Vedic Mantra Japa Number

Number of Japa (recitation) of Vedic Mantras for planets (after being increased 4 times for Kaliyuga):

Number of Japa
Planets	Number
Sun सूर्य	28,000
Moon चन्द्र	44,000
Mars मंगल	40,000
Mercury बुध	28,000
Jupiter बृहस्पति	76,000
Venus शुक्र	64,000
Saturn शनि	92,000
Rāhu राहु	72,000
Ketu केतु	68,000

Buddh (Mercury) in your chart

Buddh or Mercury is the lord of Gemini and Virgo. Buddh signifies intellect, communication, analysis, the senses (especially the skin), breathing passage, science, mathematics, business, education and research etc. Your brain development is determined by Mercury.  The ability to take right decisions is given by Mercury.

According to Hindu mythology, Buddha is considered to be the son of Moon. As per Vedic astrology, Mercury is believed to have benefic nature. However, if it conjoins with any malefic planet, it becomes malefic.

If Mercury is weak, malefic or deblitated in your chart:

• To make money stay or accumulate wealth, you'll need to improve your Mercury. A bad Mercury will cause your money to be spent or wasted by wrong decisions.
• You may suffer from breathing problems your whole life due to bad Mercury.
• Your colleagues will not favor you
• You may have skin problems or stones.
• Your throat will always be problematic
• Your business will never be able to flourish.
• You'll be ambitious, but will never be able to start business as you'll squander your money. Such people should be in partnership with someone or do remedies for Mercury.

• Such people change their line of work many times, despite being smart. "Grass is always greener in the other line of work".
• They stop liking the new line of work despite moving into it after a lot of research. They start thinking that the other line of work would've been better.
• Such people's money is blocked with other people and others even end up running away with their money.
• They spend a lot of money on their business, which never comes back to them.
•  Dementia in old age
• Indecisive or prone to taking incorrect decisions
• Such people don't have good smelling power. 
• You'll start becoming lonely
• Makes you ever-ready to fight.
• Your expectations become so high that you start disliking others.
• In old age it makes you lonely as people start going away from you.
• Your head will hurt if you do intensive thinking.

Mercury also causes problems with speech (vani dosh). You aren't able to communicate properly or say appropriate thing at the appropriate time. You cannot communicate your feelings well.

• Your tongue will get caught between your teeth
• You will get blisters on the tongue.
• You'll get small ulcers in your mouth and tongue.
• Your tongue starts to become white.
• Singing becomes very difficult and voice becomes harsh and heavy
• Causes swelling in throat.
• Causes thyroid problem.
• Causes coughing.
• Your voice will become very unpleasant for others to hear even if you're not saying anything in anger.
• Bad Mercury causes the finger to go outwards and also bend towards the palm (notice the top tip of finger):

If Buddh is well placed, of own sign, Mooltrikone sign, exhalted in your chart:

• You can become a very good lawyer, astrologer, writer or singer.
• You can be good in politics, good orator.
• You will do well in business and money management
• You will be good in logic and mathematics.

Remedies for Buddha related problems during it's Dasa/ Antardasa/ Pratyantardasha are as follows:

1. Worship Lord Vishnu.
2. Recite Vishnu sahasranama stotra.
3. Japa of the Budha beeja mantra for 17000 times in 40 days.
4. Recite the Budha stotra.
5. Charity: Donate Udad dal on Wednesday.
6. Fasting: On Wednesdays.
7. Pooja: Vishnu pooja.
8. Rudraksha: Wear a 10 mukhi Rudraksha.
9. Jadi: Vidhara Mool
10. Gemstone: Emerald

How to Know Your Ishta Devta

 Ishta Devta means "Deity to be Worshiped". Ishta Devta helps us attaining Moksha and coming out of endless cycle of life and death. It is possible to know one’s Ishta Devta by studying the native’s birth chart.

There are different deities assigned to different planets or planetary combinations.

Method of knowing one’s Ishta Devta

Step 1: In the birth chart (D-1), look out for the Atmakaraka (AK). Atmakaraka is the planet that has attained maximum degrees in the birth chart.

Step 2: Make the Karkamsha chart for D-1. Look for sign occupied by the Atmakaraka planet in Navamsa (D-9). Make a chart with this sign, with planets posted as per D1. This is the Karakamsha chart.

Step 3: Note which planet(s) occupy 12th house from Karakamsha lagna. Ishta Devta is to be ascertained by this planet/ planets. In case the 12th house or sign in Karakamsha chart is empty, the lord of the 12th house is known as the Ishta Devta. Below is a list of deities that correspond to various planets and can be used in finding out the Ishta Devta.

Planet	Deity
Sun (Surya)	Shiva, Rama
Moon (Chandra)	Krishna, Gauri, Lalita, Saraswati
Mars (Mangal)	Hanuman, Rudra, Kartikeya (Subrahmanya), Narasimha
Mercury (Buddh)	Vishnu, Narayana
Jupiter (Guru)	Hayagreeva, Vishnu, Indra, Dattatreya, Any Guru
Venus (Shukra)	Lakshmi, Parvati
Saturn (Shani)	Vishnu, Brahma
Rahu	Durga, Narasimha, Kaal Bhairava
Ketu	Ganesha

As per Jaimini Sutram, following is the association between planets and corresponding deities:

• Sun (Surya) – Lord Shiva
• Moon (Chandra) – Gouri
• Venus (Shukra) – Lakshmi
• Mars (Mangal) – Skanda (Kartikeya)
• Mercury (Buddha) – Lord Vishnu
• Saturn (Shani) – Lord Vishnu
• Jupiter (Guru) – Samba Shiva
• Rahu – Tamasi or Durga
• Ketu – Lord Ganesha

How to do proper Deepwali (Diwali) Pooja

As we all know Diwali is main festival among Hindus, but with the passing of time, proper way to celebrate this holy festival is diminishing. Most of us do not know the the proper time to be observed or proper way to celebrate Diwali.Though there is no specific way to worship all mighty Lord, but still there are certain rituals which we can follow and can teach our generations to come.
 
What we all desire from Diwali, no matter in our home or work, is monetary gains. There are certain ways we can hitch this gains up, with acceleration like never before.

General facts about the festival Diwali:
 

• Clean your house and surrounding. Dump off any sort of old or unused items. They cause a big hindrance in the monetary gains.
• Meet & greet people with happiness. Give away gifts and receive them with happiness.
• Diwali is the day when you can donate as much as you can. Goddess of money (Lakshmiji) going to give everything back to you.
• Worship Lord Ganesha for knowledge and Luck and worship Goddess Lakshmi for Money and Prosperity.
• The 8 directions of the home should be lit with lights; no direction should be in dark.
• On the main entrance of your home, light 6 diyas in the shape of “chaumukhi”.

Proper Method for Lakshmi Poojan: 

• Place idols of Lakshmiji and Lord Ganesha over a red cloth.
• The Idols should be new in every Diwali; if it is of silver then you should clean them properly before poojan.
• Place some coins (preferably silver) over green or dark blue cloth.
• The Temple should be setup in the North East or North direction. You can always have a temporary temple in this direction for Diwali poojan.
• The deepak which is to be lit in front of Lakshmiji should be of pure ghee. It is advised to let it glow throughout the night.
• Other things to be included in the pooja are: mauli (red thread), gulal (red color), sava ser chawal (rice).

Worship God & Goddess from the bottom of heart.

Monetary Gains in your Business:
 
4-5 days before Deepawali, pluck some pipal tree leaves and with the paste of Turmeric Powder (haldi) & Curd (dahi) write “shree” (the symbol) on the leaves. Place these in the temple at the time of Deepawali poojan. After the pooja, take one leaf and place it in your CashBox. Other leaves can be used to place in wardrobe etc.
 
One should worship the ledger (bahikata), books etc on the Deepawali night.

Cheque books should be placed in some attractive binding or cover, preferably red and you can always put the “swastika” sign on it. 

Place red cloth at the entrance of the shop, signifies that you welcome Lakshmiji to come and reside in your shop.

This  all you can do to make your festival more prosperous and worthy. Rest it is all your faith in God and your luck. 
Wishing You A Very Happy And Properous Deepwali !!

-From my Father's archives


Addendum:

Lakshmi Puja Muhurat
On Diwali, Lakshmi Puja should be done during Pradosh Kaal which starts after sunset and lasts for approximately 2 hours and 24 minutes. Some sources propose Mahanishita Kaal also to perform Lakshmi Puja. But, Mahanishita Kaal is best suited for Tantrik community and practicing Pandits who know the best about Lakshmi Puja during this special time. For common people we Pradosh Kaal Muhurat is best suited.

Choghadiya Muhurat is not advised to perform Lakshmi Puja as those Muhurtas are good only for travelling. The best time for Lakshmi Puja is during Pradosh Kaal when Sthir Lagna  prevails. Sthir means fixed i.e. not moveable. If Lakshmi Puja is done during Sthir Lagna, Lakshmiji will stay in your home; hence this time is the best for Lakshmi Pujan. Vrishabha Lagna is considered as Sthir and mostly overlaps with Pradosh Kaal during Diwali festivity.

Dhanteras/ Dhantrayodashi Puja

Dhantrayodashi, also known as Dhanteras is the first day of five days Diwali festivities. On the day of Dhantrayodashi, Goddess Lakshmi came out of the ocean during Sagar Manthan. Hence, Goddess Lakshmi, along with Lord Kubera who is the God of wealth, is worshipped on the auspicious day of Trayodashi. However, Lakshmi Puja on Amavasya after two days of Dhantrayodashi is considered more significant.

Lakshmi Puja on Dhanteras or Dhantrayodashi should be done during Pradosh Kaal which starts after sunset and approximately lasts for 2 hours and 24 minutes.

Choghadiya Muhurat is not advised to perform Dhanteras Puja as those Muhurtas are good only for travelling. The best time for Lakshmi Puja on Dhanteras is during Pradosh Kaal when Sthir Lagna prevails.

If Dhanteras Puja is done during Sthir Lagna, Lakshmiji will stay in your home. Vrishabha Lagna is Sthir and generally overlaps with Pradosh Kaal during Diwali.

Hence, exact window for Dhanteras Puja should contain Pradosh Kaal and Sthir Lagna while Trayodashi is prevailing.

Yamadeep is another ritual on the same Trayodashi Tithi when the lamp for the God of death is lit outside home to ward off any untimely death of any family members.


Glossary:

Trayodshi:  13th tithi, or lunar days, from the New Moon (Amavasya) and Full Moon (Poornima)

Pardosh Kaal: Pradosh Kaal is the time when the day and night meet. Pradosh Kaal is an auspicious time and is known for worshipping Lord Shiva. Pradosh Kaal is a specific period, which occurs daily. Pradosh Kaal is calculated at exact moment of Sunset by adding two Muhurtas or four Ghatis, which is equivalent to 96 minutes.

Pradosh Vrat: It is the fasting on Trayodashi Tithi and worshipping Lord Shiva at the time of Pradosh Kaal on that day. Hence, Pradosh Kaal occurs daily, but Pradosh Vrat is performed on specific lunar day only.

Sthir Lagna: Means fixed lagna, i.e 2,5,8, 11.