Of all the remedies in Vedic astrology, mantra is the safest. A gemstone strengthens a planet whether that is good for you or not; a mantra, chanted with respect, is considered to harmonise a planet's influence. Anyone can begin, and nothing needs to be bought.
The beej (seed) mantras
| Planet | Beej mantra | Day |
|---|---|---|
| Sun | Om Hraam Hreem Hraum Sah Suryaya Namah | Sunday |
| Moon | Om Shraam Shreem Shraum Sah Chandraya Namah | Monday |
| Mars | Om Kraam Kreem Kraum Sah Bhaumaya Namah | Tuesday |
| Mercury | Om Braam Breem Braum Sah Budhaya Namah | Wednesday |
| Jupiter | Om Graam Greem Graum Sah Gurave Namah | Thursday |
| Venus | Om Draam Dreem Draum Sah Shukraya Namah | Friday |
| Saturn | Om Praam Preem Praum Sah Shanaye Namah | Saturday |
| Rahu | Om Bhraam Bhreem Bhraum Sah Rahave Namah | Saturday |
| Ketu | Om Sraam Sreem Sraum Sah Ketave Namah | Tuesday |
Simpler name mantras work too, for example Om Suryaya Namah, Om Shanaye Namah. Devotional prayers are traditional alternatives: the Aditya Hridayam for the Sun, the Hanuman Chalisa for Saturn and Mars, the Vishnu Sahasranama for Jupiter and Mercury, Durga worship for Rahu and Ganesha worship for Ketu.
How to chant
- Start on the planet's day, ideally in its hora, after a bath.
- Count with a mala of 108 beads. One mala a day is a good, sustainable practice.
- Sit facing east or north, in a clean, quiet place.
- Pronounce carefully and chant with attention; quality matters more than speed.
- Keep going: forty days of steady practice is a traditional minimum.
Formal japa of tens of thousands of repetitions, often with a priest, is traditional for strong afflictions, but daily practice is where most people begin.
Which planet?
Chant for the planet running your dasha, for a planet that is weak or troubled in your chart, or for the Lagna lord (see the Lagna). During Sade Sati, Saturn's mantra is traditional.
Mantra and conduct
Every planet also has a remedy in conduct: punctuality and integrity for Saturn, respect for teachers for Jupiter, care of one's mother for the Moon, honesty in speech for Mercury. Combined with mantra, these are the remedies astrologers trust most. See also gemstones in Vedic astrology for when, and when not, to wear a stone.