Sukra (Venus) in Vedic Astrology — Meaning & Mantra

Significations (karakatva)

Venus (Shukra) signifies love, marriage, the spouse (for men), beauty, art, music, luxury, vehicles, comfort and sensual pleasure. It is the karaka of the seventh house of partnership and of the reproductive system. It is a feminine, watery, rajasic graha and a natural benefic. Venus gains directional strength in the fourth house. Professions associated with Venus include the fine arts, fashion, cosmetics, hospitality, entertainment, jewellery and the automobile trade. Venus is also the guru of the asuras and therefore signifies a worldly kind of wisdom, diplomacy and the knowledge of revival (sanjivani vidya).

Astronomy of Venus

Venus is the second planet from the Sun and nearly the same size as the Earth, about 12,104 km in diameter. Its thick carbon-dioxide atmosphere makes it the hottest planet and gives it a high reflectivity, so it is the brightest object in the night sky after the Moon. It orbits the Sun in about 225 days and, as an inferior planet, never appears more than about 47° from the Sun; it is therefore seen as either the morning star or the evening star. Five synodic cycles of Venus almost exactly equal eight years. Venus's combustion (asta) near the Sun, called Shukra moudhyam or Shukra asta, is traditionally avoided for marriages.

Mythology

Shukra, also called Shukracharya or Bhargava, is the son of the sage Bhrigu and the preceptor of the asuras. He alone knew the mritasanjivani vidya, the science of reviving the dead, which he used to restore fallen asuras. The gods sent Kacha, son of Brihaspati, to learn it from him; Shukra's daughter Devayani fell in love with Kacha. Shukra is said to have lost an eye when Vishnu as Vamana blocked the spout of a water vessel he was guarding during Bali's gift. Friday (Shukravara) is named after him.