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Mythological Story

Knowledge of mythology related with any planet or Nakshatra is very important as it gives the clue about the nature, traits, behavior, and characteristics which relate to a person dominated by that heavenly body. Mythology is a means to pass information to next generations in codified form and only that worthy will be able to decipher. It protects the knowledge getting in wrong hands. In any mythology, you need to understand the keyword rather than getting in literal meaning of story. I will try to highlight a few keywords which define the true nature of Mercury.

Birth of Budha

As per Hindu Mythology, the planet Mercury is the Son of Chandra and Tara. The Moon (Chandra) is a disciple of the Jupiter. The Moon used to go to Jupiter to learn and study. The wife of Jupiter, Tara fell in love with Moon as he was extremely handsome to look at. In course of time, both Tara and Moon developed an affair that caused the birth of the Mercury.

Later there was a dispute regarding his paternity, with Chandra claiming to be his father while Tara remained silent. Frustrated by the conflict, Budha demanded that his mother reveal the truth. Tara finally confessed that Chandra was indeed Budha’s father.

This act sparked a war between Chandra and Brihaspati, with Shukracharya, the teacher of the Asuras, joining Chandra’s side and the gods supporting Brihaspati. The war, known as Tarakaamayam, was fought over the desire for Tara. Fearing the destruction of the world, Lord Brahma intervened and brought the conflict to a halt. He convinced Tara to leave Chandra and restored her to Brihaspati.

To ensure Budha’s upbringing, Chandra entrusted him to Rohini and Krittika, two of his wives. As Budha grew older under their care, he felt a mix of anger and shame about his birth. Seeking to atone for the perceived wrongdoing, Budha embarked on a period of intense meditation and austerity in Saravanavana, located in the Himalayas. Impressed by his devotion, Vishnu appeared before Budha and bestowed upon him profound knowledge of the Vedas and various artistic disciplines. However, an alternate account suggests that Budha was actually raised by Brihaspati, thus making him his son.

One can find a temple dedicated to Budha at Thiruvenkadu in Tamil Nadu, which forms part of the Navagraha temple complex. This shrine is situated at the northern end of the Brahmavidyambhika Temple.

Budha Story

Budha, the son of Lord Chandra and Tara, grew up to discover the truth about his birth. Feeling like an illegitimate child, Budha grieved over his misfortune. He decided to leave home and sought solace in the Himalaya mountains, where he meditated and lived. Through his intense penance, Budha received divine blessings from Lord Narayana, who personally taught him various skills and Vedas since he had no guru.

Leading an ascetic life, Budha established an ashram called Gowri Thadaka near the foothills of the Himalayas. Despite his father Chandra’s care, Budha never experienced the love and care of his mother. He believed that his birth story would be mocked by the world, preventing him from becoming a great king of the Lunar Dynasty. Thus, he continued his ascetic lifestyle.

After being blessed by Lord Narayana, Budha transformed into a radiant and handsome young man. One day, an apsara (celestial nymph) fell in love with him and proposed marriage, offering to live together in the heavens. Realizing the consequences of indulgence and illegitimate children, Budha rejected the proposal. The apsara became angry and cursed him to become a eunuch.

Deeply saddened by the curse despite his intentions to uphold moral values, Budha approached Lord Narayana for help. Knowing that Budha was his own incarnation, Lord Narayana advised him to seek the aid of Lord Shiva, who possessed the power to remove curses.

Budha underwent rigorous penance, and Lord Shiva, pleased with his sincerity and goals in life, bestowed divine knowledge upon him. To alleviate the curse, Lord Shiva instructed Budha to bathe in the Surya, Chandra, and Agni ponds in Thiruvenkaadu, located in the Chola kingdom, and then perform a puja for Lord Shiva and Parvathi. Budha faithfully performed the rituals, gradually reverting to his original form and being completely relieved of the curse.

Lord Shiva promised Budha a place in the Navagraha Mandala for his achievements. Elan, the son of Lord Surya’s descendant Vaivashvata Manu, visited Budha’s ashram.  As Elan bathed in a pond called Parvati Thadaka, he transformed into a woman. Disturbed by the transformation, Elan sought Budha’s guidance and was informed about the curse placed on the pond by Parvati.

Realizing that returning to the kingdom in a female form would bring disbelief and mockery, Elan decided to stay in Budha’s ashram. Budha sympathized with Elan’s predicament and allowed him to reside there. Over time, Elan, now in a female form, requested to marry Budha, and they were wed.

Meanwhile, Elan’s family sought Sage Vasishta’s help when Elan did not return home.  Through his divine powers, Sage Vasishta learned about Elan’s situation and instructed him to meditate upon Lord Shiva to find relief from the curse. Lord Shiva modified the curse since it was originally given by Parvati, stating that Elan would alternate between being a woman and a man each year.

Elan accepted Lord Shiva’s decree and continued living with Budha as his wife during the female years. In one of those years, Elan gave birth to a son named Pururava, who later became a great king of the Lunar Dynasty through Lord Shiva’s blessings and his own efforts.

Through further penance, Budha obtained Lord Shiva’s blessings and mastery over 64 divine arts and skills. In the Navagraha Mandala, Budha became known as Vidya Kaaraka, representing the planet Mercury.