In almost all civilizations and developed cultures the science of
foretelling future was cultivated, be it Sumer, Egypt, Babylone,
Indus, China or Greece. But never so deep and so mathematically
correct this science was developed in any other country except India.
Our Rishis and Acharyas were at the top in many a faculty of science,
like Medicine, Physics, Chemistry, Astronomy and Astrology. Since
times immemorial man wondered about the moving and comparatively
steady objects, twinkling in the sky by night; from this he started
calculating the speed and exact positions of the planets, various
zodiacs and constellations; from this Astrology developed.
The greatness of our sages lies in the fact that they studied it so
deep that they could ascertain the effect of the starts even on
non-living substances. Not only this but research goes on in this
science from the Vedic Age to this date.
The basic idea underlying this research was to serve the community at
large. Atharva-ved depicts Jyotish-Astrology- as the fourth organ of
Vedas out of six. It is called Netra (eye) of the community. According
to the Vedas the movement and the Drashti Avm Vedh (aspects and
conjunctions) of the stars do affect not only the humanity, but the
forces of nature even like rains, cold, heat etc.
In the "Brahmanas" (treaties on Vedas), too, Asgtrology is given much
importance. The Narad-Sanatkumar dialogue in the Chhandogya section of
Sam Brahmana, Astrology is given due preference out of 14 'Vidyas'.
The Taiteraiya Brahaman gives details of the movement of Surya,
Prithvi and hours, the days and nights, ("break" and "fall"). You will
be surprised to note that even the Anushasan Parva of Mahabharat gives
complete list of Constellations and guides about the alms to be given
during the span of each and every Nakshatras (Constellations). In
Bhishma Parva the results of death in the Uttarayana and Dakshinayana
are depicted in details (so Bhishma chose to die in Uttarayana). The
Udyog Parva details the "Ashubh Yoga"due to certain planets a
constellations.
According to the Indian mythology there are 18 Acharya of Astrology.
(1) Surya (2) Brahma (3) Vyas (4) Atri (5) Parasar (6) Kashyap (7)
Vashishtha (8) Narad (9) Garga (10) Marichi (11) Muni (12) Angiras
(13) Lomash (14) Paulish (15) Chyavan (16) Yavan (17) Manu (18)
Shaunak
Lord Surya gave this Shastra first of all to Brahma, the creator, who
taught this science to Garga, Badrayan(vyas), Angiras etc. Thus the
science went on developing and to this date it has developed so far
that it can be called an ocean.
In fact Astrology is the fundamental science of all the sciences. It
touches every aspect of one's life, be it health, family, real estate,
money, legal tangle, romance, marital relations, luck, business,
industry, profession or service, even the death, too, can be predicted
from this. (Of course it is generally forbidden to predict one's death
forthwith.. An astrologer can say that the period is not good for
health or to be cautious about accidents, etc.)
The modern science, too, knows about the influence of planets. The
tide and the ebb are results of certain positions of the Sun and the
Moon. Likewise the planets can affect on our blood circulation, too.
Weak Moon makes one's mind weak or unstable or one is apt to be weak
physically. The Sun and the Moon does not affect human beings only,
but they affect the vegetation also. Generally flowers blossom by the
morning but the white Lily blossom by night, the red or pink lotus
blossom on the day break.
Even the animals, too, have profound effect of the Sun and the Moon.
The ires of cat changes according to the phases of Moon. They affect
even the sexual impulses not only in the human beings but also amongst
the animals. The effect of the planets is more sharp on the animals,
as they come to know about the impeding danger very soon. Before an
earthquake, the serpants come out of their bidings, so do other
animals. The birds, too, fly here and there. During the eclipse of the
Sun the birds go into slumber.
Who is not interested in knowing one's future ? Even the scientists
try to enter into the future. We know about the past and present. But
can't we know about the future ? There should be some way to know it.
The scientists call it futurology. This science is being developed
since a couple of decades and astrology, too, has got a footage in the
prime place in futurology. Astrology gives much weightage to the
stars.
Astrology is divided into 3 parts. "Sidhdhant" (Principles), "Sanhita"
(Compilation) and "Hora" Astrology (Jyotish ) is called the principal
organ of the Vedas, too. Jyotish means Jyoti + Ish (Ishasya Jyotih)
the light of the God. This has references in the Vedas, Brahmanas
(treaties on the vedas), Panini Sutras, Puranas etc. Vedang Jyotish,
an ancient book on astrology, gives much of details regarding this
science. Vedang means organ of the vedas ( Vedanam Angam), so Jyotish
is not the Veda itself, but a very important part of the Vedas.(Surya
Sindhdhant) an authentic book on Astronomy by Bhaskaracharya I, give
much prominence to Astrology also. It details almost all the
principles of Astrology based on Astronomy. Now it is a known fact
that in ancient times, Hindus excelled in astronomy as well as
astrology. The "Siddhant Ganit" gives detailed calculations about the
years, months and days passed by till the date of its writing.
Likewise the "Ayan" (solastics), Seasons, movements of the planets,
the solar and lunar eclipses, date ( Tithi ), Constellations, Yoga ,
karan or the tangential positions etc. are written with great
exactness. Even the 'Vedh-Yantras' (sextants and telescopes), too
might have been used by the astronomers of the ancient age in India.
And had deep knowledge about Khagol (Astronomy).
The other two parts of Astrology, Hora avm Sanhita deal with the
prediction aspect of Astrology. The word Hora has been coined from "Ahoratra"
according to Varahmihir ( "Ho" from Aho and Ra from Ratra ). As per
HoraShastra one's life chart is drawn, as per the positions of various
planets and zodiacs (Rashi). The planets are placed in various rashies
as they are there at the time of one's birth. This chart or map of
one's life is variously called 'JanmaLagna', 'Janmagam' or JanmKundali.
Predictions are based on this.
In the Sidhdhant part, predictions regarding the rains, storms,
earthquakes, comets, asteroids, eclipses, "VastuShastra", subsoil
water. Yagnas and the Muhurtas (good and bad omens), gems, effect of
planets and constellations on nations, twitching of skin on parts of
bodies, ( Anga - Sfuran )etc. are given with such great exactness that
one gets amazed. All these they have given for the benefit of the
people at large.
Bha = light Ratam Iti Bharatam
The country has never seen a dark age like witnessed by Europe or
other countries of Asia and Africa (China can be an exception). The
ancient sages and scholars of India had constructed various "Yantras"
to study Astrology and framed basic yet infallible principles of it
like division of the sky in 12 Rashies, (Zodiacs) and 27 Nakshatras,
(Constellations). Also the Indian Astrologers have given the relative
speeds of the planets and satellites. Not only this but the speed has
been divided into Kala, Vikala etc. which today be calculated on the
basis of hours, minutes and seconds. So, one must be proficient in
mathematics to give correct predictions.
India is proud for having great astronomers like Arya bhatta, Varah
Mihir, Bhrama Gupta, Munjal, Bhatotpal, Shatanand, Bhaskaracharya I &
II. They were basically great astronomers, but have also given great
treaties on Astrology and have served the states in which they were
given the chair of "Astrologer Royal" ( Raj Jyotishi ) and through the
states they served the community at large, too. Takshshila, Kashi,
Ujjaini, Tanjaur, and Nalanda were the great Vidhyapithas, where
astronomy and astrology were taught. Here the Vedhshalas
(observatories) flourished. The Ravan Samhita, Pulatsya Samhita,
Jambali Samhita, Indra Samhita, Surya Samhita, Arun Samhita, Jaimini
Samhita, Rudra Samhita are authentic works on astrology.
Thus astrology is imbedded thorough and thorough in our lives. Even a
lay man may be, out of curiousity only, is interested in this science.
This gives rise to religiousness. Most of the people take and follow
advice of Jyotishi still many a people are apt to belittle this great
science as superstition and bigotary. They never miss an opportunity
to degrade this science, when a prediction goes haywire. But nobody
blames the medical science, if an operation fails or nobody blames the
judiciary, if he/she losses a suite. So why blames astrologers and
especially astrology for prediction which may not prove 100% correct ?
This is a blasphemy. As the science has been developed by great
astronomers and astrologers of the past. But the most in human
aggressions by the foriegners and our ignorance of this valuable
knowledge, we have lost many more about this science. By this reason
create a doubt on this science. Not only this the pseudo-astrologers,and
money minded astrologers who misguide the people and devalued
astrology. But Astrology is excellent science. So till now a day
people have not only trust but confidence too on Astrology. So many
ctriticism developed in front of Astrology, inspite of this astrology
maintained its own existence.
The pseudo-astrologers of our age have almost completed this viscious
circle. More so those who have real knowledge, are mostly greedy who
almost squeeze their clients. This has led to further decline. All
other sciences like, physics, mathematics, chemistry, medical science,
sociology, economics deal with one subject only, but astrology deals
with almost all the faculties.
So Astrology is not only a science, but a science of all sciences.
