Is Worship of the Navagraha — the Nine Planets — Necessary?

 

The reluctance—or in some cases, outright refusal—of Sri Vaishnavites and some staunch Hindus to offer worship to the Navagrahas (the nine planetary deities) stems from deep theological and scriptural foundations. This distinction is especially pronounced among followers of Vedantic traditions that espouse a form of kevala-bhakti (exclusive devotion) to the Supreme Being.

Here are the key reasons:

1. Supremacy of Narayana / Vishnu

In Sri Vaishnavism, Vishnu or Narayana is accepted as the Parabrahman (Supreme Reality), and all other deities—including the Navagrahas—are viewed as finite, created beings who operate under His supreme will.

The Navagrahas are seen as servants or instruments of Vishnu, not independent powers.

Therefore, it would be theologically improper to worship them independently, as it would contradict the doctrine of surrender (sharanagati) to Vishnu alone.

2. Exclusive Bhakti and the Avoidance of Karma-kanda

Sri Vaishnavism, especially the Visishtadvaita school of Ramanuja, distinguishes between:

a. Bhakti (devotion to the Supreme Being), and

b. Karma-kanda (rituals performed for material gain, as found in the early Vedic sections and Shrauta traditions).

Navagraha worship is seen as a part of the karma-kanda of the Smarta tradition, often done to appease planetary influences for worldly benefits—such as health, wealth, progeny, or protection.

Sri Vaishnavites often eschew such transactional ritualism, believing that complete refuge in Narayana alone is sufficient to overcome even the worst planetary afflictions.

3. Scriptural Support and Alwar Teachings

The Alwars, the Tamil poet-saints whose hymns are foundational to Sri Vaishnavism, often dismiss the worship of the Navagrahas. For example:

Tirumangai Alwar, in one of his verses, says:

"Of what use are planets (grahas) and their afflictions to me,

when I have the feet of the Lord of Tirukannapuram?"

This idea is echoed in the Divya Prabandham, which repeatedly extols exclusive surrender to Vishnu, dismissing astrology and remedial rituals as unnecessary distractions.

4. Prapatti Doctrine (Sharanagati)

In Sri Vaishnavism, particularly the Tenkalai school, the doctrine of prapatti (total self-surrender) holds that once a devotee has taken refuge in Vishnu, nothing else—planetary afflictions included—can affect them.

Seeking remedies from the Navagrahas is seen as lack of faith in the protection offered by Narayana.

As the Lord is the controller of the controllers, even the Navagrahas act only according to His command.

5. Philosophical Opposition to Polytheism

While Hinduism allows a broad spectrum of devotional expression, traditions like Sri Vaishnavism emphasise monotheism. Worship of multiple deities—including planetary ones—is often discouraged because it:

Dilutes single-minded devotion,

Implies multiple, competing loci of divine power, which contradicts the unity of the Supreme Being.

6. Sociocultural and Temple Practice

In most Sri Vaishnava temples, particularly those associated with the Vaikhanasa or Pancharatra agamas, Navagraha shrines are absent. In some temples, if Navagraha idols exist (often due to later additions), worship to them is neither encouraged nor central.

Priests and devotees usually ignore them, seeing them as non-essential or even inappropriate for Vaishnava worship.