The science of Astrology has great antiquity
behind it. Vedas which are said to be the oldest
religious literature available has references
to this science. Astrology has great importance
attached to it as "Vedanga Jyothisha".
That means "Jyothisha or Astrology"
is one of the limbs of the "Vedas"
(1500 B.C.). Hindus were the original masters
who had the thorough knowledge of astronomy
and many rituals and religious rites were related
to the position of planets and their motions.
It was expected of all those who wanted to understand
Vedas, to be well versed with the knowledge
of astronomy and astrology.
The earliest astronomical works such as Surya
Siddanta and Vedanga Jyothisha are more
then five thousand years old.
Long before Kepler, Copernicus, Brahe, Galilio
and other galaxy of astronomers were born, the
Hindu sages had already gained much knowledge
on the stellar or planetary universe.
Vedas are the oldest writings
of the World's religious literature and in
them one could see the mention of Vedanga
Jyothisha. In other words there are several
verses devoted to explain the astronomical
knowledge in Rig-Veda and Atharvana Veda.
Early Siddantas are Hindu astronomical works
which give us the period of Mahayuga which comprises
of Kritha, Thretha, Dwapara and Kali Yugas.
It has been estimated that Mahayuga comprises
of 43,20,000 (Four Million, Three hundred and
twenty thousand years) and the age of our solar
system is 1972,949,099 (One thousand nine hundred
seventy two million and nine hundred and forty-nine
thousand ninety nine years) which will be approximately
2,000 million years. This figure has been tallied
with the figures given by Sir James Joans based
on geological and astronomical study. It is
beyond our imagination how the Hindu Sages could
know these facts without the scientific instruments
available to the modern
Jyothisha has been divided into three main branches
of study. 1. Siddanta, 2. Samhita and 3. Hora.Siddantas
are those which devote to astronomical study
of celestial bodies Samhitas deal with mundane
astrology, earth quakes, floods, volcanic eruptions,
rainfall, weather conditions economic conditions
and effects of sunspots.
The next and the very important branch is the
Phalitha Jyothisha branch which concentrates
on the system of predictions. And this
branch has six sub-divisions, namely,
Jathaka, Gola, Prasna, Nimitta, Muhurta and
Ganitha.
In Palitha Jyothisha (predictive system) we
have three important schools. They are Parashari,
Jaimini and Thajaka.Universally applicable school
of predictive system is that of Parashar
Apart from these schools of planetary interpretations,
we have what we can call as Nadi system which
gives pen pictures of life and destiny patterns
of people born at 12,24,48 seconds intervals.
These have been written on palm leaves. Only
very few experts can read and understand
these, but the results and predictions are found
to be amazingly accurate. Nadi, Guru, Shukra,
Chandra, Budha, Suka, Narada, Markandeya, Satya
Nadis are found in the oriental manuscript's
library at Madras (India)
The Hindu Predictive zodiac consists of 27 constellations,
in 12 lunar mansions. The movements of two luminaries
Sun and Moon, five major planets (Mars, Jupiter,
Saturn, Venus and Mercury) and the two nodal
points of the Moon i.e., Rahu and Ketu are considered
and their positions are marked. The extra Saturnine
planets like Pluto, Neptune and Uranus are not
recognised by the Hindus. Above all, Moon is
taken as very important planet for predictions
though it is satellite of earth. The Moon, at
the time of birth is found in a particular position
or in a particular star and it will be taken
as the star of the person born. This star will
be used for finding out the major and sub-periods
of the person in his life. The transitory influences
of planets in relation to the natal Moon are
also studied.
When we compare the Hindu Astrology with that
of the Western Astrology there are certain general
principles found in both the systems. Ownership
of houses, exaltation, debilitation, characteristics
of planets and 12 aspects of human life are
same. In certain other aspects they differ from
each other. For example the square opposition
aspects are bad and trine and sextile aspects
are always good in Western Astrology. Where
as in the Hindu system good and bad aspects
are not based on the types of aspects, but by
the nature of the planets involved in the aspects.
Ashtakavarga system, Shadvarga charts, Shadbala
assessment and Yogavali are not found in the
Western System.
The Hindu Science of Astrology also gives certain
remedial measures to overcome mental, moral
and physical sufferings by means of medicinal
roots, mantras and yoga practices and Gemstones.
Though Hindu Astrology deals with all the aspects
of human life indicating materialistic success
and failures, it is deeply rooted in philosophy.
The Karmic theory which is akin to the Newton's
third law of motion (i.e., action and reaction
are equal and opposite), is also applied in
the Hindu Astrology. That is why Markandeya
Rishi gives this verse for Astrologers to write
in the beginning of the horoscope which they
cast.
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The above verse in Sanskrit language means:
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For
the welfare of the mother and the child
For the growth of the family happiness
To follow the ancient virtuous practices
The horoscope is written |
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