.

Sūrya's

chariot

has

one

wheel

and

twelve

spokes.

The

wheel

represents

a

year

and

the

twelve

spokes

stand

for

the

twelve

months

of

the

year.

The

chariot

has

also

three

nābhis

representing

the

three

cāturmāsyas,

and

six

bands

representing

the

six

seasons.

The

height

of

the

chariot

is

36

lakhs

yojanas

and

it

has

a

width

of

8

yojanas

inside.

Aruṇadeva

is

the

charioteer,

and

the

seven

chandas

are

the

horses.

The

seven

chandas

are,

gāyatrī,

bṛhatī,

uṣṇik,

jagatī,

Triṣṭubh,

Anuṣṭubh

and

Paṅkti

).

Night

is

called

uṣā

and

day

vyuṣṭi

and

the

time

in

between

is

sandhyā.

When

sandhyā

begins

the

terrible

Rākṣasas

called

mandehas

attempt

to

consume

sūrya.

They

have

been

granted

the

boon

that

everyday

they

will

be

dying

though

they

may

not

be

losing

their

bodies.

So,

everyday

there

rages

a

fierce

fight

between

them

and

sūrya.

When

the

fight

is

on,

noble

brahmins

throw

up

water

sanctified

by

gāyatrī

mantra

with

‘Om’.

The

water

turns

into

vajrāyudha

and

burns

the

Rākṣasas

to

ashes.

The

first

offering

in

agnihotra

is

made

with

the

recitation

of

the

mantra

beginning

‘Sūryo

Jyoti’

because

of

which

the

sun

is

able

to

shine

with

thousands

of

rays

with

the

result

that

the

Rākṣasas

are

burned

to

death.

The

bālakhilyas

who

number

more

than

60,

000

form

Sūryā's

body-guard.

(

See

under

sūrya

for

Purāṇīc

stories

about

him

).2

)

candra.

(

The

Moon

).

candra

exists

at

one

lakh

yojanas

away

from

sūrya,

and

it

revolves

round

the

earth.

A

cāndra

month

of

twentyseven

days

is

divided

into

twelve

rāśis

(

houses

)

viz.

Siṁha

(

Leo

),

Kanyā

(

Virgo

)

Tulā

(

Libra

)

Vṛścika

(

Scorpio

)

Dhanus

(

Sagittarius

)

Makara

(

Capricorn

)

Kuṁbha

(

Aquarius

)

Mīna

(

Pisces

)

meṣa

(

Aries

)

vṛṣabha

(

Taurus

)

Mithuna

(

Gemini

)

and

Karkaṭaka

(

Cancer

).

Every

month

candra

stays

in

each

of

the

above

houses

only

for

2(

1/4

)

days.

The

full

moon

makes

pitṛs

happy,

divides

the

month

into

two

halves,

kṛṣṇa

pakṣa

(

the

dark

fortnight

)

and

śukla

pakṣa

(

the

bright

fortnight

)

and

functions

as

the

very

life

of

all

living

beings.

The

twentyseven

stars

from

Aśvinī

to

revatī

are

the

wives

of

candra.

There

is

another

view

that

candra

has

twentyeight

wives

including

another

star

called

Abhijit.

candra

has

another

name,

Sarvamaya.

candra

with

his

pleasing

rays,

as

sweet

as

Amṛta

(

Nectar

)

bestows

happiness

on

devas,

pitṛs

and

all

other

living

beings.

So

he

is

called

Sarvamaya.

Candra's

chariot

has

three

wheels.

ten

beautiful

horses

white

as

Jasmine

flowers

draw

the

chariot.

These

horses

also

like

those

of

sūrya

live

for

a

kalpa

era.

Because

the

devas

drink

its

digits

candra

wanes

into

one

digit

(

kalā

).

Then

sūrya

makes

him

wax

again

with

one

single

ray

of

his

called

Suṣumnā.

When

only

two

Kalās

of

his

remain

candra

enters

the

orbit

of

sūrya

and

stays

there

in

the

ray

called

‘amā’,

and

that

day,

therefore

is

called

amāvāsyā.

And

on

that

day

candra

enters

waters

for

the

first

time,

and

after

that

dwells

in

trees,

creepers

etc.

While

candra

is

thus

in

trees

etc.

those

who

cut

them

will

be

committing

the

sin

of

brahmahatyā.

(

slaughter

of

a

brahmin

).

When

only

a

little

of

the

15th

kalā

remains

on

new

moon

day

hordes

of

pitṛs

gather

round

the

enfeebled

candra

to

drink

him,

and

they

drink

the

amṛta

kalā,

one

of

the

two

kalās

still

remaining

with

him.

Thus

the

three

classes

of

pitṛs,

Barhiṣadas,

Saumyas

and

Agniṣvāttas

get

absolutely

satisfied

for

one

month.

Thus

candra

nurtures

devas

in

the

śukla

pakṣa

and

pitṛs

in

kṛṣṇa

pakṣa,

and

grows

trees,

creepers

etc.

with

life-giving

water.

(

For

details

see

under

candra

).3

)

śukra

(

Venus

).

śukra

is

an

auspicious

deva

very

much

interested

in

doing

good

to

the

world

and

making

people

happy.

His

course

is

also,

like

that

of

Śūrya,

of

three

types,

intense

(

quick

),

slow

and

of

equal

pace.

Two-and-a-half

yojanas

above

sūrya,

śukra

follows

a

course

alternating

in

front

of

and

behind

sūrya.

śukra

never

goes

very

far

away

from

Śūrya,

and

he

possesses

a

big

chariot

drawn

by

horses

from

earth.

(

For

details

see

under

śukra

).4

)

budha

(

Mercury

).

Though

inherently

auspicious

budha,

in

contact

with

inauspicious

planets

takes

their

character

and

becomes

weak.

budha

also

has

the

three

paces,

quick,

slow

and

medium.

budha

moves

close

to

sūrya

and

if

he

moves

from

sūrya

storms,

failure

of

rain

etc.

will

be

the

result.

He

is

considered

to

be

the

son

of

candra.

His

chariot

is

made

of

wind

and

fire,

golden

in

colour

and

is

drawn

by

eight

horses

having

the

speed

of

wind.

(

See

under

budha

for

more

details

).

5

)

kuja

(

Mars

).

kuja

is

two

lakhs

of

yojanas

above

budha,

and

remains

in

every

rāśi

(

house

)

more

or

less

for

45

days.

When

the

position

is

affected

it

causes

inauspicious

experiences

to

living

beings.

The

chariot

of

kuja

is

made

of

gold,

glittering

and

of

huge

size.

Eight

horses

born

from

agni

draw

the

chariot.6

)

bṛhaspati

(

Jupiter

).

Jupiter

travels

2

lakhs

of

yojanas

away

from

Kuja's

sphere.

Though

it

is

an

auspicious

planet

its

reverse

course

is

productive

of

evil

results.

Jupiter

travels

for

twelve

months

in

every

rāśi

(

house

).

His

golden

chariot

is

drawn

by

eight

white

horses.

(

See

bṛhaspati

).7

)

śani

(

Saturn

).

śani

is

2

lakhs

of

yojanas

away

from

Jupiter's

sphere,

and

it

stays

in

every

house

for

twenty

months.

As

it

moves

only

slowly

it

is

called

Śanaiścara

also.

śani

is

considered

to

be

the

son

of

sūrya.

It

is

an

inauspicious

planet.

His

chariot

is

drawn

by

multicoloured

horses

born

in

the

sky.8

)

rāhu.

His

ash-coloured

chariot

is

drawn

by

eight

horses

as

dark

as

beetles.

Once

the

horses

are

harnessed

to

the

chariot

it

will

always

be

running.

On

full

moon

days

rāhu

starts

from

sūrya

and

reaches

candra

and

returns

to

sūrya

on

new

moon

days.

It

is

an

inauspicious

planet.

(

For

details

see

under

rāhu

).9

)

ketu.

His

chariot

is

drawn

by

eight

horses,

which

have

the

speed

of

wind.

It

is

also

an

inauspicious

planet.10

)

saptarṣis.

Thirteen

crores

of

yojanas

away

from

the

zone

of

śani

exists

the

Saptarṣi

zone.

Seven

maharṣis

are

incessantly

on

the

move

in

that

sphere,

wishing

all

that

is

well

for

the

whole

world.

(

See

saptarṣis

).11

)

dhruva.

Thirteen

crores

of

yojanas

away

from

the

saptarṣimaṇḍala

there

is

a

place

called

viṣṇupada.

dhruva,

son

of

uttānapāda

lives

there

in

the

company

of

indra,

agni,

kaśyapa,

dharma

and

others.

The

Dhruvamaṇḍala

remains

there

stationary

like

the

supporting

pillar

of

all

the

planets

ever

on

the

move.

(

See

dhruva

devībhāgavata

8th

skandha

viṣṇu

purāṇa,

Part

II

).

Astrologers

aver

that

living

beings

pass

through

the

periods

and

positions

of

the

following

planets,

viz.

ketu,

śukra

(

Venus

)

āditya

(

Sun

),

candra

(

Moon

),

kuja

(

Mars

),

rāhu,

bṛhaspati

(

Jupiter

),

śani

(

Saturn

)

and

budha

(

Mercury

).

The

following

table

shows

how

people

born

under

different

stars

pass

through

the

different

daśās.

The

order

of

succession

of

the

daśās

and

the

period

of

each

daśā

can

also

be

seen

from

this

table.

Stars

(

Day

of

birth

)(

1.

To

find

out

your

daśā

at

the

time

of

birth,

please

see

the

above

table.

Any

one

born

under

any

of

the

stars

is

considered

born

in

the

daśā

shown

in

the

right

hand

side

against

that

star

e.

g.

People

born

under

(

Aśvayuk

)

Aśvinī,

Mṛgaśīṛṣa

and

Mūla

are

born

into

the

ketu

daśā.

So

with

the

other

stars

also

as

shown

in

the

above

table.

To

calculate

how

long

the

daśā

into

which

a

particular

person

is

born

will

last

requires

some

astrological

skill

also

the

exact

time

of

birth

should

be

known.

A

star

remains

dominant

for

about

24

hours.

If

a

man

is

born

under

a

star

when

half

this

period

of

dominance

is

over,

then

that

man

will

get

only

half

the

period

of

the

corresponding

daśā.

The

portion

of

the

daśā

that

the

man

will

get

is

proportionate

to

the

period

of

dominance

of

the

star.

For

example,

a

man

is

born

under

the

star

Aśvainī

(

Aśvyuk

)

when

the

star

is

in

the

last

quarter

of

the

ketu

daśā.

The

total

period

of

this

daśā

is

7

years.

But

the

man

will

get

only

the

last

quarter

of

it,

namely

about

1(

3/4

)

years.

After

that

he

will

pass

on

to

the

next

daśā--Śukradaśā.

)

Daśā

YearsAśvinī

(

Aśvayuk

)

maghā

Mūla

ketu

7bharaṇī

Pūrvā

Phalgunī

Pūrvāṣāḍha

śukra

20kṛttikā

Uttaraphalgunī

Uttarāṣāḍha

āditya

6rohiṇī

Hastam

śravaṇa

candra

10

Mṛgaśiras

citrā

Śraviṣṭhā

kuja

7Ārdrā

Svātī

Śatabhiṣaj

rāhu

18Punarvasū

Viśākhā

Pūrvaproṣṭhapada

bṛhaspati

18Puṣya

Anurādhā

Ūttaraproṣṭhapada

śani

19Āśleṣā

jyeṣṭhā

revatī

budha

17