Your e - Acharya on Indian Tradition

The glory of Guru or Brihaspathi

In the solar system, Guru, Brihaspathi or Jupiter as his popularly known occupies the second largest position after the Sun. Jupiter is revered as celestial preceptor of the Gods.

The Rigveda, Skandhapurana, Matsyapurana, Shivapurana, Maha Bharatha and Bhagavatha reveal a wealth of information about this planet.

According to Shivapurana he was born to Angirasa and Suroopa. His brothers are Utathya and Samvartana. Once Indra and Brihaspathy were believed to have gone to Kailasa the abode of Lord Shiva. Shiva intends to put them to test and obstructs their path at the entry in the guise of a furious Digambara. Failing to recognise the Lord, Indra unleashes his most powerful weapon Vajraayudha on Shiva and falls prey to his anger. He is reduced to a heap of ashes. Then Brihaspathi is quick to realise god’s entity, appeases his anger and appeals to the lord to restore Indra to life. Thus Indra is saved by Bruhaspathi and with this he earns the title of ‘Jeeva’ the life giver.

As per the Maha Bharatha, Bruhaspathi is drawn towards his brother’s (utathya’s)wife Mamatha. The child in the womb of mamata accuses Bruhaspathi and he in turn curses the child to go blind. The child born was Bharadwaja.

Matsya purana gives a different picture about Brihaspathi. Shukraacharya is enamoured by a celestial damsel called Jayanthi and Brihaspathi works it out to his advantage. As Shukrachaarya remains under the magic spell of the beautiful damsel, Brihaspathi goes to the demons in the guise of their guru, Shukraacharya. The demons taking Bruhaspathi to be their guru, confide in him all the secrets. The demons are shocked to see their real guru arrive at a later point of time and were perpled to see their guru in two forms. There enures a fight between the two gurus and finally Brihaspathi vanishes.

Brihaspathi is married to three women. The eldest wife shubha begets him seven daughters. They are Bhanumathi, Raaka, Archishmathi, Mahaamathi, Mahishmathi, Sinivaali and Havishmathi. The second wife Tara gives birth to seven sons and a daughter. The youngest wife, who also happen to be his brother’s wife Mamatha gives birth to Bharadwaaja and Kacha.

The yellow lined Brihaspathi is always clad in yellow-coloured robes and sits on a lotus. He adornes a golden crown, garland round his neck and possess a wand, rosary, an urn and a “varamudra” (gesture of benevolence) in all his four hands.

Besides being a teacher to the gods he is also entitled to receive the share offered in Yagnas. He uses his mantric power to subvert the propitiation of the asuras to the advantage of the gods.

According to Skaandha Purana, Brihaspathi did great penance on the banks of prabhasa teertha for Lord Shiva and aquired the planetary position in the galaxy and also the position as devine preceptor.

Rigveda describes him as one with good looks and the one whose house, chariot, wand and vehicle are all of radiant gold.

Astrologically, his origin is traced to the sky. He faces east- ward, and lords over a region called sindhudweepa. Born into angirasa gotra his birthday falls in the year Angirasa, vaisaakha month on Ekadashi (Thursday)of Shukla paksha. His birth star is uttara. He presides over Dhanus (Saggitarius) and Meena (Pisces) raashis. He is at his best in Karkaata raashi. Guru spare runs for a year in each house of the zodiac. The day when guru shifts his house, there is pushkara in the respective rivers for a twelve day period. This is considered to be a holy time when people take a dip in the said river. This year Guru entered the house of Taurus and there was Pushkara for the river Narmada.

Guru reigns over for a span of sixteen years. Guru showers worldly- wisdom, progeny, prudence, propriety, benolance and honesty. Guru when joins Sun, spells out an inauspicious time- lag called Guru moudhyam. Guru favours gold, turmeric, horses, books, sugar, ghee, yellow-coloured cloth, honey, Chrysanthemum, marigold and all yellow-coloured flowers. To appease this planet it is recommended to give away bengal gram in alms.

The yellow-coloured precious germ called pushyaraaga studded in the ring is capable of warding off the malefic effects of Guru. Guru showers all his blessings to the signs residing in the houses 2, 5, 9 & 11 especially to 5 & 9.

The Bejaakshara mantra of Guru runs thus:

OM GRAAM GREEM GROUM SAHA GURAVE NAMAHA
and
OM IM SHREEM HREEM KLEEM BRIHASPATHAYE SWAAHAA

The biggest of all the planets in the solar system, the gravitational pull of Jupiter is two and half times greater than that of the earth. Guru befriends Ravi and Kuja, neutral to Shani and is hostile to Budha and Shukra.

Top