Unlocking the Secrets of Navagraha: Ancient India’s Cosmic Connection to the Nine Planets

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The Navagrahas are the Nine Powers of Cosmic Energy of Universe known as the “Nine Astronomical Bodies”. Temples for Navagrahas have been built by the concept of astrology and science by finding out the spiritual energy and vibrations. Over thousands of years of observing the night sky, our ancestors must have figured out that although everything in the sky moves around from East to West over the course of the night, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn has a secondary motion in the opposite direction over the course of larger periods of time.

Figuring out that Mercury and Venus are two objects rather than four (2 morning objects and 2 evening objects) must have been the next eureka moment in ancient astronomy. This much could be achieved by meticulous observation over very many years and by reasoning. Mathematics developed along with astronomy so some knowledge of trigonometry helped too.

Our ancient seers first confirmed the existence of planets and their influence on human life through Divya Drishti. Indian astronomers (Bhaskara, Varahamihra, Aryabhatta) developed mathematical correlations to find distant objects. Varahamihra developed Surya Siddhanta that becomes the pioneer text of Indian astronomy.

By the time of Surya Siddhanta and Bhagavata purana the phenomena of the phases of the moon and of the eclipses was understood in their modern sense. The fact that the orbit of moon was inclined with respect to the ecliptic was understood as well. Earth casting a shadow can be extended to planets and that is how Surya Siddhanta explains occultations. However, we see in the Surya Siddhanta that the diameter of the orbit of the outer planets were figured out correctly.

The tool of confirmation; According to Indian philosophy, the confirmation can be done in 3 ways; Katchi pramana – Visual confirmation, Anumana pramana – Confirmation by logics, Agama pramana – Confirmation by seers through Divya Drishti or Yoga katchi (Saiva Sidhanta)

Katchi pramana – Visual confirmation

The visual confirmation may give literal meaning as confirmation through eyes, but visual confirmation actually means that confirmation through sensory organs. Humans have 5 sensory organs viz eyes (seeing), ears (hearing), nose (smelling), tongue (tasting) and body (touching) and we use one or more than one of the sensory organs at a time to confirm the object or a situation. For example, the shape of an object can be confirmed by seeing.

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About Sanatana Dharma

ब्रह्म सत्यं जगन्मिथ्या जीवो ब्रह्मैव नापरः।
अनेन वेद्यं सच्छास्त्रमिति वेदान्तडिण्डिमः॥

Brahman alone is real; the universe is mithya – neither fully real nor unreal, but an appearance. The individual self (jiva) is none other than Brahman itself, not separate or different. This is the true teaching of the scriptures, as revealed by Vedanta. ~ Verse 20 from Brahma Jnānavali Māla