Agni Purāṇa
164 - The propitiatory rite for the planets
Pushkara said:
1. Oneshould commence the propitiatory rite for the planets if one desires for prosperity or appeasement (of planets) or rains, long life, or nourishment or exorcising for malevolent purposes.
2-3. Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Råhu and Ketu (the ascending and descending nodes of Moon referred to as planets) are known to be planets. (The images of) these planetsshould be made of copper, crystal, red sandal, gold, silver, iron and lead respectively.
4-7. Otherwise (the images may be made) of gold and worshipped. Or their figures may be drawn in the circles drawn with fragrant materials. The dress and flowersshould be offered matching their respective colours. Lines made of perfumes and guggulu as the incenseshould be offered. Caru1should be offered to each god along with the sacred syllables (as follows):ā krusnena2 imam devā3, agnirmūrddhā divaḥ kakut4 and udbudhyasvas5 are said to be the syllables in order. Bruhaspate atiyadaryaḥ6, annát parisrutaḥ7, saṁ no devi8, kāņdāt9 and ketum kruņvan1o are the (syllables).
1. An oblation of rice, barley and pulse boiled.
2. Y.Dh. 1.299.
3. Y.Dh. 1.299.
4. APS. S. 5.28.11.
5. APS. S. 3.13.1.
6. APŚ. S. 17.21.7.
7. V. Sam. 19.75a.
8. Y.Dh. 1.300. RV. 10.9.4a...
9. APS. S. 16.24.1.
10. APS. S. 20.16.3. RV. 1.6.3a.
8-9. The arka, khadira, apāmärga, pippala, udumbara, sami, dūrvå and kuša are the twigs in order. Each one of theseshould be offered to fire one hundred and eight times or twenty-eight times together with honey, clarified butter and curd."
10-12. Rice boiled with coarse sugar, rice boiled with milk or water, cooked food, dish of liquid rice and milk, curd rice, ghee, small round cakes made of flour, flesh and rice mixed with coconut and other thingsshould be offered to the planets in the respective order. A wisemanshould feed the brahmins according to one's capacity after having worshipped them as laid down according to one's knowledge. Cow, conch, ox, gold, dress, horse, black cow, iron and goat are the things to be given as gifts in order.
13-14. Oneshould worship a planet with great effort if that planet remains in a bad house at that time for that person. They were blessed by lord Brahma (that theyshould be) worshipped (by the people). The rise and fall of the people are subject to the planets. They are the existence and the non-existence of the world. Hence the planets ought to be worshipped.
Summary of chapter 164 of the Agni Purāṇa is as follows:
Puṣkara describes to Rāma the complete procedure for the navagraha-yajña, the fire sacrifice propitiating the nine planets. Each graha is represented by a metallic image—Sūrya in copper, Candra in crystal, Maṅgala in red sandalwood, Budha in gold, Bṛhaspati in silver, Śukra in silver-white, Śani in iron, Rāhu and Ketu in lead—and receives flower-offerings, specific incense (guggulu for Śani), and a Vedic mantra unique to itself. Oblation-counts range from 108 to 28 per planet, and the prescribed dānas include cow, conch, ox, horse, and goat according to the graha. The chapter states that the disposition of the planets (sthāna) governs the rise and fall of kings, making this yajña a foundational rite of royal chaplaincy.
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