Understanding Grahas and Nak¾atras Nak¾atras
The grahas are energy centers, energy fields that planets exert in the universe. Each of the nine main grahas in Vedic astrology has a specific energy field that creates specific effects on our planet Earth. For example, the moon has a strong impact on the movements of the sea and on plant growth; it even influences the mind of human beings. In the same way, the major energy centers produce an effect on living beings and influence their potential at birth, their mental set-up and, therefore, the course of their destiny. In Jyoti¾a, grahas are often referred as the agents of the karmas for which the soul took birth. Human personality and life have their counterparts in the structure of the cosmic physiology, represented by the grahas and the nak¾atras.
There are nine grahas (nine influences or 'planets') in our solar system: the Sun (S¦rya), the Moon (Candra), Mars (Ma¬gal), Mercury (Budha), Jupiter (Guru), Venus (¹ukra), Saturn (¹ani) and two nodes called R¢hu (ascending lunar node) and Ketu (descending lunar node). These represent archetypes. S¦rya, for example, represents consciousness; Candra represents the cosmic mind; Budha represents the cosmic intellect, etc.
Most of the calendars of the world have been set by the Sun's and Moon's movements (measuring the day, month and year) and were of great importance for agriculture, because the harvest depended on planting at the correct time of the year. But the Vedic tradition uses a system of 27 nak¾atras to calculate months. The nak¾atra is the constellation in which the moon sits in the heaven at a particular time. In each month, the full moon sits in a particular constellation, and the Vedic month will have this nak¾atra's name.
Each nak¾atra falls under the rule of one, sometimes two grahas. Each graha is assigned three nak¾atras. For example, if the child is born when the moon sits in Aºvini nak¾atra, his birth star will be Aºvini, and his sign will be Aries (called meºa in Sanskrit), ruled by planet Mars (Ma¬gal). Bhara´i and K¨ttika, the two next nak¾atras, also fall under the lordship of Aries sign. All three will therefore have similar characteristics and will influence the child's mind and consciousness at the time of birth, shaping his destiny.
If Mars is your Planet
'I worship Mars, born from the womb of the earth, who has the beautiful brilliance of lightning, the divine youth who carries a spear in his hand.'
-Veda Vy¢sa
Dynamic : How we take actions and are able to be ourselves
Keywords: Energy, power, strength, courage, freshness, agility, competition
Signs: Aries, Scorpio
Color: Red
Gender: Masculine
Cakra: Ma´ip¦raka
Temperament: Tamas
Ayurvedic constitution: Pitta(fire)
Governing deity: Subrahma´ya, Lord ¹iva's son
Mars in Vedic Scriptures
Once when Lord ¹iva was engrossed in deep meditation in his abode Mount Kail¢º, three drops of perspiration
originated from his forehead and fell to the earth. From those drops manifested a very beautiful child who was reddish in complexion and who had four arms.
The child was handed over to the earth goddess, Bh¦mi, for upbringing. The child was named Bhaum as he was nurtured and brought up by ' Bh¦mi' (a name of the planet earth).
When Bhaum grew up, he went to K¢ºi and did a rigorous penance to please lord ¹iva . Lord ¹iva blessed him by granting him 'Ma¬gala loka' (the Abode of Ma¬gala, Mars), which was superior even to the '¹ukra loka' in the universe (the Abode of ¹ukra or Venus, the God of love). The same 'Bhaum' is established in the solar system by the name of Ma¬gala (the auspicious planet Mars).
Tendencies of Mars and Aries
'The Aries is blood-red in complexion. lt has a prominent physique. It denotes courage. It resides in the East and is related to kings. It is fiery. Its ruler is Mars.'
- B¨hat Par¢ºara Hora ¹¢stra
Symbol: The ram
Element: Fire, heat
Ruling Planet: Mars / Mangal
Body Type: Pitta (fire)
Healing stone: Coral
The symbol of Aries is the ram. It represents freshness, innocence, purity, agility, and beauty. The ram is a spark of life that is pure, full of joy in its innocence, frolicsome, always eager to play and jump, enjoying the expression of its own energy. Mars is ready to create, to start new happenings: it is the power of manifestation in the Universe and is the first sign of the Vedic zodiac.
Aries gives a lot of independence, a good ability to express one's desires; it gives strength and a strong sense of personal orientation in life.
Strong dynamism and original initiatives express though the native. The Aries type is often intellectual and feels a strong desire to fight for a cause, or for his own ideas and convictions. That gives him a strong drive and a sense of a mission in life, a need to manifest something on planet Earth. ```
Aries Nak¾atras : Aºvini, Bharani and K¨ttika