Insights from the Mercury Chapter of The Greatness of Saturn
Last Saturday my Patreon group had the chance to meet to discuss the Mercury chapter of “The Greatness of Saturn”. Now in our second-read of this “therapeutic mythic”, this community is a warm space where we gather to dive deep into the wisdom of this incredible book, share insights, and connect with each other through the lens of Vedic Astrology.
Following our previous explorations of the Sun, Moon, and Mars, the Mercury chapter shifted our focus, bringing us down to Earth – quite literally! The core themes revolved around Mercury's role in populating the world with humans and creating the incredible variety of life forms we see. This aligns perfectly with Mercury's astrological domain, governing classification, categorization, management, and organization. As many of us in the group noted, the sheer number of characters and detailed lineages in this chapter made it quite a challenging read, a Mercury-like abundance of data to process!
The Mythology: Who Am I?
A central part of understanding Mercury in Vedic Astrology lies in its unique birth story. As we discussed, Mercury is the child born from an unconventional union between Tara, the powerful wisdom goddess and wife of Jupiter (Brihaspati), and the Moon (Chandra). This celestial love triangle created significant tension between dharma (righteous duty, tradition, represented by Jupiter) and individual desire (the Moon).
The pivotal moment arrives with Mercury's birth, where the parentage is unclear – is the child the Moon's or Jupiter's?. This inherent uncertainty about identity sets up Mercury's fundamental approach to life: a constant, intellectually rigorous questioning of "Who am I? Who am I truly?" This quest for self-discovery through questioning helps us cut through illusion and uncover deeper truths, reflecting Mercury's link to the Vedanta approach to enlightenment.
In the end, Mercury is born so beautiful, clever, and intelligent that Jupiter happily claims the child as his own. We discussed how this love triangle went on to set up the Mahabharata many generations later and talked about the battle of righteous and non-righteous action.
Connecting with the latest Podcast episode
The mythic journey of identity is exactly what we explored in the latest episode of The Vedic Astrology Podcast - Who Am I? The role of Jupiter, Mercury, Tara & the Moon in identity, love, self acceptance and A Restless Traveller S4 Ep 14.
And you can jump directly to they sharing of Mercury’s origin myth at 15 minutes into the episode.
Mercury's Restlessness - An Itch to Explore
The concept of Mercury as a "restless" planet, covered in the podcast, also came up in our book club discussion. Mercury gives us the energy to explore options and be open to new experiences in a nonjudgmental way. As the Jaimini Sutras describe Gemini (ruled by Mercury) as having "itches, stoutness, and density," and Virgo (also ruled by Mercury) as "like Gemini, as well as small fire," we connected this to the idea of an "itch" or strong desire that motivates action. Just as Pururavas (Mercury's son) was driven by his desire for the celestial nymph Urvashi, Mercury can use worldly desires as fuel for exploration and creating new methods and processes. The "small fire" of Virgo suggests that by focusing diligently on the details and processes related to this "itch," we can refine and purify these desires, potentially leading towards higher evolution or even moksha. This Mercury chapter of “The Greatness of Saturn” beautifully wove these themes together.
Navigating Challenging Narratives
Our group openly discussed the challenging language in the Mercury chapter, particularly its descriptions of divine events through what felt like a predominantly male perspective. Terms like the Moon being "ordered" to return Tara as if she was a possession, or Jupiter viewing Tara's womb as "his field to plow," or celestial beings banishing Urvashi due to their own "discharging of their seeds", can be confronting to a modern audience and can obscure the chapter's value.
We reflected on how, as we exit the current era (Kala Yuga), there remains a cultural forgetting of the richness and agency of goddesses and female energies. The Tara story, for example, only makes sense if we understand Tara's own immense power and free will – the subsequent war between devas and asuras only happens because she is not simply a possession to be ordered back. Discussing this openly as a group, acknowledging the historical context while seeking deeper meaning, was incredibly valuable. We recognised that a book like "The Greatness of Saturn," only has a brief overview of each planet, lacking the space to explore the full pantheon of associated planetary deities and their complex narratives.
Key Takeaways from the Discussion
Our exploration of the Mercury chapter produced several key points:
The value of community: Reading and discussing potentially challenging texts like "The Greatness of Saturn" in a supportive group makes the material more digestible and allows for richer insights. We all agreed that this the kind of book that rewards careful attention and re-reading.
Mercury's purpose: We can consciously direct Mercury's energy – that "itch" for exploration, classification, and detail – towards our highest good and personal evolution.
Understanding Variety: Mercury is strongly associated with the Earth element and embodies all three doshas (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha), reflecting its role in creating the vast diversity of life. It also uniquely connects the Sun and Moon lineages through its progeny.
Our Mercury discussion was a fun and light-hearted way to weave together ancient mythology, astrological principles, and deeply relatable human experiences like identity, restlessness, relationships, and desires.
Want to Join the Conversation?
Does this sound like the kind of exploration you'd enjoy? We welcome new members to our "The Greatness of Saturn Book Club" on Patreon! Our next meeting on July 5th, 2025 will explore the chapter on Jupiter – a perfect follow-up to our discussion on Mercury, diving deeper into the Guru, faith, wisdom, and expansion.
Come join our friendly and supportive space where Vedic Astrology enthusiasts connect, share insights, and unravel the profound wisdom embedded in these planetary stories and their reflection in our own lives.
What resonated with you most about Mercury's mythology or its connection to restlessness and identity? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
