KOYILNET

Mercury is the nearest planet to the Sun. Mercury according to Vedic astrology is called Budhan. It has nine rays. He takes one month to go from one Rasi to another. He commands over the stars Ayilyam, Kettai and Revathi. He is the commander for the Number 5 in astrology, i.e. the persons having date in the date of birth as 5, 14, 23. He is of golden color with four hands. In the Navagraha mandal he is in the North-East direction to the Sun, facing West.

He was born to Chandran and Tara, wife of Bruhaspathi (Guru of Demigods). Once when Chandran performed the yagna called "Raaja Sooja Yagna", everyone including Tara were present. On seeing the beauty of Chandran, she lived with him. As Devaguru's wife and Chandran became inseparable, Bruhaspathi started a war called "Tharagamayam" with Chandran for want of his wife. Lord Bramha intervened and asked Chandran to give back Bruhaspathi's wife. Thara became pregnant, and Bruhaspathi claimed that the child was his, but Thara intervened and said the child belonged to Chandran. That child was handed over to Chandran and brought up by Rohini and Krithikai. Lord Bramha, on seeing the brilliance and intelligence of that child, named him "Budhan." On knowing about his birth, he was very much ashamed and wanted a remedy for his father's fault, so he went to Saravanavanam in the Himalayas and did penance on Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu appeared before him and gave a boon that he would be well versed in Vedhas and Arts.

King Innian, son of Mannu, once went hunting to the Himalayas. When he and his horse bathed in a pond there, they became female. Budhan, on knowing this, approached Innian and married him; they gave birth to Parooravas. When Saint Vasishtar came in search of King Innian and found him in Budhan's ashram, he asked him to do penance on Lord Shiva to get back his true form. Lord Shiva appeared and offered that he would be male for one year and female for another. So King Innian took his son Parooravas with him to his kingdom. Saint Vasishtar also advised Budhan to go to Thiruvengadu in the Chola Dynasty and do penance on Lord Shiva there. Budhan went there, and Lord Shiva appeared before him and granted him the Graha status, wiping away the shame around his birth.

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. He is the indicator of intelligence, commerce, education, communication, writing, books, humor, scholars, thieves, and astrologers.