Astrology: Vedic Astrology - Introduction

ॐ श्री गुरावे नमः !

Astrology is a knowledge of the celestial bodies and cosmic influence on the personality, character, actions, events, happenings of a native and also his/her routine affairs, it is not a superstition or mere belief, it is a beautiful science, a technical tool, if astronomy is to study the cosmic bodies for their physical properties and their existence, Astrology is a science dealing with its spiritual aspect, it also involves mathematics and Astronomy, in Vedic astrology it is called drig ganith and siddhanta resp.

Anatomy deals with human body and its organs, it says heart is a four chambered blood pumping station, but it does not say anything about feeling attached to the heart, again when we feel bad, we feel pain in our heart, and heart is responsible for all the relational ups and down’s, it is said to be broken, hard, soft, but medical science can not or does not deal with this aspect of the heart or for that matter any organ of the human body, like guts, stomach, similarly, astrology is that subtle energetic aura of celestial bodies which continuously reaches us, about which astronomy or physical sciences can not or does not explain.
The scientific community generally considers astrology to be a pseudoscience or superstition, I basically belong to this community, (my primary expertise is in research and development in Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmaceuticals), but is it possible to prove that my heart longs for such an such object by carrying out empirical tests, I think it would sound as absurd as trying to prove that planet mars causes flare ups in me, so, feelings of heart, planetary influence, godly visions all are very personal experiences, at present we do not have methods available to quatify or empirically prove them.

A lame comment from most of the people ignorant of astrology or Jyotisha is, how is it possible that a planet millions of miles away, knows that I exist and is able to influence me in my day to day functions, I would say, the moment the native is born, a celestial equation is drawn and is put it in your account, it is like a chip or a RFID clandestinely placed in your body to track you, but here it is much more severe, it not only tracks you, it also influences you in your every aspect of life, sometime you might feel that you are not living your life but the celestial bodies are, so we are like mere pieces of chess, standing on the chess board called earth plane, waiting for the next move, it is not that worse also :-), we are free to take decisions, we are free to act, we are free not to move or act at all, but the meek voice deep within keeps pestering us, move, move, move, and what about all those human entities, moving around freely unhindered under the influence of the celestial bodies, they are coming your way, they cross your way, they do not have the will power, or determination not to act or move against the influence of the celestial bodies, so again if not directly, indirectly the cosmos influences you through you parents, siblings, relatives, spouse, children, grand children, surroundings, colleagues, boss, subordinates, strangers, lunar cycles, solar cycles, other planets etc.

To make the scene already gloomy, let me make it little worse, we are like those cucumber pieces lying in a solution of olive oil, we are like pickle in oil, oil is the atmosphere, this is the energy which fills you, passes through us, we are submerged in it like a pickle, every pore is filled, every inter molecular space, or void is filled with this force or energy, and we it Shri Vishnu, he is Sarva Bhuta Vyapecha, he is everywhere, omnipresent.

History:

Almost every civilization had experience with these celestial bodies, fortunately some of them took pains to record them what ever way they could, and some of them like in Bharat(India) the knowledge was transferred from generation to generation by word of mouth, the whole knowledge is in the form of Sanskrit couplets called slokas e.g. Mantra for sun

Japa koosooma sankarsham kashya-peeyam maha-jutim,
tamorim sarva pahpagnam pranato smee deevahkaram

Few significant traditions of astrology are:

Babylonian Astrology - Mesopotamia- modern Iraq,
Celtic Astrology - Europe

Chinese Astrology - China

Germanic Runic Astrology - German Europe

Hellenistic Astrology - Egypt under Greek influence

Jyotish or Vedic Astrology - Bharat (India),

Kabbalistic Astrology - Israel

Maya Astrology - Central America

Nahuatl Astrology - Pre Columbian Mexico

Persian – Arabic Astrology - By early Muslims in Iran plateau,
Tibetan Astrology – Tibet,
Uranian Astrology- Germany – Alfred writte- Hamburg school of astrology
Western Astrology - originated in Mesopotamia- modern Iraq

Jyotisha or Vedic Astrology, it is one of the six disciplines of Vedanta, the culmination of Veda’s it is one of the oldest schools of astrology with an independent origin.

Branches of Vedic Astrology

Siddhanta: Astronomy and Mathematics and its application to astrology.
Samhita : mundane astrology
Hora : basically covers following sub branches:

Jaatak Shaastra is natal astrology and Hora Shaastra is horoscopy, chart or kundali or horoscope is used for predictions.
Muhurtha is selection of auspicious time to initiate an activity to avoid bad effects.
Swar Shaastra: Predictions based on name & sounds.
Prashna (Horary): The time when a question is asked is taken as a reference point for contemplating further predictions.
Ankjyotisha / Kabala (Numerology): A branch of astrology based on numbers.
Nadi Astrology: It is very interesting stock of data; it is a bank of old treatises of predictions for almost every individual on this earth.
Tajik Shaastra / Varsha Phal: Astrology based on annual solar returns.


Classical Jyotish Treatises

Skanda Hora or Jyotishmati (Lord Brahma)

Brihat Prajapatya (Daksha Prajapati)
Brihat Parasara Hora Sastram (Sage Parasara)
Brigu Sutram (Sage Brigu)
Brihat Jatakam (Varahamihira)
Chatkara Chintamani
Daivajna Vallabha (Varahamihira)

Deva Keralam or Chandra Kala Nadi (Achyuta)

Garga Hora (Sage Garga)
Hora Saram (Prithu Yasas)
Hora Ratna (Acharya Balabhadra)

Jaimini Sutram (Sage Jaimini)

Jataka Parijatam (Vaidyanatha Deekshita)

Kaalaprakashika

Kashyapa Hora
Kousika Hora (Sage Viswamitra)
MeenarajaHora or Vridha Yavana Hora (King Meenaraja)
Poorva Kalamritam (Ganaka Kalidasa)
Phala deepika (Mantreswara)

Pranasanushata Padhati
Prasna Ratna
Saravali (Kalyana Verma)

Sarvartha Chintamani (Venkatesa Daivajna)

Sphujudwaja Hora (King Sphujidwaja)

Sounaka Hora (Sage Sounaka)
Suka Nadi

Tajaka Neelakanthi (Neelakantha)

Uttara Kalamritam (Ganaka Kalidasa)
Vedanga Jyotish (Lagadha)
Vasishta Hora (Sage Vasishta)

Yavaneswara Hora or Yavanajataka (Sage Yavaneswara)

Treatises on Hindu Electional Astrology

Adbhuta Sagaar
Brihannarad
Brihatdaivygyaranjan
Brihatjyotisaar
Daivygyamanoranjan Daivygyamanohar Granth
Ganak Mandan
Gian Manjari
Jaganmohan Granth
Jyotiprakash
Jyotirnibandh
Jyotish Ratan
Jyotishsaar
Jyotish Chintamani
Jyotirvidabharnam
Kaal Khanda
Kaal Nirnaya Deepika
Kaal Prakashika
Madhaveeyam
Muhurtarnava
Muhurt Bhaskar
Muhurt Chintamani (Daivygya Ram)
Muhurt Chudamani
Muhurt Darpaan
Muhurt Deepak
Muhurt Deepika
Muhurt Ganpati
Muhurt Kalpadrum
Muhurt Maala
Muhurt Manjari
Muhurt Martanda
Muhurt Muktaavali
Muhurt Prakash
Muhurt Padavi
Muhurt Saagar
Muhurt Sangraha
Muhurt Tattva
Muhurt Tattvapradeep
Muhurtarnava
Muktaavali
Narpatijacharyaaswarodaya
Naardeeya
Nibandh Chudamani
Poorva Kaalamrit (2)
Rajmartanda
Ratan Koosh
Ratanmaala
Samarsaar
Shiv Swarodaya
Vaivahaar Pradeep
Vivah Kautuhal
Vivah Patal
Vivah Pradeep
Vivah Saar
Vivah Vrindavan
Vyvahaarochchya
Yoga Yatra
Vyvaharsaar

Samhitas

Brahmarshi Samhita
Brihaspati Samhita
Brihat Samhita
Parasara Samhita
Garga Samhita
Rishiputra Samhita
Guru Samhita
Kashyap Samhita
Lomasha Samhita
Maanav Samhita
Naagarjun Samhita
Narad Samhita
Shakalya Samhita
Samaas Samhita
Samhita Pradeep
Samhita Sidhhanta
Satya Samhita
Sur Samhita
Vaikhaan Samhita
Vasist Samhita

Siddhanta :

Ancient Surya Sidhanta (Maya)
Brahma Sidhanta (God Brahma)
Lomasa Sidhanta (Sage Lomasa)
Poulisa Sidhanta (Sage Poulisa)
Pitamaha Sidhanta (God Brahma)
Vasishta Sidhanta (Sage Vasishta)
Vridha Vasishta Sidhanta (Sage Vridha Vasishta)
Garga Sidhanta (Sage Garga)
Parasara Sidhanta (Sage Parasara)
Pancha Sidhantika (Varaha Mihira)
Modern Surya Sidhanta (Aryabhata II)

I will try to cover each topic in detail, but it is going to take a while.

More to follow: Fundamentals of Vedic Astrology.

ॐ नमः शिवाय!

SIanala 27 Nov, 2006