The “Navagraha Yantra” – Mystical Diagram of the Nine Planets – is a talisman of unique importance. The effect of this yantra can be far more useful than gemstones at a very small fraction of the cost. Gemstones  tend to simply amplify the effects of a planet in your horoscope. A yantra however, can both amplify and improve the effects of your planets. The Navagraha Yantra is even more special because it works on all nine planets at once and in a mutually harmonious fashion.

Here’s how to appreciate, understand and draw the Mystical Diagram of the Nine Planets.

First start out with a square area. We are going to place all nine planets in this square, so divide it into 9 equal  sections – exactly like playing tic-tac-toe.

Next, go to the middle square and mark it as belonging to the Sun. If you can write Sanskrit, great. You can use Sanskrit planetary names. Other options are to use the Sanskrit names, but in the familiar English alphabet, or just use the familiar English names. One this good to preserve, though, is the respectful form of address. So if you are going to mark the planet’s squares using Sanskrit you would say “Sri Surya,” “Sri Chandra,” “Sri Budha,” etc. But if you are going to use English terms, you should keep some sort of respectful form in there, like, “Lord Sun,” “Lord Moon,” “Lord Mercury,” etc.

The middle square is for the Sun. Directly above the Sun is the square for Venus, and directly below is the square for Saturn. To the left of the Sun is Jupiter and to the right is Mars.

Once you’ve gotten this far, only the corner squares will remain unassigned. The upper right corner is the Moon’s. The upper left corner is Mercury’s. The lower left corner is Ketu’s and the lower right corner is Rahus.

Now you have each square named for each one of the nine planets. Hopefully, at this point, you have a question… “Why this order?”

I'll answer that in another article! =)

Now that you have each square assigned to each of the nine planets it’s time to put 3 important items in each square: an appropriate color, an appropriate shape, and an appropriate numeric formula.

First do the symbols.

• Sun: a circle with rays of light extending from it
• Moon: a circle
• Mars: a triangle
• Mercury: an arrow pointing up and left
• Jupiter: a square with small triangles in each corner
• Venus: a six pointed star (“Star of David”)
• Saturn: a bow pointing up.
• Ketu: a triangle with an extending line, like a flag on a pole
• Rahu: a bell with a flat top

Inside each symbol put a square. This square will hold the numeric formula. Before putting in the formula, color each square.

• Sun: Dark Red
• Moon: White
• Mars: Bright Red
• Mercury: Green
• Jupiter: Saffron-Yellow
• Venus: Clear and Prismatic
• Saturn: Darkness (Black-blues and black-purples)
• Ketu: Fuscia
• Rahu: Violet

OK, now It’s time to get awesome. It’s time for the numeric formulas. Essentially up to this point what you have done is created space and filled it with the nine planets. What you are going to do next, with the numeric formulas, is empower each planet to attain its fullest exaltation and operate at peak harmony with each other.

Start by drawing another tic-tac-toe board, inside each square you set aside for the numeric formula. So now what you have is one main square, with a tic-tac-toe board of nine squares within it. Each of those squares belongs to a specific planet, with a name, symbol and color. Within each symbol you had a square, and within each of those squares you now have another tic-tac-toe board. You have created 9 divisions within 9 divisions.

Now we are going to create the numeric formulas that will empower each planet and create harmony between them. Start by filling the upper center square on each planet’s formula area. Fill it with the following numbers:

• Sun: 1
• Moon: 2
• Mars: 3
• Mercury: 4
• Jupiter: 5
• Venus: 6
• Saturn: 7
• Rahu: 8
• Ketu: 9

You have now written in the numerological root for each of the nine planets in Vedic astrology.

Next we will focus on the Sun’s formula, for all the other formulas are based on this one. The Sun’s formula square, at this point, only has the number 1 in the upper center square. Now we are going to fill the rest of the squares with consecutive numbers starting from that root – but do so in such a way that every row and every column of adds up to 15.

Now it’s starting to feel more like sudoku than tic-tac-toe!

Now you can fill the formulas for each of the planets in the same fashion. For example, go to the Moon. Start with your 2 in the upper center and fill in every other square with consecutive numbers beginning from that root (2), in such a way that each row and each column adds up to 18.

Do the same for each of the other planets:

• Sun – each row and column add up to 15
• Moon – each row and column add up to 18
• Mars – to 21
• Mercury – to 24
• Jupiter – to 27
• Venus – to 30
• Saturn – to 33
• Rahu – to 36
• Ketu – to 39

Why and How the Yantra Works

At this point you will have a complete Navagraha Yantra – Mystical Diagram of the Nine Planets. But you probably don’t understand exactly why the numbers are so important and how they empower each planet to be at it’s best and work best with one another. So now I’ll explain.

First of all you’ll need to understand the importance of the number 9.

There are 9 planets. This yantra has 9 divisions within 9 divisions. Why is 9 so important. Because the symbology of human thought is a decimal, 10 based system – thus “9” is the highest number you can have in any single digit place. Therefore the number 9 is symbolic of the most powerful, the ultimate stage.

In this specific context 9 represents the planet’s highest capacity of power: “exaltation.” By association of the planets with the number 9, this yantra empowers each planet to attain its exaltation state. Let me show you how.

Let’s take the Sun first. Every row and every column of the Sun’s formula add up to 15. To derive the numerological value of a number greater than 9, add the digits together until you reach a sum below 9. For example. 15 = 1+5, or 6. Thus the numerological value of 15 is 6. Notice that 6 is a triangulation of 6 (3, 6, and 9 form a triad with 9 at the top).

Now, there are 3 rows and 3 columns in each formula. So to get the total value, we add them all up, or simply multiply by 6. So the total value of the Sun’s formula is 15x6, which is 90. The numerological value of the Sun’s formula is thus 9+0, which is 9.

Now do the same for the other planets, the triad value and the total value, expressed as numerological numbers are:

• Sun: triad is 6, total is 9
• Moon: triad is 9, total is 9 (18x6= 108… 1+0+8=9)
• Mars: triad is 3, total is 9 (21x6=126… 1+2+6=9)
• Mercury: triad is 6, total is 9
• Jupiter: triad is 9, total is 9
• Venus: triad is 3, total is 9
• Saturn: triad is 6, total is 9
• Rahu: triad is 9, total is 9
• Ketu: triad is 3, total is 9

So we find that this formula brings each planet into contact with 9 – thus connecting it to its highest potential energy.

Furthermore if you now make a grand total of all the formula totals for each row and column in the greater 9 squares of the yantra, you will find that this yantra creates harmony between all nine planets, but putting them all in a relationship which equals 9.

For example, across the top row we have Mercury’s total (24x6=144) + Venus’ total (30x6=180) + The Moon’s total (18x6=108) equaling a grand total of 432. To get the numerological value of 432, 4+3+2 = 9!

The same will be true for each row and each column.

The numerological value of the sum of each row and column of planets is a number equivalent to 9. For example, 378... 3+7+8=18... 1+8=9. Or 540... 5+4+0=9. And when the sums of all the rows and all the columns are taken together, the number is 3,348... 3+3+4+8 = 18... 1+8 = 9. Thus not only is each planet in this yantra operating at peak "9" efficiency, they are all cooperating together at peak "9" efficiency!

Thus the Navagraha yantra has each planet at its maximum energy, and in maximum cooperation with each other – a feat which simply cannot be accomplished with gemstones.

Using the Navagraha

You can obtain a navagraha yantra from a temple or hindu store, or you can draw it yourself on paper or with powders, paints, etc. These yantras can (and should) be additionally empowered with appropriate mantras – but even in and of itself they hold tremendous symbolic power to uplift the YOUR OWN ability to make the most from the karmas held for you by your astrological planets.

Observe and contemplate the yantra regularly. You can even worship the planets through the yantra, using incence, flowers, and candles.

— Vic DiCara