In a section called "Activities with astrology" on the website belonging to the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP), astronomer and teacher Andrew Fraknoi complains about how he and his fellow scientists are always drawn into debates about astrology. How he finds it hard to respond politely to anybody who takes this ancient superstition seriously. He then goes on to pose what he calls "ten embarrassing questions" for astrology. As an astrology enthusiast, I found myself unable to resist the temptation of trying to answer him. I include Fraknoi’s questions, and where it seems necessary, a little also of his elaboration on the matter.
1. What is the likelihood that one-twelfth of the world's population is having the same kind of day?(Proponents of newspaper astrology columns […] claim you can learn something about your day by reading one of 12 paragraphs in the morning paper...)
This is an easy one. The question could have been left out altogether if only a little time had been devoted to investigating the principles of astrology. No astrologer of any esteem would hold that one twelfth of the world's population will have the same kind of day. I am convinced even that very few of the writers of weekly/daily horoscopes themselves would. The point of these horoscopes (based on Sun signs) is mostly entertainment, and they should be handled accordingly. The horoscopes are based on very general trends originating from the relative movement and position of the sun and the planets.
2. Why is the moment of birth, rather than conception, crucial for astrology?
This is an important question, one of not so many here worth attention.
My personal argument is this: The moment of birth rather than of conception is crucial for astrology because it deals primarily with individuality. When is it reasonable to consider a human organism to have become an "entity" of its own? A sound response seems to be at the moment the fetus is first separated from its mother, at the moment of birth. This is not to say that astrology is completely unconcerned with the moment of conception or the nine months between conception and birth. According to some traditional sources, there is a connection between the moments of conception and birth that can be expressed in astrological terms. I believe the chart erected for the moment of birth probably represents a culmination of influences that were present at the time of conception; the "resulting" individual.
When it comes to questions about genetics and heredity, I think most proponents of astrology (including myself) would say that astrology and genetics "agree". Astrologers would support this theory by pointing to the important astrological links that frequently is observed between the birth horoscopes of parents and their children, and between siblings. One is born at a point in time that to some degree harmonizes astrologically with inherited psychological and physical characteristics. It is not my belief (nor, I believe, that of most modern astrologers) that planetary radiation or magnetism is responsible for the intricate facets of personality. More about this later. In any way, it seems to me that the issue of conception versus birth presents a problem more related to the internal coherence of astrology than to the general "scientific" status of its basic idea.
3. If the mother's womb can keep out astrological influences until birth, can we do the same with a cubicle of steak?(…could we delay the action of the astrological influences by immediately surrounding the newborn with a thin cubicle of steak until the celestial signs are more auspicious?)
This question is partly an attempt to be humorous and otherwise related to the question above. I explained my view on the reasons for acknowledging the actual time of birth as the moment of importance in astrology. As for what happens thereafter, well...I doubt there is an astronomer with the nerve to attach a cubicle of steak to a woman in labour, although I'm convinced the steak served at the ASP headquarters’ restaurant (if there is one) is tender enough to safely enwrap a newborn. I don’t think we can delay astrological influences, except through a naturally delayed birth, and what happens after the physical birth is pretty much up to the parents. They might even encourage their youngsters to study science and later become worthy members of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. I should also add that whether a birth occurs later or earlier than expected is ultimately quite irrelevant to astrology.
4. If astrologers are as good as they claim, why aren't they richer?(…astrologers could amass billions by forecasting general stock-market behavior or commodity futures, and thus not have to charge their clients high fees.)
Well, there are probably enough rich astrologers anyway. Had astrology been a precise science, and more importantly uncomplicated enough to be summarized in terms of a few, irrefutable maxims, I bet the astrologers who’d venture deeply in to the subject of financial astrology indeed would become rich. Unfortunately, the astrological interpretation of trends relating to finance, stocks and business endeavours can be just as impenetrable by human intelligence as the galactic, infinite questions of time and space and the true nature of causality.
5. Are all horoscopes done before the discovery of the three outermost planets incorrect?
This is an interesting and somewhat justified question. For obvious reasons, traditional astrologers used only the Sun, Moon and the planets leading up (out) to Saturn in their observations. (With the addition of things like "fixed stars", "Arabic parts" and since the 1840s, asteroids.) Are all horoscopes erected before the discovery of the outer planets wrong? No. Only more limited. The later introduction of the outer planets into human awareness doesn’t mean they counteract or contradict wisdom gained from the "older" planets. The planets are not forces at war with one another, and should I choose to ignore some entities as relevant, I won’t be left with complete nonsense. Uranus, Neptune and Pluto represent subtle energies and states of consciousness that simply were not incorporated by the ancient astrologers. Needless to say, this doesn’t mean that they weren’t astronomical realities. Also, it doesn’t have to imply that the outer planets did not wield any astrological influence at the time in question, though it is possible and reasonable to argue for such a view. This theory would likely point to the intimate connection between astrology and the human psyche
6. Shouldn't we condemn astrology as a form of bigotry?(In a civilized society we deplore all systems that judge individuals by sex, skin color, religion, national origin, or other accidents of birth.)
Shouldn't we condemn psychology as a form of bigotry? Sociology? And most of all the science of genetics, which by all means "judge individuals by sex, skin color, religion, national origin, or other accidents of birth." If one would reply that genetics only presents impartial, scientific truth about cells and DNA, the exact same goes for astrology. Whether individuals decide to make personal judgements of people on the basis of these symbols, and the final form and outcome of these judgements, is hardly astrology's fault. Contrary to the general opinion, astrology is not a judgemental or deterministic discipline. It does not relieve people of individual responsibility; in fact it promotes and encourages it.
Oh, and I almost forgot: Shouldn’t we condemn some astronomers as bigots or at least prejudiced people? Not because they refer to astrology as an "ancient fantasy" or "ancient superstition", but owing more to their instinctive prejudice against astrologers, believing that "serious practitioners" of astrology generally are those "who have missed out on the lucrative business of syndicated columns".
7. Why do different schools of astrology disagree so strongly with each other?
Oh, do they? Astrologers may differ in method (especially concerning the choice of what is known as systems of "house division") and to some degree about the fine points of interpretation, like practitioners of any discipline, scientific or other. Not when it comes to basic principles and interpretive meanings, as the questioner seems to believe, saying "[they] disagree on which personality traits go with which cosmic phenomena". However, it seems clear that any sound idea-complex incorporates viewpoints at some variation from the standard. Every discipline undergoes constant change and revival as a result of it being challenged by new and controversial ideas.
8. If the astrological influence is carried by a known force, why do the planets dominate?(For example, the obstetrician who delivers the child turns out to have about six times the gravitational pull of Mars and about two thousand billion times its tidal force.)
9. If astrological influence is carried by an unknown force, why is it independent of distance?
Questions 8 and 9 are related and refer to a wide-ranging issue, so they may be answered together. First, the assumption that astrological influence is completely independent of distance is not entirely true. The sun and moon have far greater significance within astrology than a terribly remote planet such as Pluto. But it is true that the importance of the outer planets to astrology cannot be justified astronomically. In short, the "unknown force" that carries astrological influence is independent of distance because it simply isn’t something "flowing" from the planets. Sure, I grant that there is an intimate bond between the sun and the moon and organic life on earth. But while this may provide basic reasons for believing in the influence of the cosmos upon human beings, it is not what makes astrology in its complexity work. For one thing, there is no reason why one phase of the moon should affect personality differently than another, etc. Of course it is unlikely that Pluto (orbiting the Sun at a distance of about 2.5 billion miles from the earth) could wield any magnetic power comparable to that of a close object.
We are operating at the wrong level needed to explain the power of astrology.
Without resorting to a random supernatural explanation or that of divine intervention, I find the most appealing theoretic framework behind astrology should relate to ideas akin to those suggested by psychologist Carl Jung. He introduced the term "synchronicity" as a way to explain connections between phenomena that fail to show a traditional cause-effect relation, but still conform to an underlying pattern of meaning beyond coincidence. For Jung, the concept was vital in bringing evidence for the existence of a "collective unconscious", a reservoir of archetypes, mythic ideas and experiences common to our species. Later he changed the name to "objective psyche", also illustrative to the idea. Astrology has in essence always been a theory of mystical correspondance, "As above, so below."
The sceptic may pose the question: "Well, even if there is such a thing, doubtful as it seems, how could a collective unconscious or objective psyche make the solar system "intervene" with individual personality? Where is the connection?" Well, maybe there is none - from the "absolute" perspective of causality. But that’s where synchronicity comes in. Using the hypothesis of a collective unconscious, symbols are potent components in the shaping of the human psyche. Since synchronicity is a process which unites archetypal forces and external events, it comes to signify a "meaningful coincidence" between the birth at a particular time and the mythic, shaping images represented by the structuring of the planets along the zodiac at this very time. Synchronicity demands that we free ourselves from excessive obedience to the chains of rationality. The horoscope is a symbolical toolbox or map provided by the universe through the aid of the collective unconscious, reflecting the state of the solar system - and through projection also that of a particular individual’s psyche. Obviously this explanation won't satisfy a rigid scientist, but it doesn't matter. Astrology is seldom receptive to scientific reduction. It has more in common with the humanistic sciences.
So, the last possibility (though I would hesitate to embrace it) may be this: There is no actual influence coming from the planets that form personality. There is however a process of (collective) unconscious suggestion that somehow convinces us, deep down inside, to psychologically conform to certain archetypes lent from the heavenly symbolism embedded in astrology. And this mosaic of characteristics and dynamics of behaviour can be traced from the planetary status at birth.
10. If astrological influences don't depend on distance, why is there no astrology of stars, galaxies, and quasars?
Look again – there is an astrology of stars, and there has been for ages. Traditional astrology used a selection of "fixed stars" in their interpretation, and the procedure still has relevance. Sure there are objections to why certain stars should be used and others not, but this is ultimately a question of conscious limiting of focus to avoid complete galactic disorientation. Personally I’m not sure about the usefulness and relevance of "fixed stars", but the argument goes again: Astrology as a theory of correspondance is intertwined with human consciousness. It's not a force completely independent of human experience. A "serious" scientist may deem this incomprehensible, but the fact remains that astrology provides real insight, and sometimes to an uncanny degree.
(http://www.astroroom.com)
शनिवार, 22 जनवरी 2011
मंगलवार, 18 जनवरी 2011
Vedic astrology
Vedic astrology has a lot more to it than the weekly forecasts and claims by some unscrupulous persons about 100% accurate predictions and guaranteed results. Astrology has always been part and parcel of Hindu religion and faith. Astrology is one of the six angas (organs) of the veda, Siksha, Vyakarana, Chandas, Nirukta and Kalpa being the other five. It is called Vedasya chakshuh or eye of the veda.
2.Eighteen Rishis – Surya, Pitamahah, Vyasa, Vasishta, Atri, Parasara, Kasyapa, Narada, Garga, Marichi, Manu, Angiras, Lomasha, Paulisha, Chyavana, Yavana, Bhrigu and Saunaka are the creators of astrology and the classical texts of astrology are written by these sages. Some of these texts are Parasara Hora, Garga Hora and Yavana Hora.There are also texts from eminent scholars such as Jaimini ,Varahamihira, Mantresvara, and Kalyanavarma. Uttarakalamrita by Kalidasa is a treasure house of astrological knowledge and Naradapurana deals extensively in astrology. More than one thousand text books on astrology are in print both classical and contemporary.
3.The planets and nakshatras have been assigned divine attributes in the vedas and puranas and there are mantras and rituals meant to worship them. Astrology is a matter of faith and worship for the Hindu. There are navagraha temples all over the country and it is part of Hindu faith to recognize the divine power of the planets and worship them. While the planets themselves are treated as divine beings, there are also adhidevatas, pratyadhidevatas and abhimanadevatas as their associate deities. In Hindu religion, the planets are considered as agents responsible for fructification of one’s own past karma. Atharva veda contains mantras to predict the outcome of a battle.
4.The planets in vedic astrology are not the physical planets we see in the sky. There is a difference of about 22 to 23 degrees between the physical longitude of the planet and its longitude in the horoscope. This difference is called ayanamsa. The planets in astrology can be best described as karmic influences aligned with the physical planets. The graha word in Sanskrit means “one who takes hold of or control of ” and not planet as in science.
5.Identification of muhurtas for yajnas and rituals such as marriage is based on the tenets of astrology and the ritualistic side of Hindu religion is closely linked to astrology. In the absence of Hindu almanac based on vedic astrology the festivals in our day to day life such as Ram Navami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, Gudi padwa and Makara Samkranti will disappear.
6.The Government of India publishes Rashtriya Panchanga giving the planetary positions on a daily basis which are widely used for casting horoscopes and other astrological purposes.
7.Astrology is a regular curriculum in many Universities approved by the UGC. Degrees such as B.A., M.A., M.Phil and Ph.D. or their equivalents are awarded on successful completion of the courses. Rashtriya Samskrita Samsthanam deemed university established under the Ministry of HRD offers all these courses. Sastra University - Thanjavur, PSR University – Hyderabad and Kalidas Sanskrit University – Ramtek are some of the universities offering PG level courses in astrology. In addition to this, there are many more universities having well established departments of astrology such as the eminent Banaras Hindu University and Sampurnanad Sanskrit University, Kashi. Serious research into many aspects of astrology are conducted in these universities.
8.There are widely read journals in astrology and the contributors include a wide spectrum of personalities like retired judges, scientists, doctors, technocrats, professors, bureaucrats along with professional astrologers.
9.There are many remedies prescribed by Hindu Dharmasatras, the vedic treatises and also the mantra sastras. In fact every Hindu ritual has a goal and this is the expected result of the ritual. The success depends on so many factors. The penances and rituals prescribed in texts such as Santhikusumakara depend entirely on the horoscope for arriving at the right remedy. The bona fide of the all solving yantras and gadgets is of course questionable. Indiscriminate advertising and tall claims have definitely cast a shadow upon this ancient knowledge.
10.No genuine astrologer would claim that all his predictions will come true just as even the scientific weather forecasts also at times turn out to be incorrect. No genuine priest would guarantee results. “ The sastra itself says that “phalani grahacharena soochayanti maneeshinaha. Ko vakta taratamyasya tamekam vedhasam vina “ – the scholars only indicate the future results. Who other than the creator himself can say for sure what will happen. Hindu dharmasastra and astrology are inseparable and a good astrologer is called daivajna (one who knows God). His qualities in addition to astrological knowledge are honesty, awareness , humility, vedic knowledge and devotion to the navagrahas.
11.It is not fair to insist that everything has to be scientific. That is only one way of looking at things. Is God a scientific concept? Is religion scientific? Is the entertainment industry comprising of movies, serials etc. scientific or pieces of imagination? What is scientific about poetry? It is a fundamental right of every Indian citizen to follow his religious system and faith. Even science does not promise 100% results. Does the Medical Science cure every patient? There are quacks and frauds even in the Medical profession. That does not call for a ban on the profession. It is up to the law to deal with them. The argument is that astrology is not scientifically proved. The question is “Has it been scientifically disproved, if so by what authority ?”
12.Vedic astrology has stood the test of time. It is our ancient knowledge with great social value. In the hands of genuine practitioners it is a great tool of counseling in times of distress and confusion. While cleaning the system of frauds and cheats is welcome, it should not in any way hamper the faith of millions and the true pursuit of this branch of knowledge
The Union Government has taken a stand relying on the Supreme Court ruling that astrology can not be banned.
The case has also a constitutional angle to it.
Vedic astrology is part and parcel of Hindu religion and is absolutely essential for the practice of its ritualistic side.
Astrology is so important in Hindu religion that it is assigned the status of one of the six organs (shadangas) of the vedas and is called the "eye of the vedas"
The time factor of the universe in Hindu religion is explained and taught by astrology. Astrology is also called kalavidhanasastra or knowledge of time and its divisions. Time cannot be perceived by the sensory organs, so the only way to determine time was through movement like that of sun and moon.
A Hindu is duty bound to perform many rituals to guarantee his well being in future lives, a place in heaven and subsequently moksha or release from the cycle of births and deaths. It is astrology based on planetary positions which tells him when to perform these rituals. Nothing or nobody else other than the panchanga based on planetary positions can tell him when is amavasya, when is makara samkranthi, when is yugadi, when is ashtaka, when is anvashtaka, when is akshaya triteeya and the like.
Yajnas are performed as ordained in the vedas and they are dependent on appropriate timing. Astrology is what guides us through timing. Hence astrology deserves the position as an anga of vedas. (ref : Sidhanta Siromani of Sankaracharya)
At the start of of every Hindu ritual, there is a procedure called sankalpa in which the geographical location of the ritual, the time and the purpose are declared. The declaration of the time includes the yuga, year, month, tithi, vara, nakshatra, yoga, karana and the planetary positions. These are all astrological factors. It is believed that in the absence of the sankalpa, the ritual will go aimless and will not yield any result. Astrology is essential part of every Hindu ritual. To deprive the priest of astrological data is like asking the doctor to go without a stethescope. Muhurta chintamani says “ pratyaksham jyotisham sastram chandrarkou yatra sakshinou vinaitadakhilam srouta smarta karma na sidhyati “ – Astrology is a visible sastra whose witnesses are the sun and moon ; in the absence of astrology it will not be possible to perform the rituals ordained in the vedas and smrutis.
Only the horoscope tells the Hindu what kind of karma he has accrued from the past life and this will help him in taking up steps such as penances to exhaust this karma and progress in his spiritual path.
Identification of the right spiritual path for the Hindu sadhaka draws great help from astrology following principles laid down in texts such as Rudra yamalam.
Hinduism advocates performance of penances for sins committed in the present and past lives. Only astrology can throw light on sins committed in the past lives.
Hinduism considers the nava grahas as divine powers and they are propitiated by offerings at the onset of every ritual. This is called graha preeti daanam. Every Hindu Gruha pravesha and every Satyanarayana pooja involves worship of the navagrahas.
Navagrahas are worshipped in navagraha temples all over India.
Jagatguru Chandrasekharendra Sarasvati Swamiji, the 68th Sankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetha from 1907 to 1995 has been quoted as saying
"The condition of a man corresponds to the changes in the position of the nine grahas. A human being does not enjoy happiness all the time nor does he always suffer hardships - that is, he experiences a mixture of happiness and sorrow. While he may be pushed up to a high position today, he may be thrust down to the depths tomorrow. It is not man alone that is subject to changes of fortune. Establishments too have their ups and down, so also nations."
"The sages saw a relationship between the position and movements of the planets and the destiny of man, the sorrow and happiness experienced by him. There is a branch of astrology called 'hora-skandha'. If we know the planetary position at the time of commencing a job or enterprise, with its help, we should be able to find out how it would take shape, how we would fare in it. If our horoscope is cast on the basis of the configuration of the planets at the time of our birth, our fortunes over the entire period of our life can be predicted."
"Different reasons are given for the ups and downs in a man's life, for his joys and sorrows. It is similar to finding out the different causes of the ailment he suffers from. [The physicians, mantravadins, pandits, and psychologists will give different reasons.] ... All these different causes may be valid. All of them go to create an experience. ... Many outward signs manifest themselves as the fruits of our past karma. They are all related to one another. The course of planets governing our life is in accordance with our karma. We come to know the consequences of our actions in previous births in various ways. Astrological calculations help us to find out such consequences as indicated by the heavenly bodies."
Hindus worship their ancestors during a 15 day period called pitrupaksha every year. The Gregorian calendar does not tell when this period is. Hindus are dependent on the panchanga based on astrology to identify this period. In the absence of astrology, Hindus will be deprived of the opportunity to perform this worship which can invite the wrath of the ancestors on account of non performance of this worship or through performance at the wrong time.
Any effort to restrict astrology will be violate article 25(1) of the constitution of India which guarentees right to freely profess, practice and propagate religion.
2.Eighteen Rishis – Surya, Pitamahah, Vyasa, Vasishta, Atri, Parasara, Kasyapa, Narada, Garga, Marichi, Manu, Angiras, Lomasha, Paulisha, Chyavana, Yavana, Bhrigu and Saunaka are the creators of astrology and the classical texts of astrology are written by these sages. Some of these texts are Parasara Hora, Garga Hora and Yavana Hora.There are also texts from eminent scholars such as Jaimini ,Varahamihira, Mantresvara, and Kalyanavarma. Uttarakalamrita by Kalidasa is a treasure house of astrological knowledge and Naradapurana deals extensively in astrology. More than one thousand text books on astrology are in print both classical and contemporary.
3.The planets and nakshatras have been assigned divine attributes in the vedas and puranas and there are mantras and rituals meant to worship them. Astrology is a matter of faith and worship for the Hindu. There are navagraha temples all over the country and it is part of Hindu faith to recognize the divine power of the planets and worship them. While the planets themselves are treated as divine beings, there are also adhidevatas, pratyadhidevatas and abhimanadevatas as their associate deities. In Hindu religion, the planets are considered as agents responsible for fructification of one’s own past karma. Atharva veda contains mantras to predict the outcome of a battle.
4.The planets in vedic astrology are not the physical planets we see in the sky. There is a difference of about 22 to 23 degrees between the physical longitude of the planet and its longitude in the horoscope. This difference is called ayanamsa. The planets in astrology can be best described as karmic influences aligned with the physical planets. The graha word in Sanskrit means “one who takes hold of or control of ” and not planet as in science.
5.Identification of muhurtas for yajnas and rituals such as marriage is based on the tenets of astrology and the ritualistic side of Hindu religion is closely linked to astrology. In the absence of Hindu almanac based on vedic astrology the festivals in our day to day life such as Ram Navami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, Gudi padwa and Makara Samkranti will disappear.
6.The Government of India publishes Rashtriya Panchanga giving the planetary positions on a daily basis which are widely used for casting horoscopes and other astrological purposes.
7.Astrology is a regular curriculum in many Universities approved by the UGC. Degrees such as B.A., M.A., M.Phil and Ph.D. or their equivalents are awarded on successful completion of the courses. Rashtriya Samskrita Samsthanam deemed university established under the Ministry of HRD offers all these courses. Sastra University - Thanjavur, PSR University – Hyderabad and Kalidas Sanskrit University – Ramtek are some of the universities offering PG level courses in astrology. In addition to this, there are many more universities having well established departments of astrology such as the eminent Banaras Hindu University and Sampurnanad Sanskrit University, Kashi. Serious research into many aspects of astrology are conducted in these universities.
8.There are widely read journals in astrology and the contributors include a wide spectrum of personalities like retired judges, scientists, doctors, technocrats, professors, bureaucrats along with professional astrologers.
9.There are many remedies prescribed by Hindu Dharmasatras, the vedic treatises and also the mantra sastras. In fact every Hindu ritual has a goal and this is the expected result of the ritual. The success depends on so many factors. The penances and rituals prescribed in texts such as Santhikusumakara depend entirely on the horoscope for arriving at the right remedy. The bona fide of the all solving yantras and gadgets is of course questionable. Indiscriminate advertising and tall claims have definitely cast a shadow upon this ancient knowledge.
10.No genuine astrologer would claim that all his predictions will come true just as even the scientific weather forecasts also at times turn out to be incorrect. No genuine priest would guarantee results. “ The sastra itself says that “phalani grahacharena soochayanti maneeshinaha. Ko vakta taratamyasya tamekam vedhasam vina “ – the scholars only indicate the future results. Who other than the creator himself can say for sure what will happen. Hindu dharmasastra and astrology are inseparable and a good astrologer is called daivajna (one who knows God). His qualities in addition to astrological knowledge are honesty, awareness , humility, vedic knowledge and devotion to the navagrahas.
11.It is not fair to insist that everything has to be scientific. That is only one way of looking at things. Is God a scientific concept? Is religion scientific? Is the entertainment industry comprising of movies, serials etc. scientific or pieces of imagination? What is scientific about poetry? It is a fundamental right of every Indian citizen to follow his religious system and faith. Even science does not promise 100% results. Does the Medical Science cure every patient? There are quacks and frauds even in the Medical profession. That does not call for a ban on the profession. It is up to the law to deal with them. The argument is that astrology is not scientifically proved. The question is “Has it been scientifically disproved, if so by what authority ?”
12.Vedic astrology has stood the test of time. It is our ancient knowledge with great social value. In the hands of genuine practitioners it is a great tool of counseling in times of distress and confusion. While cleaning the system of frauds and cheats is welcome, it should not in any way hamper the faith of millions and the true pursuit of this branch of knowledge
The Union Government has taken a stand relying on the Supreme Court ruling that astrology can not be banned.
The case has also a constitutional angle to it.
Vedic astrology is part and parcel of Hindu religion and is absolutely essential for the practice of its ritualistic side.
Astrology is so important in Hindu religion that it is assigned the status of one of the six organs (shadangas) of the vedas and is called the "eye of the vedas"
The time factor of the universe in Hindu religion is explained and taught by astrology. Astrology is also called kalavidhanasastra or knowledge of time and its divisions. Time cannot be perceived by the sensory organs, so the only way to determine time was through movement like that of sun and moon.
A Hindu is duty bound to perform many rituals to guarantee his well being in future lives, a place in heaven and subsequently moksha or release from the cycle of births and deaths. It is astrology based on planetary positions which tells him when to perform these rituals. Nothing or nobody else other than the panchanga based on planetary positions can tell him when is amavasya, when is makara samkranthi, when is yugadi, when is ashtaka, when is anvashtaka, when is akshaya triteeya and the like.
Yajnas are performed as ordained in the vedas and they are dependent on appropriate timing. Astrology is what guides us through timing. Hence astrology deserves the position as an anga of vedas. (ref : Sidhanta Siromani of Sankaracharya)
At the start of of every Hindu ritual, there is a procedure called sankalpa in which the geographical location of the ritual, the time and the purpose are declared. The declaration of the time includes the yuga, year, month, tithi, vara, nakshatra, yoga, karana and the planetary positions. These are all astrological factors. It is believed that in the absence of the sankalpa, the ritual will go aimless and will not yield any result. Astrology is essential part of every Hindu ritual. To deprive the priest of astrological data is like asking the doctor to go without a stethescope. Muhurta chintamani says “ pratyaksham jyotisham sastram chandrarkou yatra sakshinou vinaitadakhilam srouta smarta karma na sidhyati “ – Astrology is a visible sastra whose witnesses are the sun and moon ; in the absence of astrology it will not be possible to perform the rituals ordained in the vedas and smrutis.
Only the horoscope tells the Hindu what kind of karma he has accrued from the past life and this will help him in taking up steps such as penances to exhaust this karma and progress in his spiritual path.
Identification of the right spiritual path for the Hindu sadhaka draws great help from astrology following principles laid down in texts such as Rudra yamalam.
Hinduism advocates performance of penances for sins committed in the present and past lives. Only astrology can throw light on sins committed in the past lives.
Hinduism considers the nava grahas as divine powers and they are propitiated by offerings at the onset of every ritual. This is called graha preeti daanam. Every Hindu Gruha pravesha and every Satyanarayana pooja involves worship of the navagrahas.
Navagrahas are worshipped in navagraha temples all over India.
Jagatguru Chandrasekharendra Sarasvati Swamiji, the 68th Sankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetha from 1907 to 1995 has been quoted as saying
"The condition of a man corresponds to the changes in the position of the nine grahas. A human being does not enjoy happiness all the time nor does he always suffer hardships - that is, he experiences a mixture of happiness and sorrow. While he may be pushed up to a high position today, he may be thrust down to the depths tomorrow. It is not man alone that is subject to changes of fortune. Establishments too have their ups and down, so also nations."
"The sages saw a relationship between the position and movements of the planets and the destiny of man, the sorrow and happiness experienced by him. There is a branch of astrology called 'hora-skandha'. If we know the planetary position at the time of commencing a job or enterprise, with its help, we should be able to find out how it would take shape, how we would fare in it. If our horoscope is cast on the basis of the configuration of the planets at the time of our birth, our fortunes over the entire period of our life can be predicted."
"Different reasons are given for the ups and downs in a man's life, for his joys and sorrows. It is similar to finding out the different causes of the ailment he suffers from. [The physicians, mantravadins, pandits, and psychologists will give different reasons.] ... All these different causes may be valid. All of them go to create an experience. ... Many outward signs manifest themselves as the fruits of our past karma. They are all related to one another. The course of planets governing our life is in accordance with our karma. We come to know the consequences of our actions in previous births in various ways. Astrological calculations help us to find out such consequences as indicated by the heavenly bodies."
Hindus worship their ancestors during a 15 day period called pitrupaksha every year. The Gregorian calendar does not tell when this period is. Hindus are dependent on the panchanga based on astrology to identify this period. In the absence of astrology, Hindus will be deprived of the opportunity to perform this worship which can invite the wrath of the ancestors on account of non performance of this worship or through performance at the wrong time.
Any effort to restrict astrology will be violate article 25(1) of the constitution of India which guarentees right to freely profess, practice and propagate religion.
सदस्यता लें
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