May Lord Brahma, Lord Krishna (Vishnu), and Lord Shiva, along with the Nav Grahas—Surya, Chandra, Mangala, Brihaspati, Shukra, Shani, Rahu, and Ketu—bestow peace upon us.
There is a common misconception that “Nav Graha” refers to the nine planets of the solar system. This is not accurate. The term actually designates the deities who govern nine celestial bodies within the solar system. These deities, in the order listed above, oversee the Sun, the Moon, Mars, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, and the Ascending and Descending nodes of the Moon.
Just as the Moon can physically draw entire bodies of water across the Earth, these nine celestial bodies can subtly influence the psyche of humans, their lives, their environments, and the unfolding of events in the world. In Hindu dharma, ancient seers discovered a profound relationship between the positions of these celestial bodies and various aspects of human life, leading to an in-depth study. This study culminated in “Jyotish”—Indian Astrology. Unlike Western astrology, Jyotish is tailored to each individual and elucidates many events in a person’s life based on the positions of celestial bodies at their time and place of birth.
Some positions of these celestial bodies are considered malefic, while others are deemed beneficial. There are rituals designed to mitigate the effects of malefic celestial bodies and to honour the benign ones. This is why, in Hinduism, seeking the blessings of the Nav Grahas is considered essential before embarking on any endeavour, whether it be a ritual or a significant life event. By worshipping the Nav Grahas, we are assured of protection from the adverse influences of malefic Grahas and the blessings of the benevolent ones.