Navagraha

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Navagraha, a Raja Ravi Varma painting (sun at the center)

Navagraha are nine heavenly bodies and deities that influence human life on Earth according to Hinduism and Hindu astrology.[1] The term is derived from nava (Sanskrit: नव "nine") and graha (Sanskrit: ग्रह "planet, seizing, laying hold of, holding"). Note that the Earth, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are excluded from the Navagraha,[2]. However, the Sun and Moon are part of the Navagraha.

In astrology, the term planet originally applied only to the five planets visible to the naked eye and excluded Earth. The term was later broadened, particularly in the Middle Ages, to include the sun and the moon (sometimes referred to as "lights"), making a total of seven planets. The seven days of the week in the Hindu calendar also correspond with the seven classical planets, and are named accordingly in most languages of the Indian subcontinent. Most Hindu temples around the world have a designated place dedicated to Navagraha worship.

Planets, celestial bodies and lunar nodes[edit]

Navagrahas:[1]
No. Image Name Western equivalent Day
1. Surya graha.JPG Surya, Aditya Sun Sunday
2. Chandra graha.JPG Chandra, Soma Moon Monday
3. Angraka graha.JPG Mangala Mars Tuesday
4. Budha graha.JPG Budha Mercury Wednesday
5. Brihaspati graha.JPG Bṛhaspati, Guru Jupiter Thursday
6. Shukra graha.JPG Shukra Venus Friday
7. Shani graha.JPG Shani Saturn Saturday
8. Rahu graha.JPG Rahu Ascending node of the Moon
9. Ketu graha.JPG Ketu Descending node of the Moon

Carnatic music[edit]

Muthuswami Dikshitar, a Carnatic music composer from southern India composed the Navagraha Kritis in praise of the nine grahas.[3] Each song is a prayer to one of the nine planets. The sahitya (lyrics) of the songs reflect a profound knowledge of the mantra and jyotisha sastras.

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Roshen Dalal (2010). Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide. Penguin Books. p. 280. ISBN 978-0-14-341421-6.
  2. ↑ Sanskrit-English Dictionary by Monier-Williams, 1899
  3. ↑ "Dikshitar: Navagraha". www.medieval.org. Retrieved 2020-06-12.


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