Jupiter & Spirituality

Jupiter is perhaps the most important planet in Vedic astrology as far as spirituality is concerned. It's most popular name itself is Devguru (teacher of the gods). That itself tells us that it is a very auspicious planet that bestows divine knowledge or spiritual development when well placed in a chart. Not only that, it can also bestow very good fortune in terms of wealth, status and high position in society as it is the karak for wealth, ambition and extraordinary success.

Let us try to understand Jupiter by first looking at its various names. It is called 'jeeva' (the one that lives), Brihaspati (brihas = expansion and pati = lord), and Guru (remover of darkness of ignorance).

Why is it called the 'jeeva'? It is because a person is nothing but a bundle of consciousness wrapped inside a body. It is the consciousness that lives inside the body and the person is nothing but the conscious awareness that one has of life. Jupiter is the factor that governs the level of one's awareness and knowing that we can clearly see why it is also called 'jeeva'.

According to Sanatan Dharma, it is the very purpose of human life to expand or grow in spiritual awareness as that alone can bestow moksha or liberation to a soul. Jupiter as the Brihaspati (lord of expansion of consciousness) is the planet that is the karak for such an expansion in one's conscious awareness.

Jupiter is also called the Guru or spiritual teacher, the one who removes the darkness of ignorance from in front of our inner eye of awareness. Obviously, one cannot expand in spiritual awareness without the teachings and blessings of an evolved Guru. Jupiter represents all such enlightened and highly evolved teachers.

Jupiter governs the signs Sagittarius and Pisces according to Vedic astrology. These are the ninth and twelfth houses respectively in the Kaalpurush horoscope. Ninth house is the house of dharma or religion, wisdom, spiritual knowledge, ethics, prayer, worship, religious pilgrimages etc. It also represents one's father as well as one's ideology. Both these factors shape our awareness towards a higher ideal of life in most cases. Then nineth house also represents one's spiritual teacher and the path that one chooses in life for spiritual progress.

The twelfth house, and especially the Pisces zodiac sign represents the ocean of pure consciousness or Brahman. It is only when the twelfth house is fortified in a horoscope, it's lord is auspiciously placed and aspected, preferably by Jupiter, and Ketu is also involved with the twelfth house and the atmakarak planet in the horoscope, that one can gain enlightenment. Obviously, liberation is not possible without enlightenment or Self-realization. Jupiter, being the lord of the ninth and twelfth houses in the Kaalpurush horoscope, is the natural significator of enlightenment. While it is true that Ketu in the twelfth house has traditionally been considered as the liberation bestowing yoga, but the fact remains that Ketu being 'headless' needs a Guru or spiritual guide for it to gain the Self-knowledge necessary for liberation or moksha. Jupiter ruling the natural twelfth house of Pisces as well as the ninth zodiac sign of Sagittarius that represents spiritual aspiration, is that spiritual Guru, who when well placed in the horoscope, can liberate the native.

Considering all the above factors, we can clearly see why Jupiter is so closely linked to spirituality.