Navagraha_Preethi

Navagraha i.e. The Major 9 Planets

What does it signify? Do these planets have any influence on the earth? How can one define these influences ?

During the Vedic Era, the Sages and the Saints known as Rishis and Munis used to calculate the time from the sunrise till sunset by viewing the shadows. During night time they used the stars positions to judge the time of the moment. Unlike these days they never had any clock and measuring instruments, yet they were far more accurate in finding the planetary positions and their movements. What they found is astonishingly accurate to today's developed science and technology.

They identified the planets and its influence on the earth and its particles so precisely that each planet has some relative element in its existence. Listed below are some of the links and examples that are quite relevant to Astrology and its notions.

Sun being the largest star in our Solar system, while passing its rays to the earth, also touches many other planets before entering into the earth's atmosphere. Thus radiation emanated from the Sun is a mixture of rays with contamination from other planets. These mixed rays are suitable for some and not so for others, whether human or otherwise.

To overcome these problems they found simple solutions from nature itself and discovered that each planet is, in one or other way linked to the nature, viz. tree, plants, grain, mineral and color too. They precisely found the links and identified it with remarkable influences.

For instance, wheat is identified with Sun and if a person has the Star Sun placed in a weaker position, then he is advised to substitute wheat with other food items. This is a corrective measure which helped the sufferer from the ill effects of the planet/star.

Like wise, for each planet they marked a particular grain, mineral, metal, tree or plant, color and flower. Within my limited knowledge, I give below the list of each planet and its relative substance on the earth. 0ne can then easily understand why an astrologer suggests some gem or other to weed off the ill effects of a specific planet. I am giving hereunder the sample stones also for one to recognize.

Alright. Now what about its effects and influences on humans? How can one be sure which color or stone suites someone best? What effect these gems will have on a person?

Let us study these points one by one. First, let us discuss the planet Saturn. People in general tend to fear saying this planet's name and are scared once they find that they are under the influence of Saturn (Saade Sathhi or the so called Seven and half years period of Saturn's cycle).

As listed above, Saturn is identified with Iron & Steel and its rays contain Iron particles. When Iron substance is excessively found in one's body then the neuron chips in the brain gets disturbed. Thus the emitting of brain wave is also disturbed or scattered and this puts a person under Saturn's effects to great hardship. People tend to ignore this person. Many a time clashes occur. A person under its influence is likely to slip from his or her routine. They are more often attracted towards unwanted and unlawful activities. Greed takes them for a ride and they may even tend to go for gambling, howsoever a refined person he or she may be.

Saturn is a very slow moving planet and it takes roughly two and half years to cross one sign of 30 degrees. Unless it is a new moon or full moon day, generally during all Saturdays, the atmospheric pressure is very minimal. This low pressure in atmosphere causes lethargic attitude in most of us and for those who suffer from the Seven and Half years period of Saturn, in particular. That's why persons affected by it become lazy and lethargic during the ill effect period.

This I have seen in many peoples' horoscopes that practically during the Saturn's ill effect periods, they tend to forget even most important assignment, lose valuable items, become very lethargic and inactive, lose weight, and spend money more than usual and mostly borrow it even if it is for higher interest rates etc. thus taking him to a bad debt trap.

Many a person who suffered these bad effects were given some remedial suggestions according to astrological considerations. If a person wears a blue sapphire stone during that specific period, the Saturn's ill effects are minimal. But how a stone or gem can bring solace is questioned by many. The fact is that the mineral content in a particular stone and the cosmic radiation combined together are beneficial, that much one can be sure of.

Some alternative methods are also suggested to weed off Saturn's radiations. 0ne such suggestion is to light/burn the gingili seeds soaked into gingili oil and inhale the carbon. This method is practically done on every Saturday evenings in the famous South Indian temples which hold a separate location for the Temple of Planets. This method supposedly relieves one from Saturn's ill effects, viz. by inhaling the gingili Carbon, the ventricles take it directly to the brain and the chemical reaction caused in the brain releases the excessive Saturn Radiations from the brain, through the seven visible holes in the face itself - i.e. nostrils, ear, eyes and mouth. In addition, the skull punch or the focal point, (from where brain waves are emitted) also ventilates the Saturn's radiations. Saturn's rays are, presumably, thick containing iron substance/iodine.

Another such method is, just to keep the gingili seeds into one's palm for few minutes and then to gift it to a Brahman. It is said, that gingili seeds absorbs the Saturn's rays directly from the body and gives relief to the sufferer. This is also done on a Saturday. It is widely believed that the receiver of this gingili gets the ill effects of the Planet Saturn and the receiver is mostly a Brahman who should take remedial measures to correct the imbalances. This I shall discuss in a separate article under Duties of a Brahman.

R A H U

Next to Saturn, the people in India are generally scared of the Shadow planet called Rahu which is known as "Dragon's Head" or Ascendant Node. Though this is called a shadow planet and it takes anti clock wise move, its influence in one's horoscope is very high. Very particularly during its Dasa period of 18 years. Rahu represents many ill aspects in general. Rahu is identified with Black Cobra, poison, Zircon, black magic, gambling, black gram, black stone, blade grass (Dhruva in Hindi) menial jobs, slavery, all sorts of skin ailments, venereal deceases, impotency, childlessness, jail/imprisonments etc etc. In short this planet mostly gives only negative results when it is ill placed in one's horoscope.

If Rahu is placed in the fifth house from Lagna or Ascendant, then the native is most likely (he/she) childless and in some cases only female issues and surely no male child. If there is any conjunction with other planet, this result may, however, vary.

Likewise, if this planet is placed in the 6th house, the native is likely to suffer from skin ailments, skin burns, dryness, sore skin etc. That too when the Rahu Dasa is running; and if Rahu is transitting through the 6th house, then ill effects are sure to be there and critical too.

To weed off the negative aspects of this planet, there are many remedial suggestions given in the ancient astrology. One such suggestion is to consume the essence of the Blade Grass daily, about three to five tea spoonfuls, for a consecutive 48 days. This way one gets his/her blood purified and the skin ailment vanishes. This medicinal remedy is so powerful that I have seen people getting better after consuming it.

Another kind of remedy somewhat resembles pressure therapy. It is believed that if a person under Rahu's influence is made to lay on the black gram seeds for a particular no. of hours then the seeds absorb the ill effective rays from the body. Also the pressure of the seeds on the body itself gives some massage like therapy thus one gets a maximum benefit achieved by using the Black gram.

Now for the fourth alternate suggestion given in the astrology scripts. It is widely known as a pilgrimage to the temples which cures any ailments that relate to Rahu's placement in a native's birth chart. There are 3 such temple locations for Rahu and Ketu. 0ne is in Trimbakeshwar in Maharashtra, other at Kaalahasthi in Andhra Pradesh and the third is Thirunaageswaram in Tamilnadu. To get more details on these and the benefits one receives on a visit to any one of these places, please read my article under head "Astrology, Myth & Facts" in this site. It is self explanatory.

The third Planet people worry about is Ketu. This is also a shadow planet and it is always at 180 degrees opposite to Rahu. This planet too moves in anti clock wise direction. Ketu is the kaaraka or cause for many good and bad events in one's life.

MARS

The well known Manglik, Kuja Dosham or what they call as Chevvai Dosham.

Mars, is identified as the Ruling planet of earth and known as Bhoomi Karaka. It is denoted with Fire, Accidents, cuts, wounds, injuries, rudeness, anger, short temper, lethal weapon and War. It is also a most feared planet in general and marriage alliance seekers in particular.

People in India are too scared about the planet Mars known as Kuja or Mangal. If this Planet is placed in the 2nd, 4th, 7th or 8th houses from one's ascendant or from the Moon sign in their horoscope/Natal Chart, then it is really difficult for them to find a suitable match and get married. It is a very foolish idea that marriages in India are delayed only on this count. I know a number of persons affected by branding them as "manglik" . They fear that if a person is married to a non manglik either one of them will die soon. The fear of reduced longevity for one of the coupled makes everyone to think twice before the wed lock.

As many astrologers profess this as a major cause or set back for one's marriage, many of the match making efforts are tactically rejected showing only on this count. No doubt, the planetary influences are to the maximum extent causing some imbalances in everybody's life, it certainly cannot be taken as granted to reject an alliance only on the ground that the person is "manglik".

My father, Late Shri Mukkur Ramabathrachariar has once clearly explained to me that a number of matches can be found and suitable alliances can be arranged, if a proper study of the horoscope is undertaken. For example, majority of the people who fall under Positive Blood group are having the planet Mars in their1-2-4-7-8 or 12th houses. However, there are exceptions given based on the placement of Mars occupying or in conjunction with some beneficial planets. If these valuable points are ignored, then really one misses his/her suitable alliance and wrongfully confined and coupled with other non matching ones.

Likewise, majority of the Non manglik horoscopes, which I have seen are of Negative Blood groups where Mars is placed in their Natal Chart at 3-5-6-9-10 or 11th house from Ascendant or Moon sign. Here again, many exceptions are given, someone having Mars in the 7th house can be of Positive Blood group and some one who has the Mars placed in the 3rd or 5th of their natal chart can be of Negative Blood group. But leaving the exceptions, majority of the cases are as aforesaid.

Although it is the placement of the Mars that is now being considered here, let us discuss some most vital points too. If the birth time given is wrong, then the entire horoscope is wrong and meaningless. In some cases, the Longitude & Latitude of the birth place is wrongly given, then too, the natal chart erected goes wrong. In most cases, when the birth is taking place in the hospitals, the birth timing is not so seriously taken.

I found myself in the mess, that a staff nurse in the hospital writing the timing as 2.30 PM, when my daughter was born at 1.06 pm exactly, and the doctor who attended the delivery confirmed it to me personally & immediately on delivery. I was waiting outside the ward room when it happened. And I did check and note the time. Alas, the staff nurse found her time to note the entries only at a time that was suitable to her, hence she fixed the birth time! In such cases, can one fully depend only on the horoscopes' matching? Is there any astrologer who takes the risk and blame for rejecting a perfect match, otherwise found to be manglik?

Also, there is a risk of of classifying a person as manglik, if her/his birth takes place during a time, whence even the fraction of minute can change the natal chart housing positions. They are known as border cases or the junctions, when actually they may not be one!

I emphasis here, for the readers to understand that manglik is not any untoward. Nor should one have any fear of it. It is nothing but a classification of Blood group that can be judged by the placement of Mars in their natal chart. In simples terms, Negative goes with Negative and Positive with Positive. Whether it is electricity or human body, the rule is same. So when next time you search for an alliance, if you find the match is perfect in every respect excepting the placement of Mars, then better you go for matching the blood group rather than fully depending on the unpredictable astrology!!

I am not blaming the subject Astrology as unpredictable, predictably, most of the astrologers do it in haste, without considering the consequences. The rules, exceptions and inclusions are there to see, but just simply they stamp a person as manglik, if the Mars is placed in the houses of 1-2-4-7-8 & 12. This is where they fail and mismatch many horoscopes that fails in practical life.

No doubt, the ancient scholars did a splendid job by identifying many of the planetary influences on the Earth, but they never would have thought about our present day astrologers influences! Oh, how many perfect suitable marriage alliances are rejected, how many mismatched ones are coupled and how many divorces and death takes place just because of horoscope mismatched bondages!

OH, NO MORE MISMATCHES, please. Just check the other qualities of the prospective bride or groom, if only on the ground of manglik it is rejected, then better you go for Blood Group check and match it fine from there on. And this way, you can escape and be saved from the HIV infected alliances too!

I am sure, the contents given above are an eye opener to many of the alliance seekers and I write this with good intentions. Surely, I am not blaming any Astrologers or their profession, but underline the need to go for soul searching. In practical terms, I did come across as many as 300 horoscopes, that were matched by astrologers as best suited, but actually the female partner suffers more, when the blood group is a mismatch. This too, most often occurs, when they are pregnant and also post birth problems are of more serious in nature.

Father is positive - mother is of negative blood group. And if the child born with positive group, then the breast feeding is a complicated one. Like wise for the negative blood group father and positive blood group mother and if the child is of negative blood group, again same sort of problem occurs.

So, be sure, you match the blood group, when you are branded as or in doubt about the Kuja Dosham, Manglik or Chevvai Dosham. This will certainly give you the scientific value, if you consult a medical practitioner too in this regard.

***To be continued & more contents will be added shortly.***