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Thread: Navagraha worship

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    Navagraha worship

    At the local temple, there is an altar to the Navagrahas (nine planets). I've noticed on Thursdays that some people request the priest to do an archanai at the Navagraha shrine.

    What is the correct way to worship the Navagrahas? What should I say or do when I circumambulate their shrine? Are there any specific things that I should do? I really have no idea what to do or say when I come to the Navagraha shrine. Any help here would be good.

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    Re: Navagraha worship: A few ideas

    Hari Om
    ~~~~~
    Quote Originally Posted by ScottMalaysia View Post
    At the local temple, there is an altar to the Navagrahas (nine planets). I've noticed on Thursdays that some people request the priest to do an archanai at the Navagraha shrine.
    Quote Originally Posted by ScottMalaysia View Post

    What is the correct way to worship the Navagrahas? What should I say or do when I circumambulate their shrine? Are there any specific things that I should do? I really have no idea what to do or say when I come to the Navagraha shrine. Any help here would be good.
    Namaste ScottM,
    This is a good question. I am not the final authority on this matter, yet let me offer a few notions for your consideration.

    1. Navagraha puja is one way, the pūjārī ( priest ) will assist and give you the instructions.
    2. Doing pradākṣiṇā - this is the circumnavigation as you mention.
    This pradākṣiṇā is significant...lets take a closer look.
    • Pradākṣiṇā - some call this right facing. Yet the components are pradā + dakṣiṇā:
      pradā प्रदा is to give away , give , offer , present , grant , bestow; dakṣiṇā दाक्षिणा - is a gift, a fee; some see thid as give of gratitude. Yet this dakṣiṇā is also the southern way. Now what's this?
    • If we look at the word Dakṣiṇāyaṇa it is the path of the sun (Surya) going in its southern direction.
      Many see this as the beginning of summer ~ 21st of June. Yet from a Joytish perspective this southern march begins with Karkata-saṁkranti or the transit of the Sun (some like to call Ravi) into Cancer, called Karkata.
    • This southern march lasts from the rasi sign of Cancer to the completion of Sagittarius. This is considered 1/2 of the Astrological year. Also some also call this southern path yamyayana.
    Why is the relevant ? The Sun, Surya, Ravi, Sri Rām, Śiva, is at the center of the Navagraha. He is the home, Creator and center for all other grahas. He is the Atmakaraka, the indicator of the Atma and plays a key role as king.

    3. So this pradākṣiṇā, right facing, giving pradākṣiṇā is a robust way of offering pranams. Many people do as you say circumnavigating around the 9 grahas.
    • So since it's right facing, we always walk to the right. But how many times does one go around. To this it is 'convention' do do one time for each graha or 9 times.
    • But I want to do more you say? then do it in multiples of 3. Many like to go 27 times , or one time for each Nakshatra ( note this is 3 X 9). Lets say you have 3 people with you. You then each go 3 times around if you wish as 3 people X 3 times around = 9 trips.
    • Yet I recommend 9, one for each graha. So if you had 3 people now you are offering 3 X 9 'offerings' and back to the 27. Doing this with many people, you may 'feel' a difference.
    4. But what do I say? What is japa for this? If you care to learn the mantra for each graha , so on each 360º trip around, the mantra for one graha is offered silently or whispering. Nine times then, one for each graha. These mantras are on-line. If you do not find them, I will provide them, but please take a look. Vyāsa's mantras for the graha's are my recommendation.
    • But which one 1st? We always start with the Sun, Surya. If you care to know more about this , there is an HDF post¹.
    • Some people do Surya + ones istadevata as japa.
    • Some spend more time on Śani to help remove some of the delays in their lives.
    • Some spend more time with ketu (as Ganesha) to remove some the obstacles.
    Please consider why we are offering pradākṣiṇā, yes? We are offering thanks and pranams, we have come to give to offer, or nam नम् - to yield or give way, to turn towards . Hence offering namaskāra नमस्कार -adoration , salutations.

    5. Offerings
    It is not unusual to give a gift, dakṣiṇā, then to the graha's. If the puja is done, then the pūjārī will advise you on what to bring. Each graha has something offered that is approprite for that graha in terms of color, cloth, grains, gems, all that. I can suggest a few simple things if requested.
    • But what day is best? You mention in the post that some came and did puja on Thursday... this day is owned by Guru or Jupiter ( some like to call Brihaspati).
      Each day is owned by a graha, and each day has a particular quality. There's an HDF post on this¹.
    So lets stop here for now, no one likes long posts!


    pranams,

    Navagraha reading to complement the info above:
    Last edited by yajvan; 28 May 2008 at 08:35 PM. Reason: added Additional Jyotish Postings to footnotes
    यतस्त्वं शिवसमोऽसि
    yatastvaṁ śivasamo'si
    because you are identical with śiva

    _

  3. #3
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    Re: Navagraha worship

    Thank you very much for this.

    Aum Namah Sivaya

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