navagraha- Nine Celestial Bodies.

Graha is a planet, a star or a celestial body. Since the sun is one of the navagrahas, and sun is not a planet , we assign the 'celestial body' meaning to graha in the translation.

And even the use of the word body in translating graha is very meaningful. The sun, the moon and other seven bodies in the navagraha include the bodies of seven eponymous Gods. Indeed we have seven Rushis (saptarshis) seen as stars. Child-rushi Dhruva is a star. The Arunachala Hill at Tiruvannamalai is Lord Shiva Himself , in lacklustre form, to bless devotees. Kailaas is His abode. Annamalai is He Himself.

The Sun and 6 planets (Moon, Mangal, Budha, Bruhaspati and Shukra) known to us today), lend their names to the seven weekdays. And two shadow planets, Rahu and Ketu, are all together called navagrahas. These seven influence our lives intimately. This is operative part of karma in action.

Sun is manifestion of the sacred Om and is visible to us. Savitaa is his other name. Gaayatree or Saavitree mantra is His mantra form.

Moon (Chandra) is son of Sage Atri and his sagacious wife Anusooyaa.

Mangal is son of Vishnu and Mother Godess Earth.

Budha is son of Chandra and His consort Tara.

Bruhaspati is son of Maharshi Angeerasa. Priest of gods.

Shukra is the Priest of the Demons.

Shani is son of Sun and Samvarnaa, known as Chaayaa, Shadow.

Rahu is son of Simhikaa (daughter of Hiranyakashipu) and Viprachitthi. He sided with the demons during distribution of Amrut and was beheaded. He survives as a head only. Black, shadow-like, he is always hidden in the shadow of Chandra.

Ketu is beheaded Rahu.

Astrolgy is based on navaghrahas. Since more planets are known today, astrology is invalid, some say. Since ghraha is not a planet, this objection is null and void.

How can distant bodies affect us?, ask many. Now, we know gravitaional forces of heavenly bodies. Only quantitatively. We know moon's force is one-sixth of earth's. But qualitatively we know nothing. Earth attracts moon but moon attracts water . There is a qualitative difference. Sun attacts earth but not able to snatch moon away even when the moon is on the same line i.e. in between it and earth on newmoon days! And the moon is nearest toun. Qualitative difference explains.

Distances are so large no force can penentrate, some say. In homeopathy, higher the potency less is the medicine. Scientists are baffled. But it works. Don't deny unless. The court does not accuse as guilty unless proved.

Western countries talk of zodaic signs. The stars are farther away than the solar system. Then why think of distances of our astrology?

We had advanced mathematical and astronomical which are still valid. Predictions are more correct than wrong. Astrologers may go wrong but not astrology. Do not some doctors go wrong? Why blame medical science? Practise may falter. Theory is proven.