Shloka 16
Dhyāna of Hari and the Procedure of Āditya/Sūrya Worship
वज्रपाणिं च नैरृत्यां भूर्भुवःस्वश्च वायवे / ॐ चन्द्राय नक्षत्राधिपतये नमः / ॐ अङ्गारकाय क्षितिसुताय नमः / ॐ बुधाय सोमसुताय नमः / ॐ वागीश्वराय सर्वविद्याधिपतये नमः / ॐ शुक्राय महर्षये भृगुसुताय नमः / ॐ शनैश्चराय सूर्यात्मजाय नमः / ॐ राहवे नमः / ॐ केतवे नमः
vajrapāṇiṃ ca nairṛtyāṃ bhūrbhuvaḥsvaśca vāyave / oṃ candrāya nakṣatrādhipataye namaḥ / oṃ aṅgārakāya kṣitisutāya namaḥ / oṃ budhāya somasutāya namaḥ / oṃ vāgīśvarāya sarvavidyādhipataye namaḥ / oṃ śukrāya maharṣaye bhṛgusutāya namaḥ / oṃ śanaiścarāya sūryātmajāya namaḥ / oṃ rāhave namaḥ / oṃ ketave namaḥ
In the south‑west (nairṛtya) quarter, salutations to Vajrapāṇi; and to Vāyu, pervading Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, and Svaḥ. Om—salutations to the Moon, lord of the lunar mansions; Om—salutations to Aṅgāraka (Mars), son of the Earth; Om—salutations to Budha (Mercury), son of Soma; Om—salutations to Vāgīśvara, lord of all knowledge; Om—salutations to Śukra (Venus), the great seer, son of Bhṛgu; Om—salutations to Śanaiścara (Saturn), son of the Sun; Om—salutations to Rāhu; Om—salutations to Ketu.
Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa/Vinatā-putra)
Concept: Grahas and elemental powers operate as instruments through which karmic results manifest; salutations seek balance and auspicious alignment.
Vedantic Theme: Saguṇa-cosmos as ordered expression of Īśvara: many powers, one governance; acceptance of causality without fatalism.
Application: Use disciplined prayer/ethical living to mitigate harmful tendencies; treat ‘graha’ influences as prompts for self-correction and dharmic action.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: directional mandala + cosmological vertical axis
Related Themes: Garuda Purana: sections on graha-śānti and protective rites (conceptual); Garuda Purana: tri-loka framing (bhūḥ-bhuvaḥ-svaḥ) used in ritual contexts
FAQs
This verse functions as a devotional sequence of namaskāras to the grahas (including Rāhu and Ketu), aligning the practitioner with cosmic order and seeking relief from planetary obstacles through remembrance and reverence.
Indirectly: by invoking deities connected with cosmic governance (grahas, Vāyu, and directional powers), it reflects the Purāṇic view that embodied life and its experiences are shaped by subtle forces; ritual remembrance is presented as a harmonizing aid for dharma and spiritual progress.
Use it as a short daily or weekly prayer—especially on days associated with specific grahas—focusing on ethical living (dharma) alongside mantra recitation, since the text frames such salutations as supportive rather than a substitute for right conduct.