08astrology Astronomy 091216120926 Phpapp02

8/23/2019 08astrology Astronomy 091216120926 Phpapp02

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Topics

Basics of Indian astrology

Astronomical assumption in Indian astrology

Scientific arguments against astrology

How Astrology came into Indian scene


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Basics of Indian astrology

What is zodiac

What is janma nakshatra

What is panchang

What is Shani dasha/ dosha?


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The star that appears to be abovehead at 8 pm one day will be abovehead at 7:56 pm next day. That is

stellar sphere will appear to rotateeastward by1o.

Now we know that actually Earth

that is rotating about its own axis atthe rate of 1o in every 4 min., andalso going round the sun about 1o inone day.


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From the point of view ofEarth, thus sun will appear torotate once a year in the skyand come to same star afterone year.

Or one can say, Sunmovesinthe background of stars once ayear.


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PATH OF SUN

As seen from Earth, Sun in thesky moves in a path calledecliptic.

12 constellations are almost

evenly placed on this eclipticring. These are called Zodiacsigns or Rashis


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What is Rasi

The concept of Zodiacoriginated in Mesopotamia andspread to India via Greek.

Similarity of the names/ figuresattest to the same.

Taurus Scorpio Leo

Bull Scorpion Lion

Rishab Vrichikam Simham


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Meenum

MeasmRishabam

Apparent position of Sunagainst a particularconstellation is the Rasi..


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Number Sanskrit Name Western Name

1Mesha Aries

2 Vrishabha Taurus

3 Mithuna Gemini

4 Karka Cancer

5 Simha Leo

6 Kanya Virgo

7 Tula Libra

8 Vrishchika Scorpio

9 Dhanus Sagittarius

10 Makara Capricorn

11 Kumbha Aquarius

12 Meena Pisces


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Panchang

Panch (five) Ang (elements)

Thithi- waxing and waning of moon (~ 29/30 days- a month)

Nakshartra position of moon in the background of stars (either27 or 28 such Nakshatras are chosen in Indian tradition) 1/4part of a Nakshatra is called a Padam ( feet) making 108 padams

or divisions of the ecliptic Yogam total of angle of sun & moon

Karnam- one half of Thithi

Vaara- 7 day week


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TITHI

The total time of rotation of moon around the earth (30 days) isdivided into 30 parts or Tithis. Thus, Tithi is 12 rotation around the

earth, but the time taken for 1 tithi is not uniform (because ofmoonselliptical orbit) and may vary from 19 to 26 hours. Tithis begin atvarying times of the day. There are 30 tithis in each lunar month.Because the duration of Tithi keeps changing, one sun day ( 24 hours),may contain 1,2 or 3 tithis. Thus, at times, it is difficult to give a Tithiname to a sun-day, and there are differences amongst experts.

Celebration of festivals according to tithis also is often contested.


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Ashwini

Bharani

Krittika

NAKSHTRA

The position of moon eachday in its orbit against a

prominent star - called thenakshatra or lunarmansion. There are 27nakshtras

Moon takes about 27.3 days to goaround Earth once and come back to

the same star.


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The first Nakshatra isAswini (Aswathi), agroup of 3 stars in theshape ofAswamukha or

horse head.

If a child is bornwhen moon is nearAswini, its birth staris said to be Aswini.

Janama Nakshtra

Aswi

n

BaraniKarthik

a

Rohini


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The next day Moon will be in Bharani,Then it will go to Kritika (Karthika), theseven sisters, then to Rohini (theHyades) in the shape of letter V, and soon.

Since the Moons path and Suns pathare nearly the same, the nakshatrasand rashis fall on the same eclipticring. Thus, all the 27 Nakshatras are

included in the 12 rashis, so that eachhas 21/4 Nakshathra. Moon spends oneday and Sun 13-14 days in eachNakshathra.


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Nakshtra as day count

27 1/3 Days is the length of a sidereal Lunar month ( from startingNakshatra back to the same nakshatra).

The Nakshtras were very useful in counting days, eg. if a child wasborn in Aswini and today is Magha then evidently it is 10 days old.

In olden days Indians had no 7 day week !


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Nakshtra and their

imaginary shape


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Shani, Guru, Mangal, Ravi, Shukra, Budha, Chandra. Is in order ofthe speed at which they appear to move

VAR- WEEKDAYS

In like manner, weekday order: Sun, Mon, Tue flows

1Shani 2Guru 3Mangal 4Ravi5Shukra 6Budha 7Chandra 8Shani9Guru 10Mangal 11Ravi 12Shukra13Budha 14Chandra 15Shani

16Guru 17Mangal 18Ravi 19Shukra20Budha 21Chandra 22Shani23Guru 24Mangal

25Ravi


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VAR- WEEKDAYS

Shani, Guru, Kuja (Mangal), Ravi, Shukra, Budha, Chandra is theorder in which they appear to move around Earth. Shani is theslowest. Chandra is fastest. This is because Shani takes 30 years tocome back to the same Nakshtra, Guru 12 years, and so on..Chandra is fastest with 27 days.

Every day is 24 parts calledhours(hora). The successive hours are

considered to be governed by the celestial bodies in the above givenorder. The celestial body governing the first hour of the day lent itsname to that day. For example, if you start from Shani as the planetgoverning the first hour, that day is Shanivaara (Saturday). Thefourth planet from Shani in the given order is Ravi (the Sun) whosename is lent to the next day as Ravivaara (Sunday). Then, the fourth

planet from Ravi is Chandra and hence the next day is named afterChandra (the Moon) as Somavaara (Monday), Soma being a synonymfor Chandra.


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KARNAM

Karnam is half of a Tithi. Like day and night of solar day, Karnam isone half of a lunar day.

Later it was accepted that, one Karanam equals 6 degree movementaround earth..


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YOGAM

Fictitious angular relationship between Sun and Moon. It is thetotal of the two solar and lunar angles swept on the ecliptic. OneYoga equals 13 degrees:20 minutes. There are 27 Yogas in all.

This has no real physical meaning This has only astrologicalsignificance.


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WHAT IS KUNDALI?


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Position ofheavenly

objects canbe recorded

againstzodiac

Moon inPisces

Mars inPisces

Saturn in

Libra

Jupiter in

Taurus

Sun in Aquarius

Venus in

Gemini

This is the basis of Kundali it records the position of celestial objectsat the time of Birth


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Rising

Rashi-Kanya-LagnaBudha in

Thula

Mangal inKanya

Sun inVrichika

Shukra in

Dhanus

Chandrain Meena

Guru inMithina

Shani inKarkataka

Position of Planets, Moon and Sun as seen from Earth

Position of Planets Moon and Sun as seen from Earth Birds eye


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Position of Planets, Moon and Sun as seen from Earth.. Birds eyeview


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Position of Planets, Moon and Sun as seen from Earth.. In Kundaliformat


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The Kundali


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Mars

Shani

Jupiter

Moon

Venus Sun Mercury

Lagna

Jathagam South Indian style


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What does this Kundali mean

Kumbam is theascending rasi

Jupiter in Simham

Ketu in Kanni

Sun, Marsand Mercury

in Rishab

Venus inMesham

Ragu and Saturn inMeenam

Moon inDanush


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Shani Dasha/ Dosha

Saturn takes about 30 years to complete one revolution andthus it will be in each Rasi for about 2.5 years. The effect of

dasa of Shani is supposed to be affecting for the 2.5 yearsbefore it is in a rasi, during and subsequently. Thus 2.5 x 3 =7.5 years.

Shani affects

these threerasis


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MeKe

Ve

Ru

Sa

Sun

Ju

Ma

MoLa

Saturn has completed one full circle ie. 30 yrs. So, he is about 30 yrsold. But need not be exact, since we dont know its exact position at thetime of birth and also now. (Each constellation consists of 300 and

Saturn could be anywhere between 0 and 30). So we consider Jupiternow, it is clear that Jupiter has completed two full circles and moved 7more constellations. So his age is 2x12+7=31 yrs (since Jupiter takes12 year for one full circle) Again considering other planets an accuracyof 1 day can be achieved. If we consider other factors like Lagna etc wecan be little more accurate.

Birthchart

Ru

Ju SaMa

Ke,Me,Su,Mo

Todayspostion


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Mars

Shani

Jupiter

Moon

Venus Sun Mercury

Lagna

NightSide

Planetslike

Jupiterand

Saturnare

visiblein thenight

Sun isabout 2houseaboveLagna,therefor

e thetime is

morning


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Astronomical assumptions ofIndian Astrology


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In ancient Indian traditions:(similar to Greek, Roman, Arabic, Persian etc)

astronomy AND astrology(Aster=star + logos=logic)are called Hora(Time) Shastra or Jyotisha (Light): Aryabhatiya (c. 474) deals onlywith astronomy, uses jyotisha only in this sense, makes noastrological predictions or statement.

Panchang and Kundali thus have a astronomical basis but werehijacked by astrology ~ c. 600.

dominant astrological tradition is Parasari (others being Jaimini andTajaka)followed by Varahamihira, Bhattotpala, Venkatesa etcastronomical basis is the Suryasiddhanta (c.700)


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Astronomical assumptions in Hindu Astrology

along with almost ALL astrology:

a zodiac or band of 9 either side of the ecliptic

set of planets: (including Sun and Moon)

12 Constellations or Signs (solar months)

(IndianGreek)

Actually the path of all planets including Neptune and Uranuspasses through 13 constellations! The 13th zodiac constellation isactually Ophiuchus.


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Geocentrism

Ancient astrology & astronomy was founded on geocentrism, thatthe Earth is the center around which the heavenly bodies move.

Copernicus (~1540) showed a great simplification was possible ifthe sun were in the center instead- his heliocentric theory proved

to be a step in right direction.

Newtons physics provided theoretical foundation and Suncentered Solar system is accepted in modern science

Modern astronomy is distinct from astrology in this count.


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movements of planets explained bygeo-centric observation(eg.retrogression of Mercury etc:

also from Ptolemys epicycles forms the solar system model andnot accounting for Copernicus-Kepler-Newton laws


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Indian Astrology is Earth centered, epicycle based astrology.

Ucha and Neecha(m) is the high and low point of the planets as theygo in epicycle.


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Other uncorrected assumptions

all planets rotate around their axes once/day W-E!

However, Venus rotates from E-W. Saturn rotates in 10 hrs.


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Planets are(in order of distance from Earth):

Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Sun, Jupiter, Saturn

do not recognise Uranus, Neptune, Pluto

include phantom planets Rahu and Ketu (missing inAryabhatiya which explains eclipses by shadows)

Furthermore Puran like Vishnu Puran claims that actually moon isabove that of sun and hence this implies moon cannot cause solar

eclipse!

In fact Aryabhata was criticized on this count !

Precession


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Precession

Movement of the earths axis (with a period of 24,000 years) hasgradually shifted which sign of the Zodiac the sun is in each month. Notall traditions of astrology take this into account.


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Shift of the Zodiac

Due to precession the position of

the zodiac has shifted in actualreality.

Today the sun is in Pisces fromMarch 11 to April 18.

But modern western astrology

columns still give its location2000 years ago, February 19 toMarch 20.

Indian astrology (Sayana system)give Meenam to be Feb 21 toMarch 20


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Shift of the Zodiac

Thus modern newspaper astrology columns are about one sign (amonth) off from where the sun actually is!

So you have been reading the wrong sign for years!

Astrologers who adjust for this seem to have no better successthan those who do not!


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In Indian astrology

winter/summer solstices coincide with beginning of Makara(=Capricorn)(uttarayana)and Kataka(=Cancer)(dakshinayana)

Actual Utarayana is ~ December 22 but in Indian astrology it isJanuary 14

And Dakshinayana is ~ June 22 but is actually July 16th


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Astrology claims to be:

the most ancientscience, almost perfected in India thousandsof years ago, forforetelling of the regular movements of the

planets

based on themysterious and subtle powerof planetary andstellar conjunctions which influence humans and allanimates/inanimates on Earth.

a rigorous discipline, with mathematical foundations andproven predictive capabilities.

unlike witchcraft, palmistry, reading of cards or omens andother occult beliefs able to interpret the future in the light ofpast karma AND enable coping through human will.

(fromB.V.Raman, Hindu PredictiveAstrology)


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Astrology ..predictions

Who does not need?

Obviously, going abroadmeans lots of paper workand one should be indeedcareful with documents.

Life of course requires a matureapproach


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Astrology as a discipline

has no theory for influences of cosmic bodies, only axiomaticassertions:eg. no sane brain could ever deny the influence of

planets upon manPredictions

are mostly vague, with have many qualifiers (ifs and buts)

have multiple causative factors and interpretations

anecdotal successes; failures unexplained

Nature mag. studied >4,500 persons born within 1 hr.over 25 years: found no correlations for >25 parameters!

Explanation:not a science like physics requiring strictadherence to reasoning and logic![AND] cannot be simply based on strict principles buta certain amount of intuitive capacity [called for]

non-falsifiable in ultimate analysis

(Quotes fromB.V.Raman, Hindu Predictive Astrology)


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Scientific investigation of astrology

Around 1950s French psychologist and statistician MichelGauquelin devoted much of his life trying to determine whetherastrology has any scientific validity. He found little or noevidence of the zodiac signs being of importance, especiallybetween family members. He found that very few peopleshowed the typical traits associated with their Sun sign and

rather that they lacked in them.

In the mid-1980s, an American physicist Shawn Carlson of theUniversity of California, Berkeley, USA did a double blind test tofind out the scientific validity of astrology. Astrologers claimsthatnatalchartscould be used to describe personality traits ofsubjects accurately. This study examined this claims ofastrologers. The results, published in the journal Nature (5December 1985) emphatically concluded that astrology failedthe test.


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Those with same Kundali

For about 2 hrs same Lagna is on the horizon. Even if one takes

every thing into account, those born within about 20 mts willhave same Kundali. Such time twins were studied to see ifthey have same Bavishya- future.

The study looked into 100 different characteristics, includingoccupation, anxiety levels, marital status, aggressiveness,sociability, IQ levels and ability in art, sport, mathematics andreadingall of which astrologers claim can be gauged frombirth charts.

The results of the study, reported in the Journal of

Consciousness Studies (Vol. 10, No. 6-7, June-July 2003).

The study also proved to be negative. There appeared to be nocorrelation!


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Properties of Planets

Jupiter, Venus, Full Moon, Mercury: Good

Saturn, Mars, New Moon, Rahu, Ketu: Bad

Jupiter, Mars, Sun: Male } used for

Venus, Rahu, Moon: Female } gender

Saturn, Mercury, Ketu: Neuter } determination

Jupiter, Venus: Brahmin } VarnaSun, Mars: Kshatriya } based on

Moon: Vaisya } guna & karma

Mercury: Sudra }

Saturn: Antyaja }

(fromB.V.Raman, Hindu Predictive Astrology)


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What are Astronomical Objects?

Ancient astrology had planets

as gods or angels.Telescopes & space travel showthey are worlds like our Earth.

Nothing to indicate they areliving beings like gods orangels.


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What are Astronomical Objects?

Similarly, stars are burning gas

balls like our sun.

Comets are large, dirtysnowballs.

These discoveries require (atleast) a large adjustment in

astrology.


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Stars & Constellations

Using parallax, we now realize thatthe stars are very distant.

Using telescopes, that the stars arevery numerous.

The constellations disappear whendimmer stars are taken intoaccount.

The constellations are also just theresult of local perspective. HenceRashis are imaginary pictures,rather than actual shapes. Thestars in a Rashi are not at allconnected with each other, neitherclose to each other, nor of thesame age.


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What is visible is history

Now we know that stars are so

distant that light from themreaching us may have startedhundreds, thousands or millionsof years back. How can imagesmade of such entities (likerashis/nakshatras) predict /influence our miniscule humanexistence, less than a hundredyears? In stellar terms, we are

just momentary, insignificantsparks!


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New Planets

Discovery of Uranus, Neptune &Pluto since 1700s

How are these taken intoaccount by astrologers?

Most ignore them

A few include them

No evidence the latter

have better results


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Stellar Influence

We do not claim that the sun and moon have no effect on earth:

Light, heat, tides

But planets & stars exert nil influences at a persons birth:

Compared to gravity of mother, doctor, hospital

Compared to radiation from room lamps

Astrological successes are probably a combination of luck, fraud,and vague pep-talk.

There appears to be no scientific basis for astrology!


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How astrology came into Indian scene

At the outset, a historical-societal PSM (rather thanrationalist) perspective:

Origins of astrology lie in ideas about and the role of the Moonand Sun in early human cultures, the Sun gaining importancewith start of annual agricultural operations

Regularity of motions of planets and stars then drew attention

and systematic observation


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Origins of Astrology

As human being gathered capacity to wonder at, and indulge in

certain amount of speculation ...The regularity of appearance and disappearance of these objectsshould have impressed them.

the sequence of day and night, and the obvious connectionof the sun

the periodic waxing and waning of the moon the unchanging character of the stellar vault

No wonder that all ancient civilisations possess proto-astronomyin one form or other.


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Origins

Primitive societies noticed that the hunting seasons changedalong with the periodic change in the night sky. Animals andbirds migrated with seasons

Soon primitive agriculture settlements emerged

In agricultural societies sowing and other operations dependedon climatic changes or the seasons.

The seasons arrived with appearance of certain groups of starsand changed with the arrival of others.


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As civilizations developed, tradebetween distant countries alsodeveloped. Since there were noroads, they had to travel knowingthe direction of their destination.

The Babylonians, had to cross deserts to go anywhere outside their

country. So they could travel only during night. They found that certainstars could tell the directions better than the sun. No wonder Babyloniansbecame the best astronomers of ancient times


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Babylonians developed the solar calendar in detail. Theynoticed that sun shifts its position 1o eastward everydaywith respect to the background stars- that is about 360 ~365 days for a full cycle.


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Origins.

In lower Egypt the periodical

overflowing of the Nile wasnoticed to have someconnection with the heliacalrising of Sirius.


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Origins

Naturally, a little amount of superstition could be expected at thisstage because many phenomena lacked physical explanations; eg.a very small circular disc like the sun shines and heats the wholeworld; another small disc, the moon causes tides; planets usuallymoving from west to east through the star field, stops motion one

day and reverse the direction, [called the retrograde motion orVikara Gathi].

Do these heavenly bodies have will of their own. All theseheavenly bodies must have supernatural powers, they thought.Yet, nobody thought in those days that a persons future could be

predicted from planetary positions.


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Vedic period ~ 2000 BC

In fact it is interesting to note thatVedic literature is largely devoid ofastrology as we know today.

There is no reference to Rasi which ismost essential feature of astrology.

The ancient Indian Astronomy used concepts like Nakshatra, Tithiand so on but not Rasi chakra.

Even the Vedanga Jyothisha of Lagadha, of around ~10th C. BC,does not give any such indication.


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Omens

However there are references to omens and prophecies in theVedic literature- Adhbuta, Utpaata or nimitta. (Eg: Tik-Tik bylizard implies what is stated is Satya Vakku)

Certain rare and specified natural occurrences were expected to

foretell future events, good or bad.

Rigveda and Atharaveda is replete with reference to Shakuna aominous bird. Vedic literature also talks of auspicious time muhurta.


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Magic & natural world

On the other hand such beliefs in portents and omens are not tobe confused with predictiveastrology.

Just before rain one could foretell by sensing the gathering ofblack cloud or perceive the smell of the soil.

The nave beliefs towards omens are based upon naive realism.

Nevertheless many of such correlations drawn by the earlycivilisations have actually proved to be incorrect.


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Nakshtra Vidya

Nakshtra Vidya developed andpracticed during the Vedictimes essentially consisted of

omens and predictions basedupon the nakshtra occupied bythe Moon (Janma Nakshtra) atthe time of ones birth (eg;those who are born in Bharaniwill rule the world etc)


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Birth of predictive astrology

The prediction business started with theChaldians of Mesopotamia during the7th C. BC. Babylonian Civilization was indecline, peoples life became miserableand the priests could easily exploit themby divining things from planetarypositions.

Thus, astrology, which began as an observational science, graduallyturned into a pseudo science and by the 4th C.BC, when Alexander

conquered Babylonia, the superstitions had reached its zenith.

Predictive Astrology gradually spread to Greece and Rome. It wasBaroses, a Chaldian priest, who first started a school of astrology inAthens.


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Astrology reaches India

Perhaps around 150 AD in the court of Western KshatapaRudadaaman in Ujjayini, a Greek manuscript of an astrologicaltext composed in Egypt around 100 AD was translated intoSanskrit. The text refereed to as Yavaneshwara, the names and

concepts related to predictive astrology were sanskritised. Thoughthe original work in its entirety is not available portions of itincorporated in Sphujidhavaja composed around 270 AD isavailable. This Yavana Jataka incorporated Egyptio-Greekastrology into Indian astronomy/astrology.

k f d l


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Greek roots of Indian Astrology

The famous Brihit Jaatakam ofVarahamihira ( 6 C AD) is candid inacknowledging the Greeks influenceon Indian Astrology. Brihat Samhita(II.14) notes that though Greeks

(Yavana) are melechas the astrology iswell established among them. Eventhey are honoured as sages.

Brihat Jaatakam lists the twelve signs of Zodiac (Rasi). The

names are very similar to that of Greek name.Even technical terms like declination (aapoklima) horizon (harija)

diameter (Jaamitra) Angle (Kona). Further scholars identify the

author of Paulisha Siddhanta, an astrological text with that of

Paulus Alexandrinus.

d A l b k!


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Vedic Astrology is bunk!

The weekdays (Monday to Sunday) that we are so

familiar, was not Indian in origin. Earliest

inscriptional evidence so far available for the week

days is Eran Stone Pillar of Budhagupta (~484 AD)Historians say that the practice of naming days after

the seven heavenly objects (5 visible planets, Sun and

the moon) was commenced by Chaldeans. Name of

week days are nowhere found in Vedas. It is clear thatthe predictive astrology is not at all Vedic Astrology

as some make it to be.

Wh A l k I d


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Why Astrology took root in IndiaAryabhata, tallest personality in

ancient Indian astronomy (~ 450 AD)has no reference to Astrology in hiswork. He seeks no supernatural

powers to explain natural (celestial)

events like Eclipse.

In his work he explains how Solar eclipse occur due to

obstruction by moon. He does not even refer to the Puranic

myth of Ragu and Ketu.

..But then why India is plagued by astrology?

A bh


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Aryabhatiya

His work Aryabhatiya, completed in 421 Saka or499 A.D., included, among others: (1) Aryabhata'sadvocacy of the diurnal motion of the earth (ratherthan the apparent rotation of the sun around it), (2) a

corresponding theory of gravity to explain whyobjects are not thrown out as the earth churns, (3)recognition of the parametric variability of theconcept of ``up'' and ``down'' depending on whereone is located on the globe, and (4) explanation oflunar and solar eclipses in terms respectively of theearth's shadow on the moon and the moon'sobscuring of the sun.

A bh i


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Aryabhats time

Gupta period in which Aryabhata and his

followers lived was one that saw the building

of not only Hindu temples but also Buddhist

monuments such as Sanchi and universitiessuch as Nalanda and Nagarjundakhonda.

It was a period of openness to global ideas, that

it was characterised by magnificentachievements in religious-philosophical

debates among Jains, Buddhists and Hindus


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Emergence of Hindu orthodoxy

Soon many parts of India came under the influence of Hinduorthodoxy- esp Manu Smrithi- which had strict injunction againstheretical thinking.

Caste rules, rules of high and low, rules of untouchability and

inequality all were made more and more strict. All knowledge andscience was made more secret, secluded, hidden and concealed,and every new thought and invention was opposed. EvenAuyrveda Vaidyas were consideredpollutedand down graded


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Astronomy and science attacked

Scientists like Aryabhatta became the subject of attacks. Forexample, Aryabhatta's work was attacked by Brahmagupta,Bhaskaracharya and Varahmihira.

Astronomers, or so-called 'jyotirvids' were denounced ; weredeclared polluted. Manu Smrithi condemned and prohibited themfrom being called to yadnyas, mahadanas and shraadhas.

Further, the Brahmins changed the meaning of the word jyotirvidya,which now meant those who study the 'effects' of stars on humanbeings contrary to the original meaning of study of stars, andthemselves became 'daivaidnyas', -- the knower of fate


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Puranic myths were upheld

Brahmasiddhanta saysSome people think that the eclipse is notcaused by the Head( which is Rahu, the head of the mythologicalAsura). This, however, is a foolish idea, for it is he in fact whoeclipses, and the generality of the inhabitants of the world saythat it is the Head that eclipses. The Veda, which is the word ofGod from the mouth of Brahman, says that the Head eclipses... On

the contrary. Varahamihira, Shrishena, Aryabhata andVishnuchandra maintain that the eclipse is not caused by theHead, but by the moon and the shadow of the earth, in directopposition to all (to the generality of men), and from the enmityagainst the just-mentioned dogma


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New role for Astronomy

On one hand Astronomy in India was constrained by the newemerging social order

On the other astronomers had to seek legitimacy for theirprofession

Astronomers began to parade themselves as astrologers

Even famous astronomers like Varahamihira, Bhramagupta,Baskara II were astrologers as well as astronomers

Even in West astronomers like Keplerwere astrologers


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Driver of Astronomy

Initially time reckoning was the drive for Astronomy

Agriculture required better calendar based upon solar movement

Once a reasonable calendar is made Astronomy had to look fornew areas of application

Astrology became one such application.


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Navigation and birth of modern astronomy

After Galileo, modern astronomy found a new role- innavigation.

Astronomical events like eclipse of Galilean moons, Moonsoccultation and so on were proposed to be used to solve the

question oflongitude.

If you know the precise time of eclipse of Jupiter, then youcomparing it with local time you can find the longitude.Astronomers now had a new role

The caste system and exploitation has been simply explainedon the basis of karma and birth charts. Astrology provides the

justification for these by showing them to be ordained by theheavens. Thisdivinedestinyfor inequality still rules the Indianmind.


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astrology thus remained intimately related to astronomy till c. 15th Cent.

astrology was perhaps the major driverfor accurate astronomical

Observations in the ancient and medieval periods though Church, sects

like Sikhism shunned astrology, decline in importance of astrology (in

West esp.) began with the birth of modern Science

Birth of modern science and demise of astrology..


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Uncertain world and astrology

Astrology serves a sociological need in the modern world. The newera of globalisation, social life is beset with uncertainty/ insecurity.Astrology, with its faade of planets, stars and so on, appears toprovide a certain view into a persons future, thus giving him/herhope and certainty.

Scientific study indicates that astrology fails all statistical testsmiserably. Nevertheless, many people believe in astrology largelyfooled due to the vague nature of the so called predictions.

Astrology would weaken only in a world wherein such sociologicalopium becomes unnecessary.


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Date post:	08-Aug-2018
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