Planets, Gods and the Days of the Week

Sunday: Sun, Gods of Rebirth

India: Vishnu/ Krishna Forms the sustaining principle in a trinity with Brahma as creator and Shiva as destroyer. May sit on a snake or ride an eagle. Married with beauty goddess Lakshmi. Supreme god who manifests himself on earth in 10 avatars or incarnations like Matsya, who saved Manu from the Great Flood. Other avatars are Buddha and Lord Krishna. After his birth Krishna fled in a basket on the river to escape a child-killing tyrant. He's a simple shepherd playing the flute, the cow is therefore a sacred animal. He defeats demons, works wonders and tricks, heals the sick and rises from the dead. In the Mahabharata he's Arjuna's charioteer to whom he reveals his sacred doctrine, the Baghavad Gita.

Sumer: Enki/ Ea God of fresh water, knowledge and craftsmanship and creator and protector of humanity. He has a double helix or caduceus and his son Marduk is a sun god and god of magic. Forms a trinity with his brother Enlil, creator of wind and earth and their father Anu, king of the sky and father of the Anunnaki, the Sons of God.  From behind a wall of reeds Enki warns Utnapishtim (Noah) for his brother Enlil who wants to destroy mankind with a great flood because he's annoyed by the noise people make.

Egypt: Ra Creator of all life, identified primarily with the noon sun. At times merged with sky god Horus as Ra-Horakhty, portrayed as a falcon with a sun disk and a cobra. His right eye, the "Eye of Horus" is Ra and gives life and healing. As a child, Horus had to flee from his evil uncle Seth (Satan) in a basket on the Nile. According to Herodotus, he was known by the Greek as Apollo.

Greek/Roman: Apollo God of shepherds, muses, medicine and the "Oracle of Delphi." Carries a lire and a bow and gave Hermes his caduceus. Brother of Artemis, but born on an island to escape the wrath of Hera, wife of Zeus. Also honored as a sun god. Killed the dragon Python.

Scandinavia: Freyr God of the sun, peace and prosperity. He's a twin brother of Goddess Freya and forms a trinity with war god Odin and Thor. Rides on a pig through the sky. Freyr means "lord."

Yoruba: Obatalá Orisha (spirit), son and representative of Olorun. Creator of all bodies animated by Olorun but gets into a feud with his brother over the creation of the earth. Sky father, as well as father of all Orishas. God of justice who takes care of the sick or disabled. He's dressed in white, carries a staff with a snake and rises from the dead. Forms a trinity with his wife Yemaya and god Changó.

Jewish/Christian: Christ Fled to Egypt to escape child killer Herod. Worked miracles and healed the sick. Rose from the dead on Sunday, the most important day in Christianity. Forms a trinity with his father Yahweh and the Holy Spirit.

 

Monday: Moon, Gods of Creation and Destruction

India: Shiva God of creation and destruction and of fertility. Forms a trinity with Brahman and supreme god Vishnu. Has a crescent moon on the head, a third eye, a snake around the neck and a trident and drum. Rides a bull. Father of messenger god Ganesha.

Sumer: Nanna/Sin God of the moon and of time, patron god of the city of Ur. Depicted as a crescent, with a crescent moon on the head or with horns. His symbols are a tripod and a winged bull. Son of creator Enlil, himself father of sun god Utu and venus goddess Ishtar with whom he forms a trinity.

Egypt: Khonsu God of the moon, time, youth and fertility. Heals and protects against the enemy. Has a staff, an ankh and a crescent moon. As a snake he fertilized the cosmic egg and thus created the world. Communicates with Horus and is sometimes depicted with a falcon head. Forms a trinity with his mother Mut and his father, the supreme god Amon.

Greek/Roman: Poseidon/Neptune God of the sea, earthquakes, tidal waves and also the horse. Known for his trident. Can send a dragon as a weapon. Father of Atlas and the other 9 kings of the 10 islands of Atlantis.

Scandinavia: Odin/Wodan Supreme god, war god and god of hunting and wisdom. Has a valknut (3 twisted triangles). Threw the serpent Jörmungandr into the sea after which it became so big that it spanned the world and eventually had to be defeated by Thor.

Yoruba: Yemaya Goddess of the sea, mother of creation. Forms a trinity with her husband Obatala and supreme god Changó. Its symbols include: fish, a half-moon and a serpent.

Jewish/Christian: Gabriel Archangel of the moon. The crescent moon is the most important symbol in Islam.

 

Tuesday: Mars, Gods of the Underworld

India: Yama God of the underworld, the first mortal. Transmitter of the soul. Has two dogs, each with four eyes.

Sumer: Ningishzida God of the underworld and medicine. Has a staff with two serpents or dragons (caduceus or double helix).

Egypt: Anubis/ Osiris Anubis, son of Isis, has the head of a jackal. Anubis acted as god of the underworld before Osiris took over this task. Osiris, the god of resurrection and afterlife who assesses the souls, is associated with the constellation of Orion. He's the son of Geb, the god of Earth and king of snakes. Carries a shepherd's crook and a triple scourge. He married his sister Isis, who is associated with the star Sirius. Their son Horus is conceived by means of Thot's magic after Osiris was killed by his brother Seth, the evil god of desert and chaos. Horus, after first fleeing in a basket on the Nile, later defeats Seth and forms a trinity with Isis and Osiris.

Greek/Roman: Hades/ Pluto God of the underworld and the river Styx. Has a long staff and Cerberus, a dog with three heads. Mars is the god of war and death, and the father of Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome who were raised by a wolf.

Scandinavia: Tyr God of war and of the "Ding", the Germanic assembly. Hel, the goddess of the underworld and mother of Jörmungandr has a dog (Garmr) who guards the entrance to the underworld. Tyr is also named Tiwaz or Tiw, hence tuesday. In French, Tuesday is mardi, day of Mars.

Yoruba: Eleggua/Eshu Orisha (spirit) of roads, intersections, fate and death. Trickster and troublemaker, has a key and a staff. Delivers Ashe, the vital energy or soul reminiscent of Ka in Egypt, that comes from Olorun.

Jewish/Christian: Satan Samuel, the archangel of Mars, became Satan as a fallen angel.

 

Wednesday: Mercury, Messenger Gods

India: Ganesha God of knowledge, wisdom and the sacred word Aum. Son of Lord Shiva and his wife Parvati. Protector of travelers who rides on a rat. Has the head of an elephant, perhaps because of his strong memory.

Sumer: Nabu God of writing and wisdom, son of Marduk. Has a clay tablet and the "Tables of Futures." His planet is Mercury.

Egypt: Thoth God of wisdom, writing, mathematics and magic. Has an ibis head and carries a clay tablet, a long staff and an ankh. Son of Ra.

Greek/Roman: Hermes/Mercury God of language, writing and traveling. Messenger of the gods. Wears a winged helmet and sandals and carries a staff with wings and two snakes (caduceus or double helix) which he got from Apollo. Son of Zeus.

Scandinavia: Odin/Wodan Besides war god also god of wisdom. His winged helmet is similar to that of Hermes. In French mercredi, the day of Mercury, means Wednesday, day of Wodan.

Yoruba: Orunmila God of wisdom, morality and the future. Associated with a rat and Eleggua, the Orisha of roads and travelers among other things who somewhat resembles Hermes. Eldest son of Olorun.

Jewish/Christian: The Bible The tradition of Torah reading is central to Jewish religion.

 

Thursday: Jupiter, Thunder Gods

India: Indra God of rain and thunderstorms. Wields a lightning thunderbolt known as Vajra and rides on a white elephant known as Airavata. Lives on Mount Meru in the heavens.

Sumer: Hadad/ Iškur Storm and rain god. He appears bearded, often holding a club and thunderbolt while wearing a bull-horned headdress. The bull is his symbolic animal. Equated with the Greek god Zeus, the Roman god Jupiter and the Egyptian god Amon.

Egypt: Amon King of the gods. Forms a trinity with his wife Mut and his son Khonsu, the moon god. Forges with sun god Ra to become Amon-Ra, a supreme God and precursor of the monotheism of Moses. Has a long staff and an ankh. He sometimes transforms into a ram.

Greek/Roman: Zeus/Jupiter God of sky and thunder who lives on Mount Olympus. Has an eagle. Married to Hera. After the Great Flood, Deucalion (the Greek Noah) brings a sacrifice to him.

Scandinavia: Thor/Donar God of Thunder, upholder of the order. Forms a trinity with Odin and Freyr. Strongest of the gods, who can demolish a mountain and defeat the Jörmungandr with his hammer. Drives through the air on a cart with two goats. In French jeudi, day of Jupiter, means Thursday, day of Thor.

Yoruba: Changó King and Orisha (spirit) of storms and lightning. Is married to Oshun and forms a trinity with Obatala and Yemaya. Carries an ax.

Jewish/Christian: Yahweh Counterpart of storm and fertility god Baäl ("The Lord"), who was associated with Jupiter.

 

Friday: Venus, Goddesses of Beauty and Fertility

India: Lakshmi Goddess of beauty, love, prosperity and abundance. Born when the sky ocean of milk was churned. Female avatar of Vishnu but also mistress of Krishna among others.

Sumer: Ishtar/Inanna Winged goddess of love, sex and war. Her symbols include a lion and the planet Venus as an eight-pointed star.

Egypt: Isis Osiris' wife and goddess of love, fertility, wisdom and the sky.  Carries a throne on her head but may also have horns with a sun in between like cow-goddess Hathor, her predecessor. Like Isis, Hathor is sometimes seen as the mother of Horus and may have twin feathers. Identified as Aphrodite by the Ancient Greeks. Cat goddess Bastet is the daughter of Isis and Osiris.

Greek/Roman: Aphrodite/Venus Goddess of love, beauty, sex and fertility. Mistress of Hermes (among others), who gave her a hermaphroditic son. Born from the sea. Hera/ Juno and Artemis/ Diana can also be compared with Isis.

Scandinavia: Freya Goddess of love, beauty, sex and fertility. Sometimes winged. Rides in a cart and has two cats. Also referred to as Frigg, the wife of Odin. In French vendredi, day of Venus, means Friday, day of Freya.

Yoruba: Oshun Goddess of beauty, love and fresh water. Daughter/ sister of Yemaya. Born from the sea. Carries a mirror among other things.

Jewish/Christian: Mary The Virgin Mary is sometimes referred to as the morning star (Venus). In gnosticism Astaphaios, one of the seven archons, is associated with Venus. He derives his name from goddess Astaphe and his feminine side is named Sophia (Wisdom).

 

Saturday: Saturn, Time and Infinity

India: Brahma The immovable essence, without beginning or end, infinitely large and infinitely small at the same time. Similar to the Tao in Taoism.

Sumer: Nammu The primordial waters.

Egypt: Nun The primordial waters.

Greek/Roman: Chronos/ Saturn Infinite time, father time. Saturday is the day of Saturn.

Scandinavia: Ginnungagap The primordial chaos.

Yoruba: Olorun Universal soul, life force of everything that expresses itself through the Orishas (spirits or gods).

Jewish/Christian: The Holy Spirit Saturday, or sábado in Spanish, is the day of the sabbath. In gnosticism, archon Ialdabaoth ("Child of Chaos") is associated with Saturn. Also known as the Demiurge, he's the chief ruler of the seven archons and creator of the material world. He's not truly God himself though but an imperfect, malevolent offspring of the perfect, immovable Divine.