Sun
A lamp in worship
BPHS speaks of offering flowers and cloth of the planet's colour, sandal, a lamp and guggul in worship of the planet.
When: —
Classical text · BPHS (Santhanam) 84.15–16
BPHS (Santhanam) 84.15–16
Lamps, temple visits and pilgrimage
Lighting a lamp on the planet's day, visiting its deity's temple, or a pilgrimage linked to it.
Lighting a lamp on the planet's weekday or visiting a temple linked with it.
Lamp, sandal, guggul and flowers and cloth of the planet's colour in its worship are in BPHS; temple visits are tradition.
Classical text · BPHS (Santhanam) 84.15–16
BPHS (Santhanam) 84.15–16
Sun
Sun
A ghee lamp on Sunday
Light a ghee lamp facing east on Sunday morning.
When: Sunday morning
Tradition
Sun
A Sun temple or Navagraha temple
Visit the Sun at a nearby Navagraha temple or, if you wish, travel to Sun temples such as Konark or Modhera.
When: Sunday, or Ratha Saptami / Makar Sankranti
Tradition
Do / don't
Do
- Visit with devotion and calm.
Moon
Moon
A lamp in worship
BPHS speaks of offering flowers and cloth of the planet's colour, sandal, a lamp and guggul in worship of the planet.
When: —
Classical text · BPHS (Santhanam) 84.15–16
BPHS (Santhanam) 84.15–16
Moon
A lamp at a Shiva temple on Monday
On Monday evening light a ghee lamp at a Shiva temple and offer water on the Shivalinga.
When: Monday evening
Tradition
Moon
A Navagraha temple, or Somnath
Visit the Moon at a nearby Navagraha temple; if you wish, a pilgrimage such as Somnath, which tradition links with the Moon god.
When: Monday or Purnima
Tradition
Do / don't
Do
- Visit with devotion and calm.
Mars
Mars
A lamp in worship
BPHS speaks of offering flowers and cloth of the planet's colour, sandal, a lamp and guggul in worship of the planet.
When: —
Classical text · BPHS (Santhanam) 84.15–16
BPHS (Santhanam) 84.15–16
Mars
A Hanuman temple on Tuesday
On Tuesday visit a Hanuman temple and light a lamp (ghee or jasmine oil).
When: Tuesday
Tradition
Do / don't
Do
- Visit with devotion and calm.
Mars
A Navagraha temple, or Mangalnath
Visit Mars at a nearby Navagraha temple; if you wish, a trip to the Mangalnath temple in Ujjain, which tradition links with Mars.
When: Tuesday
Tradition
Mercury
Mercury
A lamp in worship
BPHS describes offering the planet flowers and cloth of its colour, sandal, a lamp and incense. On Wednesday evening, light a ghee lamp at your home shrine and place green durva.
When: Wednesday evening
Classical text · BPHS (Santhanam) 84.15–16
BPHS (Santhanam) 84.15–16
Mercury
Visiting a Vishnu or Ganesha temple
Phaladīpikā counts 'the place where Vishnu is kept' among Mercury's places. Visit a Vishnu temple on Wednesday; in North India, visiting a Ganesha temple on Wednesday is also tradition.
When: Wednesday
Classical text · Phaladīpikā II.15 (V. S. Sastri)
Phaladīpikā II.15 (V. S. Sastri)
Do / don't
Don't
- Don't make a temple visit a bargain for results; it is time for devotion
Jupiter
Jupiter
A ghee lamp
BPHS describes offering the planet flowers and cloth of its colour, sandal, a lamp and incense. On Thursday, light a ghee lamp at your home shrine or beside a banana plant (the ghee lamp is tradition).
When: Thursday evening
Classical text · BPHS (Santhanam) 84.15–16
BPHS (Santhanam) 84.15–16
Jupiter
Visiting a Vishnu or Navagraha temple
On Thursday, visit a Vishnu temple or a Navagraha temple for Brihaspati's darshan, and offer yellow flowers.
When: Thursday
Tradition
Do / don't
Don't
- Don't make a temple visit a bargain for results; it is time for devotion
Venus
Venus
A ghee lamp
BPHS describes offering the planet flowers and cloth of its colour, sandal, a lamp and incense. On Friday evening, light a ghee lamp at your home shrine and place white flowers (the ghee lamp is tradition).
When: Friday evening
Classical text · BPHS (Santhanam) 84.15–16
BPHS (Santhanam) 84.15–16
Venus
Visiting a Lakshmi or Devi temple
On Friday, visit a Lakshmi or Devi temple and offer white flowers; you may also visit Shukra at a Navagraha temple.
When: Friday
Tradition
Do / don't
Don't
- Don't make a temple visit a bargain for results; it is time for devotion
Saturn
Saturn
The lamp as part of worship
BPHS asks that flowers and cloth of the planet's colour, sandal, a lamp (deep) and guggul be offered in the planet's worship.
When: During worship
Classical text · BPHS (Santhanam) 84.15–16
BPHS (Santhanam) 84.15–16
Saturn
A sesame- or mustard-oil lamp
On Saturday evening, light one sesame- or mustard-oil lamp at your home shrine or under a Peepal.
When: Saturday, after sunset
Tradition
Do / don't
Don't
- Don't leave the lamp unattended; keep it away from dry leaves and cloth
Saturn
Temple visits
On Saturday, visit a Hanuman or Shani temple; bow before Saturn at a Navagraha temple. As pilgrimage, people visit Thirunallar in Tamil Nadu (a Navagraha site) and Shani Shingnapur in Maharashtra. It is a matter of faith.
When: Saturday
Tradition
Rahu
Rahu
The lamp as part of worship
BPHS asks that flowers and cloth of the planet's colour, sandal, a lamp (deep) and guggul be offered in the planet's worship.
When: During worship
Classical text · BPHS (Santhanam) 84.15–16
BPHS (Santhanam) 84.15–16
Rahu
A lamp and temple visits
A sesame- or mustard-oil lamp at the home shrine on Saturday evening. A visit to a Durga or Navagraha temple. As pilgrimage, people visit Thirunageswaram in Tamil Nadu (a Navagraha site) and Srikalahasti in Andhra Pradesh. It is a matter of faith.
When: Saturday
Tradition
Do / don't
Don't
- Don't leave the lamp unattended
Ketu
Ketu
The lamp as part of worship
BPHS asks that flowers and cloth of the planet's colour, sandal, a lamp (deep) and guggul be offered in the planet's worship.
When: During worship
Classical text · BPHS (Santhanam) 84.15–16
BPHS (Santhanam) 84.15–16
Ketu
A lamp and temple visits
A sesame-oil or ghee lamp at the home shrine. A visit to a Ganesha or Navagraha temple. As pilgrimage, people visit Keezhaperumpallam in Tamil Nadu (a Navagraha site) and Srikalahasti in Andhra Pradesh. It is a matter of faith.
When: Tuesday, Saturday or Chaturthi
Tradition
Do / don't
Don't
- Don't leave the lamp unattended