Budha, Mercury, governs speech, intellect, reasoning, writing, trade, numbers and the nervous, quick side of a person. A weak Mercury is often described as scattered thinking, hesitation in speech, or trouble finishing what is begun. Mercury is also the planet most easily burnt by the Sun, being always close to it, so combustion is a common reason for a chart to be called weak. This page sets out the remedies in tradition’s order, as habits and devotion, and it makes no promise about exams, contracts or health.
Start with conduct and service
Mercury’s remedies are, more than any other planet’s, the plain habits of a good student and a fair trader.
- Speak the truth, and speak kindly. Mercury is the planet of speech. Teachers say the first remedy is to avoid gossip, sarcasm and half-truths, and to say less when unsure.
- Study a little every day. Twenty minutes with a book, a language or a skill, kept up, is the Mercury way. A regular small effort suits this planet better than occasional bursts.
- Write things down. Lists, a diary, a clear email. Mercury rewards clarity on paper.
- Deal fairly in business. Keep accounts straight, issue honest bills and pay promptly. The planet of trade is pleased, so the tradition says, by honest dealing.
- Help a young person learn. Mercury is a young planet in the texts, and teaching a child to read, or tutoring someone for free, is regarded as a Mercury act of charity.
- Look after the plants and birds near you. Green things belong to Mercury in many lists, and watering a plant is a modest custom.
Mantra and devotion
Mercury is linked in different regions with Vishnu and, widely in practice, with Ganesha, as the deity of beginnings and learning. The site holds texts for both.
- Vishnu Sahasranama: the thousand names, recited by many on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
- Narayana Suktam: a Vedic hymn of twelve mantras to Narayana.
- Ganapati Atharvashirsha: the Upanishad to Ganapati, often recited at the start of study.
- Ganesh mantras: short pieces including Om Gam Ganapataye Namah.
- Saraswati Vandana: prayers to the goddess of learning, said before study.
- Navagraha mantras: the verse to Budha calls him gentle and of unmatched form.
The beej mantras for the planets vary between traditions and are not published on the site yet. Choose a text that you can say correctly and keep to a regular time, such as before your first work of the day.
Charity and the Wednesday fast, as tradition describes them
Wednesday (Budhvar) is Mercury’s day.
- Charity on Wednesday. Lists vary by region. Green gram (moong), green cloth, green vegetables and books or stationery are the commonly named gifts. Giving a notebook or pen to a student is a direct, modern form of the same idea.
- A Wednesday fast. It is less widespread than the Sunday, Monday or Thursday fasts. Where it is kept it is usually a light day with one simple meal, and a prayer to Vishnu or Ganesha. If you are unwell, pregnant, elderly or on medication, skip it and speak to your doctor.
- Feeding cows with green fodder. A custom in many households, where it is practical.
Many people add Sankashti Chaturthi for Ganesha, and the Sankashti vrat vidhi covers how it is kept. None of this is compulsory.
Read your own Mercury before choosing a remedy
Mercury is strong in Virgo, where it is both its own sign and exalted, and in Gemini, and it is weak in Pisces. Check combustion and retrograde motion in your chart as well. The Mercury in all twelve houses and Mercury in each sign guides describe the placements, and the Mercury Mahadasha guide covers the seventeen-year period. Pairings matter too, so see Sun and Mercury and Mercury and Rahu if they apply.
The gemstone, last
The stone of Mercury is the emerald (panna). The old texts discuss gems as remedies, and choosing from house lordship is a later method that teachers do not all follow. A reader would weigh Mercury’s sign, house, combustion, aspects and dasha, along with the ascendant, before saying anything, and many conclude that study habits are enough. Emerald is also commonly treated with oil or resin, which a laboratory report should state.
The emerald guide covers who considers it, treatments and the traditional way of wearing it, and the gemstones hub covers the other eight. We sell nothing but the reading, so none of these stones is for sale on this site.
Frequently asked questions
↳ What is the best remedy for a weak Mercury?
Tradition starts with truthful speech, daily study and fair dealing. Devotion to Vishnu or Ganesha, Wednesday charity and a light fast follow, and an emerald is last and optional.
↳ Which mantra is used for Mercury?
Many use the Vishnu Sahasranama, the Ganapati Atharvashirsha or a verse from the Navagraha Stotra. The short mantras differ between families, so follow the one you were taught.
↳ Can remedies help me in exams or interviews?
The tradition links Mercury with learning, and its remedies are habits of study and clear speech, which do help. No mantra or stone is claimed to guarantee a result, and preparation is the thing that counts.
↳ Does a combust Mercury need a remedy?
Combustion is read by teachers as a weakening of the planet, and degrees and orbs differ between schools. It is a reason to read the chart carefully, not a reason to worry, and the conduct habits above apply.
↳ Should everyone with a weak Mercury wear an emerald?
No. Whether to wear one depends on the whole chart, and many astrologers advise a reading first. It is an optional classical remedy and never a requirement.