What Is Navagraha Shanti Puja?
Navagraha Shanti puja is the devotional worship of the nine grahas to invoke their grace and blessings. In Hindu tradition the grahas are honoured as divine beings, and this puja is an act of prayer and gratitude - asking for peace (shanti), health and well-being.
This article is purely about worship and devotion - mantras, lamps, offerings and charity - not about predicting the future. Many temples have a Navagraha shrine where the nine are arranged together, and devotees offer a lamp and circumambulate them. At home, a simple Navagraha puja can be done with sincerity and faith, asking the divine to bless one's path with steadiness and grace.
The Nine Grahas and Their Mantras
Each graha is honoured as a deity with a simple beej or namaskar mantra:
- Surya (सूर्य) - the Sun: Om Suryaya Namah; offer water (arghya) at sunrise and red flowers.
- Chandra (चंद्र) - the Moon: Om Chandraya Namah; offer white flowers and milk.
- Mangal (मंगल) - Mars: Om Bhaumaya Namah (or Om Mangalaya Namah); offer red flowers, linked with Hanuman bhakti.
- Budh (बुध) - Mercury: Om Budhaya Namah; offer green items and tulsi.
- Brihaspati / Guru (बृहस्पति) - Jupiter: Om Brihaspataye Namah (or Om Gurave Namah); offer yellow flowers and gram dal.
- Shukra (शुक्र) - Venus: Om Shukraya Namah; offer white sweets and flowers.
- Shani (शनि) - Saturn: Om Shanaishcharaya Namah; offer mustard oil, black sesame and a lamp.
- Rahu (राहु): Om Rahave Namah; offer to the lord with devotion and charity.
- Ketu (केतु): Om Ketave Namah; offered alongside Rahu in the puja.
Simple Navagraha Shanti Puja Vidhi
1. Bathe and take sankalp: Bathe early, wear clean clothes, sit facing east and resolve to do the puja with devotion for the peace and welfare of all. 2. Invoke Ganesha: Begin with Om Gam Ganapataye Namah so the worship proceeds smoothly. 3. Establish the grahas: Place a Navagraha image or yantra, or nine small heaps of rice for the nine grahas, on a clean cloth or thali. 4. Light a lamp and dhoop: Offer a ghee lamp and incense to all nine. 5. Offer to each graha: Going graha by graha, offer water, flowers, akshat and chandan, and chant each graha's mantra (ideally a few rounds on a mala). 6. Navagraha stotra: Recite the Navagraha Stotra or the Aditya Hridaya / Surya stuti as time allows. 7. Daan (charity): Conclude with daan - donate grains, cloth, oil or food to the needy, an act central to graha shanti. 8. Aarti and prarthana: Offer aarti and pray for shanti, good health and steadiness of mind, then distribute prasad.
The Devotional Spirit of Graha Shanti
The heart of Navagraha worship is devotion, gratitude and good conduct, not fear or prediction. The grahas are honoured as divine beings, and the puja is a way of bowing to the cosmic order and asking for grace.
The traditional remedies - lighting a lamp, chanting a mantra, giving daan, serving the needy and living with honesty - are all acts that purify the heart. A simple and beloved practice is to recite the Navagraha Stotra or to chant the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra for peace and well-being. The true 'remedy' is a life of dharma: a kind, honest and devoted life draws blessing, whatever the season. Worship the grahas with love, do good, and leave the rest to the divine.
What People Ask Most
What are the nine grahas in Navagraha puja?+
The nine grahas are Surya (Sun), Chandra (Moon), Mangal (Mars), Budh (Mercury), Brihaspati (Jupiter), Shukra (Venus), Shani (Saturn), Rahu and Ketu. In puja they are honoured as divine beings with mantras and offerings.
Is Navagraha puja about predicting the future?+
No. Navagraha Shanti puja is purely devotional - it is worship, prayer, mantra and charity offered to the grahas as divine beings, asking for peace and well-being. It is not about horoscope prediction.
What is the simplest way to do Navagraha worship at home?+
Light a ghee lamp, place a Navagraha image or nine small heaps of rice, offer water and flowers, chant each graha's mantra, recite the Navagraha Stotra, and give daan to the needy. Sincerity and devotion matter most.
Which mantra is good for overall graha shanti?+
Reciting the Navagraha Stotra honours all nine together. For peace and well-being, the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra is a beloved and powerful choice. Chant with faith and conclude with charity.
About the author
Acharya Vinaya Kapoor · M.A. Sanskrit, Mantra & Stotra Studies
Acharya Vinaya holds an M.A. in Sanskrit from Banaras Hindu University and writes the mantra and stotra commentary on Vandnaa. Her focus is on accurate pronunciation, traditional context, and helping modern readers connect with classical texts.
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