Table of Contents
Association
- Budha
- Budhavara
- Wednesday (day of Odin)
- Hermes
Ophiel
He is a governor over the Mercurial things. His spirits’ legion numbers one hundred thousand. He gives familiar spirits, teaches all arts, gives the true answers when asked, brings gold and silver, transports something from one place to another, and gives a man swift understanding of all secret things. He reconciles spirits and teaches all manner of sciences. He gives eloquence, persuasiveness, and memory. He makes one skilled in interpreting and understanding the movements of the stars and the whole nature of heaven and earth. He gives knowledge of medicine and of all hidden things, reconciles enemies, and gives favor with both God and man.
This spirit is to be invoked every Wednesday, in the first hour of the day, when the sun rises, in Mercury’s sign.
Orbit and Rotation
Mercury has a highly elliptical orbit and is about 58 million kilometers away from the Sun at its closest point. It completes an orbit around the Sun every 88 Earth days, which is the shortest of all the planets in the Solar System. Interestingly, Mercury’s rotational period is about 59 Earth days, so it rotates very slowly compared to its orbital speed.
Physical Characteristics
Mercury is a rocky planet, similar to Earth, but it’s much smaller with a diameter of about 3,032 miles (4879 kilometers) (4,880 kilometers (3032 miles)). Its small size means it has a weak gravitational force, only about 38% of Earth’s gravity.
Mercury is the Roman name for Hermes, the Greek god of trade, communication, travel, and thievery. Hermes/Mercury is known for being a messenger of the gods and a guide for souls to the underworld.
Budha (Sanskrit: बुध) is the Sanskrit word for the planet Mercury. Budha is also a god of Planet Mercury.
Budha is the root of the word ‘Budhavara’ or Wednesday in the Hindu calendar. The word “Wednesday” in the Greco-Roman and other Indo-European calendars is also dedicated to planet Mercury (“day of Odin”).
