Myths and Facts about Grahas and Jyotish

There are a lot of myths surrounding Jyotish and grahas.

Today I will clarify them all.

As we all know, multiple astrologers tell multiple things about the effect of planets, bhavas, aspects, nakshatras,Kundli Milan, etc. But only few turn out to be true. Or, the predictions by astrologers for some people turn true and false for some. 

I will bust these myths and share some important and lesser-known facts about jyotish and planets.

1. Only some kootas necessary for some: When we do kundli milan, it is said that certain koota are not necessary for some varnas, like nadi koota is not necessary for kshatriya varna. However, this rule is not applicable in today's yuga. The koota/guna affect various parts of our lives. However, in today's yuga, all varnas are mixed up and everyone does everything. That is why all kootas are compulsory for guna Milan as the effects of these gunas will be surely be seen at some stage in the couple's lives.

2. Lal Kitab and KP astrology predictions: Lal kitab and KP astrology are very unreliable and most of the time their predictions don't have any reason or logic. Lal Kitab in general is meaningless and only a select few totkas of it work. Similarly, I have found KP astrology's predictions to miles away from the reality.

3. Planetary effects according to bhava: Another myth is that grahas show effect based on bhavas. Even though it is true that certain planets, when in favourable houses show good effects, but they effects are based more according to nakshatras than according to bhavas. For example, Shukra in Mesh is considered good but it in fact shows bad results. The 1st nakshatra in mesh is Ashwini nakshatra which is of ketu, and thus causes quarrels. Then, it shows good results when it moves through bharani. Then again when it moves through Krittika, the nakshatra of Sun, it causes quarrels as sun causes separation. It doesn't matter which bhava mesh may fall in for your zodiac sign, the effects will be similar. Planets show result according to nakshatras in lagna kundli as well during transit.

4. Planet & Bhava tattvas: Just like nakshatras, tattvas have a lot of importance. Tattvas of the rashi,nakshatra and planets in combination affect our mind and material life. I've observed that usually when a jal tatva planet like Shukra or Chandra enter an agni tattva sign, it makes the mind unstable and causes anger, lust,greed and such negative thoughts. During such a transit, the sadhak suffers lot of internal pain or negativity but the same wont appear on his face or demeanor.

When an agni tatva planet enters a water tattva sign, it causes pain in physical world. For eg, loss in business, fights, separation with family, wife, girlfriend/boyfriend, etc. The pain becomes visible in your demeanor and usually, such transits cause short or long term depressions. If you or someone is going through depression, it is highly likely that it is because of these transits.

Also, In reality, the house number's significance is only 10%. The power all good or bad effects depends upon - 1) the house lord's friendliness with the planet that is transiting or placed so in lagna kundli, 2) The nakshatra the planet is in, 3) The tatva of the planet vs the tatva of the sign.

That is the reason why, mercury shows good result in 8th house for mesh rashi because it is a jal tatva sign wherein prithvi tatva mercury is sitting.

Thus, the planetary friendship and bhava tatva will decide the nature of the effect if it will be 'good' or 'bad'. In this bhava tatva will win over graha maitri, and tatva will be most important.

The house number will tell the area in which the good or bad effect will be.

However, this rule of bhava having only 10% importance is not applicable for Chandra, Surya and Brihaspati. Irrespective of the nakshatra or the tatva of the bhavas, they will be highly malefic in 4th, 8th and 12th house in lagna/gochar. If the nakshatra or bhava tattvas are good, like for Vrishabh lagna, whose 12th bhava is mesh of agni tattva, the malefic effects will be less.

5. Predictions by astrologers: The predictions of astrologers should not be taken literally as they are generalized predictions. Nakshatra placement, tatva, friendship with lord of the house, bhava bal and graha bal have to be considered.

7. Ketu is terrible, merciless malefic: It can destroy life. It is as not as auspicious and people consider it to be. The remedy for Ketu is knowledge and learning. Whatever area Ketu is affecting, learn more about it, and become an expert or best in it. Ketu's bad results will stop.

8. Gemstones: Some believe that wearing stones of malefic planets will enhance the malefic effects. But that is not true. It is true that wearing the gemstone of malefic will enhance the malefic effects for some time, but after that, the positive effects will start showing up. This is part of spiritual things. That is why when someone chants a mantra for getting intelligence, in the initial days, he may feel a a lot of dumbness or negativity, but that is happening because all that was deep-rooted in him, and it is now coming out. But it will soon leave the body.

9. Chanting mantras of malefic planets: You can chant mantra of all planets whether malefic or not. It is a myth that you cannot worship when planets are in malefic bhavas as said by some astrologers.

10. Shani upasana: Lord Shani is a justice-loving god and his sadhana must be done carefully. Do not do tratak in his eyes and only worship if you can follow all the rules of his worship.

Some Facts about planets:

11. Moon: All planets get strength from the moon. If the moon is malefic, all will show malefic results.

12. Venus: Except venus, all planets in 12 are malefic. This is only true if the 12th bhava's tattva is compatible with Shukra, like water or prithvi tattva. 

13. All planets except Mercury and Venus are bad in 8th. This too is only true if the 8th bhava's tattva is compatible with Shukra or Budh, like water or prithvi tattva. 

14. Aadhi and pratyadhi devta of Shukra are Indra and Indrani respectively, not Lakshmi. But Lakshmi can be worshipped too.

15. A well-placed 9th lord is necessary for being a tapasvi sadhak.

16. Rahu creates illusion whereas Ketu removes everything that is not going to be permanent related to the bhava it is in. If Rahu is in 5th bhava, you will think that you have achieved a lot of knowledge in life, but in reality, you haven't.

17. Mangal in Brihaspati's house, conjunction or aspect doesn't cancel mangalik dosha. It enhances it - As compared to popular perception, Mangal and Brihaspati's aspect or conjunctions with each other aren't auspicious with regards to Manglik dosha.

18. Rahu's yuti and aspect on moon or lagna lord causes addiction.

19. Shani is a satvik deity. He is not tamsik.

20. Shadbala will control the rate of impact of planets. Weak planets and weak bhavas will show fewer effects. 

21. Shani and Ketu first take and then give. Rahu will give, but in the end, take all from you, unless you learn from your mistakes.

22. Rahu and Ketu are purely karmik planets. They have come here to give you fruits of your past life. 

23. Surya, Brihaspati, Chandra in 4th, and in 8th and 12th have come to cleanse sins of kalpas - whether during gochar or in lagna. No matter how many years of sadhana you may have done or how tapasvi you are, when these planets are in these bhavas, you will bear the fruits of your sins. Even if you may have removed crores of sins, you will still bear the effect of the 1 sin that is left. During this gochar, worship them religiously and do daan. From a normal person to a tapasvi sadhak or brahmin, these transits cause trouble and are fearful for all.

24. Ketu is a mass cleanser. Whichever bhava it will be in and whichever graha it will be with - it enhances their positive or negative effects. That is why, the recent gochar of Ketu when combined with guru the lord of dharma and shani the lord of justice, in the bhava of dharma i.e. dhanu; it is cleansing earth from millions of sinners and re-establishing dharma. When it will be with Brihaspati in 11th house, it will give great benefits when the person takes support of god in everything.

25. All planets only show positive results in 11th bhava is untrue. Nobody can prove it and I have never seen it be true for anyone. If it is, then it is due to the house' lord being a friend of the planets in that house.

26. Uccha & Neecha - When a planet is uccha, whether it has good or bad effects, they will be maximised. Similarly, when a planet is neecha, all good or bad effects will be nullified. A planet being uccha is good only if the planet is benefic, otherwise it is harmful. A neecha planet is a very good thing. Because, when a planet is neecha or asta either in transit or in lagna, it gives you an absolutely obstacle-free, free-hand on the houses that the planets owns or placed in. Then you can do whatever you want to achieve in those areas as the malefic kundli yogas of that planet's houses will not interfere. Then, those areas of life show instant effect. 

27. The following are the real adhi and pratyadhi devtas of each planet:

Surya - Adhi devta is Agni, Pratyadhi devta is Shiva.

Chandra - Gauri, Varuna.

Mangal - Skanda, Prithvi

Budh - Narayan, Vishnu

Brihaspati - Indra, Brahma

Shukra - Indra, Shachi/Indrani

Shani - Prajapati, Yama

Rahu - Pitru, Goddess Nirriti; or Brahma, Sarpa

Ketu - Brahma, Chitragupta; or Sarpa, Chitragupta

For Rahu & Ketu, vedas have different devtas than tantras. You can worship either and still get the same results.

The grahas works on the outside world to make things better. The Adhi devta represents the mental state on it. Whereas the pratyadhi devta represents and helps in - the growth in that area.

For Example, if your 7th lord is Venus, worship Lord Venus is you are going through some problems in love life and haven't been able to solve the problems even after trying multiple attempts to reconcile. Adhi devta is to be worshipped when you are filled with negativity and want to develop a love-filled thinking. Pratyadhi devta is to be worshipped to maintain love and happiness after being in a relationship or getting married.

Similarly, if your 6th house lord is Mercury, and if you are unable to have good health even after eating and living healthily, worship Budha. If have unhealthy eating habits and want to quit it all and live a fit life, worship Adhi devata Narayan. If you have diseases, worship Pratyadhi deva Vishnu.

The difference between Narayan and Vishnu is same as the difference between Shiva and Rudra.

Vishnu and Shiva stay above the cycle of birth and destruction of the world. Whereas Narayan and Rudra manage the maintenance and destruction of the world. But their names are used interchangeably.

Narayan has 4 hands but is standing, whereas Vishnu is sitting on sheshnaag in ksheersagar.

Now, its true that you can worship other gods instead of adhi and pratyadhi devta, but if the adhi and pratyadhi devtas are worshipped, you will see faster results.

28. Rahu & Ketu's aspects on each other: Another myth is that Rahu Ketu aspect each other. However, this is not possible as then, both the planets will constantly restrict each other's effects. It is not logical.

29. Rahu & Ketu's forms and their vehicles: Many images show Rahu as having a body and Ketu as having a lower body of fish, which is not correct. Rahu only has a head and no body. Ketu has a head of 3 snakes and lower body just like a normal human being. Rahu sits on a blue lion while ketu sits on a pigeon or fish.