Bhaga: the god of the happy share, deity of Purva Phalguni

Who is Bhaga in the Vedas?

Bhaga belongs to the Adityas, the sons of Aditi, the boundless mother. One hymn of the Rigveda names six of them: Mitra, Aryaman, Bhaga, Varuna, Daksha and Amsha; later lists count twelve. Like Amsha, whose name means “the portion”, Bhaga is a god of sharing.

His name comes from a root meaning “to share, to allot”: Bhaga is “the one who distributes”, and also what is distributed, good fortune. Sanskrit drew from it bhagya, luck, saubhagya, marital happiness, and bhagavat, “the blessed one”, which gives its title to the Bhagavad Gita, the song of the Blessed One. The same word gave the Slavic languages their name for God, bog.

The hymns call on him at daybreak, and Dawn, Ushas, is named as his sister: every morning, the share of happiness is dealt out again. He is invoked for prosperity, affection and a happy family life.

The myths of Bhaga: the wedding and the lost sight

In the wedding hymn of the Rigveda, the groom takes his bride’s hand “for good fortune” and says that Bhaga, Aryaman and Savitar have given her to him to found a household. Bhaga is therefore present at the very moment two lives are joined: he brings its joy, Aryaman its solidity.

A story from the Puranas tells that Bhaga lost his sight at Daksha’s sacrifice, when Shiva’s anger fell on the assembly of the gods. Shiva, once appeased, gave him back a way to see: from then on, Bhaga would see through the eyes of Mitra, the god of friendship. Ever since, people say fortune is blind; you can also read in it that luck finds its way when friendship guides it.

The attributes of Bhaga

His attributes are qualities more than objects, and the astrologer finds them again in the nakshatra he presides over:

• The share: everyone has a right to their portion of happiness, and Bhaga sees that it is given.
• Shared pleasure: the joy of the table, of celebration, of love, which grows when it is shared.
• Marital happiness: saubhagya, the good fortune of the couple, wished upon newlyweds.
• The morning: invoked at dawn with Dawn, his sister, he is the god of happy beginnings.
• Generosity: his fortune is not a treasure locked away, it is wealth that circulates.

Bhaga and Purva Phalguni nakshatra

Bhaga presides over Purva Phalguni, the eleventh nakshatra, from 13°20′ to 26°40′ sidereal Leo, ruled by Venus and symbolised by the front legs of a bed. The bed speaks of rest after effort and of a couple’s intimacy: exactly Bhaga’s domain. Bhaga and Aryaman follow each other in the sky as they do in the wedding hymn: first the front legs of the bed, then the back ones, with Uttara Phalguni.

Venus and Bhaga answer each other: one gives a taste for beauty and bonds, the other the right to enjoy them. A Moon in Purva Phalguni starts life in the Venus mahadasha, a 20-year period under the sign of connection, art and pleasure.

How Bhaga’s energy shows in a chart

Bhaga speaks as soon as a key point of the chart sits in Purva Phalguni. Each placement has its own nuance and its own lever:

• The Moon in Purva Phalguni: emotional well-being runs through affection, shared moments, a pleasant setting. The lever: allow yourself rest without guilt.
• The Ascendant in Purva Phalguni: charm, warmth, a sense of welcome. The lever: put this ease at the service of a shared project.
• Venus in Purva Phalguni: Venus is in its own nakshatra; its talent for art and for love is brought into the light.
• Another planet in Purva Phalguni: it looks for pleasure in its own field. Mercury enjoys sparkling conversation there, Mars joyful challenges, Saturn the pleasure that is earned.

A simple practice inspired by Bhaga

Since Bhaga is the god of the share, the gesture that suits him is sharing. In the morning, at the hour when the hymns invoked him, name one good thing life gave you the day before; then, during the day, offer someone a share of what you have: a meal, some time, a sincere compliment.

Nothing to buy, nothing to prove: Bhaga’s happiness multiplies when it circulates. Purva Phalguni natives know this by instinct, and anyone can learn it, whatever their nakshatra.