The navagraha (sa|नवग्रह, Nine planets) 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 (sa|नव "nine") and graha (sa|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]
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.
| 1. | Surya | Sun | Sunday | japākusuma saṅkāśaṃ kāśyapēyaṃ mahādyutim ।tamō'riṃ sarva pāpaghnaṃ praṇatōsmi divākaram ॥1॥ | ||
| 2. | Chandra | Moon | Monday | dadhiśaṅkha tuṣārābhaṃ kṣīrōdārṇava sambhavam ।namāmi śaśinaṃ sōmaṃ śambhō-rmakuṭa bhūṣaṇam ॥2॥ | ||
| 3. | Mangala | Mars | Tuesday | dharaṇī garbha sambhūtaṃ vidyutkānti samaprabham ।kumāraṃ śaktihastaṃ taṃ maṅgaḻaṃ praṇamāmyaham ॥3॥ | ||
| 4. | Budha | Mercury | Wednesday | priyaṅgu kalikāśyāmaṃ rūpēṇā pratimaṃ budham ।saumyaṃ saumya guṇōpētaṃ taṃ budhaṃ praṇamāmyaham ॥4॥ | ||
| 5. | Brihaspati | Jupiter | Thursday | dēvānāṃ cha ṛṣīṇāṃ cha guruṃ kāñchanasannibham ।buddhimantaṃ trilōkēśaṃ taṃ namāmi bṛhaspatim ॥5॥ | ||
| 6. | Shukra | Venus | Friday | himakunda mṛṇāḻābhaṃ daityānaṃ paramaṃ gurum ।sarvaśāstra pravaktāraṃ bhārgavaṃ praṇamāmyaham ॥6॥ | ||
| 7. | Shani | Saturn | Saturday | nīlāñjana samābhāsaṃ raviputraṃ yamāgrajam । Chāyā mārtāṇḍa sambhūtaṃ taṃ namāmi śanaiścharam ॥7॥ | ||
| 8. | Rahu | ardhakāyaṃ mahāvīraṃ chandrāditya vimardhanam ।siṃhikā garbha sambhūtaṃ taṃ rāhuṃ praṇamāmyaham ॥8॥ | ||||
| 9. | Ketu | Descending node of the Moon/Neptune | palāśa puṣpa saṅkāśaṃ tārakāgrahamastakam ।raudraṃ raudrātmakaṃ ghōraṃ taṃ kētuṃ praṇamāmyaham ॥9॥ |
Muthuswami Dikshitar (1776–1835), a Carnatic music composer from southern India, composed the Navagraha Kritis in praise of the nine grahas.[4] 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.
