Indian Antiquary Vol 33

SR No.: 032525
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 514
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 17 MB

Page 65

FEBRUARY, 1904.)
MISCELLANEA.
5. -Adoration of Planets.' Sickness is not only caused by the displeasure of gods and demons but as well by the malignant influence of the stars ; an astrologer for a handful of betel, bulat hurulla, and a few coins reads one's ola horoscope (handahana), and finds out which planet is the cause of the complaint. To counteract the evil, & Bali ceremony is performed of a stone sacred to the baleful planet is worn: a sapphire for Saturn, a topaz for Jupiter, a coral for Mars, a diamond for Venus, an emerald for Mercury, a moonstone for the waxing moon, a pearl for the full moon, a cat's eye for the waning moon, and a ruby for the sun.
For the Bali rite the seven planets are represented by painted clay images on a large platform of split bamboo -- measuring altogether 10 or 12 square feet. The tom-tom beaters stand behind and play their drums, while in front the astrologer and his assistants - all of the Berayâyâ caste - with torches in their hands, dance and recite some propitiatory stanzas, The patient sits the whole time opposite the images, holding in his hand a lime connected by a thread with the chief idol; near him are strewed limes, flowers, betel, and dried paddy, and a stander-by throws portions of an areca-flower broken off at the end of each verse into a basin of water.
(To be continued.)
MISCELLANEA.
THE NAVAGRAHA ON NINE PLANETS, the next day has the sun - Surya - for its lord AND THEIR NAMES.
and so again the 19th hour gives Soma - the The Navagrahdh or "nine planets" of the
moon, as president of Monday, and thus Mangala Hindus are the five planets, properly so called,
presides over Tuesday, and so on. Sunday as
with western nations - is always regarded as the the sun and moon, with Rabu and Kêtuthe moon's ascending and descending nodes.
first day of the week. The worship of these appears to have originated Associated with these planets are their proin judicial astrology and in the belief that the siding divinities or lords. These are representplanets had a great influence over personal ed on paintings or carvings known as Rasichakras destinies. Hence they are divided into fubha- or zodiacs, of which three examples have been grahah or sad-grahan, - auspicious, and kerdra- published: the first in Bir Wm. Jones's paper grahdh or pdpa.grahdh,-those that are innuspi- on the Indian Zodiac (Asiat. Res. Vol. II., at
ious. The first includes Brihaspati, Sukra, p. 303);' the second in Moor's Hindu Pantheon Budha, and Soma when in the second paksha or
(1810), plate 88; and the third in the Transactions fortnight; the second includes Sani, Mangala, of the R. Asi utic Society, Vol. III. RAhu, and Kêtu.
Jones's plate has Mount Sumeru in the centre, The seven heavenly bodies are arranged, as by with cities, &c., round it, and bordered by a the Greeks, in the order -(1) Saturn, (2) Jupiter, narrow strip denoting an ocean; the upper side (3) Mars, (4) the Sun, (5) Venus, (6) Mercury, is marked parvadik, - east, the right dakshinaand (7) the Moon. The hours of the day were dik, the left uttara-dik, and the lower paschimadik. dedicated to these in succession, so that the 1st, Round this, beginning from the east and going 8th, 15th and 22nd hours of each day always fell round by the north, are representations of the to the same planet who also presided over the Navagrahdh in circles, each bearing the name in whole day thus, on Saturday, Saturn presided Nagart characters:-(1) Saryaḥ, (2) Vpihaspatih, over the whole day and over these four hours (3) Rahuh. (4) Badhah. (5) Chandrah, (6) Sanih, specially, Jupiter over the 23rd, and Mars over (7) Ketah, (8) Bhaumah, and (9) Sakrah.' Sur. the 24th hour. Hence the 25th hour or first of rounding the whole are the Rabis or twelve
Ideler, Handbuch d. Math. w tech. Chronologie, Bd. I., S. 178 1. ; . Ind. Ant. Vol. XIV. p. 822.
* This plato has boen reproduced in Brennand's Hindu Astronomy, 1896, p. 14, but without word of explanation or comment. .. Is the original plate, the first akaharas in the sixth and ninth names are of unusual and inaccurate forme.