Worshipping the 9 Planets.......Devi Mandir style!

[Guest guest]

Namaste to all,

 

Swamiji talked about the influence of the planets and their impact from a

spiritual perspective. He said the Navagraha puja is yet another tool to

bring ourselves into harmony. It was a whole new way of looking at the

planets and worshipping them took on a greater meaning and understanding.

 

He said when we make our astrology chart we see all of these planets are

forces upon us and how they affect us. We will have a tendency to act more

in keeping with one or two of the planets. For example when the Sun and

Moon are strong influences in our chart then there is an inclination to

manifest a serious spiritual propensity.

 

Below is a transcript of the evening as we performed the Navagraha homa last

Saturday with Shree Maa & Swamiji.

 

Sun (Surya)

Mantra: Om Hrim Hrim Suryaaya Namah

 

Surya (Sun) means the light of wisdom. He is also known as Savitur. He is

sung in the Gayatri. He is also the father of Savitri. Gayatri mantra has

got the name Savitur. He is also Iksvaku, the first of the Surya Dynasty of

kings. Lord Rama comes from the family of Iksvaku. The family of Raghu is

the same as the family of Ikshvaku.

 

Swamiji explained that HRIM means all of Maya, All that can be perceived by

the senses, conceived in the mind and known through intuition and beyond.

 

We are praying that everything, all of Maya, be pervaded by the illumination

of wisdom.

 

Moon (Soma)

Mantra: Om Aim Klim Somaaya Namah

 

Soma stands for the moon (devotion). Soma inspires selfless love and seva.

Ida (Sun) & Pingala (Moon), are the 2 rivers, the Ganga and Jamuna. These 2

main rivers flow into the land of the 7 rivers. (Ganges, Jamuna, Godavari,

Sarasvati, Narmada, Sindhu & Kaveri).

 

When the Sun and Moon are prominent in the astrology chart, then the person

is focused, attentive, a good meditator, a good student and easily grasps

issues.

 

Maa laughingly added that she was always a bad student, even though she had

a strong Sun & Moon. Swamiji told her she just did not want to focus on the

mundane learning of life. She was so focused on devotion that nothing else

was important.

 

Mars (Mangal)

Mantra: Om Hum Shrim Mangalaaya Namah

 

Mars is the son of the Earth. Earth wanted a son to protect her and she

prayed to Siva and got Mangal. Mangal means Welfare. Swamiji in his usual

witty style added "Isn’t there a book named “Men are from Mars, Women are

from Venus." Well, Mars has a very strong masculine energy, He is the

defender. When Mars is prominent in the chart you will find courageous

fortitude, strength, real affirmative action and a total commitment to the

goal. Where Mars is present there will be total submersion in achievement

of the desired goal. Once the sankalpa is made, there is no turning back!

No looking the other side where Mars in concerned! He further explained the

meaning of Hum Shrim….

 

Hum - cut the ego

Shrim, increase

Sh means peace

Ra means in the mind

i means heart

m is anuswara

Perfect peace in the mind and in the heart.

We are praying to Mangal to protect us with welfare on all sides.

 

Mercury ( Budh)

Mantra: Om Aim Strim Shrim Budhaaya Namah

 

Budh is Mercury. He stands not only for Intelligence, but Mercury is the

great communicator. He is the one who expresses. When we have all this

wisdom (Surya) and devotion (Soma) and welfare (Mars) it has to come out in

some form of communication. Budh gives us the skills with which to

communicate this understanding.

 

Jupiter (Brihaspati)

Mantra: Om Aim Klim Hum Brihaspataye Namah

 

Pati means Lord, or supreme Ruler

Brhat means the vast.

 

Jupiter is the Ruler of the Vast. The Ruler of the infinite. He is the

pati, the Lord of the Gods, Lord of the Infinite, The spirit of the Vast.

His knowledge is unfathomable. One of the devotees asked if Brishaspati was

a Rishi and Swamiji said that he was not one of the 7 Rishis. Their names

were Gautama, Bharadwaja, Kashyap, Vashista, Vishwamitra, Jamadagni & Atri.

 

Brihaspati is the Guru of the Gods. He is the teacher. He presides over

the Guru/disciple relationship. He is also respect, because there is a

certain demeanor required between a guru and disciple. Traditionally this

is the way knowledge was passed. In the Guru Gita there is a verse which

bows to the circle which surrounds the Guru. It refers to the entourage of

devotees that sits around the Guru. The practice of acquiring knowledge

from the previous generation to pass to the next generation. The practice

and teaching are one and the same. Brhaspati presides over this. In Hindi

Thursday is called Guruvaar. In Sanskrit it is called Brihaspativaar.

Because he is the Guru of all Gods!

 

Venus ( Shukra)

Mantra: Om Hrim Srim Shukraaya Namah

 

He is the Guru of the Asuras. He stands for beauty. But more than just the

physical beauty, Shukra stands for the beauty that has the capacity to

attract us. He is the guru of the Asuras. He attracts us to the various

phenomenons in the Sansaar (world of objects and relationships). He

attracts us to the world. He is like a magnet. Just like iron has the

propensity to follow the magnet.

 

Swamiji said Shukra can be found everywhere! Go to any mall! Walk in the

store and you will want to buy everything on the shelf. All the

merchandising geared to turn our attention to the product. The perfect

expression of Sukracharya's ideal was to make the Asuras remain supreme. To

attract us to the world. Like Madison Avenue! He further explained that we

must exercise our discrimination whether we want to accept Shukra as a

teacher in this way and turn our attention to the world.

 

Shukra also means the seed of life and purity. In the Kali Sahasranaam, some

of Her names are “She dwells in the ocean of purity”, “She is the offering

of purity”, “She loves the offering of purity”, “She inspires the offering

of purity”, etc.

 

It is up to the individual in what way we accept Shukra in our lives!

 

Saturn (Shani )

Mantra: Om Aim Hrim Shrim Sanaischaraya Namah

 

Shani restricts and defines and is considered by many as the lord of

discipline. He defines us to our discipline and keeps us from going out in

every direction at the same time. If you look at Shani he is the obstacle

that keeps us from going every which way. Or one can say he keeps us

focused.

 

If you don't know what you want, then Shani is without control. He becomes

the obstacle himself. But when you know what you want then you rein in

Shani.

 

Shukra is saying there is some attraction in the world, but Shani controls

by restricting us to our path. He creates the discipline so we are

successful in keeping our goal rather than going off on any tangents! There

is a proverb, "Jemi Drishti, Temi Shristi". Just as is your perception so

is your creation (your understanding).

 

When you have a clear definition of your goals then Shani (Saturn) brings

that to fruition.

 

Rahu (North node)

Mantra: Om Aim Hrim Rahave Namah

 

Rahu is likened to “Too Much” and “Self Conceit” (towards excess).

 

Ketu (South Node)

Mantra: Om Hrim Aim Ketave Namah

 

Ketu represents “Too Little” and “Self Deprecation”.

 

A story ……....... Now the Gods were churning the ocean, (the ocean of all

the possibilities) the nectar of immortality and the Goddess Dhanvantari was

holding the vessel of immortality.

 

Of course, there was a scuffle between the Gods and Asuras. They were

fighting hard and ultimately the Asuras got hold of the vessel. The Gods

felt they were doomed and called Lord Vishnu in great earnest to get back

the nectar. Lord Vishnu took the form of Mohini. The Asuras could not

resist Mohini and obediently followed her instruction to sit down while she

distributed the nectar.

 

Now Mohini certainly did not want to hand over the nectar of immortality to

Asuras! Instead she gave wine to the Asuras. When Rahu (commander in chief

of the Asuras) saw that the Asuras were getting wine, he disguised himself

and joining the line of the Gods started drinking the nectar. The Moon and

the Sun seeing this deception, called out to Mohini that he was an Asura.

Immediately Mohini took her form of Lord Vishnu and pulling out his discus

cut off Rahu’s head before he could drink all the nectar.

 

The severed head (Rahu) and the body (Ketu) are the north node and south

node respectively. All the opposites are in their domain. So when we

propitiate them we are not really calling them as chiefs of the Asuras. We

are calling upon them as forces of attraction and opposition, so they can

bring harmony.