Adhyaya 94: Iconographic Standards for the Navagrahas (Planetary Deities) and Celestial Portents

Verse 1

*शिव उवाच पद्मासनः पद्मकरः पद्मगर्भसमद्युतिः सप्ताश्वः सप्तरज्जुश्च द्विभुजः स्यात्सदा रविः //

Śiva said: Ravi (the Sun-god) should always be depicted seated upon a lotus, holding lotuses in his hands, radiant like the inner glow of a lotus-bud, drawn by seven horses and furnished with seven reins, and shown with two arms.

Verse 2

श्वेतः श्वेताम्बरधरः श्वेताश्वः श्वेतवाहनः गदापाणिर्द्विबाहुश्च कर्तव्यो वरदः शशी //

He should be fashioned with a white complexion, clad in white garments, associated with a white horse and a white vehicle; holding a mace in his hand, two-armed, and shown as the boon-giver, radiant like the moon.

Verse 3

रक्तमाल्याम्बरधरः शक्तिशूलगदाधरः चतुर्भुजः श्वेतरोमा वरदः स्याद् धरासुतः //

Dharāsuta should be depicted wearing a red garland and red garments, holding a spear (śakti), a trident, and a mace; four-armed, white-haired, and granting boons.

Verse 4

पीतमाल्याम्बरधरः कर्णिकारसमद्युतिः खड्गचर्मगदापाणिः सिंहस्थो वरदो बुधः //

He wears a yellow garland and yellow garments, shining like the karṇikāra flower. In his hands are a sword, a shield, and a mace; seated upon a lion, Budha the wise bestows boons.

Verse 5

देवदैत्यगुरू तद्वत् पीतश्वेतौ चतुर्भुजौ दण्डिनौ वरदौ कार्यौ साक्षसूत्रकमण्डलू //

Likewise, the preceptors of the gods and the daityas should be fashioned in yellow and white, four-armed, bearing a staff (daṇḍa), displaying the boon-giving gesture, and holding the sacred cord and the kamaṇḍalu (water-pot).

Verse 6

इन्द्रनीलद्युतिः शूली वरदो गृध्रवाहनः बाणबाणासनधरः कर्तव्यो ऽर्कसुतस् तथा //

Likewise, Śani—the son of Arka (the Sun)—should be fashioned with sapphire-like radiance, bearing a spear, granting boons, riding upon a vulture, and holding arrows and a bow.

Verse 7

करालवदनः खड्गचर्मशूली वरप्रदः नीलसिंहासनस्थश्च राहुरत्र प्रशस्यते //

Here Rāhu is praised as one with a fearsome face—bearing a sword, a hide (as a shield), and a trident—granting boons, and seated upon a blue throne.

Verse 8

धूम्रा द्विबाहवः सर्वे गदिनो विकृताननाः गृध्रासनगता नित्यं केतवः स्युर्वरप्रदाः //

All the Ketus are smoke-hued, two-armed, club-bearing, and fierce of face; ever seated upon a vulture-seat—yet they are said to be bestowers of boons.

Verse 9

सर्वे किरीटिनः कार्या ग्रहा लोकहितावहाः स्वाङ्गुलेनोच्छ्रिताः सर्वे शतमष्टोत्तरं सदा //

All the planetary deities (Grahas) should be fashioned wearing crowns, as benefactors of the world. Their images should always be made to a height of one hundred and eight (measures), reckoned by one’s own finger-breadths.