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Budh grah (Budha) or the planet Mercury, is responsible for an individual’s communication skills. Mercury holds the keys to the doors of mental clarity, financial success & happy relationships in everyone’s life.
Mercury is its universal name, in Roman mythology the planet Mercury is named Mercurius, in Greek mythology the planet Mercury is equivalent to the god Hermes whereas in Indian astrology, Mercury is known as Budh grah or Budha.
Roman mythology, Greek God Hermes & Mercury
In Roman mythology, Mercury is considered equivalent to the Greek God Hermes. Hermes was cunning & known for his swiftness. He was regarded as the messenger of gods, a guide for souls to the underworld, and the deity of commerce and travel.
Thus, this association personifies Mercury’s role in western astrology as a link between different worlds linking logic with intuition, the conscious with the subconscious, and the mundane with the divine.
Western Astrology & Mercury (Budha)
According to Western astrology, Mercury rules over the 3rd & the 6th house in the birth chart.
3rd House stands for:- Communication, siblings, local travel, and early education.
6th House stands for:- Work habits, daily routines, health, and service to others.
Mercury’s Influence on Relationships
In relationships, Mercury determines how individuals communicate and connect intellectually. A harmonious, positive & balanced Mercury fosters understanding, while unbalanced & negative Mercury can lead to misunderstandings and arguments.
Roman, Western, Greek & Indian Astrology.
If one does an exhaustive study of astrology from different cultures with the Roman, Greek, Western(American & European) & Indian cultures being the dominant ones, then he will find that Mercury planet’s or Budh grah’s comprehensive study has been done & documented in detail in by the Indian sages, rishis, hermits & yogis.
The positive & negative impact of Budh grah on one’s life, the consequences when Budha is in conjunction with other planets, the malefic effects, the Mercury retrograde consequences, it’s remedies etc are all documented & have been given in great detail in India & Indian astrology. Thus in this blog, we will go ahead with documenting Budh grah from the Indian astrology’s perspective.
What is Budh grah or Budha ?
In astrology, it is believed that the Budha or Mercury is the planet that rules over the communication skills. If you see someone having brilliant, enviable communication skills then presence of Budh grah or Mercury in a very powerful position in the birth chart is the reason behind it. If you see someone having exceptional presence of mind & capable of dishing out witty one liners, then it is all because of Budha.
Properties & special characteristics of Mercury ( Budh garh or Budha)
Mercury is the smallest & the fastest moving planet in our solar system. It is also the closest planet to the sun at a distance of 57 million kms. Budha or Mercury is ruled by Lord Vishnu. Hence the easiest way to appease Budh grah is to please Lord Vishnu by praying to him daily & chanting the Vishnu Sahasranam(1008 names of Lord Vishnu)
Mercury is associated with communication skills, intelligence, business acumen & logic. In astrological charts, Budh Grah represents cognitive abilities, analytical skills, and the way one communicates.
Mercury governs the zodiac signs of Gemini (Mithuna) and Virgo (Kanya), and it is exalted in Virgo while debilitated in Pisces (Meena). Its placement in one’s natal chart can significantly influence an individual’s career, relationships, and decision-making abilities. If Budha is not well placed in one’s birth-chart then that person will not be able to take decisions(routine or critical) on time.
Celebrities(Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Denise Richards etc) & Budha’s influence i.e Mercury’s influence)
American celebrities & Hollywood actors like Madonna & Angelina Jolie have explored astrology to enhance success & peace in their lives. There are other successful Hollywood actors like Morgan Freeman & Robert Downey Jr. They are known for their exceptional oratory skills & Mercury’s favorable impact in their birth charts is often cited as the reason for their excellent communication skills.
If one analyzes the birth charts of world famous celebrities, you will find that Mercury has had an impactful & a very important role to play in catapulting them to superstardom. Mercury planet or Budha is considered as the ruler of Gemini & Virgo. Shining examples of instances when Mercury is favorably placed in the birth-chart & propels the individual forward, positively are:-
Gemini Mercury:-
To name just a couple of world famous celebrities, Angelina Jolie and Kanye West are known for their intensely expressive communication. The reason for their style of communications skills is further explained below:-
Gemini(air sign)
Mercury’s influence in Gemini emphasizes curiosity, adaptability, and sociability. Those with a strong Gemini Mercury are excellent communicators and lifelong learners.
Virgo Mercury:–
To name just a couple of global sensations, Keanu Reeves and Beyoncé, are known for their precision and pragmatism. The reason is explained below.
Virgo(Earth sign)
In Virgo, Mercury’s energy becomes more grounded, focusing on practicality, precision, and problem-solving. Virgo Mercury individuals excel in detail-oriented fields like healthcare, analytics, and teaching.
Mercury Retrograde:-
In the United States, Mercury retrograde has become a popular topic in pop culture. Celebrities like Taylor Swift and Katy Perry have joked about its impact on their lives. Other celebrities like Denise Richards, Kyle Richards, Jeremy Piven, Diplo, Miguel, Dina Manzo, Lisa Rinna, Bethenny Frankel, LeAnn Rimes, Maria Shriver have also talked or speculated about Mercury Retrograde in their tweets.
The Great Indian Kapil Show on Netflix.
Kapil Sharma, an Indian stand up comedian hosted his own comedy show initially named Comedy Nights with Kapil on Colors TV, then hosted a show named Comedy Nights with Kapil on Sony TV & ultimately was signed by Netflix for his comedy show renamed as The Great Indian Kapil Show.
Kapil Sharma has got the gift of gab. His witty one-liners, his humorous punch lines, comebacks & rebuttals have been entertaining audiences since more than a decade. Kapil Sharma’s meteoric rise can be attributed to excellent placement of Mercury in his birth-chart.
Mercury Retrograde:-
The reality- an Astrological Alarm Bell
One of Mercury’s most famous phenomena in Western astrology is its retrograde motion. During Mercury retrograde, the planet appears to move backward in the sky, often causing disruptions in communication, technology, and travel. Its common effects include:-
1) Miscommunications leading to misunderstandings. The individual will most certainly have a good intent while communicating but will be completely misunderstood.
2) Uncontrolled, involuntary postponement happening in plans of travels which were made well in advance.
3) Losses & conflicts happening due to technical glitches and breakdowns.
4) Tendency of getting into a state of reflection on past relationships and unresolved issues.
Most people dread the phase when Mercury is in retrograde. But Mercury retrograde period can also be a time for deep introspection, time to revisit old projects & iron out the kinks, and fine-tune future plans.
Mercury’s(Budha’s or Budh grah) Influence over all the Zodiac Signs
Mercury’s position in a natal chart varies depending on the zodiac sign it occupies. Each placement equips the person with unique characteristics as mentioned below:-
Aries: Direct & Fast-thinking, driven by passion but often jumping to conclusions.
Taurus: Thoughtful and practical, with a deliberately slower communication style.
Gemini(Ruler): Very expressive, curious & excellent at multitasking.
Cancer: Emotionally intuitive, often blending logic with feelings.
Leo: Dramatic and creative, with a flair for captivating communication.
Virgo(Ruler): Analytical, detail-oriented, and a master of precision.
Libra: Diplomatic, with a natural talent for harmonizing and mediating.
Scorpio: Intense and probing, delving deep into mysteries and secrets.
Sagittarius: Philosophical and optimistic, with a love for exploring big ideas.
Capricorn: Pragmatic and disciplined, focusing on practical solutions.
Aquarius: Innovative and forward-thinking, often challenging conventional ideas.
Pisces: Dreamy and intuitive, blending imagination with empathy.
First let us understand what happens when Mercury or the Budh grah is unfavorable & is yielding bad results.
Results of unfavorable Budha (Budh grah) or Mercury
When Mercury is weak, debilitated or afflicted in a birth-chart then it will give the following results-
Confused state:- Complete lack of mental clarity, blurred thoughts & unable to make decisions.
Communication issues:- Misunderstandings become frequent leading to tensions & escalations, speech disorders develop or if a child is born with afflicted Mercury he/she will have a congenital speech disorder, there will be difficulty in expressing ideas.
Financial Problems:- Unfavorable Budha or Budh grah(Mercury) leads to losses in business or challenges in managing finances.
Health Concerns:- Afflicted Mercury creates issues related to skin, respiratory system, teeth problems and bad smell starts emanating from mouth, mental problems, sciatica & nervousness.
Stress and Anxiety:- Bad placement of Budha leads to overthinking and mental restlessness. There is always a lot of turbulence in the mind.
Relationships:- Bad communication or lack of communication skills leads to the individual facing problems in professional & personal relationships
The Sun & Mercury (Budh grah or Budha)
Mercury is the closest planet to the sun. It is at a distance of 57 million kms. Sun & mercury together in conjunction with both the planets not being in a weak or a debilitated state, create a highly auspicious yog called the Budh-Aditya yog.
- Sun & Mercury conjunction blesses an individual with a strong intellect which is used to acquire knowledge, go for higher studies & get entry into academic institutes with a very high reputation. This conjunction makes those who are in a position of authority, mentally very strong & capable.
- They are highly authoritative, enjoy a position of power as they have very good leadership & communication skills.
- They can get a government job if they try for it with focus & utmost dedication.
- As the Sun represents Father, the feature of the individual having a good intellect is a result of mentorship & guidance of father, in the earlier stages of life.
A strong, favorable Budh or a favorable & strong Mercury means excellent communication skills
Imagine if you have to hire someone to work for you who will you hire? The hiring options made available to you are[all of them have same educational qualifications, experience & skills]:- you have someone who is very attractive, another individual is very knowledgeable, another individual is physically very strong & one person has exceptional communication skills.
Majority of the HR’s around the world have reported that they will always hire a person who has exceptional communication skills. That’s because even the tasks which earlier seemed impossible to carry out were done with ease, blockages were removed & smooth communications, exchange of messages/info within the team & between teams was facilitated as a result of brilliant skills of communications being displayed by 1 individual.
Results of a strong Budh or Mercury.
- Respect in society, social circles & family.
- Enhanced intellect, grasping power & sharp memory.
- Brilliant Analytical abilities, resoning skills.
- Superb capability to articulate thoughts & ideas.
- Extremely knowledgeable & acquires quality education from premier educational institutes.
- Unmatched wit, humor inducing skills & presence of mind.
- Clarity of thoughts & mind.
- Improved relationships(both personal & professional)
- Better career prospects, opportunities & ease in climbing the ladder of success
It is widely believed that good communication skills can open up new avenues of opportunities & possibilities.
Careers of people having strong Budh/Mercury placement.
Careers in creative fields, PR(public relations), media, sales & marketing, advocate/lawyers, media, any profession which needs good speaking skills etc are easily lapped up by those who have a strong placement of Mercury in their birth chart.
Virgo Mercury individuals excel in detail-oriented fields like healthcare, analytics, and teaching.
Remedies for unfavorable Budh or Mercury retrograde in the birth chart
How to Enhance Budh or Mercury’s Positive Influence in life?
The following are the remedial procedures to negate the bad effect & amplify the positive effects of Mercury in one’s birth chart.
- Feeding green grass & fodder to Indian cows (desi gaai) especially on Wednesdays & all auspicious days like Ekadashi, Amavasya, Purnima etc
- Feeding green lentils(green moong dal) to birds(pigeons, sparrows etc) after soaking them in water overnight
- Wearing green clothes as much as possible & reciting Shri Vishnu Sahasranam, especially on Wednesdays.
- Chanting the Budh mantra which has beej mantras:- Om Braam Breem Braum Sah Buddhaay Namah. One has to complete 17000 mantra chants. Accordingly it is advisable to plan chanting daily using rosary beads
- Worshipping Lord Vishnu & Lord Ganesha.
- Wearing 4 mukhi Rudraksha
- Wearing Emerald(Panna) Gemstone only after consulting a learned & experienced astrologer.
- Herbs: It is believed that Peppermint and lavender align with Mercury’s energy. They promote focus and relaxation.
- Wearing a pure stainless steel ring made in a mould(uncut/not joint) in the smallest finger(right hand for males, left hand for females). The procedure of making the ring has to be such that molten metal(stainless steel) is poured into a required sized mould. Thus there must be no joint or cut in the ring. This is a remedy for Mercury retrograde & to improve the positive effects of MErcury.
Emerald Gemstone for Mercury (or Panna) cost.
The most powerful gemstone to nullify the bad effects of Mercury is Emerald & its price range varies depending on the place from where the Emerald gemstone has been sourced. It is said to improve the intellectual capabilities, communication skills & business acumen.
Emerald Cost:-
The cost of Emerald gemstone can range from anywhere between $500 to $5000 or even more. Authentic emeralds are available at reputed jewelers like Tiffany & co. in the USA or it can be easily sourced from online platforms like Blue Nile or James Allen.
Rudraksha for Mercury
Rudraksha cost:-
Rudraksha can cost anywhere from $50 to $250, depending on where it has been sourced from & the form of Rudraksha which is lab tested & authenticated can be easily obtained from online sellers like Amazon
Closing thoughts
In today’s fast paced world where communication skills matter more than ever, Mercury plays a critical role in everyone’s life. Mercury deeply impacts every stage of life, beginning from an early stage in life(acquiring knowledge) to every stage of life( grasping power, analytical skills, career, job prospects, business, relationships, leadership skills).
Hence it is imperative to make endeavors to keep Mercury in a balanced state.