Containing perhaps the most seeds possible in a fruit, Pomegranates are symbolic of the fertility of Earth and Yoni/Female reproductive organ, the symbol of Bharani Nakshatra ruled by the God of Death – Yama.

Yama’s Greek equivalent Hades, is known to have been eternally united with his beloved Persephone as she consumed Pomegranate seeds offered by him. Accepting his love and the transformation that love brings, she becomes the Queen of the “underworld/unconscious realm” where we find the connection amongst love, death and (re)birth, more specifically the death of ego, birth universal consciousness & rebirth of self through love.

In Sanskrit, Pomegranates are referred to as Dantabīja / दन्तबीज – meaning fruit with “Teeth-like Seeds”. Subconscious fear of physical decay and death can be seen through one of the most common dreams of teeth falling out. Saturn rules teeth and is the significator of longevity. In Ayurveda, the powdered peel of Pomegranates is used to strengthen the teeth due to its strong astringent qualities.

Deep Red variety of Pomegranate is a rare mix of sweet + sour + astringent tastes, all of which balance Kapha(Anabolic), Pitta(Metabolic) & Vata (Catabolic) doshas simultaneously. Astringent is a dry taste ruled by Saturn and is rare amongst fruits which are mostly sweet or sour. Saturn’s function is to compress and bind the structure together into a sturdy built, but he can also cause premature aging by extreme dryness or vitiated air element when he is malefic.

Yama rules death and because the death of anything/anyone signifies separation, it increases self-reflection after the tragedy. Bharani’s shakti is “Apabharani”, the power to take illusions away and purify, similar to how the sudden realization of Truth hits upon moments of death. When something “dies” or is taken away from us, we are left alone with the haunting emotions that seem to be negative on the surface but purifying and transformative at a deeper level. Similar to Ardra and its “Yatna Shakti”, where the pain is more on the mental level and is about discrimination to choose right from wrong, Apabharani Shakti is the pain of taking sole responsibility for one’s wrong actions and then with repentance, “punishing” oneself with “right actions” on all levels until one becomes the emblem of purity.

“There is a medicine for each pain and the medicine for sins is repentance.”

– The Holy Prophet

In Persia, the longest and darkest night of the year, Yalda, is celebrated by eating this Red fruit (which shares its visual aesthetic with the Sun’s gem – Ruby) with family in honor of the Sun’s rebirth on the winter solstice.

The element of Bharani is Earth & the goal is Artha/Material Possession of Wealth. It’s a nakshatra best suited for spiritual practices that are result-driven & based on the attainment of Siddhis/magical occult powers – transforming spirit into matter. Bharani’s energies are widely present in Tantra and one of the most visited Shakti Peetha is the Kamakhya Temple, where the Yoni of Goddess is worshipped. The temple was built by the “Mleccha dynasty” (the outcasts) which also happens to be the caste of Bharani.

Mannat – which means a vow or promise to God, is a willed act of giving up one’s favorite activity/food until a desire is fulfilled or engaging in devotion & taking a vow of bringing offerings to a particular deity upon fulfillment of the desire, both of which are acts of following wilful self-restraint, self-sacrifice and cultivating control over draining desires for achieving a higher purpose. Bharani teaches that pain fuels the passion for the union during/after the loss of the beloved which generates Mritsanjivani or the “Elixir of Life” – the ambrosia of resurrection and immortality.

Pomegranates are highly regarded in Ayurveda for their aphrodisiac properties. Vajikarana is a branch of Ayurveda that focuses on increasing & maintaining sexual vigor and Ojas, the spiritual glow governed by Venus.

Just as the churning of sexuality secretes juices in the Yoni, Pomegranate is the activator of “interest” or “juices” in life called “rasa” while “ni-rasa” means without excitement/interest. After a long period of disease, debility or sudden trauma, an ayurvedic tonic called “Mritsanjivani Sura” is given to the patient to revive the senses and increase appetite. This Sura/wine consists of Pomegranate juice as the base.

According to some cultures, the forbidden fruit that caused “temptation” in Adam and Eve was Pomegranate, being related to the female sexual organ itself. Pomegranate juice is also used in Hypnotism & Attraction magic independently as well as as an alternative to blood.

Venus is the Guru of Asuras/Demons, and as a planet rotates opposite to all others. Shukracharya did penance of Lord Shiva for attaining the Mritsanjivani Vidya (The power to resurrect the dead) by hanging upside down for many years. If we look at the structure of Pomegranate, it seems as if it is hanging upside down with its crown facing downward.

For anyone who has lost a beloved or is going through a self-transformative phase, I recommend planting and looking after a Pomegranate tree as a remedy to transform and move on from pain. Bharani being the birth star of Rahu, it is also a useful remedy for obtaining wealth, progeny, and beauty because the fruit is sacred to Bhu-Devi/Earth goddess/Varahi who happens to be the consort of Vishnu’s Varaha Avatar connected to Rahu.

Vishnu as Varaha Avatar Saving/Lifting up Earth-Goddess from Celestial Waters