Graha epithets

[DEVARAKONDA VENKATA NARAYANA SARMA]

At 12:54 PM 12/3/97 -0800, Girish Sharma wrote:
>There are two epithets, one of Shani and one of
>Ketu, that I don't understand.  Can anyone help
>with the meaning of these:
>
>For Shani, Niilaa~njanagiriprakhya, which to
>mean something like the One who has the appearance
>of a <giri> of blue ointment.  What does giri
>mean in this context?
>

It may mean that he has very big black body that resembles a mountain of blue
ointment.

>For Ketu, Taarakaagrahataaraka where it seems to
>be Taarakaa - wife of Brhaspati, graha - seizing,
>taaraka - planet.  Was Ketu somehow involved in the
>abduction of the wife of Brhaspati that resulted in
>the birth of Budha by Candra?
>

BRhaspati's wife is tArA not tArakA. The word can mean 'a planet which
seizes other planets.'

regards,

sarma.

>Thank you for any help you can provide.
>
>
>-------------------------------------------------------
>
>Girish Sharma
>San Diego, CA
>
>