Mahabharata Quiz - 12

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Question -12

Are planetary lords of stars found mentioned in the Mahabharata?

Answer:

Yes.

Before answering, it must be conveyed that all 27 stars are lorded by 9 planets in Vedic astrology. Groups of three stars are given a planet as their lord. 

In the following table, the planetary lords are given in the last column. Each planet is associated with three stars in the row opposite to them.

Ashwini	Magha	Moola	Ketu
Bharani	Purva Phalguni	Purvashada	Venus
Krittika	Uttara Phalguni	Uttarashada	Sun
Rohini	Hasta	Shravana	Moon
Mrigashirsha	Chithra	Dhanishta	Mars
Arudra	Swati	Satabhishak	Rahu
Punarvasu	Vishaka	Purva Bhadrapada	Jupiter
Pushya	Anuradha	Uttara Bhadrapada	Saturn
Aslesha	Jyeshta	Revati	Mercury

This table is in use even today and is part of Vedic astrology. Giving pre-eminence to the Sun, the rows are rearranged in such a way the Sun occupies the top row. It will be found so in most Panchangas. 

Coming to the question of presence of this knowledge in the Mahabharata, there are two verses mentioning the planetary lord of the stars.

(1)

 One is mentioned by Vyasa as "Krittikasu Graha" which is the Sun (highlighted in the table).

"kṛttikāsu grahastīvro nakṣatreprathame jvalan

vapūṃṣy apaharan bhāsā dhūmaketur iva sthita" (6-3-26)

Krittikasu Graha is the 7th case implying the graha belonging to Kritika stars.

The meaning of the verse: 

"Krittikā’s graha, the sun at first blazing in Jyeṣṭha, the tīvro star, got sheared off and stayed appearing like a Dhūmaketu, a comet.”

Without knowing the presence of the age-old knowledge of planetary lords of stars, people keep looking for a planet near Krittika in their date of the Mahabharata.

The most ridiculous interpretation was given by Mr. Nilesh Oak who proposed Pluto as the planet near Krittika star because his simulator showed it for his date of the Mahabharata. As of today, Pluto is not even considered as a planet. It was not even part of Vedic astronomy / astrology. 

 (2) 

Another verse refers to the Moon as the planetary lord of Rohini. 

It says, (in the words of Karna), "prājāpatyaṃ hi nakṣatraṃ grahas"(5.141.7)

Prājāpatyaṃ hi nakṣatraṃ is Rohini (Prajapati is the deity of Rohini). Instead of saying Rohini, it is mentioned as Prajapati's star. Its graha is the moon. In the decipherment of the sky map it turns out to be true, matching with the other planetary features given in that context. 

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