Remedial Measures — Gems, Mantras, Pujas & Sura/Asura Planet Groups
Comprehensive framework for remedial measures: three levels (physical = gems; subtle = mantras; causal = pujas/yagnas). How to determine which level applies. Which God to pray to for health remedies: each house maps to a specific deity, and the lord of the afflicted house determines the mantra. Sura (divine) vs Asura (demonic) planet groups and how they interact in a chart — Sura planets: Sun, Moon, Jupiter, Mercury, Venus; Asura: Saturn, Mars, Rahu, Ketu. When Sura and Asura groups clash in a chart, the person experiences inner conflict between divine and ego impulses.
"You cannot prescribe the same remedy for everybody. You have to prescribe what is suitable for the person, based on their horoscope."
— P.V.R. Narasimha Rao
Example Chart
Remedial Measures — Understanding the Levels
The Three Levels of Remedies
This is one of the most philosophically rich discussions in the lessons so far.
Sattvic remedies: Mantras, pujas, prayers done without personal agenda, just for the love of God.
- These are always safe. Even if you pray to a "bad" planet, if you're doing it in a sattvic way (understanding the meaning, not asking for anything), you only strengthen that good quality within yourself.
- When you pray to God, you are actually praising the God within you. Pondering over noble qualities strengthens those qualities in you. This is the real meaning of Sahasranamam — not mechanical recitation, but understanding and feeling each name.
- Sattvic worship may not give material results quickly, but it's the only path to Moksha.
Rajasic remedies: Wearing gemstones.
- Gems work like taking a loan from one bank to pay another — the debt doesn't go away, just shifted. You may get short-term results, but there are repercussions later in life or in future lives.
- However, if you truly need help and a good astrologer prescribes the right gem, it can be useful.
- Critical rule: Never wear the gemstone of the 6th lord or 8th lord. Especially the 6th lord's gem — this is one of the worst mistakes in gem therapy.
- Exception for 8th lord only if it also owns a good house (5H etc.) and the current dasha is specifically for that good house signification.
Tamasic remedies: Vashikarana mantras, black magic, tantric rituals for controlling others.
- Very dangerous; any procedural flaw = negative results boomerang back.
- Only justified in very specific circumstances with expert guidance.
Gem Therapy Details
Metals for each planet (for ring settings):
| Planet | Ideal Metal |
|---|---|
| Sun, Moon, Mars, Jupiter | Gold (Sura group) |
| Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Rahu, Ketu | Silver (Asura group) |
| Mars specifically | Copper (Tamra) |
| Mercury | Silver or Bronze (Kansya) |
| Venus | Silver or Platinum |
| Saturn | Iron (ideal per shastra, though unpopular) |
| Ketu | Panchaloha (5-metal alloy) |
Which finger to wear? Based on the four Purusharthas:
| Finger | Purushartha | Mudra |
|---|---|---|
| Ring finger | Dharma | Thumb touches ring finger |
| Middle finger | Artha | Thumb touches middle finger (alone = inauspicious) |
| Little finger | Kama | Thumb touches little finger |
| Index finger | Moksha | Never wear a ring here (gems are Rajasic; moksha comes through Sattvic means only) |
Right vs Left hand: One view (Sanjayji) = right hand strengthens the planet, left hand suppresses. Another view = right is solar/Pingala (Jupiterian), left is lunar/Ida (Venusian). Both views generally agree that for most Purushartha goals, the right hand is preferred.
When to prescribe or remove gems:
- Prescribe based on the natal chart if a planet is chronically weak/afflicted throughout life
- Prescribe based on the current Mahadasha for dasha-specific support (but not for short antardashas — gems are long-term)
- Remove gems if a gemstone is for a planet that is also running a death-inflicting (Marka) dasha — even a normally beneficial gem can become harmful in that context
Sattvic Prayer vs. Rajasic Prayer
Even within mantras:
- Reading Vishnu Sahasranamam purely for joy, with no agenda = sattvic, always beneficial
- Reading a mantra for a specific material result = rajasic; get the procedure right or you may not get results (but won't get negative ones either)
- Vashikarana or black magic mantras for controlling others = tamasic; any flaw = severe negative consequences
PVNR's advice: "Whatever you have to suffer, just suffer it. Do mantras and prayers in a sattvic way. The karma is over and won't need to be relived in another life."
Which God to Pray To (Health Remedies)
To help someone with health problems:
- Find which planet is causing the problem (the dasha lord afflicting health in D-6)
- Pray to the deity of that planet to reduce its maleficence
- Find which planet protects health (lagna lord, 9L in natal chart)
- Pray to the deity of that planet to empower its protective role
Example
- Student's chart: Rahu dasha (health trouble) → Pray to Durga (Rahu's deity) to reduce the severity
- Lagna lord = Jupiter in 9H of Sun's sign (Leo) → When Jupiter is in Sun's house in the 9th, it clearly indicates Dakshinamurti (the great teacher form of Shiva) → Pray to Dakshinamurti to empower protection
- Combined prescription: Durga Saptashati + Dakshinamurti mantras
Sura and Asura Groups of Planets
A fundamental classification in Vedic astrology:
| Group | Planets | Leader | Metal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sura (divine) | Sun, Moon, Mars, Jupiter | Jupiter (priest/guru) | Gold |
| Asura (anti-divine) | Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Rahu, Ketu | Venus (priest/guru) | Silver |
This bifurcation matters in many contexts: puja procedures, invoking planets in rituals, choosing metals for idols, understanding planetary relationships at a deeper level.