Ritual for the Moon and Mars

Invocation of Lord Soma (The Moon)

Of this mantra, the wise Lord Soma is the sovereign of the twice-born Dvija: "Twice-born," referring to the priestly and warrior classes, of whom the Moon is the celestial king, possessing a body composed of nectar Sudha: The divine nectar of immortality, often associated with the waxing and waning of the moon, belonging to the lineage of the Sage Atri. To him whose head is adorned [with the moon], whose limbs are as white as cow’s milk, who has four arms marked by a mace and the gesture of granting boons original: "varada-mudra", who is dressed in white garments and garlands, and anointed with white pastes—to him whose entire body is beautiful with pearl ornaments, who gives rest to all the worlds, and whose form is the sustenance of the gods The gods are said to drink the nectar of the moon, I bow to you.

Arrive, O Lord, accompanied by your banner and flag, riding a chariot drawn by ten white horses, circling Mount Meru clockwise. I invite you to take your place upon the crystal image situated in the center of the eight-petaled lotus on the square pedestal for the sake of worship.

To his right side, I invoke the Waters, the presiding deity Adhidaivata: The primary celestial patron of the planet of the Moon, with the sacred syllables: Om Bhūr, Om Bhuvaḥ, Om Svaḥ. I invoke the Waters. Reciting the mantra, "The Moon told me that within the waters are all medicines..." original: "apsu me somo abravid..." from the Rigveda, I invoke the presiding deity, the Waters, who takes a female form, Shiva 3 is white in color, rides a crocodile Makara: A mythical sea-creature, often the vehicle of water deities, and holds a noose and a goad, adorned with pearl ornaments.

To his left side, I invoke Uma, the secondary presiding deity Pratyadhidaivata: The "counter-deity" or secondary patron of the Moon: Om Bhūr, Om Bhuvaḥ, Om Svaḥ. I invoke Uma. Reciting the mantra, "The Goddess lowed, fashioning the waters..." original: "gaurīr mimāya..."; a verse associated with the manifestation of sound and water, I invoke the secondary presiding deity Uma, who is the conqueror of the thirty gods, holding a rosary, a lotus, a mirror, and a water pot.

Invocation of Angaraka (Mars)

On the southern petal of the lotus, I invoke Angaraka Angaraka: The planet Mars, literally "the glowing coal": Om Bhūr, Om Bhuvaḥ, Om Svaḥ. I invoke Angaraka. Reciting the mantra, "Agni is the head of the sky, the summit, the lord of the earth..." original: "agnir mūrdhā divaḥ kakut..."; a Vedic verse used to invoke Mars due to his fiery nature.