Navagraha are the nine heavenly bodies and deities that influence human life on Earth according to Hinduism and Hindu astrology. Ancient Indian scholars extensively studied the stars and other celestial bodies in the never-ending spatial sky. This thorough study of astronomy and astrology eventually created the Jyotish Shastra which explained how the Navagraha, influence the lives of the earth dwellers.
The seven days of the week in the Hindu calendar also correspond with the Navagraha, and are named accordingly in various languages of the Indian subcontinent. Most temples in India have a designated place dedicated for Navagraha worship.
Surya, the God of the Sun is considered to be the leader amongst the Navagraha. Rightly so, as the other members of the celestial group revolve around Surya. He is considered the creator of the universe and the source of all life. He is the supreme soul who brings light and warmth to the world. The God is often represented with four arms, out of which two hold lotuses, one holds a staff and another one has a chakra. Each day he travels across the sky in his golden chariot pulled by seven horses. The seven horses are named after the seven meters of Sanskrit prosody: Gayatri, Brihati, Ushnih, Jagati, Trishtubha, Anushtubha and Pankti. This is a symbolic way of representing the splitting of white sunlight into seven colors of the VIBGYOR spectrum. The driver of his golden chariot is stated to be Aruṇa, a personification of Dawn who is seated.
Surya got married to Samugnya, with whom he had three children – Vaivasvata who was one of the 14 original men or Manu, Yama – The god of the death, and Yami – The goddess of the Yamuna river. Samugnya is often referred to as Sanjana in various scripts. Vishnu Purana tells the story that unable to bear Surya’s intense heat, Samugnya after giving birth to three children retires to the forest to practise harsh austerities in form of a mare, leaving her shadow-image Chhaya behind.
Chhaya Devi is the Hindu personification or goddess of shadow. Chaaya Devi looked exactly like Samugnya and Surya could not make out that she is a shadow. He lived with Chaayadevi and she gave birth to 2 sons, Saavarni Manu and Shani, and 2 daughters, Dhabadhi and Viyati.
