Sankranti Shanti Procedure (Navagraha Homam), Parashara's Actual Mantra Counts & Qualified Priests

BPHS Chapter 90 — Surya Sankranti Birth Dosha

The 7 Sankranti Purushas (Named by Weekday)

Parashara names each Surya Sankranti based on the weekday at the exact moment Sun changes sign:

"From the names you can guess — Ghora means terrible. Mishra is mixed. Rakshasi is demonic. All of them are basically inauspicious, but degrees vary."

All 12 Solar Sankrantis exist (one per month as Sun enters each sign). Four are particularly important for mundane astrology: Mesha, Karka, Tula, Makara Sankrantis (the mobile sign entries). Makara Sankranti is especially important as Capricorn is the sign of Kali Yuga.

Key Rule: Weekday of SANKRANTI Determines the Problem Area

Critical distinction:

• The weekday of birth is NOT what matters
• The weekday at the exact time Sun changes sign = the Sankranti Purusha
• The planetary lord of that weekday (not of the birth) = the planet whose significations will suffer

Example:

• Sankranti on Saturday → Devata = Rakshasi; Planet = Saturn
• Look at Saturn's house positions/ownership in the native's chart
• The houses Saturn owns = the areas where problems manifest

PVNR live example (student in class):

• Born September 16, 1961; Sun at 29°56' Leo → Sankranti Dosha confirmed (just 4 arc minutes from Leo/Virgo border)
• Sankranti happened ~1.5 hours after birth → still Saturday
• Saturn = 2nd + 3rd lord in 2nd house
• Problems: finances (2nd house) and siblings (3rd house)
• "That's why I and stocks never go together" — student's own observation

When Does Sankranti Dosha Apply? — Degree Definition

Multiple views on the definition; PVNR's preferred approach:

1. Primary definition (PVNR's recommendation): Sun within 29.5° to 30° OR 0° to 0.5° in any sign = Sankranti birth
2. Extended definition: Some use ±12 hours from exact Sankranti moment (24-hour window)
3. Popular tradition: The entire civil day after Sankranti = Sankranti day (used for festival purposes, not astrological purposes)
4. Alternative: 0° to 1° after sign change = Sankranti Granthasha

"For the purpose of astrology, in my view, just look at degrees. Is Sun within 29.5° to 30° or 0° to 0.5°? That is the best definition. Civil day reckoning is for celebrating — for astrology you use the exact moment."

Why Sankranti is problematic:

• In each sign, Sun manifests as one of the 12 Adityas (one per sign)
• At Sankranti, he transitions between two forms — like a fade in a slideshow
• "When you are born at the fade time, Sun's solar energy, the Atmakaraka, is in transition — not fully established in any form. That creates instability."

Important: Sankranti Dosha applies only to natal charts — NOT to Tithi Pravesh charts. If someone's TP chart has Sun near a sign border, there is no Sankranti Dosha for that year.

Effect of Sankranti Birth

"Poverty and sadness — but by doing remedy, the person obtains comforts and relief."

— PVNR

PVNR: "This is actually the most important of all the doshas we have discussed. Whenever I have seen Sankranti Dosha, the person has struggled a lot — and after doing remedies, there was a marked improvement. This is a very important dosha."

Shanti Remedy for Sankranti Birth (BPHS Chapter 90)

Primary: Navagraha Homam

Step 1: Site Preparation

• Go to the east side of the house (Purva direction)
• Smear the area with cow dung (gomaya — purifies materially and energetically)
• Decorate the area beautifully (su-alankrutha)

Step 2: Create the Dhanya Mandala (Grain Platform)

• Start with popped grain (vrihi/telalu/slightly puffed corn)
• Layer on top: 5 dronas of paddy (raw rice in husk)
• Then: 2.5 dronas of white raw rice
• Then: 1.25 dronas of sesame seeds (til)
• Draw an Ashtadala Padma (8-petal lotus) on the spread grain pile

Step 3: Punyahavachanam

• Read the Pavamana Suktam to sanctify the area and water
• Select a qualified acharya (priest who knows mantra tattva, not just mantra sounds)

Step 4: Establish Kalashas

• 9 kalashas for 9 grahas + 12 kalashas for 12 rashis (standard Navagraha Homa setup)
  • Optional: also 28 kalashas for 28 nakshatras if elaborate homa
• Fill with sanctified tirthodaka water from Punyahavachanam
• Add to water: saffron, cardamom, turmeric, sandalwood, auspicious herbs, coins (for later distribution)
• Put leaves on sides of each kalasha; wrap with two cloths

Step 5: Establish Idols

• Center: Sankranti Devata idol (based on weekday of Sankranti — e.g., Rakshasi for Saturday Sankranti)
  • If no specific idol available, use any idol and mentally invoke that Devata
• Right of center: Surya idol
• Left of center: Chandra idol
• Give a pair of clothes to the Sankranti Devata

Step 6: Archana and Puja

• Do Shodasha Upachara puja to all three idols
• Mantras:
  • Utsurya (Vedic Sun mantra) for Surya puja
  • Apyayasva (Chandra mantra) for Chandra puja
  • Trayambakam Yajamahe (Mritunjaya) for Sankranti Devata — do 1008 or 108 times while touching the idol
  • Varunam mantras for avahana
  • Agni mantras: Twanno Agne

Step 7: Homa

• Place homakundam on the western side of the kalasha arrangement
• Perform Agni Mukham using whatever procedure you know (Vaidika or Tantrika)
• Offer: samidhas (wood twigs) + ghee (aja) + charu (cooked food like kheer/payasam)
• Use Trayambakam mantra throughout; also offer sesame seeds with Mrityunjaya
• Do 108 or 1008 times (28 times minimum) per mantra
• Perform Svishta Pratham at end

Step 8: Abhishekam

• After homa and udvasana: pour ALL the kalasha waters over the native (and family)

Step 9: Dakshina + Bhojana

• Feed brahmanas (learned, spiritually calibrated people)

---

Parashara's Navagraha Mantra Counts

Critical point: The popular practice of using "Vimshottari years × 1000" as the mantra count is NOT from Parashara. It is a later invention of unclear origin.

Parashara's actual prescribed counts (from BPHS Chapter 84 — Navagraha Shanti):

"If you are getting a Shanti done, use Parashara's numbers. The biggest count is for Saturn — 23,000 times. Those who use 19,000 for Saturn (based on Vimshottari) are not following Parashara."

Parashara's preferred mantras (for use in homa/japa):

• Most planets: the Vedic mantras we already use (same as modern practice)
• Moon: "Imam Deva Asapatnam" (Samaveda) — this version is what Parashara recommends; different from common Apyayasva used today
• Venus: "Annad Parishrutor Asam" (Vedic mantra) — different from common modern Shukra mantra

If doing an elaborate Navagraha Homa, students are advised to find the Samaveda Imam Deva Asapatnam mantra for Moon and Annad Parishrutor Asam for Venus.

---