Grahas: The Nine Vedic Planets and their Characteristics

Overview In this section you will be introduced to the first of the cornerstones of astrology: the planets. Developing the ability to assess planetary strength and qualities is the first step in Vedic chart interpretation. It is essential that you first learn the fundamentals of the planets, signs and houses, because all further techniques will be based on them. Learning Objectives of this Module: Learn Sans rit names and proper pronunciation of the !rahas "#lanets$ %nderstand and memori&e #lanetary Significations and Symbols Introduction to #lanetary Deities Introduction to #lanetary 'lements and (odalities %nderstand #lanetary )abinet and other characteristics Learn the concept and use of *atural +enefic,(alefic #lanets Introduction to the -uantity "Strength$ and -uality ".uspiciousness$ of #lanetary Influence %nderstand the logic and use of #lanetary /riendships Introduction to ways #lanets can interact: .spects 0wo #lanet )ombination Interpretations

Introduction
0he Sans rit word graha is usually translated as the 'nglish word planet. Sans rit words often have many levels of meaning which give deep and profound insights. 1hen the planets are studied, remember the full meaning of the word graha. !raha is broadly translated as 2grasp,2 or 2to grasp.2 In this light a planet is grasping or controlling something. 0he Sans rit term graha also reflects the physical understanding of what planets are. (odern astronomy believes that during the formation of the heavenly bodies within the solar system, heaps of matter accumulated into what we call planets. 0his is the result of a point of attraction that attracted or 2grasped2 matter to form these bodies. . second signification is that each planet 2grasps2 certain qualities and characteristics. 'verything in life has been divided up and 2held2 by the planets. 0here are many incarnations of the unborn Lord. Vishnu has incarnated as the navagrahas or planets to bestow on the living beings the results of their 3armas or actions. 4e assumed the auspicious form of grahas to destroy the strength of the demons, to sustain the strength of the devas, and to establish dharma. #arahara, )hapter 5, slo a 678. !rahas are also depicted as deities or characters in the rich mythology of 4induism. 0hese stories e9plain the nature of the universe and e9amine the motivations of humans, and the laws of nature. %nderstanding the myths of the grahas provides yet another level of nowledge that is most easily understood via metaphor.

ow Man! Planets"
0he word planet comes from the !ree word 2planetes2 which means 2to wander.2 0his reflects the observation that the planets appear to wander against the bac drop of the fi9ed stars. 'ven though 2grahas2 can be loosely translated as 2planets2, these 5 words do not have an identical meaning. Science defines the solar system as being composed of the Sun and nine planets: (ercury, Venus, the 'arth, (ars, :upiter, Saturn, %ranus, *eptune and #luto. 0hese are the astronomical planets. Vedic and classical astrology "astrology as practiced in the 1est and (iddle 'ast prior to modern 1estern .strology$ do not use %ranus, *eptune or #luto because they are not visible with the na ed eye. "Some modern Vedic .strologers do choose to use the outer planets.$ .lso, Vedic .strology, as well as classical astrology considers the Sun and the (oon as grahas,planets, and sometimes these are called the luminaries to distinguish them from the other planets. :yotish is unique in that it places special emphasis on the *odes of the (oon. ;ou may recall from the .stronomy section that the *odes are mathematical points on the ecliptic where eclipses can occur. 0he *orth *ode is called <ahu, and the South *ode is called 3etu. "<eview eclipses in .stronomy section.$ Vedic .strology uses the two luminaries "the Sun and the (oon$, the five visible planets "(ercury, Venus, (ars, :upiter and Saturn$ and the two lunar nodes <ahu and 3etu as the nine grahas "planets.$ /rom now on, we shall refer to this group of 2planets2 with this proper Sans rit term. 1hen we spea of nine planets we will use the term *avagrahas "*ava means nine in Sans rit$.

ow Man! Planets"
.s mentioned before, some systems consider celestial bodies planets and others not. 4ere is a table indicating which celestial bodies astronomy and the various schools of astrology consider planets: )elestial =b>ect Sun (oon (ercury Venus 'arth (ars :upiter ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? (odern .stronomy Vedic .strology )lassical .strology 1estern .strology ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Saturn %ranus *eptune #luto <ahu,*orth *ode 3etu,South *ode

? ? ? ?

? ? ? ?

? ?

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0raditional Vedic .strology does not consider the influences of %ranus, *eptune and #luto. Some modern Vedic astrologers choose to use the outer planets. 0his is a fertile area for research. "See Dennis 4arness@ article on the outer planets$

#u$$ar!
/rom the proceeding we understand that the term graha has these meanings: . wanderer, a moving celestial body "as compared to the fi9ed stars$ Something that grasps, or to hold on to 1here matter or energy accumulates or is attached to )ertain qualities of characteristics that each planet 2holds2 (yths that e9plain nature through metaphor Vedic .strology uses nine grahas: the luminaries, the visible planets and the lunar nodes

%&'lore and Learn (bout Vedic (strolog!

)hat is Vedic (strolog!" Vedic astrology is an analysis and forecasting system, based on astronomical data, that allows its practitioners to carefully assess and understand behavior, to measure the effects of the past, the influence of the present and the tendency of events to unfold in the future. Vedic (strolog!: The (ncient *nowledge of +ehavior and Ti$e fro$ India 0he oldest and most important scriptures in all of India, if not the world, are called the Vedas, a Sans rit word meaning 2 nowledge. 0he Vedas are called 2apaursheya2 or beyond the realm of man and time. .ccording to the tenets of Vedic philosophy, the Vedas were not authored but documented by seers or ancient wisemen called 2rishis2, who in a state of e9panded awareness, cogni&ed the mechanics of creation. Vedic .strology comes from this ancient wor "hence the use of the word Vedic$. :yotisha or :yotish is the actual Sans rit name for Vedic .strology and means the 2eye or light of nature2. It describes the ability of an astrologer to view the mechanics of people@s behavior as well as the pro>ected cycles and outcomes of time and events. The ,unda$entals of Vedic (strolog! 0he fundamentals of Vedic .strology were believed by ancient philosophers to have been instituted by +rahma, the creator. 0his nowledge was then passed down to various <ishis and to man. Vedic .strology, in its current form, is thought to have been written several thousand years ago by (aharishi #arashara, although, following India@s concepts of repeating time cycles, the wor could have even have e9isted several thousand years more prior to that in oral form. #arashara@s boo , 2+rihat #arashara 4ora Shastra2 is the primer on Vedic .strology and most scholars view #arashara today as the father of mainstream Vedic .strology.

The Pur'ose of Vedic (strolog! 0he purpose of Vedic .strology is to avoid problems before they arise. 0he aphorism, 2#ull weeds early2 describes a ma>or purpose of astrology. .nother quote from India states, 2If you want to get rid of a sna e, get rid of it when it is really small2. In fact, #atan>ali, a famous Indian philosopher who wrote the 2;oga Sutras2, stated that it was important to now how to 2avoid the danger which has not yet come2. . good astrologer uses the tools of Vedic .strology to forecast the times to promote events in one@s life or to pull bac , recogni&ing the indications point to some obvious serious ris . In the traditional Indian or 4indu culture there is a high reverence for !urus, or enlightened (asters. 0he trust is so high that the word of the !uru and ancient scriptural tradition is accepted with little doubt. 0his tradition has predisposed Indian followers of Vedic .strology not to inquire much into psychological matters, but to focus more on when things might or might not happen. (any 1estern astrologers are disposed to focus on analysis of behavior, with less emphasis on forecasting. Such is the choice of the 1estern, analytical world. (any modern Vedic astrologers, however, recogni&e a 1esterner@s desire to analy&e and have in recent years ad>usted their approach for 1estern clients, to include more psychological analysis, along with predictive wor . .ll good astrological wor ultimately ta es into account the conte9t and cultural variables of the client or event being considered. Vedic (strolog! is not fatalistic It is also important to now that good Vedic astrologers are not fatalistic, but point to useful and actionable indications or probabilities that certain behaviors might emerge or that specific events could ta e place over time. In spite of the debate about whether we have free will or not, it is important to now that the effects seen in an astrological chart are not required to happen as they stand. . motivated, sincere person, under the competent guidance of an e9perienced Vedic astrologer, or other self7improvement mentors, can ma e effective changes in their lives. *ature is basically benevolent and changes can be made for the better. Tools to I$'rove Vedic astrology is lin ed to other Vedic systems, such as .yurveda for health, Vastu for dwellings "li e /eng Shui$ and other philosophies. Vedic .strology is part of a holistic, integrated nowledge system and its effects can be bolstered by interoperating with its 2sister2 sciences. 0he Vedic .strology system is ind in that not only is a person told what might happen, but they are presented a list of potential remedies or corrective actions to offset the quantity and quality of armas that are returning to them, as seen in the birth chart. .fter all, it is held that the natal chart is a list of the armas or previous actions that we have brought into this life. 0he chart, called a :anma 3undali in India, represents our starting point in this life and where our pluses and minuses lie throughout our lives. 0hese fortifying practices, which should only be accepted from very qualified Vedic astrologers, include such measures as gemstones, mantras, balancing rituals called yagyas, and small acts, called Shantis, used to propitiate or soothe the impact associated with unfavorable planetary positions. Vedic (strolog! is #tar +ased or #idereal --- )estern is #eason +ased or Tro'ical It is important to now that Vedic astrological calculations are different from what most of us have seen in the 1estern systems. Vedic .strology is sidereal or based in reference to the stars. .ll its calculations are constantly ad>usted for a bac slipping motion of the earth called precession. 0he earth@s a9ial spin retards or moves bac about one degree or one day every A5 years, in relationship to a fi9ed star. 0he astronomy of the s y that you observe each night in our modern times is nearly matched to the &odiac constellations used in Vedic .strology calculations. In 1estern astrology, the planetary positions presented in their Bodiac do not represent today@s astronomical positions. 0hey tend to focus more on the seasons as mar ers of time. 0he 0ropical &odiac remains unchanged from what was seen in the s ies almost 5CCC years ago by the ancient !ree s, 'gyptians and +abylonians. 0he two systems are about 56 days apart "called the

2ayanamsa2$ from where they mar the first point of the sign of .ries, which is the start of the circle of the &odiac "you have to start a circle somewhere$. .gain, this is due to that slow precessed, bac ward slipping of the earth. 1hat this means, astrologically, that unless you were born somewhere between the DEth and 5Cth of the month, your Sun sign will most li ely move bac one sign in Vedic .strology. +e!ond the +irth Chart: (n (bundance of Tools for (nal!sis and ,orecasting 0he astrology of India is nown for the quantity and quality of its analytical and forecasting tools. (ost beginners are ama&ed to find not only the basic natal chart called the 2rasi2, but also a chart system employing 5A signs of the (oon, called the 2na shatras2. 0here is an additional set of birth charts called the 2shodasavargas2 which give the practitioner of Vedic .strology DE e9tra charts to e9amine. 0he most famous of these is the 2*avamsa2, which is analy&ed carefully for marriage matching and to uncover more subtle aspects of a person@s nature. 0he most widely recogni&ed Vedic forecasting tool is called the 2Vimshottari Dasa2 system which can trac the armic influences promised by planet in a chart out to a span of D5C years, with each planet ruling a specific period of a person@s life. 0here are many other techniques, too numerous to mention in this small introduction. In fact one would be hard pressed to be bored in the study of Vedic .strology with its magnitude of techniques and practices and its lin s to Vedic philosophy and the development of consciousness. .ualified Vedic (strologers and the ($erican College of Vedic (strolog! 1ith the rapid advance of Vedic .strology in the 1est and its growing mar et appeal, there are many beginners of Vedic .strology who are loo ing to e9pand their nowledge and abilities in this ancient science of time. =ne of the goals of the .merican )ollege of Vedic .strology is to provide sound learning resources to enable students to become competent practitioners of Vedic .strology. 1ith the coming availability of online classes for Vedic .strology, the number of nowledgeable and s illed astrologers should increase many fold. In ancient India, a town was considered blessed that had a resident astrologer. 1ith the reach of the Internet and the convenience and accessibility of online learning, the nowledge of Vedic .strology should be able to reach every corner of the globe.