The Planetary Herbs

A true Kavacha or "talisman" is not only the gem, which represents the earth element. A real Astral Talisman is composed of all 5 elements, i.e., gem for earth, herb for water, metal for fire, symbol for air, and cosmic number for space. This process of "Pancha-amrita" astral talisman making is the most bona fide. Even the Western alchemists are known to use herbs as the "water" ingredient in an Astral Talismans. These herbs have been ritually turned into "bhasma" or sanctified ashes. Therefore, one may understand that the gem alone is not the complete kavacha or talisman, the gems are only for one of five elements, viz., earth

The philosopher Agrippa has nicely described in Three Books of Occult Philosophy the basic preparation of astrological rings as follows:

"When any star ascends fortunately we must take a stone and HERB that is under that star, and make a ring of the metal that is suitable to this star, and in it fasten the stone, putting the herb or root under it, not omitting the inscriptions of images, names and characters, as also the proper suffumigations."

In 1974 we were fortunate to receive guidence from Dr. Vajracharya, Chairman of the Nepal Ayurveda Association. He informed us which were the main "bhasma" herbs for each planet. At our request the good Dr. prepared nine different herbal bhasmas which we now seal in tubes on our jewelry talismans. It took one week for the Dr. to prepare the 9 herbs and transform them into ashes or Bhasma. At that time he also gave us rare samples of the actual herbs. Somehow we retained these rare herb samples over the years, and recently we had these nine herbs photographed by an expert.

All nine herbs are available in Nepal (Himalaya) and some are quite rare even in India where they sometimes substitute because of lack of the actual herb).

	Herb for the Sun Influence of Milk Weed or Arka-bhasma If Sun is well placed in your horoscope: The influence will be toward nobility, dignity, power, leadership and confidence. One will be well-read, pious, strong, compassionate and also untroubled. If Sun is ill placed in your horoscope: The influence will be toward low self esteem & energy, lack of confidence, rebellious, i.e., negative results may be expected.
	Herb for the Moon Influence of Butia Frandosa or Palasa-bhasma If Moon is well placed in your horoscope: The influence will be toward good sensitivity, good habits, stability and health. One will be wealthy, industrious and respected, i.e., positive results may be expected. If Moon is ill placed in your horoscope: The influence will be toward over reacting, feeling depressed, overly sensitive and stressed, i.e., negative results may be expected.
	Herb for Mars Influence of Couch Plant or Khadira-bhasma If Mars is well placed in your horoscope: The influence will be toward positive energy, strength, courage, passion, and aggression. One will be active, have great energy, be learned, well-known and regal, i.e., positive results may be expected. If Mars is ill-placed in your horoscope: The influence will be toward anger, being irritable, over reacting, impatient, and aggressive. One becomes prone to boils (due to impure blood), unstable blood pressure, anemia, and violence, i.e., negative results may be expected.
	Herb for Mercury Influence of Achyranthes or Apamarga-bhasma If Mercury is well placed in your horoscope: The influence will be toward being rational, witty, skillful and dexterous. One will worldly-wise, educated, happy, fortunate and highly respected, i.e., positive results may be expected. If Mercury is ill placed in your horoscope: The influence will be toward aloofness, lack of concentration, difficulty with communications, and slowness. One becomes prone to speech and hearing impediments, deceptive behavior, and lack of vitality, i.e., negative results may be expected.
	Herb for Jupiter Influence of Ficus Religiosa or Pippala-bhasma If Jupiter is well placed in your horoscope: The influence will be toward humanitarianism, caring, spiritualism, optimism, faith and good judgment. One will be powerful, respected, a leader of men, although susceptible to anger, i.e., positive results may be expected. If Jupiter is ill-placed in your horoscope: The influence will be toward being greedy, uncaring, selfish, too pragmatic, negative outlook, personal unhappiness, egotism, sloth, and legal problems, i.e., negative results may be expected.
	Herb for Venus Influence of Ficus Glomerata or Audumbara-bhasma If Venus is well placed in your horoscope: The influence will be toward attractiveness, refinement, grace and elegance. One will be smooth, humanitarian, long-lived and possess many good qualities, i.e., positive results may be expected. If Venus is ill-placed in your horoscope: The influence will be toward vanity, lewdness, sensual corruption, lack of taste and refinement. One becomes vulnerable to loss of libido, impotence, sterility, venereal (lit. of Venus) complaints, and rapid aging, i.e., negative results may be expected.
	Herb for Saturn Influence of Prosopis or Shami-bhasma If Saturn is well placed in your horoscope: The influence will be toward discipline, responsibility, realism, durability and humility. One will be long-lived, charitable, lavish, proficient and an affectionate mate, i.e., positive results may be expected. If Saturn is ill placed in your horoscope: The influence will be toward depression, anxiety, fear, loneliness and disappointment. One becomes vulnerable to headaches, neuralgia, and other disorders of the nervous system, as well as epilepsy, stupidity, and fainting, i.e., negative results may be expected.
	Herb for Rahu Influence of Cynodon Dactylon or Durva-bhasma If Rahu is well placed in your horoscope: The influence will be toward originality, inspiration, insight and uniqueness. One will be exotic, wealthy and fortunate, i.e., positive results may be expected. If Rahu is ill placed in your horoscope: The influence will be toward mental disease, addiction, illusion, volatile nature, trouble, a tendency to suffer from fear of supernatural phenomena and suicidal impulses, i.e., negative results may be expected.
	Herb for Ketu Influence of Sacrificial Grass or Kusa-bhasma If Ketu is well placed in your horoscope: The influence will be toward spiritualism, intuition, universality, subtleness and sensitivity. One will be wealthy and protected from evil, i.e., positive results may be expected. If Ketu is ill placed in your horoscope: The influence will be toward eccentricity, explosiveness, fanaticism and emotional problems. One becomes prone to fatal diseases of a mysterious nature such as cancer, as well as compulsive gambling, i.e., negative results may be expected.