Image from Moor.
Basic Description: god of Mercury, one of the Nine Planets.
Alternate Names : Budha, Bhudha
History/Practice s: The Hindu name for the day Wednesday, Budhavara, is named after him. Aparamargu is sacred to him.
Iconograp hy:
Mythology: Birth Myth: Budhan is the child of Tara, consort of Brahmanaspati, and Chandra. When the child was born Brahma ordered Tara to name the father, but she refused. Since she refused the child itself spoke up and threatened to curse her if she did not name his father. Tara then named Chandra as the father. This was considered wise of him and hence he is named Budhan or wise.
Consort Myth: The god Manu had no children, but wanted a child. He performed a sacrifice to Surya to beget a son, but the priest made a mistake and he got a daughter, Ila instead. The priest prayed to Brahma to correct his mistake and Ila became a man named Sadyumna. While Sadyumna was out hunting he accidentally came across Parvati naked in Shiva’s arms. Parvati was angry with him and cursed him and he became a woman, Ila, again. This was when Budhan saw Ila and married her. But after she had born him a son, she wished to become a man again and prayed to Vishnu. Vishnu blessed her and she became a man again, but the curse of Parvati was to powerful to be overcome permanently. So she is a man one month and a woman the next.
Consort: Ila, who becomes Sadyumna