In this post, I discuss the difference between Jupiter and Venus in terms of their teachings.
Both Jupiter and Venus are Gurus in astrology. Jupiter is the Guru of the Suras while Venus is the Guru of the Asuras. The suras and asuras are abstract concepts. We don’t know if they really exist or not. Who has seen one of them to confirm it is true ? So it has to be adapted to the worldly realm and here is where the difference arises. Jupiter is called Na Vaghvi in the Jaimini sutras which means he is a planet of few words. Jupiter is wisdom and as it happens wise people speak little. Silence is always golden in many situations which is in the realm of Jupiter. On the other hand Venus is a planet who according to the Brihat Parashara Hora shastra holds mastery over all shastras or knowledge there is in existence including the reanimation or Mrita Sanjeevani vidya. So Venus is a planet of worldly or practical wisdom while Jupiter is the planet of spiritual wisdom. Now the question is when it comes to teaching in a worldly sense as in schools and colleges, which planet do we assign? For teaching related profession as stated by Maharisi Jaimini, it will have to be Venus (and also the moon as Moon is exalted in venus’s sign taurus). Jupiter will not teach the college, school and initiatory instruction or higher eduction stuff. Jupiter is more inclined to teach spiritual wisdom, that wisdom which will break the shackles of bondage and free a person from cycles of life and death.
These two planets Jupiter and Venus are very closely connected than we think. They of course rule the occult numbers 5 and 6 respectively which are in succession, maybe one other reason why they seem so similar. In the puranas too, Brihaspathi and Shukracharya are mentioned to be always neck in neck in terms of their knowledge.
Particularly, Venus strong in a person’s chart will have easy time relating to other people in their life which is a trait necessary for teaching. Before I jump into special qualities of Jupiter and as to why Moon and Venus are the best teachers, it is good to understand who is a Guru first. Can all teachers be gurus?
The above verse in the picture is from Vivekachudamani of Sri Jagathguru Adi Shankara. Translation by Swami Madhavananda (Advaita Ashrama, 1921):
Each and every word in that translation is very important to understand.But for now let us just focus on the qualities as mentioned there. If you contemplate on that, you will arrive at the conclusion that not all teachers can be gurus . But all Gurus can be teachers!
Venus is still the best teacher among the planets, thanks to his exaltation is Jupiter’s water sign Pisces which is the natural 12th house of contemplation. On the other hand, Jupiter is a great planet of transformations from bad to good (viceversa is also true if he is afflicted in the chart). Jupiter has a slight edge over Venus in this aspect of teaching in the long run of soul’s journey from one life to another. Venus in which ever role he is playing like a teacher, student, actor, prostitute etc will have a tendency for desires and will expect something in return. It is not bad or good to have desires, neither is it bad to maintain 50-50 relationship quality. But it does not transcend the human plane. The other big problem with Venus is his Pride. All these examples you will find throughout the puranas and shasthras and mythology. Jupiter on the other hand is not like that, he is above all that because Jupiter doesn’t expect anything in return when he gives. Neither does he have pride that he knows some form of knowledge. Most importantly he is at peace and happy even if he has something or if he doesn’t have something, that is why he is exalted in the 4th rasi cancer in the seat of happiness. Since Venus is the desires we have , we will never be at peace until we attain that desire.
Just to quote a few examples of Venus from Ramayana. Venus’s Parashuram avatar meets Sri Rama (Sun’s avatar) in the Ramayana. I am sure many readers know the story, Rama had broken the shivadhanus to marry Sita. Parashuram confronts Sri Rama and challenges him to break another bow of his. He does that because he felt that there was a blow to his pride. Sri Rama as an avatar of the Sun, keeps his calm and doesn’t do anything because this episode takes place in front of his father. When an elder in the family was present at the scene Sri Rama let’s him handle that (that’s a lesson from this episode too). However, Parashuram still keeps agitating Sri Rama to try to break another bow of his. Sri Rama finally loses his cool and just grabs the bow with such force that, Parashuramrealises he is no ordinary man but Purushottama (Best among mortal men) Vishnu himself. There are many things that one can learn from that story – simplest of that is venus is an enemy to the sun. Beside that see Venus’s pride come into play. Venus has healthy pride but pride nonetheless.
On the other hand if you follow the TriVikrama avatar of Jupiter, Bali gets his lessons and ego smashed. In the end he realizes that he is a mortal and only GOD is all pervading. Even though Venus participates in this avatar of Jupiter, Jupiter’s lessons are different from that of Venus. So to conclude Jupiter is the Guru who is necessary for crossing this ocean of bondage. Venus’s teaching will keep us attached in this ocean of bondage as we get stuck in the realm of desires.
For example take Venus’s role as a teacher – Venus teaches and what does he expect in return ? His students should learn. While Jupiter’s teaching is very different. He is not even going to expect you to learn or believe in his work. He is going to take you for a wild ride. A ride such that the ego dies in the process and jyothi or light sparkles out of the person in the form of happiness and joy. Jupiter in the cards system rules the number 5. The nature of the 5 is it is change or seeking something. Jupiter can also produce a Pasa yoga which can make the chart sway either way. Jupiter therefore is the planet that will transform the person. It is not because Jupiter wants to transform the person on his own accord, but the person themselves is seeking that transformation. It is mutually inclusive. In any case, by ruling the number 5, Jupiter has an element of transformation imbibed in him which is one of the qualities of a Guru.
One of the common things astrologers predict when venus gets tagged to the 5th house is romance. But they miss pedagogic beautiful quality of venus connected to the 5th. 5th house rules students in astrology. Venus and the moon are teachers because one of the biggest quality of teaching is that you have to adapt to the audience almost instantaneously. If some students are bored or not listening, you have to adapt and engage them. That requires perception of the environment and gauging the audience. Moon does better as he is naturally adaptable – look at how many phases he changes in 15 days (from full moon to new moon and viceversa). Venus does better because he can naturally relate to people. Beside that, to teach one has to know and among the planets Venus is the expert of all known shastras there is as mentioned above. Moon likes new things. Teaching demands that too. Are you going to teach the same way and same topic for 15-20 years or are you going to change your style and topics every year? To adapt and change one has to have a good moon in the chart.
Every planet has a role in every profession just as I discussed in the previous post with astrology profession. But the AK planet will give that profession. For example in teaching you need a good mercury to communicate and listen to the feedback. Mercury is really understated in teaching professions and on media. Look at youtube channels and other media and their sloppy communication, pronunciations and presentations. Some of them keep doing it deliberately too. All those are signs of poor mercury. A good mercury is a great communicator and presenter of information.
One needs Mars for teaching too if you want to install passion in the students; Jupiter to bring out optimism in the students; Sun for confidence and to lead by example while you teach, Saturn for patience and to do the hard work of teaching several dozen hours in a day.
HARI OM!
OM TAT SAT!