Plants (Lokas) Vs Grahas

We grew up learning that there are 9 planets in our solar system but now it’s a debatable issue whether we have 8 or 9 planets. Ancient Indians believed that Earth revolves around the Sun and there was much larger universe with far reaching starts and lokas and other celestial items. Ancient Indians and Greeks saw the two similar components in the night sky: one was fixed starts—motionless and one was moving relative to the fixed starts and that was called wandering starts. But it was different from fixed starts so named different and Planets come into existence.

The ancient world saw the seven bodies including Sun and Moon in the night sky and thus, we have seven days in a week, seven Lokas or seven heavens.

The seven celestial bodies were Earth, Moon,Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn. Hindu culture celebrates the Navagraha concept and how it affects our life. While Indian astrology is much more than Navagraha; there are Saptarrishi Graha, Dhruva Graha, Rudra Graha and more. Graha means home, which is FIXED and motionless. In Sanskrit, Graha means Crocodile. People get chewed by the crocodile in our mythologies because of their sense pleasure.   It has other meaning like tenacity, perceiving, holding, loot, and seizing. Graha is fixed Zodiac. Planet is the Greek word for ‘Wanderer’. Planet moves, wander but Graha is permanent at one place. Planet exist in real world in astronomy and Graha is imaginary and exist in astrology. Graha is opposite of Planet. Astronomy is not Astrology. Graha is more of mental state or indigenous qualities/nature/behaviour.

Astrologers deal with 9 planets (wanderer) of astronomy and name them Astrology. The Navagraha of astrology is actually Lokas in our milieu with existing planes and physical boundaries. Lokas are the wandering planets of Astronomy and are habitable world. Lokas represent the potential in humanity at every stage of life and conquering all barriers to reach to the higher loka (Satya.) Sun was not the loka as it was not habitable. But it was called Grahapati (lord of Grahas).  Moon is Lokapati or lord of starts so technically habitable. There are 14 lokas (7 upper worlds and 7 lower worlds) in Indian beliefs which are dwelling places.

So when we talk about astrology actually we calculate astronomical positions of nine planets (lokas NOT grahas) and their effect on individual’s life. Earlier, there were Six planets plus Sun and Moon. But Moon is satellite and Jupiter and Saturn also has many moons and including them the number of planets would have gone rise, so Moon was discarded as planet. When Neptune discovered, they had 7 planets. Then in 1930, they thought Pluto was size of Earth and we had 9 planets. So planets were increasing or decreasing in numbers as the discoveries progress.  Uranus and Neptune were not known to the ancient Indians when they started horoscope calculations.

So the 7 Urdhalokas (upperworld) are used as allegorical for grahas.

Chandra is the name in Astrology for Graha, but name of the Planet or satellite Moon is Vasu Visva, Son of Dharma.  We have the Eight Vasus, the elemental Gods, Fire, Wind, Earth, Sky, Space, Light, Shining, Moon & Stars. Chandra indicates mind. The loka is Bhuvas, the space for thoughts, the human potential. It is the atmospheric sphere extends from Earth to Sun. Bhuvar loka is the neighborhood of earth, the space where all birds, artifacts fly, and satellites revolves in the orbit of Earth. Through his mind, thoughts, potential and conquered senses man can surpass the Artha or materialism of Earth and become light as bird and fly in air. Chandra as Graha ensures your mental strength, will power and potential in you to come out from the earthly attachments and mundane tasks.

Surya is the name in astrology for Graha and Sun was called Prajapati (King, Janak, Pita) in Astronomy. Leader, King, Conqueror, Mahaveer, Ruler who rule the world and guide their subordinates—the torch bearer. The Disk of Sun is called Vivasvana (current MAnvatara and father of Yama and Saturn). Svarloka is beyond Bhuvar loka and is the dwelling place for Devas. Surya is the Soul and ultimate goal of every life to identify its true self (Soul) through knowledge (Sun) and awareness. In material sense, Sun represents position, power, status, personality and in higher or spiritual sense it is the light and awareness that unleash the reality as it is and lead you to the truth and knowledge. You become conqueror like Buddha and Mahaveer.

Mangal Graha in Astrology, and in Astronomy the Planet Mars is Angaraka or Lohita and is the Planet of Kartikeya (war lord). Mangala is son of Shiva and Bhumi or Vishnu and Bhumi. Angaraka is son of Agni and son of Agni is war god and commander of Gods like Neela was in Rama army and Dristhdumna in Pandavas and Skanda (Kartikeya) in Indra army and they crushed their enemies. Agni is energy or hidden force to lit fire, to imbibe strength and valor in person body and mind to break the inertia and fight. It’s a Volatile temper, might, mobility, force, courage and non-exhaustion. In Greeks mythology, Ares is war lord and Angaraka concept is taken from Proto-Indo-European myths.

Buddha Graha or planet Mercury is Narayana associated with Upendra (Indra younger brother) Avatar. Buddha means enlightenment, intellect, and decision making. Mahar is the higher Dharma, thinking about the humanity and renouncing the individual Ahankara or identity. Those people reside in Mahar loka. It is the exploring the natural resources and experimenting with chemical and minerals and Narayana brings new objects into creation which benefits the human beings. Higher Dharma or the objective of creation leads people or individual to equality, compassion, Ahimsa, love, dharma and benefits to humanity.

Venus or Shukra Graha is material enjoyment. Shukra is the joy or Kama which creates life with impulsive and unbound thoughts. Shukra was adventures Guru who lived his life without any discrimination of good and bad. How can one understand good in bad or vice-versa without going through it?  He exploits his full potentials and accepted every challenge of life with full mind and full heart.

Life is joy, life is vitality, life is Kama and Sacrifice is Kama. Kama is the root of Sanyasa. Renunciation of life cannot be understood with the desire of sacrifice. DESIRE is Mahat, spontaneous sportive activity, the unbounded thought that creates life.  Creation is the action of an unfettered mind and unrestricted thought, the Mahata. Shukra is the manifestation of Prana inside the body that revives life in dead.

Jana loka is the creativity. Creativity is the manifestation of love that is felt direct through heart. Love for music, love for art, love for dance, love for books, love for learning, love for playing, and so on. We show our love through our creativity or Bhakti to our lord. 

Kavi Shukracharya was the son of Jayanti (daughter of Indra) and Rishabha in Jainism. All sons of Jayanti become mendicant preachers and it is written that they were ‘Sahrmana Vatarashana’ or Sharmana clothed in the wind.  Sukracharya has several sons including a group of nine highly evolved yogis. These Yogis were the propounders of Bhagwata dharma. As per Puranas, Shukaracharya was the son of Bhrgu and adopted by Shiva thus, he was son of Shiva also.

Bhraspati or Jupiter was the epitome of goodness and the Guru of Gods while Shukra was the Guru of Asuras. But it was Shukra who had Mrtasanjivani Vidya, who was capable to revive the dead but Bhraspati was not. Sukracharya was the guru of Asuras. A-suras are reflection of Suras or Pratibimba means ANTI. We see our right as left or opposite in mirror. Suras fought A-suras, Devas fought Danava, A-dityas fought Daityas; they fought with their ANTI the evil of their heart. The Asitkadi or historical interpretation is that they were all One society but diverted on contradictions and conflicts of opinions and ideologies.

Bhraspati is wisdom. He lives in Tapa loka where one reach after severe austerities. Shukra is the reflection of Bhraspati in mirror. Bhraspati is the ascension of Shukra. Bhraspati Graha or Tapa loka is achieved after a mental, spiritual, or evolutionary enlightenment. Ascension is a complete physical and spiritual phenomenon. One has to enter in materialism and accept every aspect of life with full mind for spiritual evolution. Renouncing of senses has no meaning when they aren’t aware of senses. How can you renounce something which you haven’t possessed ever? That’s why we had 4 ashrams in a life time and everybody has to go through and enjoy every ashram of life. Almost of our ancient sages and Gods are married and had families. 

To be Continued........

Planets (Lokas) Vs Grahas Continued

The highest loka is Satya loka or Saturn Graha. It is the ultimate truth! Shani or Planet Satrun is Yama and is associated with Rudra (Storm god of Rigveda who later absorbed in Pashupati or Shiva). Satya is the state when you assimilate in Supersoul (Parmatama) and get free from birth/re-birth cycle. It gives you Moksha and unleashes the Karma cycle. Shani signifies controller or nervous system. It is a mental toughness, a solitude state! Live like Hamsa who look calm and serene but inside water it is peddling hard through water. Lotus petals and leaves grow and survive in water but water drops never touch them! Saturn is the solitude planet. It stands alone among the rest of planets but never lonely.

Ascension to higher states can happen when a human evolves the ability to use approximately 90% of his or her brain capacity. When one is pure spirit, open mind and conquered 5 Jyanendriyans through 5 Karmnendriyans. At the time of creation the 5 organs of knowledge and 5 organs of actions are created that are led by Indra--the mind or knowledge. These organs are connected with 5 elements of existence or Prakriti. These 5 Karmendriyan are:

Karmnendriyan	Action	Organ	Connected Tatva or Element
Eliminate	Release	Rectum	Earth
Reproduce	Mate	Genitals	Water
Move	Walk	Feet	Fire
Grasp	Skill	Hand	Air
Speak	Speech	Mouth	Ether

It has nothing to do with action in material world. It is a mental state of awareness and action.

Chinese did associate the five planets with five elements (panchamahabhuta) Fire, Earth, Water, Wood (or Air or Sound), Metal (or Ether or Sky). But Indians have no such concept.

Mind travels in the perforated extensive expanse Ether of heart, where only Vak (the subtle sound) or dark energy works. Vak is Shakti, knowledge, light, the Saraswati. Matter doesn't exist there, dark matter outweigh visible matter with heavy gravitational force. Sensory neurons which respond to touch, sound, light and all other stimuli doesn't respond in Ether (dark matter). Dark matter doesn't absorb, reflect or emit light. Person reach to the Samadhi state: no more existence of physical body or matter and its sensory pleasure.

The next 2 Grahas are Rahu and Ketu, though they don’t exist in planetary system. Svarbhanu (Sound of Sun) is the 8^th Graha and split of Svarbhanu into Rahu and Ketu came after Vaishnava cult. Svarbhanu was the son of Viprachitti (Nature of Brahmin). Viprachitti was Daitya and reached to Indrahood.  Ketu is associated in English with Meteor or comet. Ketu was not Graha for a long time in Hindu Astrology. Navagraha concept came very later and Varahmihir (ancient scientist of Gupta era who invented Zero and many discoveries) son Hora had led its foundation. Rahu is shadowy graha; its wisdom is tempered. Ketu is asteroids.  Rahu is the Atma striving for perfection and merge with Parmatama. It was seeking the Amrita, the nectar of life. Rahu strive to better himself by consuming Amrita to build the bridge between Atma to Parmatama. Sun and Moon was Rakshasaa thus, they identified Rahu. 

Sun is the knowledge or intellect but what happened when intellect suppress the Soul—the trueself? The knowledge, the light of Sun and Moon was wounded and diminished because they were debarring their Soul to reach to ultimate truth. Mohini is Vishnu and Sudarshana Chakra is the release from attachment that separated Rahu head from his body and releases him from all desires of life (body). Head (desire to merge with Parmatama) was separated from body (attachments) but it revealed the lost light of Sun and Moon. Sun and Moon become weak and lost their shinning (knowledge). Rahu is cowherder (Soul) also who is herding Sun (light and knowledge) and Moon. 

As Sun and Moon were eclipsed, the power of Devas reduced and darkness spread all around. Historical interpretation is, the society was fighting each other, lots of bloodshed, chaos and no laws and dharma remained. Evil and darkness were dominating and Devas or goodness had lost its status. Mithira was the Sun at that time who was wounded by Rahu. Mithira had reduced its stature as prime God. Mithira is Zorastrian’s Ahura Mazda.

So, Navagrahas are actually 7 lokas, the wanderer planets, including Rahu and Ketu. Rahu and Ketu are representing the self. Ancient astronomers or sages weren’t able to reach to Sky but there were able to reach to human anatomy, its whole nervous system, its senses, brain and heart. They resembled Universe (Antarishka) with humane body (central nervous system and brain) and discovered the deep hidden truth which we still are unable to understand. The seven lokas lies in 7 Chakras of Kundalini. Kundalini Chakras are centers of energy, which look after our physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual being. These chakras give us the absolute perception of Reality on our central nervous system as we develop our Chakra system.