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Brihat Jataka — Chapter 2: Grahayonibhedādhyāyaḥ: Nature & Planetary Cabinet (ग्रहयोनिभेदाध्यायः)

Sanskrit verses with English translation from Varahamihira. Read the full classical treatise on AstroFusion Learning.

Chapter audio (Sanskrit)

Verse 1 — Planetary Characteristics & Royal Cabinet

कालात्मा दिनकृन्मनस्तुहिनगुः सत्त्वं कुजो ज्ञो वचो जीवो ज्ञानसुखे सितश्च मदनो दुःखं दिनेशाम्तजः । राजानौ रविशीतगू क्षितिसुतो नेता कुमारो बुधः सूरिर्दानवपूजितश्च सचिवौ प्रेष्यः सहस्रांशुजः ॥ १ ॥

kālātmā dinakṛnmanastuhinaguḥ sattvaṃ kujo jño vaco jīvo jñānasukhe sitaśca madano duḥkhaṃ dineśāmtajaḥ | rājānau raviśītagū kṣitisuto netā kumāro budhaḥ sūrirdānavapūjitaśca sacivau preṣyaḥ sahasrāṃśujaḥ || 1 ||

Sun is soul, Moon is mind, Mars is strength, Mercury is speech, Jupiter is knowledge and happiness, Venus is desire, Saturn is grief. Sun and Moon are kings, Mars commander, Mercury prince, Jupiter and Venus ministers, Saturn servant.

Verse 2 — Planetary Castes, Gunas, and Elemental Sovereignties

विप्रौ जीवसितौ कुजार्कतनयौ क्षत्रप्रधानावुभौ वैश्यश्चन्द्रसुतः शशी च गुरुयुक् सत्त्वं रजः शुक्रवित् । तामिस्रौ रविपुत्रभूमिजसुतौ भौमाम्बुवह्नीन्द्रगो जीवेन्द्वर्कसुतादयो भुवि मरुद् व्योमाग्नितोयावन्यः ॥ २॥

viprau jīvasitau kujārkatanayau kṣatrapradhānāvubhau vaiśyaścandrasutaḥ śaśī ca guruyuk sattvaṃ rajaḥ śukravit | tāmisrau raviputrabhūmijasutau bhaumāmbuvahnīndrago jīvendvarkasutādayo bhuvi marud vyomāgnitoyāvanyaḥ ||

Jupiter and Venus are Brahmins; the Sun and Mars are Kshatriyas; the Moon is a Vaishya, and Mercury and Saturn rule over Shudras and diverse castes. The Sun, Moon, and Jupiter represent Sattva; Mercury and Venus represent Rajas; Mars and Saturn represent Tamas.

Verse 3 — Planetary Genders, Seasons, and Physical Dispositions

पुंस्त्रीनपुंसकाख्याः स्युर्भास्करार्यकुजाः स्त्रियः । शशी शुक्रश्च बुहमन्दौ क्लीवौ विज्ञेयौ मनीषिभिः ॥ ३॥

puṃstrīnapuṃsakākhyāḥ syurbhāskarāryakujāḥ striyaḥ | śaśī śukraśca buhamandau klīvau vijñeyau manīṣibhiḥ ||

The Sun, Jupiter, and Mars are designated masculine; the Moon and Venus are feminine; Mercury and Saturn are known as hermaphrodite or neuter by the wise.

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