Yajnavalkya's Teaching on the Propitiation of the Planets

Verse 1 (garuda.1.101.1)

याज्ञवल्क्य उवाच । श्रीकामः शान्तिकामो वा ग्रहदृष्ट्यभिचारवान् । ग्रहयंज्ञं समं कुर्य्याद्ग्रहाश्चैते बुधैः स्मृताः

yājñavalkya uvāca śrīkāmaḥ śāntikāmo vā grahadṛṣṭyabhicāravān grahayaṁjñaṁ samaṁ kuryyādgrahāścaite budhaiḥ smṛtāḥ

Yajnavalkya said: One who desires prosperity, or peace, or who is afflicted by the malefic gaze of a planet or by sorcery, should perform a balanced sacrifice to the planets. These are the planets remembered by the wise —

Verse 2 (garuda.1.101.2)

सूर्य्यः सोमो मङ्गलश्च बुधश्चैव बृहस्पतिः । शुक्रः शनैश्चरो राहुः केतुर्ग्रहगणाः स्मृताः

sūryyaḥ somo maṅgalaśca budhaścaiva bṛhaspatiḥ śukraḥ śanaiścaro rāhuḥ keturgrahagaṇāḥ smṛtāḥ

the Sun, the Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rahu, and Ketu — these nine are declared the planets.

Verse 3 (garuda.1.101.3)

ताम्रकांस्यस्फाटिकाद्रक्तचन्दनात्स्वर्णकादुभौ । रजतादयसः सीसात्कांस्याद्वर्णान्निबोधत

tāmrakāṁsyasphāṭikādraktacandanātsvarṇakādubhau rajatādayasaḥ sīsātkāṁsyādvarṇānnibodhata

Copper, bronze, crystal, red sandalwood, gold — for both Rahu and Ketu — silver, iron, lead, and bronze; understand their colors —

Verse 4 (garuda.1.101.4)

रक्तः शुक्लस्तथा रक्तः पीतः पीतः सितोसितः । कृष्णः कृष्णः क्रमाद्वर्णा द्रव्याणि मुनयस्ततः

raktaḥ śuklastathā raktaḥ pītaḥ pītaḥ sitositaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ kramādvarṇā dravyāṇi munayastataḥ

red, white, again red, yellow, yellow, white, dark, black, and black — these are, in order, their colors, and correspondingly their materials, O sages.

Verse 5 (garuda.1.101.5)

स्थापयेद्गहवर्णानि होमार्थं प्रलिखेत्पटे । स्नापयेद्धोमयेच्चैव ग्रहद्रव्यैर्विधानतः । सुवर्णानि प्रदेयानि वासांसि सुसुमानि च

sthāpayedgahavarṇāni homārthaṁ pralikhetpaṭe snāpayeddhomayeccaiva grahadravyairvidhānataḥ suvarṇāni pradeyāni vāsāṁsi susumāni ca

One should install images in the planets' colors, and for the homa, draw a diagram on cloth. One should bathe and offer oblation duly with each planet's materials; gold and beautiful garments should be given —

Verse 6 (garuda.1.101.6)

गन्धाश्च बलयश्चैव धूपो देयश्चगुग्गुलुः । कर्त्तव्यास्तत्र मन्त्रैश्च चरवः प्रतिदैवतम्

gandhāśca balayaścaiva dhūpo deyaścagugguluḥ karttavyāstatra mantraiśca caravaḥ pratidaivatam

and scents, bali-offerings, and guggulu incense should be given. There, oblations should be made with mantras, for each deity —

Verse 7 (garuda.1.101.7)

आकृष्णेन इमंदेवा अग्निर्मूर्द्धादिवः ककुत् । उब्दुध्यस्वेति जुहुयादेभिरेव यथाक्रमम्

ākṛṣṇena imaṁdevā agnirmūrddhādivaḥ kakut ubdudhyasveti juhuyādebhireva yathākramam

with the hymns beginning 'ā kṛṣṇena,' 'imam devāḥ,' 'agnir mūrdhā divaḥ kakut,' and 'ud budhyasva,' oblation should be offered with these very hymns, in order —

Verse 8 (garuda.1.101.8)

बृहस्पतेपरिदीयेति सर्वे अन्नात्परिसुतम् । शन्नोदेवी कयानश्च केतुंक्रण्वन्निति क्रमात्

bṛhaspateparidīyeti sarve annātparisutam śannodevī kayānaśca ketuṁkraṇvanniti kramāt

with 'bṛhaspate parididhyaḥ,' 'sarve annāt paridhruvat,' 'śhan no devī,' 'kayā naḥ,' and 'ketuṁ kṛṇvan' — in the same order.

Verse 9 (garuda.1.101.9)

अर्कः पलाशः खदिरस्त्वपामार्गोऽथ पिप्पलः । औदुम्बरः शमी दूर्वा कुशाश्च समिधः क्रमात्

arkaḥ palāśaḥ khadirastvapāmārgo'tha pippalaḥ audumbaraḥ śamī dūrvā kuśāśca samidhaḥ kramāt

Arka wood, palasha, khadira, apamarga, pippala, udumbara, shami, durva, and kusha — these are, in order, their sacrificial fuel-sticks.

Verse 10 (garuda.1.101.10)

होतव्या मधुसर्पिर्भ्यां दध्ना चैव समन्वितः । गुडौदनं पायसं च हविष्यं क्षीरषाष्टिकम्

hotavyā madhusarpirbhyāṁ dadhnā caiva samanvitaḥ guḍaudanaṁ pāyasaṁ ca haviṣyaṁ kṣīraṣāṣṭikam

Offerings should be made with honey and ghee, together with curd; jaggery-rice, milk-rice, sacrificial food, and rice cooked with milk —

Verse 11 (garuda.1.101.11)

दध्योदनं हविः पूपान्मांसं चित्रान्नमेव च । दद्याद्गहक्रमादेतान् ग्रहेभ्यो भोजनं ततः

dadhyodanaṁ haviḥ pūpānmāṁsaṁ citrānnameva ca dadyādgahakramādetān grahebhyo bhojanaṁ tataḥ

curd-rice, oblation-cakes, meat, and mixed-grain food — these should be given, in the planets' order, as food offerings to the planets.

Verse 12 (garuda.1.101.12)

धेनुः शङ्खस्तथानड्वान्हेम वासो हयस्तथा । कृष्णा गौरायसं छाग एता वै दक्षिणाः क्रमात् । ग्रहाः पूज्याः सदा यस्माद्रज्यादि प्राप्यते फलम्

dhenuḥ śaṅkhastathānaḍvānhema vāso hayastathā kṛṣṇā gaurāyasaṁ chāga etā vai dakṣiṇāḥ kramāt grahāḥ pūjyāḥ sadā yasmādrajyādi prāpyate phalam

A milk-cow, a conch, a bull, gold, a garment, a horse, a black cow, iron, and a goat — these are, in order, the sacrificial fees. The planets are always to be worshipped, for from this the fruit — sovereignty and the rest — is obtained.