Nature of Mercury

Nature of Mercury:

Mercury is adored for bestowment of blessings of good education, business, sharp intellect, and pleasing appearance and also to keep off from heat-induced ailments, general debility and depressions. The planet also monitors the family affairs in life. It is related to peace of mind, earnings, intellect, education and business, if it is favorable. Mercury in Vedic astrology is known as BUDHA, the awakened discriminating intellect and the part of us that knows. Mercury is benefice if associated with benefice grahas, and malefic if associated with malefic grahas. He is known as grahapati, or lord of the planets. Mercury rules over two signs of the sidereal zodiac, Gemini (Mithun) and Virgo (Kanya). He is exalted in Virgo at 15 degrees and in his fall in the opposite sign of Pisces (Meen). Where the Moon is the innocent mind, Mercury is the intellect that discriminates between benefic and malefic ideas, or good and evil. The intellect is neutral and becomes whatever it is associated with. Mercury is learned in behavior.Mercury reaches full maturity at age 32. In Vedic myth Mercury is born of the Moon. One myth recounts how the Moon, overcome with lust, abducts Tara, the wife of Brihaspati ( Jupiter). Out of their union Budha, or Mercury is born. Thus the intellect is born of the mind.