One of the “scientific mistakes” which people who argue against ancient Indian science point to is that, ancient Indian astronomers “wrongly” classified Sun and Moon as Planets, and did not include Uranus and Neptune in their list of 9 planets.
The very first common sensual mistake here is to assume that the definition of Graha is the same as that of modern planets. This was assumed just because there were 9 Planets and there are 9 Grahas. Now let us see the actual definition of each of these.
Definition of a Planet
Planet is defined as an astronomical body in the solar system that moves around or orbits the Sun.
Definition of a Graha
The Sanskrit word Graha is derived from the root verb ग्रह् which has 25 meanings. When referring to astronomical bodies, the word Graha means, the one that “holds or captures”.
In other words, Graha is an astronomical body which plays a significant role in protecting or holding the life on Earth.
Did you see the difference? Unlike the definition of a planet, whose primary attribute is “motion around the Sun”, Graha has a primary attribute of being “influencing life on Earth”.
Graha – The one that influences
What is so special about these Grahas? These are the significantly large neighbors of Earth in our Solar System who play a major role on the life on Earth.
The Sun gives us energy and keeps Earth in a stable orbit around it, the moon generates tidal force on Earth’s oceans. In the outer zone we have Jupiter and Saturn that shield the life on Earth from most of the incoming comets and asteroids and other giant rocks by attracting them by their huge gravity, without which life on Earth would have never survived. Remember, how just one rock that missed the influence of Jupiter ended up wiping out Dinosaurs!!
Then we have our immediate neighbors (Mars, Venus, Mercury) that have played a major role during the early days of planet formation ensuring that Earth remains in the habitable zone of the solar system. Earth is at the right distance from Sun which makes it neither too hot (vaporizing all water) nor too cold (freezing up all the water). Without these planets Earth probably would have ended up outside the habitable zone, and there would have been no life on Earth!
Weekdays and Grahas
Did you know? The seven days of the week are named after the first seven grahas in the same order as mentioned in the Sanskrit hymn Navagraha Stotra below
Om Namah Suryaya (Sun/Sunday) Chandraya (Moon/Monday) Mangalaaya (Mars/Tuesday) Budhaayacha (Mercury/Wednesday) Guru (Jupiter/Thursday) Shukra (Venus/Friday) Shani(Saturn/Saturday) Bhyashcha Rahuve Ketuve Namaha
The oldest reference to a seven day week can be found in the ancient Sanskrit text Gargi Samhita.
What about Rahu and Ketu?
The other argument made against Grahas is that, two of the grahas – Rahu and Ketu, do not exist at all!
Well yes, where have they claimed that Rahu and Ketu can be “seen”. Rahu and Ketu are actually classified as Chaaya Graha (meaning shadow grahas, not the real ones). Rahu and Ketu are actually the points of intersection of the paths of the Sun and the Moon as they travel in the celestial sphere. Rahu is the north lunar node and Ketu is the south lunar node.
It is also a well known fact that eclipses occur when Sun and Moon are at one of these lunar nodes (Rahu or Ketu). Hence you have this story in India about Rahu swallowing the Sun.
Rahu and Ketu are included in the list of Grahas, even though they don’t have any physical presence in the sky. This is because, these lunar nodes, by causing eclipses, exert a different kind of influence on life on Earth. The term Chaaya (“Shadow”) is used to describe Rahu and Ketu because moving into their shadow (position) causes eclipses of Sun and Moon.
The common phrase used in Indian languages, “why are you sitting as if Rahu has caught you” while referring to people looking blank, is because even the Sun goes blank when Rahu catches (influences) it.
Why no Uranus and Neptune ?
Most probably because they are not visible to the naked eye in the night sky. Or probably because they do not have any significant role in influencing or preserving the life on Earth.
Why no Earth ?
As you can see now, Earth is a planet, but not a Graha. Because Graha is an astronomical body that “influences” Earth, so Earth itself cannot be a Graha.
What about Pluto? Sorry, not a Planet anymore.
Coming back to modern astronomy, for those who are unaware, the number of planets today is not 9, but 8. Pluto was removed from the list of planets in 2006, and a new definition has been given to planets today which only applies to the solar system. According to this definition a planet in its orbit around the sun should also have cleared its orbits of any competing bodies for the orbit. Now since Pluto keeps crossing into Neptune’s orbit every now and then, and is dictated by Neptune’s gravity, Pluto is no longer classified as a Planet.
So while all these days modern astronomy taught us that there are nine planets in the solar system, today we are being told that there are only 8! The 9th one was a mistake.
Ok fine, but by the new definition of “clearing the neighborhood”, shouldn’t even Neptune be removed from the list of Planets? After all Pluto keeps crossing over into Neptune’s orbit every now and then. Neptune might be controlling Pluto’s orbit, but it definitely hasn’t cleared Pluto out of its neighborhood isn’t it?
We still have 9 Grahas and a consistent definition even after thousands of years, while planets have ranged from 7 Planets to 8 Planets to 9 Planets and back to 8 Planets now in just past 2-3 centuries ;)
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The meaning of GRAHA is INFLUENCE, HOLD, SEIZE, ACCUMULATE ,ETC. graha means something which can influence
Yes you are right. I did a dhatu analysis and found that in this context it actually means the one that captures or holds. Have updated the article accordingly. Thank you.
Dear, ahem, गुरुदेव,
ग्रह means seizing, catching hold of, perceiving in a certain way (or modulation of perception). I don’t know, but it perhaps also might mean: being seized by, being caught hold by, being under the influence on perceiving something in a certain way; such influences.
ग (गम) connotes to go. र connotes to remove. ह connotes to catch hold of (with a stress on rapidity or irresistibility of being subjected to such an action).
अग्र means the foremost (hence the tip of the pin). So, ग्र should mean going backward, getting lost in the background.
रहति means to leave, to quit.
So, ग्रह should mean something like: seizing irresistibly, unalterably modulating motion or perception; being subject to such an action, etc.
Contrast of र + ह vs. ह + र: हर means captivating, taking away, removing; one who captivates, takes away; the spiritual force that captivates you, such a God.
All in all, “ग्रह” is not simply that which moves. It must necessarily also involve the elements of the unalterably modulated or capturing/captured kind of motions/actions. The word could refer not just to physical bodies (whether astronomical or not), it could also refer to perceptions, mental states.
Best,
–Ajit
Hi everyone. I have seen lot of comments discussing (or can we say deciding) which one is true.
I don’t understand why we need to decide or believe all the stuff. Is there prize to catch if we find the facts? Or the influence (as derived from the author’s post) on our life is to be of any use?
Today, where we we are living, our life’s are more influenced by our thoughts and thoughts based on other living/non-living things around us.
Instead of searching where this universe goes or how the universe helps us, let’s find the fact where these thoughts are originating from?
One thing to mentioned (or say to ask), Does anyone know how our vision works (Basically, how the light that enters our inner eye (cornea) will not reflect back). if yes, compare it with the black hole concept (the facts we know about black hole till now).
It’s all in our brain just to understand what’s around us, just to satisfy little tiny thought that we are not alone…
Its the curiosity which has led humans to where they are. if not for the curiosity we would not be reading what you have wrote on this computer. Its called Discovering. Some want to discover universe & some like you want to discover cornea. Its the choice and type of education which leads to where we want to reach. That’s why humans are special animals. Because of super brains.
Recently read an interesting article regarding the star Arundhati-Vashishtha and the thousands-of-years-old-‘crap’-Hindu-tradition for newly married couples to look at that particular star in the big dipper… It was however realised just a couple of decades back (thanks to Hubble) that Arundhati-Vashishtha is actually a twin star system, and a peculiar one – in that both the stars revolve around each other. Then it dawns to the new age scientist that the tradition was meant to preserve knowledge in a most poetic way i.e. just as the two stars revolve around each other and not just one around the other, in the same way, the married couple should take care of each other…While Plato was talking about a spherical earth about 500BC, the crap Hindus from at least 5000 BC used the term ‘bhugol’ for geography, which can be translated as the Round Earth! There is a vast amount of ancient knowledge that the scientiests of today choose to ignore.
Pluto neptune Uranus not effect much on human so they are not used in astrology that why there names are remembered or used as time pass
I am always disturbed by this competitive attitude between science and ancient knowledge; in my opinion both exist and both exist in different worlds; there is no need to prove one to be superior. Trying to prove superiority reveals inferiority complex. The former is search and later is wisdom. Let us say, a grand dad is not in competition with his own grand son.
Hindu Ancient Wisdom existed with the available tools of those times and they seem to have done a tremendous job; they need to prove nothing to anyone and there seems to have been some knowledge beyond what the assumed tools can deliver. Something more is there and we have no way of finding out.
But Quantum Physics is finding out. It is searching and searching hard. Unlike our ancient wisdom that is ‘given’ – scientific search needs hard validity. It is a path of constant discovery. Many modern scientists are now amazed by the apparent similarity of Hindu texts, particularly Advaitha and Patanjali Yoga Sutra – of what they discover in their path to knowledge. There are books by Scientists on this and one book particularly is on how entanglement is some way could be what Patanjali Yoga Sutra achieves finally. This is where probably Science will reach. Connected consciousness and what you see by our eyes are but maya; these are not what you see; everything is unstable & an illusion – is something Quantum Mechanics tells us today. Rishies told us long back. Unfortunately, we cannot bridge the gap of that knowledge Rishies possessed to a demonstration today. We can only harp that they knew.
Coming back to Astrology of earlier times: think of it this way: it is but an attempt to understand in what way humans will be affected by the interplay of the known objects, that are moving. Earth was centre point, – not because scientifically it was centre point, – but because it was a science for humans and humans lived in Earth. The purpose was to make it human-centric.
Now we know that space-time is a continuum; we know that gravity distorts space-time; and we live in that space time. All planets are connected through this and entire universe is connected with a dark energy or whatever. So moving planets as our ancestors could observe over a period of number of years, is what Astrology is. Nothing wrong and there is but no conflict.
You cannot expect a naked eye observer with just meditation to help him, to do what a Hubble telescope or large hadron collider can assist in.
Our Ancient wisdom operated on a different plane and was so accurate that it is but sheer fascination that it evokes. Our Ancestors knew a lot more and we wish they are one day able to tell us when science breaks the time barrier.
Concluding this, I am always fascinated by this saying: “Those who know will not tell; those who tell do not know’. There is something there and final merging of humans with the complete consciousness (or black hole!!), while alive, is the ultimate resolution.
Ego is the biggest enemy of the knowledgeable and western science is full of egoism. That’s why those who never ventured out beyond moon and mars claim to be masters of universe. The achievements of western science is like a sandgrain in an ocean of unexplored science but they have developed so much ego to cause 2 world wars over racial superiority calling themselves master race.
graha in sanskrit means to seize, to grasp, to hold
You are correct.
Pretty much a crap. The so called shadow planets invented to make astrology look authentic. According to some these shadow planets plays major role in solar and lunar eclipse.
Though NOT everything ancient is WRONG and NOT Everything MODERN is RIGHT. We have been believing such type of things and see were we stand today compared to the rest of the world.
Many people seems to believe that almost all of the ancient knowledge came from India, Well I think people should read the Esoteric History of the Earth, they will then realize that almost everything came from the two lost continents of Lemuria and Atlantis.
The word “Lemuria” is a modern creation.
During the last ice age, while water was locked in polar glaciers, precipitation fell only on the coastlines, where human civilization was settled worldwide. Modern day Indonesia was a great continent (“Lemuria” if you like) with a great civilization. There was a continent south of India, too. But there were established cities and trans-oceanic mariners worldwide. Then the polar lakes burst their banks, triggered by a comet, causing the great deluges. (There were 2 – one about 13kYa, and one at 10.5kYa.)
See the works of Graham Hancock.
You are revealing your ignorance.
Lol ;-D seems like my ignorance is hurting you ! Hindu scriptures does contains lot of good stuff and at the same time it has lot of crap too and astrology is one of them. Next time you write to me check your graha positions and interpositions so that you don’t get back from me.
It’s unbelievable that people still believe in such nonsense even today. I have no problem in what you want to believe. But if you are judging me unnecessarily you will hear from me. So take a chill pill and relax.
I am not a believer in Astrology, but Rahu and Ketu are nothing but Northern and Southern nodes (places where the moon’s orbit crosses the sun’s orbit). These nodes also move every year to the extent of about 18-20 degrees. These are used for predicting solar eclipses. Read about the Saros Cycle and you will realise its imporatance in Astronomy
Recently read an interesting article regarding the star Arundhati-Vashishtha and the thousands-of-years-old-‘crap’-Hindu-tradition for newly married couples to look at that particular star in the big dipper… It was however realised a just a couple of decades back (thanks to Hubble) that Arundhati-Vashishtha is actually a twin star system, and a peculiar one – in that both the stars revolve around each other. Then it dawns to the new age scientist that the tradition was meant to preserve knowledge in a most poetic way i.e. just as the two stars revolve around each other and not just one around the other, in the same way, the married couple should take care of each other…While Plato was talking about a spherical earth about 500BC, the crap Hindus from at least 5000 BC used the term ‘bhugol’ for geography, which can be translated as the Round Earth! There is a vast amount of ancient knowledge that the scientiests of today choose to ignore.
Where does it say that Graha means “that moves” in Samskrita?
It means ” seizing , laying hold of , holding” and similar. Source Monier Williams.
Good one Saurabh. My exact sentiments. Even today tamil Brahmins use a localized version of the word “Graha” as Grahicchuko (meaning, “Grasp it”) when they tell their kids to understand a concept in some subject. The reason Sun, Moon, Rahu and Ketu are Grahas are not because they move but because they literally seize us-i.e. our fates-and control us. That is the context in which these entities are said to be Grahas.
Even “planet” means “wanderer” etymologically, something the author neglected to mention.
Astronomers can be pompous arses. If a dwarf galaxy is still a galaxy, a dwarf star still a star, and a dwarf human still a human, what gives them the right to say that Pluto is not a planet? It is, as is Eris and Sedna and all the many other planets out there (both astronomically and astrologically).
Dear Guruji, That was a fantastic article. And your defense and counter explanations in the comments section. Thank you. Best wishes.
Thanks Shankar.
After Einstein revealed the frames of reference – we don’t need to discriminate the heliocentic v/s geocentric theories. We know nothing moves absolutely in Universe/Multiverse/Whatever.
No, that conclusion not correct. Eris was known long back, so were many larger asteroids.
Read that link itself again. There are some conditions required by IAU for an astronomical body in Solar System to be called a Planet. Of them the one which Pluto does not satisfy is
It needs to have “cleared the neighborhood” of its orbit.
Pluto has not cleared its neighborhood as its orbit is influenced by that of Neptune. Hence it is no more a planet.
Although your argument is indeed correct Sir, but your very first line is flawed. “Eris was known long back, so were many larger asteroids.”….First of all, Eris is not an asteroid at all. It is a trans-neptunian object, kept under the category of dwarf planets much like Pluto. And secondly, Eris in fact, came to light as late as in 2005 & its discovery was the sole reason that motivated the International Astronomical Union (IAU) to define the “planet” for the first time.
AN eris by another name would still stand, would it not..? shows how ignorant you are! trans neptunian? no one said Asteroids were the sole posession of hte earth! they can orbit neptune too before giving in to its gravity and crashing in or going off orbit…
Albert, you are an idiot! Trans Neptunian Object isn’t another name of Eris! It’s a category of all celestial objects lying behind the orbit of Neptune. And your lines after that…they didn’t even made any sense. Your english sucks just like your knowledge of astronomy!
What about the asteroids? is there no mention of asteroids in astrology as well as astronomy?
Visible planets (in the astrological sense) have a stronger influence on human psychology. Invisible planets determine deeper subconscious influences and influences that are only becoming conscious now as our eyesight improves.
Excellent work. But Ive come across the vigraha vakya yam gruhathi thadh grahah. Our Indian science is so deep and subtle that it was built on both spiritual and scientific backgrounds. According to astrology talking Earth as reference point the whole of the cosmos influence every being its rather interconnected in the most hideous way. Hence out of all the cosmic bodies which exert influence on us only prominent ones are considered. so why Neptune Uranus are not considered as a deal of great distance their effect is so very feeble. It is just like infinite series of 1+0.5+0.25+ 0.125 +0.0625 ………… to get the complete answer which is 2 you must add all the infinite series of numbers so to give accurate astrological calculations you must consider the hole of cosmos keeping Earth as the reference point. But instead for practical purpose you can consider the first few which are very prominent 1+0.5+0.25+0.125+0.0625~=1.9 which is considerably accurate. So instead of whole cosmos consider the first Nine. And what more speak of heliocentric theory why Aryabhata just see in the temples where nine planets are worshiped and see whose in the center. This actually the symbolic representation of heliocentric theory and why else is Sun praised as the lord of the grihas? And what a pity our own Indians are doubtful enough to completely refuse this amazing science and run after the west so very pitiful of the people who are rich enough and think they are poor and beg to the rest poor.This is indeed good work
Correction –
Please read
“Dear Anonymous:- Gurudev already responded with lack of knowledge ”
AS
” Dear Anonymous:- Gurudev already responded about lack of knowledge on history of science….”
Hi, i am from Mauritius,where things have been quite distorted to fit our Mauritian Indian culture, and most priests give their different versions of things, which has somehow caused the younger generation to distract from from religious matters. i keep seeking the true meaning of things explained in our religious books on the net, since in Mauritius it is almost inpossible to have them. i gone through your blog, the facts you have given me some answers, i thank you for the info you have published. keep it up. these facts can enlighten lots of doubts in the mind of many people who knowingly or unknowingly try to distort the ancient scriptures.
Ok , they might not have known details of the planets and their orbits but they knew these celestial bodies existed . They even namedr 7 days of the week on them .
what I meant was , our Hindu scholars had a fair knowledge of the planetary system , with their bare eyes , thousands of years before Galelio was even born .
I’d rather trust modern science which is ready to correct itself based on scientifically verifiable evidence, than a system of underdeveloped science which turns a blind eye and refuses to change even after thousand years. While these are interesting from a historical perspective, they have no value in modern world and cannot be trusted with education of astronomy. So much for the claimed scientific accuracy, people back then didn’t even know earth revolves around the sun. So why still cling on it? The worst part is the stupid claim by astrology that the position of these grahas affect the life of every single individual on earth and shapes their lives. I sense that this article is trying to promote such unproven claims. The URL suggests this is in science and technology topic, which is even more inappropriate. History would’ve been the right place.
First please get your facts right about history of science. Ancient Indian astronomers were the first to state that earth revolved around the Sun long before it was even debated in the west. Galileo was tried and Giordano Bruno was burnt alive in 16th century for claiming that Earth moves around the Sun. On the other hand a thousand years before this incident, in the early 5th century, Indian astronomer Aryabhata in his book Aryabhatiam not only proposed the helio-centric model of earth revolving around the Sun, but he also accurately calculated astronomical constants like the periods of the planets, times of the solar and lunar eclipses, and the instantaneous motion of the Moon.
Now, coming to Grahas, what are planets? What is so much scientifically accurate about a planet which doesn’t make the largest asteroid a planet? Planet is not a classification which exists out there in the Universe. It is a classification which we humans have devised based on a set of rules for our convenience. So are Grahas, which are classified as astronomical bodies which move in the night sky as observed by naked eye. So there is nothing unscientific about this classification, unless and until you prove that planets visible to the naked eye dont move in the night sky.
And from where did you get this information about astrology and astronomy being the same in ancient India? It is like saying manufacturing computer mother boards is the same as quantum mechanics. Astrology was only an applied form of astronomy, and most texts on astronomy are completely void of any astrological inferences.
Did you even find an iota of reference to anything related to astrology in the above article? Just because the concept of Grahas is used in astrology doesn’t make it astrological, just like the misuse of Swastik by Hitler doesn’t make it a bad symbol.
And what is there clinging to it? It is a classification, more easily understandable to the common man than the definition of planets. And for that matter what is so scientific about the definition of planets, I can modify it to include asteroids as well as pluto. These definitions and classifications are just man made, and they are valid as long as there are no contradicting implications in it. So if Planets are valid, so is the definition of a Graha.
And how does this not become a science and technology topic, while something about just the planets can? Just because it is a Sanskrit term? We are not talking events here for it to be history, we are discussing scientific definitions.
In fact you forgot to appreciate the understanding of lunar nodes in this concept of Graha, that the ancient Indians understood how eclipses are caused, at what points, about the shadows, is all so clearly evident from the definition of Grahas. If this is not science, then what is?
BTW, one of the major introductions of astrology to India came from Yavanajataka which is based on an ancient Greek work.
You should study the “Electric Universe” and the electromagnetic connections (“gateways”) that exist between all planets and the sun, then study the effects of electromagnetism and plasma on human psychology.
Interesting indeed! You always write intriguing stuff :)
Thanks Pranav!
the seven days in a week,starting with sun ending with saturn,has to do with the distance from earth,i think.as all culture have the same order unlike months.
Hmm, After Sun comes Moon in the weekdays. and even if we ignore sun and start with moon then still venus (friday) comes after jupiter (thursday).
How the order of week days is arrived at is explained in the Surya Siddhanta.
Briefly the order of planets in terms of distance is Sani, Guru, Mangala,
Surya, Sukra, Buddha, Chandra. These 7 planets are each assigned one
hour to a day. The planet ruling the 1st hour at the time of sunrise
gives its name to that day. 24 modulo 7 = 3 thus the succeeding day
names will be the 3rd from the one in the list who rules current day. An
example will suffice to demonstrate what I mean. Suppose the first hour
after sunrise is ruled by Surya then that day will be Suryavara. Three
cycles of 7 hours will pass, the 22nd hour will again be ruled by Surya,
and the 25th hour, that is the 1st hour of the next day at sunrise will
be ruled by Candra who is the 3rd from Surya in the list. Thus the next
day will be Candravara. You can then continue the same process and 3rd
from Candra is Mangala, (Mangalavara) 3rd from Mangala is Buddha
(Buddhavara), 3rd from Buddha is Guru (Guruvara), 3rd from Guru is Sukra
(Sukravara), and 3rd from Sukra is Sani (Sanivara) and 3rd from Sani is
Surya (Suryavara) at which time the cycle repeats. Hence that is how
the order of the days of the week are arrived at according to the
Siddhantik method.
Graha in Sanskrit also has the meaning of attractive power (grAhaka) or influencing power. Since only the ones listed in navagrahas influence us …they alone are considered and no other planet as advocated by modern astronomy
You are speaking astrology, but here we are speaking astronomy,
That doesn’t change the meaning of the word graha. And besides astronomy only existed for the purpose of astrology.
Ancient Indian astronomy and astrology follow geocentric theory where earth is not only “considered” stationary rather believed as a matter of fact and hence no motion.
Do not mix astrology and astronomy, they both are not one and the same. It was astrology which believed about other planets influencing human behavior on earth, not astronomy.
Back then people didn’t differentiate astrology from astronomy. Astronomy is something that is developed purely based on modern science around 16th century AD. Before that, people who talk about stars and grahas were astrologers and what they studied was called astrology.
Very wrong information about history. Most ancient Indian works on astronomy dont even mention about astrology. Aryabhata first laid the foundations of astronomy more than a thousand years before the church burnt scientists alive in the west for claiming earth moves around the Sun. And Aryabhatta was not punished for claiming that Earth moves around the Sun, unlike Galileo was a thousand years after Aryabhatta.
Jyotish has several angas one of which is astronomy. You do not know the subject. I am sorry I have wsted my time reading and commenting on this thread. Surya Siddhanta mentions about the interpretaional part of astronomy. And why do you think Arya Bhatta was calculating position of planets just for fun – for astrology. The British may have left the country but still reside in your head. You really are a intellectually colonized person.
Hi Guru,
Yet another excellent post!! :)
many thanks for sharing these insights. I’ve been a regular visitor to hitxp. I have seen your wordpress blog and its great to see it getting evolved into this wonderful site. Lots of intellectually stimulating posts resting here are a treasure house of knowledge, i wonder if such precious sites should get insured ;)
It has become a daily routine for me, when ever in the night i surf net i do check hitxp, hoping to read a new article from you. Some time back you had stopped posting for long and i was like where has the dude gone…has he got engaged and giving time to his new life or something :p
At last, i would tell you that i’m still eagerly waiting for that unfinished series of “Alien twist to God”. I think you were aiming for a consolidated book instead of divided articles on this special subject. So, when can we expect more of it coming….i think it would be much better candidate of a bestseller, as compared to those fictitious book being written on Indian mythology today. Waiting :)
Haha, Thanks for all your interest and concern :)
I cant promise an exact date on the book, but its definitely going to happen, thats for sure.
Also Jai, yes was quite busy in between and couldnt post for quite some time. Hopefully there will be lot more and more frequently in the future.
The definition of Graha as the one that moves in the sky is a very wide definition in my opinion. With such an open bracket definition; asteroids, comets, moons of other planets should have become Grahas. One of the legitimate definition we find for Graha is from its own word – Grahya (like GrahaNa Shakti – Grasping/receiving power). It implies a heavenly body or geometrical point which has force of attraction on earth.
Also note that the definition of planets till yesterday was “bodies which orbit around the Sun”, and even comets and asteroids around the Sun as well. But they are not classified as Planets. So its not something that is quite straightforward in such classifications, and its the context that matters more than the textbook definition.
Why Mangala was omitted and Bhumi was added in the following shloka ??
“Brahma Murari Tripurantkari, Bhanu Shashi Bhumisuto Budhasch !! Gurusch Shukra Shani Rahu Ketuvah Sarve Graha Shanti Kara Bhavantu !!”
Looks like man was on Mars at that time if we go with your definition of Graha:)
Hello boss, it is Bhumisuto, not Bhumi, Mangala or Mars is considered the son of Earth which is what Bhumisuto means.
Dhanyavad for all emotional views. But it is a fact that the knowledge of Astronomy and Astrology blessed by various Rushies is yet to be studied in depth to understand a speck of it.
admin u r awesome !
Hats off !!!! What an analysis…. superb… awesome !!!