Mangala

{{Short description|Deity of Planet Mars}} {{About|Mars in Hindu astrology}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}} {{Infobox deity | type = Hindu | image = Angraka graha.JPG | caption = Mangala riding on his mount ram | name = Mangala | Devanagari = मंगल | Sanskrit_transliteration = Mangala | affiliation = Graha, Deva, Vaishnavism | god_of = Mars | abode = Mangalaloka | deity_of = God of the planet Mars<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/mangala | title=Mangala, Maṅgalā, Maṅgala, Mamgala: 45 definitions | date=27 September 2008 }}</ref> | number = 9, 18, and 27 | planet = Mars | day = Tuesday | mantra = Om Mangala Devaya Namah | colour = Red | father = Varaha according to Vaishnavism (father)<br />Shiva according to Shaivism | mother = Bhudevi | consort = Jwalini (in Common traditions)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.epoojastore.in/index.php?route=news/article&news_id=1137 | title=MATA JWALINI - CONSORT OF LORD MANGALA - ePoojaStore.in }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | title=Mangal Beej Mantra - मंगल बीज मंत्र » Ombeejmantra.com | url=https://ombeejmantra.com/mangal-beej-mantra/ | access-date=2025-06-28 | website=ombeejmantra.com}}</ref><br />Medha (in Brahma Vaivarta Purana)<ref>https://archive.org/details/brahma-vaivarta-purana-all-four-kandas-english-translation/page/n41/mode/1up</ref> | mount = Ram | member_of = Navagraha }}

'''Mangala''' ({{langx|sa| मङ्गल}}, IAST: {{IAST|Maṅgala}}) is the personification, as well as the name for the planet Mars, in Hindu literature.<ref name="Dalal2010p240">{{cite book|author=Dalal|first=Roshen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC&pg=PA240|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide|publisher=Penguin Books India|year=2010|isbn=978-0-14-341421-6|page=240}}</ref> Also known as '''Lohita''' ({{Literal translation|the red one}}),<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hmYMAQAAIAAJ&q=mangala+mars+lohita |title=Ancient Indian Tradition & Mythology: The Nārada-Purāṇa |date=1982 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |pages=984 |language=en}}</ref> he is the deity of anger, aggression, as well as war.<ref name="Dalal2010p240"/> According to Vaishnavism, he is the son of Bhumi, the earth goddess, and Vishnu, born when the latter raised her from the depths of the primordial waters in his Varaha avatar.<ref name="Dalal2010p240"/><ref>{{Cite book |last=Williams |first=George M. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N7LOZfwCDpEC&dq=mangala+bhumi+varaha&pg=PA86 |title=Handbook of Hindu Mythology |date=2008-03-27 |publisher=OUP USA |isbn=978-0-19-533261-2 |pages=86 |language=en}}</ref> According to Shaivism, he was born from the god Shiva through a drop of his blood or sweat.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dalal |first=Roshen |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC |title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide |date=2010 |publisher=Penguin Books India |isbn=978-0-14-341421-6 |pages=240 |language=en}}</ref>

== Nomenclature == Mars (Mangala) is also called: * '''Raktavarna''' (रक्तवर्ण) - whose color is like blood.<ref>{{cite web |last=Turner |first=Sir Ralph Lilley |author-link=Ralph Lilley Turner |year=1962 |title=aṅgāraka 126 |url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/contextualize.pl?p.0.soas.82184 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121215002336/http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/contextualize.pl?p.0.soas.82184 |archive-date=15 December 2012 |access-date=21 February 2010 |work=A comparative dictionary of the Indo-Aryan languages. London: Oxford University Press |publisher=Digital Dictionaries of South Asia, University of Chicago |page=7 |quote=aṅgāraka 126 aṅgāraka '(hypothetical) red like embers', masculine 'charcoal'. 2. masculine 'the planet Mars'. [áṅgāra -- ]1. Pali aṅgāraka -- 'red like charcoal'; Sanskrit aṅārī 2. Pali aṅgāraka -- masculine 'Mars'; Sanskrit aṅāro masculine Tuesday.}}</ref> * '''Bhauma''' (भौम) - son of Bhumi. * '''Lohitānga''' (लोहिताङ्ग) - red bodied (Loha also means Iron, so could also mean Iron Bodied). * '''Kuja''' (कुज) - he who is born from Earth. * '''Bha''' (भ) - shining.<ref>{{cite book |last=Gopal |first=Madan |url=https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada |title=India through the ages |publisher=Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India |year=1990 |editor=K.S. Gautam |page=[https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada/page/75 75]}}</ref> * '''Dharāputra''' (धरापुत्र) - son of Dharā.

==Iconography== He is painted red or flame colour, four-armed, carrying a trident ({{langx|sa|italic=on|link=no|trishūla}}), mace ({{langx|sa|italic=on|link=no|gadā}}), lotus ({{langx|sa|italic=on|link=no|Padma}}), and a spear ({{langx|sa|italic=on|link=no|shūla}}). His mount ({{langx|sa|italic=on|link=no|vahana}}) is a ram. He presides over Tuesday.<ref>''Mythology of the Hindus'', Charles Coleman, p. 132</ref>

== Legend == {{See also|Varaha|Bhūmi|Hiranyaksha}} Mangala appears in the narrative of the Varaha avatar of Vishnu. When the king of the asuras, Hiranyaksha, abducts the goddess of the earth, Bhumi, Vishnu assumes his third avatar, and descends upon the earth to rescue her. Observing that the asura had dragged her deep within the primordial waters, he catches the goddess with his tusks, and successfully slays the asura, restoring her to her rightful place in the cosmos. As she rises, Vishnu realises that Bhumi is, in fact, an aspect of his consort, Lakshmi,<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Misra |first1=Munindra |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RbBNCgAAQBAJ&dq=bhudevi+form+of+lakshmi&pg=PP108 |title=Lord Vishnu & Goddess Lakshmi |last2=मिश्रा |first2=मुनीन्द्र |date=2015-08-04 |publisher=Osmora Incorporated |isbn=978-2-7659-1672-7 |pages=108 |language=hi}}</ref> and proceeds to sport with her, and from this union is born Mangala, meaning the auspicious one.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Arumugam |first=Nesa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZjUCEAAAQBAJ&dq=mangala+bhumidevi&pg=PT45 |title=Myths and Legends of the Navagraha: The Nine Movers of Destiny in Indian Astrology |date=2020-09-27 |publisher=Partridge Publishing Singapore |isbn=978-1-5437-6002-6 |pages=45 |language=en}}</ref>

According to Shaivism, once when Shiva was engrossed in meditation on Mount Kailash, three drops of perspiration from his forehead fell on Earth. From those drops was born a beautiful infant with a reddish complexion and four arms. Shiva handed the child to Mother Earth for upbringing. Brought up by Bhumi, the child was named Bhauma.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Banerjee |first=Sudeshna |title=Red Bhooma - What Hindu mythology says about Mars |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/red-bhooma-what-hindu-mythology-says-about-mars/cid/1579667 |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date= |work=The Telegraph |language=en}}</ref>

==Literature== The word ''Mangala'' is ancient, first appearing in the Rigveda (2nd millennium BCE), and mentioned by grammarian Patanjali (~2nd century BCE), but not as an astrological term, rather to mean "auspicious-successful" (''siddha'') structure in literary arts. Panini too mentions it in verse I.3.1 in a similar context.<ref name="Slaje2008p22">{{cite book |author=Walter Slaje |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fD0Ypvxmzj8C&pg=PA22 |title=Abhandlungen für die Kunde des Morgenlandes |publisher=Otto Harrassowitz Verlag |year=2008 |isbn=978-3-447-05645-8 |pages=22–24}}</ref> In the Vedic texts, states Christopher Minkowski, there is no mention of auspicious rituals, or auspicious start or timing of a ritual, rather the "mangala" as auspicious practices likely emerged in the Indian traditions during the medieval era (after mid 1st millennium CE), thereafter found in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.<ref name="minkowski8">{{cite book |author=Christopher Minkowski |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fD0Ypvxmzj8C&pg=PA22 |title=Abhandlungen für die Kunde des Morgenlandes |publisher=Otto Harrassowitz Verlag |year=2008 |isbn=978-3-447-05645-8 |editor=Walter Slaje |pages=8–24}}</ref> The ritualistic Mimamsa school of Hinduism did not include any ''mangala'' (auspicious) verses, related to plane "Mangala" in any of its text throughout the 1st millennium CE.<ref name="minkowski8" />

The Markandeya Purana contains the astrological ''Mangala Kavacha Stotram'', which includes a prayer to be recited to Mangala for seeking protection.<ref>{{Cite book |last=adawal |first=Shanker |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=51BsEAAAQBAJ&dq=mangal+kavach+stotra&pg=PT589 |title=Encyclopedia of Vedic Astrology : Relationship: Marriage, Love & Sex |publisher=Sagar Publications |pages=589 |language=en}}</ref>

==Astrology and worship==

Jyotisha, the tradition of Hindu astrology, includes Mangala in the concept of Nakshatra (see also List of Nakshathra temples), Navagraha (see also List of Navagraha temples), and Saptarishi. He is included in the list of Hindu deities, whose dedicated temples are found at various Hindu pilgrimage sites, to which Hindus perform their pilgrimage, called yatra.

==Planet== Mangala, as a planet, appears in various Hindu astronomical texts in Sanskrit, such as the 5th century ''Aryabhatiya'' by Aryabhata, the 6th century ''Romaka'' by Latadeva and ''Panca Siddhantika'' by Varahamihira, the 7th century ''Khandakhadyaka'' by Brahmagupta and the 8th century ''Sisyadhivrddida'' by Lalla.<ref name="Burgess1989vii">{{cite book|author=Ebenezer Burgess|editor=P Ganguly, P Sengupta|title=Sûrya-Siddhânta: A Text-book of Hindu Astronomy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W0Uo_-_iizwC|year=1989|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass (Reprint), Original: Yale University Press, American Oriental Society|isbn=978-81-208-0612-2|pages=vii–xi}}</ref> These texts present Mangala as one of the planets and estimate the characteristics of the respective planetary motion.<ref name="Burgess1989vii"/> Other texts such as ''Surya Siddhanta'' dated to have been complete sometime between the 5th century and 10th century present their chapters on various planets with deity mythologies.<ref name="Burgess1989vii"/>

The manuscripts of these texts exist in slightly different versions, present Mangala's motion in the skies, but vary in their data, suggesting that the text were open and revised over their lives.<ref>{{cite book|author=Lionel D. Barnett|title=Antiquities of India: An Account of the History and Culture of Ancient Hindustan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x40mwFwgK44C&pg=PA190 |year=1994|publisher=Asian Educational Services|isbn=978-81-206-0530-5 |pages=190–192 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Ebenezer Burgess|editor=P Ganguly, P Sengupta|title=Sûrya-Siddhânta: A Text-book of Hindu Astronomy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W0Uo_-_iizwC|year=1989|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass (Reprint), Original: Yale University Press, American Oriental Society|isbn=978-81-208-0612-2|pages=ix-xi, xxix}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author=J Fleet | title=Arbhatiya|journal=Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1LssAAAAIAAJ|year=1911|publisher=Cambridge University Press for the Royal Asiatic Society|pages=794–799}}</ref>

The 1st millennium CE Hindu scholars had estimated the time it took for sidereal revolutions of each planet including Mangala, from their astronomical studies, with slightly different results:<ref name="Burgess198926">{{cite book|author=Ebenezer Burgess|editor=P Ganguly, P Sengupta|title=Sûrya-Siddhânta: A Text-book of Hindu Astronomy|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=W0Uo_-_iizwC|year=1989|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass (Reprint), Original: Yale University Press, American Oriental Society|isbn=978-81-208-0612-2|pages=26–27}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" align=center style = " background: transparent; " |+ Sanskrit and other texts: How many days for Mangala (Mars) to complete its orbit? |-style="text-align: center;" | width=200px | Source | width=340px | Estimated time per sidereal revolution<ref name="Burgess198926"/> |-style="text-align: center;" | width=200px style="background: #ffad66;" | ''Surya Siddhanta'' | width=340px | 686 days, 23 hours, 56 minutes, 23.5 seconds |-style="text-align: center;" | width=200px style="background: #ffad66;" | ''Siddhanta Shiromani'' | width=340px | 686 days, 23 hours, 57 minutes, 1.5 seconds |-style="text-align: center;" | width=200px | Ptolemy | width=340px | 686 days, 23 hours, 31 minutes, 56.1 seconds |-style="text-align: center;" | width=200px | 20th century calculations | width=340px | 686 days, 23 hours, 30 minutes, 41.4 seconds |}

==Calendar and zodiac== Mangala is the root of the word 'Mangalavara' or Tuesday in the Hindu calendar.<ref name="Dalal2010p240"/> The word {{lang|sa|मंगल}} also means "auspicious" but the planet {{lang|sa|मंगल}} is considered malefic.

Similarly, the names of Tuesday in other Indo-European languages are often derived from the Roman god Mars,<ref>{{cite book|author=Richard L. Thompson|title=Vedic Cosmography and Astronomy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9oi64rTVwNMC&pg=PA88|year=2004|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-1954-2 |pages=88 }}</ref> (such as the Latin word ''Martis'' "Tuesday") or a god ascribed with similar characteristics. The root of the English word Tuesday, for instance, is the old Germanic god of war and victory, Tīw, also known as Týr.<ref>{{cite book|author=Linda T. Elkins-Tanton|title=Mars|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eJ3y870Hxp4C|year=2006|publisher=Infobase Publishing|isbn=978-1-4381-0726-4|pages=v–vi}}</ref>

Mangala is part of the Navagraha in Hindu zodiac system. The role and importance of the Navagraha developed over time with various influences. The earliest work of astrology recorded in India is the Vedanga Jyotisha which began to be compiled in the 14th century BCE. [[File:Mars - August 30 2021 - Flickr - Kevin M. Gill.png|thumb|The planet Mars|250x250px]] Deifying planetary bodies and their astrological significance occurred as early as the Vedic period and was recorded in the Vedas. The classical planets, including Mars, were referenced in the Atharvaveda from the second millennium BCE. The Navagraha was furthered by additional contributions from Western Asia, including Zoroastrian and Hellenistic influences. The Yavanajataka, or 'Science of the Yavanas', was written by the Indo-Greek named "Yavanesvara" ("Lord of the Greeks") under the rule of the Western Kshatrapa king Rudrakarman I. The Yavanajataka written in 120 CE is often attributed to standardizing Indian astrology. The Navagraha would further develop and culminate in the Shaka era with the Saka, or Scythian, people. Additionally the contributions by the Saka people would be the basis of the Indian national calendar, which is also called the Saka calendar.

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Further reading== *{{cite journal | last=Pingree | first=David | title=The Mesopotamian Origin of Early Indian Mathematical Astronomy | journal=Journal for the History of Astronomy | publisher=SAGE | volume=4 | issue=1 | year=1973 | pages=1–12 | doi=10.1177/002182867300400102 | bibcode=1973JHA.....4....1P }} *{{cite book|last=Pingree |first= David | title= Jyotihśāstra : Astral and Mathematical Literature| publisher= Otto Harrassowitz| year= 1981| isbn= 978-3447021654 }} *{{cite book|author=Yukio Ohashi|editor=Johannes Andersen|title=Highlights of Astronomy, Volume 11B|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gQYscrT0fgQC|year=1999|publisher=Springer Science|isbn=978-0-7923-5556-4}} *''Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend'' ({{ISBN|0-500-51088-1}}) by Anna Dallapiccola

Category:Navagraha Category:War gods Category:Martian deities