Graha-Nakshatra Pūjā-Vidhi in the Vishṇu Dharmottara Purāṇa

In the Vedic tradition, the grahas are the nine celestial bodies that shape a person’s life (the Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rāhu and Ketu), and the nakshatras are the twenty-seven lunar mansions, star groups through which the Moon passes. When they bring trouble, one performs pūjā to them for śānti (calming of troubles). The Vishṇu Dharmottara Purāṇa has a detailed section on this pūjā, taught by the ṛshi Mārkaṇḍeya to King Vajra.

It covers how to set up the maṇḍala (sacred diagram) for one graha or nakshatra or for all of them together, the healing baths (snāna) for each graha and nakshatra, the general method of pūjā, the fire rituals (the prāktantra and uttaratantra), the mantras for calling each graha, nakshatra and the ten directions, and the anointing pastes (anulepa), flowers, incense (dhūpa), lamps (dīpa), food offerings (naivedya) and drink offerings (pānīya) for each of them.

Setting Up the Maṇḍala

When doing pūjā to a graha, one places it in a maṇḍala together with its adhipati-graha (ruling planet). A nakshatra is placed in a maṇḍala with its presiding devatā and with Candra (the Moon), who is the lord of all nakshatras.

Colours of the graha-maṇḍalas: Āditya (Sun) is red like a lotus; Candra (Moon) is white; Kuja (Mars) is blood-red; Budha (Mercury) is blue-black; Guru (Jupiter) is yellow; Śukra (Venus) is white; Śani (Saturn) is black; Rāhu and Ketu are smoke-grey.

Number of stars in each nakshatra:

• One star: Ārdrā, Pushya, Citrā, Vāyavya (Svātī), Dāruṇa, Paushṇa (Revatī)
• Two stars: Pūrvaphālgunī, Uttaraphālgunī, Pūrvabhādrā, Uttarabhādrā, Āditya (Punarvasu), Mūla, Aindrā (Jyeshṭhā), Āgneya, Aśvinī
• Three stars: Bharaṇī, Saumya (Mṛgaśiras), Ārya (Uttara), Brāhma (Rohiṇī), Vaishṇava (Śravaṇa)
• Four stars: Pūrvāshāḍhā, Uttarāshāḍhā, Anurādhā
• Five stars: Hasta, Prājāpatya (Viśākhā), Vāsava (Dhanishṭhā)
• Six stars: Sārpa (Āśleshā), Pitrya (Maghā), Āgneya (Kṛttikā)

Nakshatra-Snāna: Healing Baths for the Nakshatras

In a person’s birth chart there are nine kinds of nakshatra. Particular baths calm the troubles (pīḍā) linked to each kind:

• Janma-nakshatra (birth star) trouble: bathe in white cow’s milk mixed with the dung and urine of a white bull, with kuśa-grass water
• Mānasa-nakshatra trouble: bathe with śirīsha, candana (sandalwood), aśvattha (sacred fig) and nāgodaka
• Karma-nakshatra trouble: bathe with mustard seeds, priyaṅgu, śatapushpā and śatāvarī
• Sāṃghātika trouble: bathe with priyaṅgu, cedar, siddhārtha (mustard seeds), barley grain, aśvattha and surā mixed with sandalwood water
• Sāmudāyika trouble: bathe with water of all fragrances (sarvagandha) and mustard seeds
• Vaināśika trouble: bathe with earth dug up by a bull’s horns, bilva water, śatapushpā and somalatā
• Ābhisheka-nakshatra trouble (for kings): bathe with water holding all gems (sarvaratna)
• Deśa-nakshatra trouble: bathe with mṛttikā (sacred earths) taken from river banks, the meeting of rivers, lake shores, places where elephants stand, serpent mounds, royal places and temples, dug out with an elephant’s tusk
• Jāti-nakshatra trouble: the same rich bath of sacred earths, with water holding all seeds (sarvabīja)

Graha-Snāna: Healing Baths for Each Graha

Each graha has its own bath:

• Sūrya: mañjishṭhā, mātuluṅga (citron), saffron flower and red sandalwood, in a copper vessel
• Candra: uśīra (khaskhas root), śirīsha, padmaka and sandalwood, with water from a conch
• Kuja: khadira wood, cāndra wood, devadāru, sesame seeds and āmalaka, in a silver vessel
• Budha: water from the meeting of rivers with sacred mud, in an earthen vessel
• Guru: gorocanā, nāgamamu, śatapushpā, śatāvarī and pilliḍīcara, in a silver vessel
• Śukra: sesame seeds, māsha (black gram), priyaṅgu and gandhapatra, in a black iron vessel
• Śani: guggulu, asafoetida, tāla and manaḥśilā, in a buffalo-horn vessel
• Rāhu: earth from a mountain top trodden by a boar and goat’s milk, in a rhinoceros-horn vessel
• Ketu: goat’s milk and earth from a mountain peak, with a rhinoceros horn

The General Method of Pūjā

The devotee first bathes, performs ācamana (sipping water for purification), sets up the maṇḍala and sits facing east. The maṇḍala is purified by sprinkling it with pañcagavya (the five products of the cow) while chanting a mantra. Then:

1. Āvāhana: the graha or nakshatra is invited to the ritual seat (pīṭha) with its mantra
2. The sixteen services (shoḍaśopacāra): pādya (water for the feet), arghya (water for the hands), āsana (seat), ācamanīya (water for sipping), madhuparka (a mix of honey, curd, ghee, milk and sugar), anulepa (fragrant paste), ābharaṇa (ornaments), yajñopavīta (sacred thread), hāra (necklace), pushpamālā (flower garland), vastra (cloth), patākā (banner), pushpa (flowers), dhūpa (incense), dīpa (lamp), naivedya (food) and tāmbūla (betel)
3. Agni-havana: offerings into the fire with the right havis (oblation)
4. Dakshiṇā: gifts to the officiating purohita: a pair of garments, a cow and gold
5. Visarjana: the respectful farewell of the devatā

After the pūjā, the water and flowers of the maṇḍala are given to flowing water. Brāhmaṇas are fed (brāhmaṇa-bhojana). Then the ritual space is cleaned.

Agnikārya: The Fire Ritual

Prāktantra (The Opening Rites)

A vedi (ritual platform) is made 7 feet long, facing east and north, 5 feet wide at the east end and 4 feet at the west. Four full pots (pūrṇakumbhas) of gold, silver, copper or clay are placed at the four corners. Blades of sacred grass are laid down with mantras to Indra. The fire is lit with silver samidhs (kindling sticks) and blown with the mouth through a tube. It is not fanned with cloth or the hands, because fire came from the mouth of the Virāṭ Purusha, the cosmic Person. Then the rites of parisamūhana, paryukshaṇa and parishecana are done around the fire with a mantra, while going around it. The fire is then awakened (udbodhana) and invited (āvāhana) with this mantra:

“O Agni! Awaken. Indra and all the devas, Brahmā, Vishṇu, Rudra, Skanda, the dikpālas (guardians of the directions), the nine grahas led by Sūrya, the devatās of the parts of time, all the directions and the in-between directions: they all awaken you. Awaken and grant the wishes of the yajamāna (the one for whom the rite is done). O Deva of devas, we call you. You are the cause of creation, preservation and dissolution, the form of the Vedas, the support of the Vedas, the mouth of all the devas, honey-eyed, adorned with matted hair, Dhūmaketu, Vibhāvasu, rider of the parrot, adorned with every ornament, present everywhere, the fire of digestion, the form of radiance.”

After awakening and inviting the fire, pādya and arghya are offered to it. The heat of the fire itself must not be used to prepare the pādya and arghya. They must be made ready in the ritual space.

The Twelve Yajña Trees

Twelve holy trees give the wood prescribed for yajña (sacred fire offering):

1. Palāśa (modugu)
2. Khadira (candra)
3. Bilva (māreḍu)
4. Śamī (jammi)
5. Aśvattha (rāvi)
6. Vaṭa (marri)
7. Udumbara (meḍi)
8. Apāmārga (uttareṇi)
9. Phalgu
10. Kramuka (poka)
11. Candana
12. Devadāru

Uttaratantra (The Closing Rites)

After the prāktantra comes the uttaratantra. The presiding devatās of the present mahākalpa, kalpa, manvantara, yuga, saṃvatsara (year), ayana (half-year), ṛtu (season), māsa (month), paksha (fortnight), graha, nakshatra, tithi (lunar day), karaṇa (half of a tithi) and muhūrta (auspicious period) are invited, and āhutis (offerings) are made to them. Then several special āhutis are given, and the pūrṇāhuti (final full offering) completes the ritual. The fire is sent off with a prārthanā that the devatā, having received pūjā, will go to svarga and come back with blessings for the yajamāna, his kingdom, cows, brāhmaṇas, kings and people.

Āvāhana Mantras: Calling the Grahas

Here is a short summary of the āvāhana mantras (invitations) used for each graha, nakshatra and direction in the sarvagraha-yajña, the fire rite for all the grahas together.

For the maṇḍala itself: Dhruva (the pole star) is invited at the centre with the words “O Keśava, lord of all grahas, honoured by all the worlds, come!” Ākāśa (sky) is invited as Vishṇu’s third stride, Brahmā as the creator, and the earth and Śesha as the support (ādhāra).

Invitations to the grahas:

• Āditya: “Come, blazing one, master of all diseases, with a thousand rays, divine, lighting up all three worlds”
• Candra: “Come, cool-rayed one, form of amṛta, lord of herbs, lord of the twice-born, delight of all”
• Kuja: “Come, Skanda, commander, destroyer of the enemies of the devas, of fearsome form”
• Budha: “Come, teacher, giver of knowledge, son of Candra, lord of grahas”
• Guru: “Come, Indra, lord of the hosts of devas, destroyer of the daitya armies, holder of the vajra”
• Śukra: “Come, Bhārgava, lord of all beings, with Pārvatī, giver of rain or drought”
• Śani: “Come, Prajāpati, son of Sūrya, who shows good and bad fortune”
• Rāhu: “Come, lord of the daityas who gained the rank of a graha, dear to Vishṇu, whose pāpa was burned away by tapas”
• Ketu: “Come, Dhūmaketu, blazing like fire, destroyer of the pāpa of those who honour you”
• Gaṇapati: “Come, Gaṇapati, elephant-faced, beloved son of Pārvatī”

After the grahas, each of the twenty-seven nakshatras is invited in its own form and divine identity: for example, Kṛttikā as the eldest daughter of Daksha, Rohiṇī as the beloved of Candra, and Mṛgaśirā as Ilvalā. Then all eight directions are invited: Indra for the east, Agni for the south-east, Yama for the south, Nirṛti for the south-west, Varuṇa for the west, Vāyu for the north-west, Kubera for the north, and Śiva for the north-east. The four full pots at the corners receive the four oceans.

The closing prārthanā of the invitation says:

“No one can honour you properly, yet without honouring you no one can reach a high state. So I will try to honour you as well as I can. Please allow it. May the dikpālas of blazing radiance remove every obstacle from this pūjā. May all brahmarākshasas who block the yajña leave this place.”

Anulepa: Anointing Pastes

For the Nine Grahas

• Sūrya: saffron flower
• Candra: white camphor (pacca-karpūra)
• Kuja: red sandalwood
• Budha: aguru (aloe wood)
• Guru: saffron mixed with sandalwood
• Śukra: white sandalwood
• Śani: kastūrī (musk) mixed with saffron
• Rāhu: kastūrī
• Ketu: aguru and saffron together

For Some Nakshatras

If the particular substance cannot be found, plain sandalwood paste may be used for all of them.

Flowers for the Grahas and Nakshatras

All the devatās at the Dhruva-sthāna (the pole-star seat in the centre) receive jāti (jasmine).

Flowers for the grahas: Sūrya, the red lotus; Kuja, bandhūka (red flowers); Budha, the black water lily; Guru, green yūthikā; Śukra, white flowers; Śani, bāṇa flowers; Rāhu, pāṭala; Ketu, masaka (dapana).

Flowers for the nakshatras: Kṛttikā, red flowers; Rohiṇī, campaka; Punarvasu, jasmine (mallikā); Pushya, campaka; Āśleshā and Maghā, jāti; Svātī, sinduvāra (vāvili); Jyeshṭhā, campaka; Mūla, black kuhelikā; Śravaṇa, karavīra; Aśvinī, mango blossom; Bharaṇī, the black water lily.

If the right flowers cannot be found, flowers of the same colour that suit the devatā or the season may be used.

Dhūpa and Dīpa: Incense and Lamps

Devatās of the Dhruva-sthāna: guggulu (bdellium resin) mixed with ghee.

Incense for the grahas: Sūrya, aguru; Candra, sameru; Kuja, guggulu; Budha, sarja (sāl resin); Guru, śilājatu (shilajit); Śukra, śrīvāsaka; Śani, nakha; Rāhu, mada; Ketu, pasa.

Incense for the nakshatras:

For the directions, in order: camphor, saffron, sandalwood, kastūrī, turushka, aguru, kānta and guggulu.

Rule for lamps: lamps should burn cow’s ghee or sesame oil. Castor-oil lamps are not allowed.

Naivedya and Pānīya: Food and Drink Offerings

Food for the Grahas

• Devatās of the Dhruva-sthāna: curd-rice (dadhyodana) and pāyasa (sweet rice pudding)
• Sūrya: jaggery rice (guḍānna), jaggery pāyasa, jaggery milk and fruits
• Candra: puffed grain soaked in honey, ghee, curd-rice, fruits and pāyasa
• Kuja: jaggery rice, pūrikā, jaggery rice pāyasa and kṛsara (khichḍī)
• Budha: milk-rice (kshīrānna), cow’s ghee, fruits of milky-sapped trees and milky herbs
• Guru: fried grain dishes, bilva fruits, āmalaka fruits and ghee-rice
• Śukra: curd-rice, pāyasa with honey and ghee, ulkārikā and mocaka (banana) fruits
• Śani: māsha-rice (black-gram rice), ghee, kṛsara, and yāvaka-rice with peluguḍu
• Rāhu: chickpeas with horse-gram (uḷava) rice, plaksha, and puffed peluguḍu
• Ketu: māsha-rice, cakes (appam) of barley flour, lovikas, fish and kṛsara

Drinks for the Grahas

• Sūrya: gandhodaka (scented water)
• Candra: milk
• Kuja: date-palm fruit juice
• Budha: grape juice
• Guru: buttermilk
• Śukra: sugarcane juice
• Śani: meat broth
• Rāhu: fish broth
• Ketu: goat’s milk

Food and Drink for Some Nakshatras

Each nakshatra also has its own food offerings, suited to its nature and its presiding devatā. For example, Bharaṇī, the nakshatra of Yama, receives rice, sesame, animal figures made of dough (pishṭa-paśu), meat, pāyasa, ghee and honey. Rohiṇī receives seeds, curd, piṇḍī, figures of bulls, and so on. The drinks for the nakshatras follow the same rule of matching the devatā, as with the grahas.

Sources

• Vishṇu Dharmottara Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, Chapters 88–100
• Vishṇu Dharmottara Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, Chapter 88 (the maṇḍala)
• Vishṇu Dharmottara Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, Chapter 89 (nakshatra baths)
• Vishṇu Dharmottara Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, Chapter 90 (general method of pūjā)
• Vishṇu Dharmottara Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, Chapter 91 (graha baths)
• Vishṇu Dharmottara Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, Chapter 92 (fire ritual)
• Vishṇu Dharmottara Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, Chapter 95 (āvāhana mantras)
• Vishṇu Dharmottara Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, Chapter 96 (anulepa)
• Vishṇu Dharmottara Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, Chapter 97 (flowers)
• Vishṇu Dharmottara Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, Chapter 98 (incense and lamps)
• Vishṇu Dharmottara Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, Chapters 99–100 (food and drink offerings)