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The planet Venus is known as SUKRA in Vedic
astrology. Sukra means "white", or "bright" in Sanskrit.
Venus is a first rate benefic in Jyotish (predictions).
He rules over the two sidereal signs of Taurus and
Libra.
Venus is exalted in Pisces and in his
fall in the opposite sign of Virgo. Venus is a karaka,
or indicator of spouse, love, marriage, comfort, luxury,
beauty, prosperity, happiness, all conveyances, art,
dance music, acting, passion and sex, healing and the
saying of mantras.
Sage Parasara says of Venus; "Venus is
charming, has a splendors physique, is excellent or
great in disposition, has charming eyes, is a poet, is
phlegmatic and windy and has curly hair." Venus most
powerful position is in the 4th House and enjoys the
TRIKONAL Houses, 1, 5, and 9. Venus is a particularly
beneficial planet for Capricorn and Aquarius Ascendants.
Her nature is KAPHA, or watery in disposition.
SUKRA - THE VENUS
Her gem is diamond and her metal is
copper and silver. Venus' direction is Southeast and her
day is Friday. She reaches full maturity at age 25. In
Vedic myth Venus, or Sukra, is known as the Guru, or
teacher of the ASURAS, or one of the two camps of the
Vedic deities. Sukra therefore is a Brahmin, or the
highest priestly order, and is considered the forefather
of the Brig lineage of sages from ancient
India.
In Vedic myth the Asuras are the demonic
aspect of the divine and, like many of the ancient
creation myths, are locked in eternal battle with the
Devas, the auspicious aspect of the Divine. In one
episodic myth the Devas are particularly concerned in
their battle with Asuras because Venus knows the mantra
of immortality to raise the dead. This of course gave
the Asuras an unfair advantage in their battle with the
Devas. So Jupiter, or Brihaspati, the guru to the Devas,
sends his son Kaca (brightness) to study under Sukra.
Sukra has a beautiful daughter Devayani
(way to the gods), and she is quite taken with Kaca.
Now, the Asuras know what Kaca is up to, so like all
good demons they kill him. Devayani, of course, grieves
for him and tells father, so Sukra repeats the mantra
and Kaca comes back to life. Then the demons kill Kaca
again. Once again Devayani complains, and once again
Sukra repeats the mantra and Kaca come back to life.
Undeterred, the demons go about killing Kaca and Sukra
keeps resurrecting him. So the demons get a particularly
demonic idea and this time they kill Kaca and grind him
up into a fine powder and put him in Sukra's wine. Sukra
drinks the wine, Devayani begins her grieving, and in
response Sukra repeats the mantra, but this time he has
a stomachache as Kaca speaks from inside him. At last
the demons appear to be happy.
But, they ironically bring about the
very thing they were trying to prevent, for Sukra
reveals the mantra of immortality to Kaca, so when Kaca
tears himself out of Sukra's body he will repeat the
mantra and raise Sukra from the dead. This myth explains
why all Brahmins committed to spiritual life are not
allowed to drink wine, and one of the epithets of Venus
is: the one who "produces stomach problems".
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