Ayurveda Article: Planets and Herbs

Planets and the use of Herbs

Along with the planets and the days they rule, one can also empower various herbs that relate to the planets and their various organs they relate to.

This is generic however, and we introduce the mantras here to help you energise the herbs also. Doing the mantra of the Planet of the Day and over the herbs can help strengthen weak organs.

Note that these herbs here increase the energies they relate not.

Surya (Sun)
Day of the week: Sunday
Mantra: OM HRAAM HREEM HROWM SOORYAAYA NAMAHA!
Organs strengthened: Heart, Willpower

Herbs: Herbs and Tonics for the Heart can be used, especially Arjuna (Terminalia arjuna), which is considered Ayurveda’s “Heart Tonic” herb. Arjunarishta – Ayurvedic herbal wine containing Ayurveda is good here.

For will-power and strengthening the heart, one can invoke the powers of the Sun on Sunday. One can also pray to the Divine Incarnation of the Sun, Sri Rama, the hero of the Indian Epic Ramayana. You can purchase this Book, the Ramayana and read more about Rama here, as he helps to strengthen our deepest recesses of the heart – that of the innermost Self-Soul being (Atman).


Soma (Moon)
Day of the week: Monday
Mantra: OM SHRAAM SHREEM SHROWM SOMAAYA NAMAHA!
Organs strengthened: Mind, Lungs

Herbs: Herbs that help calm the mind, lungs etc. such as Shatavari (Asparagus recemosus) are good. Shatavari is also the female “ginsing” and helps in all such problems. Kumari (Aloe Vera) is also good for the same.

Monday and Moon’s energies are good for awakening the calm, feminine energies and are good for reducing Pitta in the body and the mind (as in anger, agitation etc.). It is also good for Gynaecological issues and insomnia, and helps lubricate the limbs, stomach and chest. It is not good for high Kapha conditions of cold, flu and congestion or swelling, however.

Mangal (Mars)
Day of the week: Tuesday
Mantra: OM KRAAM KREEM KROWM KUJAAYA NAMAHA!
Organs strengthened: Blood, Increases Digestive Fire

Herbs: Pungent herbs here help, that are good for circulation and blood-flow, as well as digestive fire. These include Ayurvedic formulas as Hingwashtak Churna (For Vata) and Trikatu (Three Bitters) for Kapha. Herbs as Cardamom, Cinnamon, Mustard etc. are also good here as circulatory / digestive stimulants.

For low digestive powers and low circulation in Kapha and vata types, these practices can help them on Tuesdays to awaken their Pitta or fiery energies, and also give them more drive and stimulate their lives into action! It also awakens their discrimination (vivek) and buddhi (intellect) at deeper levels.

Budha (Mercury)
Day of the week: Wednesday
Mantra: OM BRAAM BREEM BROWM BUDHAAYA NAMAHA!
Organs strengthened: Nervous system, Skin, Intellect

Herbs: Herbs that help with the nervous system and skin are good here, such as Jatamamsi (Nardostachys jatamamsi) for calming the nerves. It is the best sedative for the nerves. Brahmi (Barcopa monnieri) for the skin and especially the intellect, as it promotes wisdom, memory etc. Aloe Vera (Kumari) is also good for the skin, helping to reduce inflammations and skin diseases.

Memory and nervous system conditions can hence be helped on Wednesdays, as also skin disorders. However, as Mercury rules the Health-sign of Virgo, invoking Mercury’s energies can be good for everyone for overall health, especially of Virgo and Mercury is afflicted.

Brihaspati (Jupiter)
Day of the week: Thursday
Mantra: OM GRAAM GREEM GROWM GURUVE NAMAHA!
Organs strengthened: Ojas (Vigour), Strength

Herbs: Tonic herbs such as Bala (Sida cordifolia) and Ashwagandha (Withiania somnifera) are best, as they are Kapha-increasing Herbs, that help with bulking up the body and giving strength. Ashwagandha-Avaleha is a good formula, the confection form using Ashwagandha and other herbs, as also Chyavan Prash, using Amlaki (Indian gooseberry).

One can hence increase their overall strength, especially for Vata peoples, on Thursdays, invoking the energy of Divine Jupiter, who gives us strength (bala).


Shukra (Venus)
Day of the week: Friday
Mantra: OM DRAAM DREEM DROWM SHUKRAAYA NAMAHA!
Organs strengthened: Reproductive System, Semen

Herbs: Tonic herbs for the Sexual reproductive system and also the Semen include those for the Moon, such as Shatavari (Asparagus recemosus), as well as Ashwagandha (Withiania somnifera), especially combined together, for males and females. Kapikacchu (Mucuna pruriens) is also a special aphrodisiac, however pungent aphrodisciacs such as Garlic can also be used.

Sexual energies can hence be increased on Fridays, with Venus’s energies.

Shani (Saturn)
Day of the week: Saturday
Mantra: OM PRAAM PREEM PROWM SHANAYE NAMAHA!
Organs strengthened: Increases Vata or Wind in the body

Herbs: These herbs can be used in cases of High Kapha (phlegm) and especially, they are blood-cleansing and help with high-Pitta, being infections, inflammations and also high bile. They can constipate for Vata however,  except a few. Formulas include Triphala Churna, an Ayurvedic formula for cleansing the doshas from the skin, lungs, kidneys and small intestine, but is also good for Vata also for removing excess Vata in the colon. Bitter and Astringent herbs for Pitta such as Aloe Vera, Amalaki (Emblica officinalis) are especially good here for removing High Pitta or bile and awaken Saturnian energies.

Cleansing Pitta-reducing practices, such as Therapeutic Purgation (Virechana) are hence best done on Saturdays, involving Saturn’s cleansing (Shodhana) energies.