)
Navagraha, a Raja Ravi Varma painting (sun at the center)
Navagraha are nine heavenly bodies (as well as deities) that influence human life on Earth in 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 Bhudevi (Earth), Uranus and Neptune are not considered. [2]
Planets, celestial bodies and lunar nodes
| No. | Image | Name (Vedic) | Western equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | ) | Surya, Ravi | Sun |
| 2. | ) | Chandra, Soma | Moon |
| 3. | ) | Budha | Mercury |
| 4. | ) | Shukra, Shukracharya | Venus |
| 5. | ) | Mangala, Angaraka | Mars |
| 6. | ) | Bṛhaspati, Guru | Jupiter |
| 7. | ) | Shani, Shaneeswara | Saturn |
| 8. | ) | Rahu | North node of the Moon |
| 9. | ) | Ketu | South node of the Moon |
Carnatic Music
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
- Jyotisha
- Planets in astrology
Notes
- ^ Sanskrit-English Dictionary by Monier-Williams, 1899
- ^ "Dikshitar: Navagraha". www.medieval.org. Retrieved 2020-06-12.