Navagraha

The navagraha are nine heavenly bodies and deities that influence human life on Earth according to Hinduism and Hindu mythology.^[1] The term is derived from nava (Sanskrit: नव "nine") and graha (Sanskrit: ग्रह "planet, seizing, laying hold of, holding"). The nine parts of the navagraha are the Sun, Moon, planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, and the two nodes of the Moon.^[2]

A typical navagraha shrine found inside a Hindu temple

Navagraha, Sun at the center surrounded by the planets, Painting by Raja Ravi Varma

The term planet was applied originally only to the five planets known (i.e., visible to the naked eye) and excluded the Earth. The term was later generalized, particularly during the Middle Ages, to include the sun and the moon (sometimes referred to as "lights"), making a total of seven planets. The seven days of the week of the Hindu calendar also corresponds with the seven classical planets and European culture also following same patron and are named accordingly in most languages of the Indian subcontinent. Most Hindu temples around the world have a designated place dedicated to the worship of the navagraha.

List

Navagrahas:^[1]

No.	Image	Name	Western equivalent	Day
1.		Surya	Sun	Sunday
2.		Chandra	Moon	Monday
3.		Mangala	Mars	Tuesday
4.		Budha	Mercury	Wednesday
5.		Brihaspati	Jupiter	Thursday
6.		Shukra	Venus	Friday
7.		Shani	Saturn	Saturday
8.		Rahu	Ascending node of the Moon
9.		Ketu	Descending node of the Moon

Music

Muthuswami Dikshitar (1776–1835), 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
• Nakshatra
• Saptarshi
• List of Hindu deities
• List of Hindu pilgrimage sites
• List of Navagraha temples
• List of Natchathara temples
• List of Hindu temples
• Planets in astrology