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  • Navgrah in Jain philosophy
  • author Posted by
    Jain Follower

    Navgrah in Jain philosophy

    6 months ago 126

    In Jain philosophy, “Navgrah” can be meant in two quite different ways, so it is important to separate them clearly:

    1) Navgrah as nine planets (from general Indian culture)

    • Names: Sūrya, Chandra, Maṅgal, Budha, Bṛhaspati, Śukra, Śani, Rāhu, Ketu.
    • In Jainism these are not worshipped as controlling gods of destiny.
    • Jain dharma teaches that only one’s own karma and effort (purushārth) shape the soul’s journey, not planets.
    • Some Jains may culturally acknowledge “navgrah” like in wider Indian society (for calendars, panchāng, etc.), but this has no role in the path of moksha – liberation depends on right faith, right knowledge and right conduct.

    2) Navgrah in specifically Jain usage – related to Navpad / Navkar In many Jain contexts, when people say “Navgrah Yantra” or “Navgrah numbers”, they are actually referring to nine supreme entities/virtues, not to the nine planets. These nine are the same as Navpad (Navapada):

    1. Arihant – perfectly enlightened beings
    2. Siddha – fully liberated souls
    3. Āchārya – heads of the ascetic order
    4. Upādhyāya – spiritual teachers
    5. Sadhu/Sādhvī – monks and nuns
    6. Jñān – right knowledge
    7. Darshan – right faith
    8. Chāritra – right conduct
    9. Tap – austerity (spiritual penance)
    • Some yantras or charts called “Navgrah Yantra” in Jain temples or books actually use numbers or boxes to represent these nine, to help focus the mind on these Navapada, not on planets.
    • So, here “grah” is being used loosely as “nine centres/points” of focus, but the inner meaning is purely Jain and identical with Navkar/Navpad, not astrology. ( jainknowledge.com)

    Spiritual point in Jain view

    • Whether we say Navgrah (in this Jain sense), Navpad or Navkar, the stress is always on:
    - bowing to qualities (guṇa), not to bodies - purifying karmas through ahimsa, self‑control, equanimity and tapas
    • Planetary worship or fear of grahas is not part of Jain sādhanā. A Jain can be completely free from such beliefs and still be a perfect follower of the path.

    If by “Navgrah” you meant planets, then Jainism treats them as non‑sentient parts of the universe, not as gods deciding your life. If you meant the Jain yantra/9 numbers, then it is another form of devotion to Navpad / Navkar Mantra’s nine entities.

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