Ever wondered if planets could represent the story of your entire civilization?

As if they are telling you a tale. One that starts from glory and affluence to being almost destitute. Reason and dogma, the highs and lows of power, ambition and detachment, start and conclusion — the two extremes of it all.

What if you’re told that this journey follows a set path from the beginning? A path guided by the Navagrahas.

In Hinduism, the nine major celestial bodies, known as the Navagrahas — Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, plus the two lunar nodes Rahu and Ketu, are not just astrologically important but also deeply venerated. The most widely known Navagraha stotram (hymn for the Nine planets) was composed by the great sage Maharishi Ved Vyasa, and we’ll be analyzing this stotram to dig into its deeper meaning. Navigating the chronological order in which the stotram praises each planet we start seeing a pattern, one that illustrates the rise, peak and decline phases of a society.

Warning — Before you proceed any further, this is an analytical study of the stotram with a touch of philosophy and storytelling. It is to understand the pattern and a supposed evolution of society, perhaps hinted by the renowned Sage thousands of years ago. I don’t claim anything as concrete history.

Now moving on, this inner sky of a society follows a transition from the phase of one graha to the other. A better explanation could be if the chronological order in which each of these grahas are mentioned in the stotram, could be depicted as an Age or an Era. It would then be something like this:

☀️Age of Surya (Sun)

The one who shines like the pollens of the hibiscus flower, the great descendant of sage Kashyap. The destroyer of darkness and sin, I pray to you, O daylight giver.

• Characteristics of the planet — Illumination, vitality, leadership

The birth of a collective society with a charismatic leader. A unifying vision emerges, bringing together small and different groups of people. After years of tension and strife amongst themselves different groups of pastoralists, agriculturalists, merchants decide to live together in peace. There’s creative energy that gives birth to and shapes order. A raw, youthful confidence that shouts — “Yes, we can and will do it!”. Somewhere among them you can see the chosen leaders of the society huddled in a group — planning to gain power and attaining stability.

This is the ideological dawn.

🌙Age of Chandra (Moon)

The one who shines like curd or a conch shell, who emerged from the ocean of milk. I pray to you O Soma, who adorns the head of Shiva.

• Characteristics of the planet — Emotional, stable, nurturing

The collective society develops its cultural personality. An emotional identity is nurtured — language, rituals and festivals, symbols. Fields are now being ploughed and tilled. The harvest this year seems promising and the village is already busy making preparations for its annual festival. A woman is tending to the cows in her shed while her child is playing nearby. In the years to come her grandchildren and their grandchildren will be playing on the same land singing the same rhymes. A gentle smile adorns her face.

Now the societal structure has become beloved by its people.

🟠Age of Mangal (Mars)

The one born from the womb of Earth, whose brilliance is the same as lightning. Young and armed with a spear, I pray to Mangal.

• Characteristics of the planet — Ambition, courage, energy

The society is bursting outward with military campaigns. Ambition is channeled towards both expansion of the borders and defence of the existing land. The sound of the clippity-clop of the horse hooves becomes fainter as the leader with his cavalry and infantry marches ahead. Aiming to win is crystal clear in their heads. Hails of a warrior God echo the streets. A panting child runs towards the edge of the town hoping to catch a glimpse of his courageous father before he disappears into the horizon. Aspiration and bravery are not just priority, they’re the lifeblood.

This is the heroic age.

🌑Age of Budh (Mercury)

The one who is dark like the bud of a millet, with unparalleled beauty. He who is gentle, agreeable and wise, I pray to Budh.

• Characteristics of the planet — Intellectual, logic, commerce

With the strengthening and security of the land now ensured, administration is made efficient. Laws become codified and flourishing trade and networks boost the society’s economy. The market is abuzz with people buying goods and young students debating the product rates. The air smells of spices and foreign perfumes. At the entrance a scribe sits under a silk canopy, registering the caravans arriving from the foreign routes. Somewhere there’s an announcement of a grand celebration hosted by the royalty and everyone’s rushing to participate.

This is when the society has become smart, organized and wealthy.

🌕Age of Brihaspati (Jupiter)

The one who is the Guru of the Devas and Rishis, who is intellect and wisdom incarnate. The Lord of the three worlds, I pray to Brihaspati.

• Characteristics of the planet — Wisdom, righteousness, philosophy

A clear vision, proud citizens, courage and organization leads to wisdom. This is a society’s Golden Age. Education, ethics and prosperity are at its peak. Somewhere on their way to work, a man notices a tutor and the students sitting together and discussing the topic of the day. One of them seems to have raised a point and the entire group starts discussing it with great fervor. At lunch, the aroma of light spices waft through the air. Food is simple. Warm flatbread, lentils, milk with honey and fresh juicy fruits. The man chews and savours each flavour. At a distance, among a crowd of merchants, he could hear an accented voice heavily boasting how much they were able to sell for the day. Life is not about survival now, it is about thriving.

This is the apex of a wise, benevolent and culturally radiant society.

✨Age of Shukra (Venus)

The one who shines like snow and jasmine, the Guru of the Asuras. The one who is knowledgeable of all Shastras, I pray to the descendant of sage Bhrigu.

• Characteristics of the planet — Luxury, pleasure, creativity

With prosperity comes luxury and this is the Age where art, music and architecture becomes exquisite. Comfort and quality are a given in lifestyle. But.. as society becomes more elite and sophisticated, shadows aspects emerge. It is midday, when an official is walking towards the courtroom. They pass the exquisitely carved pillars encrusted with glittering gems. A border dispute is “solved” by gifting exquisite muslin to a rival kingdom. In the darkness of the night the brightness of the taverns was overpowering. But nothing was more stimulating than the loudness of the gamblers and the overpowering smell of alcohol. A Lord’s son didn’t like a peasant entering the premises creating a big fuss about it. The official sighs as they look down at their own jewel encrusted cup.

This is the society’s soft peak.

🪐Age of Shani (Saturn)

The one who has the appearance of black collyrium and moves slowly. The offspring of Sun, the elder brother of Yama. I pray to Shani, born of Shadow and Sun.

• Characteristics of the planet — Discipline, karma, justice

The society is now tested and structural weaknesses start to show. Opulence has given way to corruption which seeps into every aspect of the social order. A shopkeeper awakens to the heavy thud against their door. It is the dreadful tax collector. He remembers that somewhere on the outskirts there are parched fields because of the famine. The state coffers are hollow due to the civil strife between two rival princes and it’s his turn to feed their fuel a heavy share of his income. Evening comes and most of the students are returning home for the last time. Not receiving adequate food in their schools had made them desperate to simply learn a trade. As the shopkeeper closes the shop for the day, he realizes that it is not destruction that awaits but a reveal of the cost of past errors.

This is the age of karma.

🐉Age of Rahu (Northern lunar node)

The one who has a half body and is very brave. Who brings eclipses to the Moon and the Sun. I pray to Rahu, born of Simhika.

• Characteristics of the planet — Unpredictability, obsession, chaos

Following the test of karma, chaos begins. A nervous young girl keeps her head down as she walks past some foreign mercenaries and infiltrators who walk with haughty pride, invited in by one rival King to spite another. Leadership has become erratic, chasing illusions. At the public square a self-proclaimed “God” sings beautiful melodies of salvation and submission. Glassy-eyed people surround this figure hoping to get to the promised realm where their lost dignity will be restored. New marvelous machines are being built; she can tell with the constant clanging and the metallic smell. Innovation is happening — faster than ever — but it is the innovation of the predator.

This is the age of accelerating instability.

🐍Age of Ketu (Southern lunar node)

The one who has the appearance of red Palaash flowers, the head of stars and celestial bodies. The one with a fierce and terrifying appearance, I pray to thee.

• Characteristics of the planet — Resolution, detachment, spiritual mysticism

After the dissolution the society fragments into successor states. The once-mighty walls of magnificent architectures are now moss-covered mounds, and the grand palaces have been reclaimed by the forest. The clamor has faded into a profound, ringing silence. With the absence of material security a young man no longer seeks to conquer the world; but he seeks to understand the self. A wandering mystic passes through his neighbourhood. He carries nothing but a staff and a begging bowl, yet he is treated with more reverence than the mighty kings of old. The young man looks at the distant, jagged skyline, a city of gold peeks through the clouds and he feels a deep ache for the “glorious past” he never saw. An elder recites the ancient history much better than his forefathers ever could, because now, these things are all that’s left.

This is the age where the cycle is complete, transforming collapse into philosophical depth.

Navagraha stotram analysis and the Four-yuga cycle

Delving deep into the Navagraha stotram analysis, I found in it many similarities to the Chaturyuga (Four-yuga) cycle. In the Indian context, the Age of Brihaspati could’ve seen the establishment of the legendary Ram Rajya (era of Ram’s rule) and this era could’ve stretched till the great King Parikshit’s rule or sometime even before that. The story of King Parikshit’s famous encounter with Kali (the dark spirit of Kali-yuga) and ordering him to reside in places of gold, gambling and pleasure might’ve signalled the coming of the Age of Shukra, or Kali-yuga as we know it.

Does Ketu mean THE END?

For those that feel morose post the Age of Ketu, there’s an iconic quote which is my favourite from The Wheel of Time series:

“The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again.”

History repeats not just the mistakes but even the times that were golden.

Ketu takes away the power but leaves wisdom and experience. The cycle has not ended here; it has only been waiting for someone to get bored of the silence. A society that has seen both the highs, the lows and the in-betweens has the power to illuminate itself again by reigniting ambition and desire, not demonizing them. Life is fundamentally kinetic; it demands movement. A garden left completely untouched will eventually be reclaimed by the forest.

Such a profound way of composing the qualities of the planets in the exact order in which they could mean something! A true analyst of his time, Maharishi Ved Vyasa understood the past, studied the society of his time and predicted a hypothetical trajectory for the future. All in such a subtle composition.

Self reflection

Are there any parallels from these archetypes that you can notice around you? Can you foresee a prediction of the future of your society represented by the following archetypes? Or do you see things going in some other direction?

Do share your thoughts!

Credits:

• To my loving Baba, who in a wonderful evening discussion laid out the skeleton of this analysis to me.
• With regards to the translations of shlokas, I got help from different sites on the internet (that I missed and thus am unable share link).
• AI (Gemini, ChatGPT) helped me brainstorm, organizing the hypothetical scenarios within some of the Grahas with human prompts. The final content has been written, edited and approved by me.

At the heart of Kumartuli in a dimly lit studio, Duggarani stood at the entrance pouting. Today, Babu was hard at work. Surrounded by concrete walls and a tin roof at the top, he was giving a few finishing touches to the grand Dashabhuja he himself crafted. It was the night before Mahalaya and he had to complete this order before time. The idol was to be taken to a nearby Sarvajanin Pujo pandal in a few days.

“Come Maa Dugga, say what do you want?” Babu spoke in his deep, kind voice. Eyes still fixated on the idol.

“I don’t like studying.” This time her voice sounded nearer. Babu thought that she sat down somewhere near him. “ক (Kaw), খ (Khaw), গ (Gaw), ঘ (Ghaw)… I feel like a crow. They don’t teach anything interesting.”

Babu chuckled. “But Bornoporichoy is Bangla’s basis. And you know? Bangla was much more difficult to learn before Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar’s intervention. There were many Sanskrit derived characters that posed a great challenge for beginners. He simplified the alphabets making it easier for you to read.” He adjusted his thick rimmed glasses before continuing. “He advocated learning in Bangla for Bengalis to foster a sense of cultural pride.”

“Bengali pride means Durgo Pujo right, Babu? Dhakis, Dhunuchi naach and the tasty food!” Duggarani squealed in anticipation.

“Quite so, Duggarani. But do you know that the Shakti tradition of Bengal is way older than our modern day Pujo?” Duggarani muttered a soft ‘no’. “Okay.. let me tell you now how far in the past the pride of Bengal goes.”

“In ancient times Bengal used to be a part of different Kingdoms and regions. It was when the Gauda Kingdom was established by King Shashanka, Bengal became a prominent and unified identity. He is also credited with creating and introducing the Bengali calendar. But it was under the Pala Kingdom that followed when the Shakta tradition of Bengal truly started to grow. By then, the Tantra mode of worship was already prevalent in Bengal and many different Tantric iconographies like Durga, Chhinnamasta, Chandi, Kali, Tara and more came to be worshipped. Goddess Durga as Mahishasuramardini was a prominent theme in Pala Kingdom art.”

Babu took a short sip from the water bottle kept beside him and continued. “With the advent of the Sena Kingdom in the 11th century CE, Shaktism flourished alongwith Tantrism. The Dhakeshwari Temple was constructed as a Shakti peetha. Maa Kali, the more violent form of the Goddess, was deeply venerated alongwith the Buddhist Tantric Devi Tara as manifestations of the primordial feminine energy. It is believed Devi Tara came to Bengal through trade with the Himalayan Buddhists. With the advent of the Medieval age in India, came the many major conquests and attacks. Alongwith them there surfaced many dogmas that tore apart the spiritual fabric of India. It was around the 15–17th century that religion started to reform and become more personal, about equality and promoting regional languages to reach the masses. Bengal became a hub of this reformation, also known as the Bhakti movement. In the Shakta traditions, the Goddess Durga became a deity with whom a direct emotional devotion could be established irrespective of one’s caste and creed. This was in contrast to the esotericism practiced before.”

“Were there any local songs written on Maa?” Duggarani asked.

Babu nodded, “In the 18th century famous poet-saints Ramaprasad Sen and Kamalakanta Bhattacharya composed many devotional songs for Maa Kali. Combining the Baul music of Bengal with classical style and kirtan, Ramaprasad even created a new compositional form. All of his creations were written and sung in Bangla. A mystic and devotee of Maa Kali in the nineteenth century Bengal, Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, often loved to sing the songs of Ramprasad and Kamalakanta.”

“In the 18–19th century India was colonized by the British. Durga puja then used to be a celebration for the elite zamindars who would host the puja celebrations with much pomp and fervor. The British Lords used to be humbly invited symbolizing connection between the Bengali zamindars, merchants and the East India company. From the mid to late 19th century Nationalism began to rise among the Bengali community and Maa Durga became an integral part of the Nationalist movement. In 1882, popular Bengali literature such as the Anandamath by Bakim Chandra Chattopadhyay gave the people of Bengal and India the Nationalist cry of ‘Bande Mataram’. Maa Durga was now becoming synonymous to Bharat Mata.” Babu paused, feeling overwhelmed by emotions. “The Sarvajanin Durga puja was separate from the Durga puja hosted by the zamindars. It was a celebration of the masses and a centre of integration of Swadeshi messages and products, fostering unity against colonial rule. The first of its kind was organized in 1926 in Calcutta’s Maniktala area. Locally organized, people from all classes and sects were welcomed.”

Duggarani hummed. “Babu, I understand the importance of Shakti puja now. But how does it relate to me learning Bangla’s ক (Kaw), খ (Khaw), গ (Gaw)….?”

“Bangla is Maa Durga’s way of communicating with us. The various dialects of Bangla are like her various forms. One must not forget that you can only communicate with Maa through Matribhasha.” Babu smiled and stood back looking at the almost finished idol.

He turned to look at Duggarani but she seemed to have disappeared somewhere.

Picking up her copy of Bornoporichoy, now laying on the floor, Babu pondered. “Who’s child is Duggarani again? My memory is not so good these days.”

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु शक्ति रूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥

In the past few decades, it is noticed that the growth of many Indian languages has started to become a little stagnant with English loan words sharing a major chunk of space with our mother tongues. While loan words themselves aren’t problematic, the issue arises when they start replacing the words with similar meaning in a language. A language itself is a representative of a culture’s identity, history and unique perspective of the world. The cause of concern: The demand for languages that help us connect globally is homogenizing the uniqueness in independent languages.

Homogenizing of a language is subtly shaping what a culture should and should not desire, their aspirations and the way their society is expected to behave. And when this veil of illusion is observed, it is often debated that languages should be 'preserved’. Our daily lives which are mostly occupied by our survival needs, personal requirements and commitments finds it extremely burdening to preserve something of such a big scale, especially if there is no successful scope of ever using it. The result of it rarely seems to add to our struggling lives.

So, what can be done?

A New Word for a New Idea

The standard idea is to observe our surroundings, experiences and develop new concepts essential for our society. Accordingly, then we can ideate and create new words/phrases that are well-understood without need for description, easily spoken, pleasant and effective on hearing.

Done. But what now?

Assimilate the word in your daily usage or create a story surrounding the concept of the word. When you’re engrossed in a story or a narrative your mind will, on its own, make sense of the word. The concept will become clearer and acceptable due to similar experiences.

Storytelling has been the most human way of communicating even before words. Through stories, not only have we continuously understood the world around us but also empathized with it.

Why do we need this?

Developing our unique cultures and nurturing the society on a local level first than global level is the key to help give the space for our languages to grow. The most beautiful example of this type is English itself. It is considered a modern language which is useful for technological advancements. Could it be so because of how the language has evolved making it efficient for quick usage? That mystery would be up for linguistics to solve. But what also helped English grow is it’s confidence in its originality. A significant portion of its technological words comes from classical Latin and Greek, and yet English can take the credit for owning the terminologies. Simply because the associated cultures pioneered the Industrial revolution and most of the technological advancements in our near history. The confidence in the language comes from a cultural pride in kickstarting a world dominantly tech-based.

Growth is essential for a language to survive but that growth is unachievable without cultural pride. When the world seeks absolute materialism what the Indian culture can give back to the world is the opposite, वैराग्य (Vairagya: non-attachment). This balance is essential and no scale can tip too much to one side without creating absolute chaos. It is up to the individual belonging to a particular cultural identity to create newer thoughts, craft words and narratives for it. Making a language more active and expressive than ever before.

Copyright - Rajoshi Chakraborty