On the Nature of the Planets

The Moon is like a tree original: "Taro", a fierce animal, and gold. The Moon is a night-walker, of a phlegmatic temperament Kapha: one of the three bodily humors in Ayurvedic medicine, associated with water and earth, with beautiful eyes, a stout body, and long limbs. He is compassionate, fair-skinned, the lord of the merchant class Vaishya: the third social caste, gentle, a dweller of the waters, ruler of the Northwest direction, and a feminine planet. || 25 ||

Mars original: "Maheya," meaning 'Son of the Earth' is fickle, a wicked celestial traveler, of the warrior class Kshatriya, four-footed, pungent in taste, lord of the South, a forest-dweller, ruddy in hue, possessing a handsome body, fierce, youthful, and associated with burnt lands. Mercury original: "Saumya" is a traveler of the roads, a child, a fortunate planet, of the servant class Shudra, and lord of the North. He is a feminine planet, with the luster of gold and great intelligence. Jupiter original: "Jiva" is a well-behaved planet. || 26 ||

Now he describes the forms of the planets:

Regarding the verse "Mars is..."—Mercury is the son of the Moon. Jupiter is the significator of life-matters. He is a well-behaved, circular planet original: "Khaga," literally 'sky-goer' or bird. According to the sayings, Mercury and Saturn are the two "birds" among the planets. || 25 || 26 ||

Jupiter is a dweller of villages, two-footed, a fortunate planet, yellow in color, of the priestly class Brahmin, and circular. He is the lord of wealth, sweet in speech, a merchant, a noble man, and the guardian of the Northeast direction. Venus original: "Shukra" is feminine, a water-dweller, a priest, a traveler of the earth, endowed with phlegm, two-footed, of a dull luster, a traveler, an exceedingly handsome planet, ruler of the Southeast, and sour in taste. || 27 ||

Saturn original: "Manda," meaning 'the slow one' has a black body, is steady, a forest-dweller, associated with iron, thin, of a windy temperament Vata, tall, the lord of the outcasts Mleccha, wicked, and the master of the West. He is a bird-like planet with an astringent taste original: "Tumbar". Some wise men say Rahu the North Node of the Moon is like Saturn; he is a hunter, the lord of bones, a serpent, and his results depend on his sight and influence. Such is the fruit of the planets. || 28 || Thus ends the description of the nature of the planets.

Regarding the verse "Saturn is..."—Saturn is astringent in taste and a bird. Rahu is like Saturn.