guru of the gods and the planet Jupiter in Hindu mythology
Brihaspati
Brihaspati is, in Hindu mythology, the guru and priest of the devas (gods) and the Sanskrit name of the planet Jupiter. Already present in the Vedas, he combines sacred wisdom, teaching and astrology, and he remains part of religious life and the weekly calendar in India.
The myth
According to hymns of the Rig-veda, Brihaspati is a sage born from the first great light, who drives away darkness and carries a bow whose string is rta, the cosmic order that sustains dharma. The devas honour him as their teacher and as priest of their fire sacrifices, and tradition also calls him Brahmanaspati, Purohita or Angirasa, son of Angiras.
In the Shiva-purana he appears as a human being: his parents are the rishi Angiras and his wife Surupa. After austerities on the shore at Prabhas Tirtha, Shiva grants him the status of a god, teacher of the gods and one of the nine planets, the navagrahas.
His wives vary from text to text. The Shiva-purana names three: Shuba, mother of seven daughters; Tara, mother of seven sons and a daughter; and Mamata, mother of Kacha and Bharadwash. In a medieval version, Chandra abducts Tara and fathers Budha, that is Mercury. Brihaspati is the archenemy of Shukra, guru of the danavas (demons). His legendary cow, created by the Ribhus, was coveted by all the gods. He is depicted with golden skin, holding a staff, a lotus and a rosary, and he travels by elephant or by a chariot drawn by eight horses.
Worship and religion
Hindus venerate him through the planet and through Thursday, called guru-vara or Brihaspativara, a day on which prayers to him are believed to bring astrological benefits. His worship is said to cure stomach ailments and free the faithful from sins committed; his mantra, om bram brihaspataye namah, is recited for these purposes. One of his most famous temples stands in Tanjore district, in Tamil Nadu. His worship remains alive among believers in India.
Legacy
In Vedic astrology Brihaspati rules Sagittarius and Pisces, is considered the most beneficial of the planets, and is linked to expansion, education and prosperity. In the written tradition, the Brihaspati Smriti, a legal treatise, survives only through some 2,400 verses quoted in other works. Thursday, dedicated to Jupiter in Greco-Roman and other Indo-European calendars, has its Hindu counterpart in the weekday named after him.
Ancient sources: Rig-veda (book 4, hymn 50), Shiva-purana, Brihaspati Smriti and Surya Siddhanta, among other Sanskrit texts.