The Sun will enter the sign of Virgo late in the evening of 17 September and will remain in it till the early hours of 17 October. The Āditya blessing the sign is Vivasvān, whose name, derived from the root वस् (vas), conveys brilliance and effulgence. Vivasvān is indeed one of the most effulgent, with 1,400 rays, second only to Aṃśumān. Because of this emphasis on radiance, Vivasvān is often identified with Sūrya himself, as in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa (3.2–3.3).
विवस्वान् नाम आदित्यः सूर्यः लोकप्रकाशकः
vivasvān nāma ādityaḥ sūryaḥ lokaprakāśakaḥ
“Vivasvān, the Āditya, is Sūrya, the illuminator of the worlds.”
The Mahābhārata (Vana Parva, Adhyāya 3) emphasises another aspect of his character, that of a benefactor and sustainer of life. When Yudhiṣṭhira, the Pāṇḍava prince, is in dire need of food for his family while in exile, he performs austerity to propitiate the Sun and addresses him as Vivasvān. Vivasvān appears before him and grants the Akṣaya Pātra, an inexhaustible vessel that ensures a constant supply of food during the Pāṇḍavas’ exile.
नमस्ते विवस्वते देव लोकचक्षुः प्रदीपकः ।
तेजसा भासि भूतानि त्वमेव प्रभुरव्ययः ॥
namas te vivasvate deva loka-cakṣuḥ pradīpakaḥ |
tejasā bhāsi bhūtāni tvam eva prabhur avyayaḥ ||
“Salutations to you, Vivasvān, O god, eye of the world, illuminator;
by your radiance all beings shine—you alone are the imperishable lord.”
The Sun in Virgo carries the potential of Vivasvān, where illumination and abundance find a more practical expression. Ruled by Mercury, Virgo brings intelligence, discrimination and skill, and the Sun in this sign with learning, writing, calculation and a range of practical accomplishments. Virgo is also symbolised by a maiden carrying grain, an image particularly appropriate to the season of harvest, when what has been cultivated comes to fruition.
Virgo is also the natural sixth house, associated with obstacles, conflict and service. When the Sun itself occupies the sixth house, the capacity to confront such difficulties may become particularly visible. Vivasvān himself carries an excess of solar energy; his radiance was so intense that it had to be reduced by Tvaṣṭṛ before it could become life-sustaining. The Sun in Virgo may therefore illuminate not only what resources are available to us, but how much is needed and how they can be used most effectively.
Transits
The Sun moves away from Ketu in Leo and enters Virgo, where it joins an exalted Mercury. The Sun is freed from Ketu, but will now receive Saturn’s aspect from Pisces. Leaders may find themselves constrained from acting fully on their convictions. From 27 September to 10 October, the Sun transits Hasta Nakshatra, marking one of the most propitious times of the year to worship the Sun for wealth and abundance. Presided by the solar deity Savitur, Hasta holds the power to manifest and realise our efforts, bringing what we seek within our reach.
The very next day, Mars moves into Cancer to join an exalted Jupiter. Mars is debilitated in Cancer, but its debilitation is cancelled by Jupiter. Actions and initiatives may find support from traditional institutions, the judiciary, advisers and intellectual circles. The move of Mars into Cancer should also bring some relief to those with Cancer ascendants or Moon signs, as Cancer is released from being hemmed in on either side by the malefic influence of Mars and Ketu, a combination that can cause untoward incidents.
The movable signs of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn benefit from Venus in Libra and an exalted Jupiter in Cancer, two strong benefics occupying quadrants in their own signs or signs of exaltation. Dual signs benefit from an exalted Mercury in Virgo, forming Bhadra Mahapurusha Yoga until Mercury leaves Virgo to join Venus on 26 September. This creates a highly dynamic combination for enjoyment, commerce and exchange, with two rajasic planets occupying the most rajasic sign of the zodiac. It should generally be favourable for business and markets.
The picture becomes more complicated when Venus turns retrograde on 3 October and enters planetary war with Mercury on 6 and 7 October in Swati Nakshatra. Venus and Mercury naturally bring relationships, agreements, commerce and financial interests into the same arena. Both planets are exceptionally strong making compromise difficult. Venus is more luminous and has greater resources, reflected in its longitude, while its retrograde motion adds determination. Mercury, however, has greater skill and focus, reflected in its latitude and declination. Swati brings another dimension to this conflict through its tendency to scatter and disperse. Yet this dispersal may also create the conditions for a new beginning in negotiations. Venus will be retrograde until 14 October, relationships may remain under review, with earlier positions or arrangements needing to be reconsidered.
Festivals
Summer in the Northern Hemisphere ends with the autumnal equinox, which occurs in the UK at 1.06 am BST on 23 September. At the equinox, the Sun is directly above the Equator and day and night are approximately equal in length.
The holy period of the ancestors, Pitṛ Pakṣa, begins on 27 September (the tithi begins on the evening of 26 September) and ends on 10 October. This is a time to honour our ancestors and make food offerings in gratitude.
The very next day, the festival of Navarātri, the nine days dedicated to the Divine Goddess, also begins. Traditionally, these nine days are filled with special offerings, yagnas, fasting, meditations, singing and dancing, and displays of beautiful art and dolls to honour the Mother Divine and her entire creation.
BAVA’s annual online conference, Secrets of Nava Graha (17–21 September), is free to members. I am speaking on 19 September on The Sacred Harmony of Surya and Chandra, exploring cases where the Sun and Moon are linked through a common deity shared by an Āditya and a nakshatra deity, revealing a deeper layer of integration in life expression.
May we implore Vivasvān Āditya to illuminate our path, bless us with abundance and give us the wisdom to use our resources well.
ॐ घृणिः विवस्वानादित्य
om ghṛṇiḥ vivasvānāditya