The Navagrahas are the nine planets. In Vedic Astrology, these planets assume great importance as they have the power to influence several different aspects of our lives.
Vedic Astrology And The Navagrahas
The Name of the Navagrahas are – Sun (Surya), Moon (Chandra), Mars (Mangala), Jupiter (Brihaspati, Guru), Venus (Shukra), Saturn (Sani), and finally, Rahu and Ketu. While the first seven are physical forms, Rahu and Ketu are called Chaya Grahas or Shadow Planets. Each planet influences our lives according to the position on the Birth Charts.
Navagrahas And Graha Drishti In Vedic Astrology
In simple terms, Graha Drishti means the view of the planet. It indicates what a planet can see from the house it currently resides in. There are 12 houses in astrology, each corresponding to a zodiac sign or Rashi. Graha Drishti, or the planetary aspect, is considered extremely important because planets can greatly influence each other.
Navagrahas Significance In Vedic Astrology
According to astrology, every object in the universe influences others. For instance, the Moon’s gravitational pull causes tides in the oceans on Earth. This is the basis of astrology, that celestial entities influence everything, from the smallest to the largest objects in the universe. This includes human beings.
Each of the navagrahas has the capacity to affect different aspects of our lives.
The Sun or Surya
The sun is the most powerful of all the navagrahas. So, the Sun signifies strength, power, ego, leadership qualities, ambition, and so on. The Sun signifies leaders in social and political structures. It is also associated with the father in a family. So the sun’s position in the natal chart might show a person’s relationship with the father. In the body, the sun influences the heart, head, blood, bones, and body temperature.
The colour red, ruby, sunrise and sunset, lion, copper, wheat, and lotus flower are all associated with the Sun.
The Moon or Chandra
The sun is huge and powerful. But the moon is the nearest of the navagrahas to the Earth and so has more power to influence our lives. Everything that is nurturing in nature is associated with the Moon. So, naturally, the moon represents the mother, and the moon’s position in birth charts can determine the relationship with the mother. The moon also represents the mind, thought, ideas, creativity, The position of the moon can also affect the mental state and moods.
Water, the colour white, pearl, aluminium, cooked foods, rice, milk, curds etc represent the moon.
Mars or Mangala
While the sun and the moon among the navagrahas represent the father and mother, Mars is the military general of the navagrahas. He controls the aspects of courage, bravery, command over dire situations. So Mars is a prime influencer in the lives of people who have a career in the military, police, etc. He can cause trouble and strife but he can also give the strength to face such situations.
Mercury or Budh
Mercury or Budh influences thought, speed of action, intelligence, logical skills etc. So a person with strong mercury influence will have knowledge and skills in fields like mathematics, logic, statistics, communication and communication technology, poetry, and research. The colour green, the metal bronze, sense of humour, logic, oratory and grammatical skills all represent Mercury.
Jupiter or Guru
This is the wisest among the navagrahas, the teacher. Jupiter is Brihaspati, the Guru of the Devas. He represents knowledge, wisdom, spirituality, etc. He also represents honesty, austerity, culture, and traditions.
Those in the spiritual field or educational fields, philosophers, teachers are all influenced by Guru or Jupiter. The metal gold, justice, truth, discipline, and calmness are all symbolic of Jupiter. He is the serene and gentle guide, the giver of knowledge and good character
Venus or Shukra
Venus is Shukracharya, he is also a great teacher. He is the preceptor of the Asuras. Asuras are primarily moved by their senses and material desires. So, Shukra guides them through the material world. He is the giver of material wealth and prosperity. Venus also influences sexuality, potency, pleasure, and happiness. Venus also represents the reproductive system. Sweet taste, diamond, various arts, are all symbols of Shukra.
Saturn or Shani
Many negative aspects or qualities like laziness, mental slowness, and senility symbolize Saturn or Shanaishchara. This Graha denotes poverty, suffering, night, falsehood, misfortune, and loss. However, Saturn is not bad. Shanaishchara is a teacher. he teaches through hardships and suffering. He forces you to face the negative effects of your past Karma, and progress to better things. Saturn is also associated with the metal, iron and the colour black.
Rahu and Ketu
Two of the navagrahas in Vedic Astrology are not physical planets, but they symbolize powerful energies. They are the lunar nodes, the points of intersection of the sun and the moon that cause lunar and solar eclipses.
Rahi is the North Node. He signifies fears, desires, and obsessions. As an outlier, he also represents the illegal, the dark, and the forbidden. However, he is not all darkness. This planet represents expansiveness so it also stands for the world, the universe. Thus, Rahu can influence matters like travel, and learning foreign languages. In the modern context, this shadow planet rules technologies like cinema, photography, and electricity.
Unlike Rahu who stands for expansiveness, Ketu or the South Node is restrictive. He is indicative of destructive weapons like fireworks and bombs. On the positive side, he symbolises austerity, abstinence, solitude, and penance. So Ketu can instigate one on the path of spiritual quest.
In Vedic astrology, there are seven physical planets and two planets that don’t have a physical presence (Rahu and Ketu). Each of the navagrahas has a special significance and the ability to determine specific parts of our lives.
