Remedies for Venus (Shukra)
Traditional remedies (upaya) for Venus (Shukra): its mantras, day, deity, charity, fasting, colour and devotional texts, with their sources.
Traditional devotional practice
These are traditional devotional practices (upaya) described in Jyotish and Dharmashastra texts. They are offered for faith and reflection, with no promise of any result, and they never replace medical, psychological, legal or financial advice. Chant and give within your means: no remedy needs anything to be bought.
Mantras
Nama-mantra Later / popular
ॐ शुक्राय नमः
Om Śukrāya Namaḥ
The graha's name with Om and namah; it needs no initiation. Commonly chanted 108 times (one mala) on the graha's day.
Beej mantra Later / popular
ॐ द्रां द्रीं द्रौं सः शुक्राय नमः
Om Drāṃ Drīṃ Drauṃ Saḥ Śukrāya Namaḥ
The seed-syllable form of later mantra manuals. Many teachers advise learning its pronunciation from a guru.
Chant “Om Shukraya Namah” (ॐ शुक्राय नमः) 108 times on Fridays.
Nama-mantra ("Om … namah" with the graha’s name in the dative): the simplest form of graha japa, needing no initiation, as commonly taught
Beej mantras of the Navagrahas: later Tantric and popular mantra manuals; not given in BPHS
Beej mantra of Venus (Shukra)
ॐoṃ द्रांdrāṃ द्रींdrīṃ द्रौंdrauṃ सःsaḥ शुśuक्राkrāयya नnaमःmaḥ
10 syllables, 18 matras · Underlined syllables are guru (long or heavy) and are held about twice as long as laghu (short) ones.
The voice is your device's synthetic speech. It is only approximate and may mispronounce Sanskrit (vowel length, visarga, conjuncts). Learn from a teacher or an authentic recording.
Day, worship, charity and fasting
- Day Classical
- Friday (Shukravar)
- Deity of the graha (adhidevata) Classical
- Shachi (Indrani)
Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra ch. 3: the deities of the seven grahas from the Sun (Agni, the waters, Skanda, Vishnu, Indra, Shachi, Brahma)
- Deity worshipped Later / popular
- Lakshmi
Worship Goddess Lakshmi on Fridays.Deity commonly worshipped for each graha: popular practice; traditions vary by region and family
- Charity (dana) Classical
- On Fridays, give white rice, curd or sugar, or clothes to women in need.
Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, the remedial (shanti) chapters on the dashas: propitiation by worship, japa and charity (dana); Yajnavalkya Smriti, Acharadhyaya, Graha-shanti prakarana (graha worship, samidh and dakshina)
- Fasting (vrat) Later / popular
- Shukravar (Friday) vrat, with Lakshmi (or Santoshi Mata) worship.
Fast only if your health allows it; during pregnancy, illness or on medication, ask your doctor first.Weekday vratas: popular vrata-katha tradition, not a BPHS prescription
- Colour Classical
- white / light pastel shades
Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra ch. 3: colours of the grahas
- Conduct Later / popular
- Keep harmony in relationships, make room for beauty and the arts, and avoid excess in pleasures.
Texts to read or chant
- Shukra Beej Mantra Beej mantra
- Mahalakshmi Ashtakam Ashtakam
- Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah Mantra
- Shri Lakshmi Chalisa Chalisa
- Navagraha Stotram Stotra
Navagraha Stotra attributed to Vyasa; Aditya Hridayam (Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kanda); other texts as listed in the Bhakti library with their own sources
Gemstone
The traditional gem of Venus (Shukra) is Diamond (Heera). Read the cautions before considering one: a gem is never a substitute for the remedies above.