Budh Graha, Mercury, is one among the navgrahas, nine planets, as per Hindu tradition.

The movement of Budh Grah in a horoscope is very important in Hindu astrology. The
story of the birth of Budh is of great importance as the story also gives suggestions
regarding womens freedom to move away from a bad marriage. Budh is the son of Sage
Brihaspati and Tara. But he was fathered by Chandra, the Hindu Moon God.
Sage Brihaspati was the Guru of the Devas and he was only interested in rituals and
studies. The Sage never showed any interest in Tara. A disillusioned Tara soon fell in love
with Chandra and abandoned her husband.
Indra, the king of Devas, once decided to conduct a yajna to get stronger to face the
Asuras or demons.
Sage Brihaspati used this as an opportunity and said that he can only perform the yajna
with his wife by his side.
The Devas were divided on the issue. Some saw no reason in Tara returning to a husband
who only needed her for rituals. They argued that Tara should remain with Chandra, who
valued her as a living being.
But the Devas could not stop the yajna, so Indra decided that Tara should return to
Brishaspati. Tara returned reluctantly and the yajna was completed successfully.
But soon it was discovered that Tara was pregnant. Both Chandra and Brihaspati claimed
to be the father. Tara kept quiet. But as the debate raged, the unborn child cried out and
wanted to know who his father was?
All that gathered there were amazed by the desire of the child. The gods declared that he
will be Budh the lord that rules the intellect.
Tara answered to Budh that Chandra was his father.
Sage Brihaspati could not tolerate the events and he cursed that the child that Chandra
fathered will be neither male nor female but a neuter gender.
Indra who witnessed this event chided Sage Brihaspati and said that Budh will be known
as Sages son. From that day it was decided no matter who fathered the child, the child
will be always known as the son of the husband.
Tara in due course gave birth to Budh (Mercury).
Lord Budh has four hands. Sword, Thaal, Gada and Varmudra are seen in his hands. Lord Budh
has golden crown on his head and wears ornaments of yellow flowers and yellow clothes.
According to the Atharv Ved, Budh was born to Chandrama and Tara. Since the child was very
intelligent, Lord Brahma gave the name Budh to him. According to one story of Mahabharat, King
Manu got married his daughter Ila to Budh Dev. King Pururva was son of Ila and Budh. According
to Sreemad Bhagwat, the place of Budh Grah is higher by 2 lakh Yojan than Shukra Grah.
Normally, Budh Grah is associated with good things. But when it crosses the way of Surya Grah,
there is a possibility for Strong Wind (Cyclone), Flood and Drought. According to Matsyapuran,
Budh Grah is yellow in colour, The Rath is white in colour and is glowing with bright light, drove by
ten speedy horses. Budh Grah is the Lord of Mithun and Kanya rashi.

Chandra was a student with Brihaspati, the Teacher of devas. Tara was the wife of
Brihaspati. Tara fell in love with the beauty of Chandra and started living with him
deserting Brihaspati. When Brihaspati asked her to come back, she refused. Brihaspati
got angry and a war eventually started between Chandra and Brihaspati. Sukracharya, the
teacher of the Asuras joined Chandra in the battle. The devas joined Brihaspati in the
battle. A huge battle started. As the battle was due to Tara Kama, the battle was known as
Tarakaamayam. Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe feared the war might abolish
the world. Hence he came down and stopped the war. He convinced Tara, took her away
from Chandra and gave her back to Brihaspati. Budha, a beautiful kid was born to Tara.
Both Brihaspati and Chandra claimed to be the father of Budha. But Tara kept silence.
Budha himself got angry over this tussle and asked her mother to tell the truth. Tara said
that Chandra was the father of Budha.[2]

[edit] Growth of Budha

Chandra gives child Budha to Rohini and Kruthika, two of his wives to raise him. Budha
grows under supervision of Rohini and Kruthika. He grows in to a young man but he also
has the anger on his father as he grows due to the shame of his birth. He wants to rectify
the sin of his birth and hence goes to Saravanavana in the Himalayas to do Tapas. Vishnu,
pleased with the tapas, shows up to Budha and in his blessings Budha learns all the Vedas
and arts.

[edit] Temples of Budha

Thiruvenkadu in Tamil Nadu which houses the Navagraha temple has a shrine for Budha
in the northern end of the Brahmavidyambhika Temple.

[edit] In astrology
In Vedic astrology Budha is considered a benefic, unless he is joined with a malefic
planet, in which case he becomes malefic also. Mercury rules over Mithuna (Gemini) and
Kanya (Virgo), is exalted in Kanya and in his fall in Meena (Pisces). Budha is friendly
with the Sun and Venus, hostile to the Moon and neutral towards the other planets.Budha
represents intelligence, intellect, communication, analysis, the senses (especially the
skin), science, mathematics, business, education and research. The written word and
journeys of all types fall within his domain. Budha is lord of three nakshatras or lunar
mansions: Ashlesha, Jyeshtha, and Revati (nakshatra). Budha has the following
associations: the color green, the metal brass and gemstone emerald. The direction
associated with Budha is north, the season is autumn and the element is earth.

Budha - The Mercury

Gaja Dhwajaya Vidhmahe

Suka Hasthaaya Dheemahi
Thanno Bhuda Pracho Dhayaath
Piryangu kali Kaasyaamam
Roope'naa Prathimam Budham
Sowmyam sowmya Gunopetham
Tham Bhudham Pranamaam Yaham.
The one who is dark like the bud of Priyangu
flower, One who is unequalled in beauty and is
intelligent, And the son of Chandra, One who is
peaceful, I prostrate that Budha.
Knowledge, music, astrology, maths, sculpting, medicine, language skills are the
beneficial aspects of Budha. The sthalam of Budha is Thiruvengadu, which is located
15kms from Sirgazhi enroute to Poompuhar. Budha's wife is Ilai. The presiding deities
are Swedharanyeshwarar and his consort Ambal. Budha is the Lord of Mithunam and
Kanni Rasi and he faces the North-East direction. The Adi Devatha is Vishnu and the
Prathyathi Devatha Narayanan; his colour is light green; his vahana - the horse; the grain
associated with him is full green moong dhal; the flower - white kanthal flower; fabricgreen cloth; gem - maragadam; food - rice mixed with moong dhal powder
Mercury is known as Budha, the awakened discriminating intellect and the part of us that
knows. Mercury is benefice if associated with benefice grahas, and malefic is associated
with malefic grahas. He is known as grahapati, or lord of the planets.
Mercury rules over two signs of the sidereal zodiac, Gemini and Virgo. He is exalted in
Virgo at 15 degrees, and in his fall in the opposite sign of Pisces. Where the Moon is the
innocent mind, Mercury is the intellect that discriminates between benefic and malefic
ideas, or good and evil.
The intellect is neutral and becomes whatever it is associated with. Mercury is learned in
behavior. Mercury is a karaka or indicator of intelligence, commerce, education,
communication writing, books, humor, scholars, thieves and astrologers. Vedic sage
Parasara describes him; "Mercury is endowed with an attractive physique and the
capacity to use words with many meanings. He is fond of jokes..."
Mercury reaches full maturity at age 32. In Vedic myth Mercury is born of the Moon.
One myth recounts how the Moon, overcome with lust, abducts Tara, the wife of

Brihaspati, or Jupiter. Out of their union Budha, or Mercury is born. Thus the intellect is
born of the mind.
There is a relationship of enmity between the Moon and Mercury that belies a deep truth.
The Moon is innocent in its observation, while Mercury is evaluative and discriminating
in its observation.
Budha or Mercury is considered as the greatest among the wise. This Devata bestows
wisdom and wealth etc. on his devotees. He removes evil thoughts from their minds. He
is the chief among GNANIS (realized souls). He is considered Vishnu Rupi, because of
his beauty and resemblance. A prayer to Him, especially on Wednesdays brings in
manifold benefits like removal of all obstacles, helps one to get a progeny, possession of
fertile lands etc.
In the Zodiac this Devata is the Lord of Mithuna and Kanya. He stays like the Sun, one
month in each Rasi completes the cycle in 12 months, more or less closely in the
footsteps of the Sun. Mercury's favorite placement is rising in the 1st House. His nature is
VATA, or Airy. His gem is Emerald and his metal is all form of alloys. His direction is
north and his ruling day is Wednesday.
In Vedic myth Mercury is born of the Moon. One myth recounts how the Moon,
overcome with lust, abducts Tara, the wife of Brihaspati, or Jupiter. Out of their union
Budha, or Mercury is born. Thus the intellect is born of the mind. There is a relationship
of enmity between the Moon and Mercury that belies a deep truth. The Moon is innocent
in its observation, while Mercury is evaluative and discriminating in its observation.
Pure, innocent consciousness was at odds with the commercial, evaluative intellect in
ancient India as often as it is today!
This is the planet, which represents speech, communication and commerce on all levels.
In his lower function he organizes and articulates material resources.
On a higher level he connects us with our inner capacities, the powers of the mind. As
Jupiter generally represents the higher or abstract mind, Mercury indicates the lower or
concrete mind, the intellect or informational mentality. As a planet of commerce,
Mercury represents trade, or articles of trade, including money. He may value
communication and public opinion more than truth, and become dependent on and
defensive of whatever is the strongest environmental influence.
Under a strong negative Saturn influence Mercury can lose its power and show lack of
intelligence. Afflictions to Mercury do not always give lack of intelligence or intellect,
however. They may cause some other harm, like speech defects, nervous disorders.
Other planets, like Jupiter can give intelligence, but without a strong Mercury there will
be difficulty in expressing it, particularly through the written word. Telephone, radio,
television and computers are products of Mercurial needs aligned with the engineering
capacity of Mars.

Mercury Yantra: This yantra for Mercury is based on the number four. The numbers add
up to 24 for each column and 72 for the total.
METAL: ALLOY OF METALS
DHYANAM:
Priyangu kalikas yamam rupena pratymam Budham
saumyam saumya gunopetam tam Budham prana mamyaham
MOOLA MANTRA:
Aum hram krom aim grahanathaya budhay savaha
The Mercury And The Astronomy
Mercury is a small, rocky planet that is closest to the sun. It is covered with billions of
craters where meteorites have struck its surface. Its varied terrain also includes gently
rolling plains; smooth, flat plains; long, steep cliffs called scarps; and hills. Mercury's
surface is covered with regolith, a layer of scattered rubble created by the same impacts
that caused its craters. There are large sheets of ice on the planet's polar regions. Mercury
has a very thin atmosphere that is made of hydrogen, helium, potassium, and sulfur. It is
the only planet besides Venus without any moons.
At an average distance of 36 million miles, Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun.
Because of this it receives about seven times as much heat and light as the Earth does. In
fact, it is hard to see the planet from Earth without a telescope because it is so close to the
Sun. Mercury is the smallest inner planet; except for Pluto, it is the smallest planet. It is
also a very dense planet. It would take 16 times the mass of Mercury to equal the mass of
Earth. The planet's diameter is about 3,030 miles - that's about two-fifths that of the
Earth. Mercury's force of gravity is about one-third as strong as Earth's.
Mercury travels around the Sun faster than any other planet - that's why the ancient
Romans named it in honor of the swift messenger of their gods. However, the planet
spins so slowly on its axis that one day on Mercury would last 59 Earth days. That means
it rotates completely on its axis every 59 Earth days. It makes one revolution around the
Sun every 88 Earth days. However, the time between sunrises on Mercury is 176 Earth
days.
The side of Mercury that faces the Sun gets hot enough to melt lead. The temperature on
that side of the planet is about 810 degrees F. The side of Mercury that faces away from
the Sun gets hundreds of degrees colder than any place on Earth. The temperature on that
side of the planet is about -290 degrees F.