Collected Articles on astrology.

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Part -I

Base of Astrology

 

 

Vedic astrology is a subject originated in Vedas. It is a branch

of knowledge, ancient as Vedas. Astrology is composed of 3

Skandhas (main branches), such as Sidhantha (Astronomy and

Maths), Samhitha (Omens) and Hora (Horoscope-Horary and

Muhoortha).

Astrology was also called Kalavidhana Sastha (Ancient advice

about Time and its divisions). To determine the nature of time

(past-present and future), to find out how the flow of time impacts

humans and other animals and plants, and their life containing

pleasures and pains, is the aim of this branch of knowledge. It is

the root purpose of Astrology.

Time is the cause for everything that is good and bad (pleasure

or pain) in life. Time is the cause of all movements. Even thought

is a time bound (It is also a movement). Even thought cannot break

away form the boundaries caused by time, your past present and

experience. To predict the happenings (incidents) of life, we should

study time. But we cannot see, touch, or hear time, but can know

and comprehend it with our mind and analyze it. This is possible

only because we can observe movements. It is by watching movements

that the concept of time originates in our mind. The movements

on Earth (The flying of birds, fall of withered leaves, the

flowering of plants etc), the sunrise and sunset, the waxing and

waning of moon, if you watch in detail (even the subtleties in

cosmic movements) the movements of planets - every thing shows

us the existence of time. Time is the cause of movements. It is the

cause for the movement of Earth, Moon and Planets. It is the cause

for life and death of plants, animals, and humans, it is the cause of

 

all our worldly conditions - birth, marriage, accident, disease, death,

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All these classifications are there or not - the time will prevail.

Existing always there - beyond... Yes, all the classifications are

wrong. But human brain cannot live without them. That is why it

is said that every branch of study is nothing but “attempts to comprehend

the incomprehensible and complete world with fragmented

classifications”.

In a fragmented mirror the reflected world would also be fragmented.

It is the fundamental limitation of human brain or mind.

That is why it is said, “the eternal truth is realized only in a mindless

state”. The Vedic verse that says, “where the mind turns back

with the unreachable words (etho vacha nivarthanthe aprapya

manasa saha) - that is truth” also points in this direction. Due to all

this we cannot but accept the fundamental error of trying to comprehend

the non-fragmented existence (world), with the fragmented

mind. Can’t we at least avoid the second error, i.e. trying to limit

astrology into some predefined boxes such as science or art? Can’t

we avoid such arguments as whether astrology is art or science?

Try to comprehend astrology in its true theoretical foundation. View

science as science and art as art, don’t mix-up all. Like humanity

is a quality of man neither limited by class-creed-color-religioncast

etc, astrology cannot be limited within the classifications such

as science or art.

When I see the efforts of people to classify astrology into predefined

moulds such as science or art, I am just feeling compassionate,

because even these classifications are unscientific and nonsystematic.

A relevant doubt is, how to classify all the subjects

under human study. The thought process of human mind can be

broadly classified into two - 1) Analytical 2) Wholistic. The astrologer

refers to this duality using the words ooha-apoha,

mathematician’s uses the words Differentiation -Integration, and

others uses the technical term Analytical approach-Wholistic approach.

 

What ever be the terms used they point to the fundamental

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difference in the thinking approach. These are two different thinking

methods. Most of the braches of knowledge we have today is

the product of one of these approaches.

Science is the product of analytical approach. We used to say

that science tries to study everything by dividing it into smaller

and smaller parts. Science has its own method (based on analytical

approach) called Scientific method. Data collection, concept

formation, analysis, verification are part of it. A theory is the final

output. These theories may later herald as the true mirrors or knowledge

(laws), or based on new data input refined or discarded. Thus

science is a continuous search for truth. Starting from small laws

that controls our daily life, unstopping it searches for a single law

that comprehends everything and describes the whole world. Some

theories that are refined further and further become stronger rationally

and experimentally, and heralded as laws, that becomes the

foundation of science and promotes further study. Physics, Chemistry,

Botany, Zoology etc are all branches of science. Maths even

though does not follow the scientific method, has a systematic

foundation and is a product of analytical approach. “Fact to generalization”

is the prime motto of analytical approach. But wholistic

study method is an entirely different one.

The wholistic approach also had given raise to many branches

of knowledge. Let us start from the most common example - i.e.

Psychology. Psychology says that all the mental diseases (which

may have even physical symptoms) are caused by unhealthiness

of mind. In other words Psychology finds its foundation in the

concept called Mind. If we knew all about the processes in brain,

nervous system, and the chemical reactions in brain and body this

concept of mind will not be necessary. We feel the Mind because

of the combined and coordinated function of all these. Even though

we cannot find Mind by subdividing the body in to its minutest

 

parts (i.e. by physical analysis) nobody will say that psychology is

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a useless subject. By using the classifications such as conscious -

subconscious -unconscious, id-ego-superego (or the Indian classical

division chitt-budhi-ahankara), we believe that psychology

leads us towards truth. All the branches of knowledge that originates

from wholistic method use one or more non-provable concepts

as its foundation, which are accepted based on their usefulness.

Psychology is no exception to that. The ancient Indians used

the word Sasthra (ancient advice) to indicate such branches of

study. Psychology that speaks about Mind, Ayurveda that speaks

about Tridosha (Vatha, Pitha and Kapha), Homeopathy and

Naturopath that speaks about Vital force, Astrology that speaks

about Planets and Signs (Rasis) all are the product of wholistic

approach. In this sense subjects such as Psychology, Ayurveda,

Homeopathy, Naturopathy, Astrology etc does not come under

the broad classification called Science. Still we know that nobody

will dare to say that Psychology, Ayurveda etc are useless. In the

view of ancient people sasthras leads us to truth, they helps us to

comprehend truth more clearly, they helps us to know truth that

are useful for our existence. Astrology that depends on wholistic

approach is no exception to this. In this study method called

wholistic approach, firstly to cover all our ignorance about the

details of something and to help the further study, some basic concepts

are formulated. This hypothetical foundation becomes a

springboard for further study. Here also psychology can be taken

as a suitable example. When we know 100% about the processes

and behavior of brain and body, when we understands which

chemical reactions leads to each thought and emotion, when we

could clearly state how and where memory is encoded (with its

minutest details), when we attain the ability to control all these

using chemical and physical mechanisms (machine driven or otherwise)

we could discard the concept of mind and psychology.

Till then psychology will exist, no matter how ever the scientists

 

express their reaction to it. Similarly when we understands how

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the rhythm of time impacts the living organisms and their life incidents

(100% i.e. to its minutest details) astrology will also be discarded.

Till then whatever opposing arguments originate, this

branch of knowledge will prevail.

Even those who accept that Psychology Ayurveda Homeopathy

etc are wholistic methods, tend to reject astrology. Why? They

ask - How can you say that astrology is based on a fundamental

concept like Mind, Tridosha or Vital force used by other branches

of wholistic approach? Can you consider Sun Moon and Planets

as concepts? Signs (Rasis) such as Aries, Taurus are the divisions

of sky - how can they be concepts? All who sincerely study the

ancient Vedic astrology knows the answers to such questions. I

will explain.

Think that we collect the common characteristics or life incidents

of children born, when the sun is in some particular sign.

Instead of considering these characteristics as that of time, they

are projected to sun. Sun is considered the significator of all such

characteristics. Later when the sun in the same sign, if a child is

born, we predict that, that child will have those predefined (precollected)

characteristics. It is a sort of give and take policy. The

technique of projecting the characteristics those are not of sun to

sun, and later taking them back from sun. Here the sun becomes

not the sun that we see with our naked eyes. Sun becomes a concept.

This sun is the god Siva, father, gold, soul, courage, success,

light, king, govt. service, light, forest, peak, hill... and so many

other things. Sun is man, middle-aged, bald, and the significator

of diseases due to heat. All these ideas are formed thus. Not only

the Sun, Moon and the Planets becomes concepts in this way.

What ever is called significators in astrology, they are all concepts

(Hypothetical constructs to mould the truth). Yes, in astrology Planets,

Houses and Signs are called significators. Therefore Signs,

 

Houses and Planets are the basic concepts used in wholistic study

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method called astrology. Apart from this some other basic concepts

that are used by Vedic culture such as Panchabootha (Earth-

Water-Fire-Air-Sky), Triguna (Sathwa-Rajas-Thamas) etc are also

well utilized in astrology.

Of the two approaches such as Analytical approach and

Wholistic approach, Astrology and Ayurveda is closer to wholistic

approach. As these two methods (Analytical and Wholistic) are

fundamental to the thought process itself, why should they compete

each other? Why should the branches of study that are part of

wholistic approach try fruitlessly to become part of science (a product

of analytical approach)? Even physics should resort to the use

of concepts such as stress, strain, force, time etc. Ayurveda cannot

stand away from the fact that the use of its methods should cure

the patient. The world we see is composed of both facts and concepts

(matter and mind). Because of all this, the analytical approach

that takes facts as the starting point and the wholistic approach

that takes concepts at the starting point should ultimately meet and

help each other to the ultimate fulfillment of human knowledge.

They are like yin and yang, the opposing counter parts of one and

the same thing. As both of them are the foundation of thought

process itself - one defeating the other is impossible.

Don’t think that even this classification such as Analytical and

Wholistic is complete. Don’t ever think that you can bring all the

subjects under the sun into this classification. As I told earlier, all

the classifications are nothing but the creations of human mind.

The truth would remain outside all classifications. In this case also

it is true. (Just think of bringing subjects such as art and history

into this classification. You will see what I mean!!) A Vedic astrologer

should be ready to approach astrology with such realizations,

because astrology is part of a wholistic approach to study

the rhythm of time and make probabilistic predications.

 

Hope I have succeeded in conveying the idea that I had.

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Outline of holistic subjects

 

 

We can structurally classify the subject matter dealt within any

holistic subject (Such as astrology, Vastu sastra, Ayurveda etc) into

the following 4 categories: 1) Philosophy 2) Concepts 3) Rules

4) Rituals. Let us understand this in a better way by taking astrology

as an example.

 

 

1) Philosophy

 

 

The philosophy such as "Sarva vidyam Brahma vidya

Pratishtam" (All knowledge is based on Brahma vidya – the knowledge

of the soul and the eternal) is at the root of astrology. Everything

is a small print of the eternal. The microcosm and the macrocosm

is in rhythmic correlation. We cannot define the eternal Brahman

or the duality it has with in, popularly known as Prakriti (Matter)

and Purusha (Energy + Time). Brahman represents the spacetime

continuum and anything beyond it. It also includes everything

the mind can understand and everything beyond it. Brahman

(of which space and time is just components) is the reality

and what we understand though the classifications and theorems

is just the reflection. Mind can only reflect truth and can never

comprehend it. The Sun and its reflectionon in water should be

entirely different in essence, though seems to be similar. Understanding

this truth is the first step in utilizing the study methods

(scientific or holistic) provided by the mind itself. So in reality we

can not define Brahman (Since every definition has existence only

within mind, and Brahman represents mind and things beyond it.

Every theorem exists only in mind). Same is the case with Prakriti

and Purusha. Even though we cannot define the eternal (Let it be

Brahman, Purusha or Prakriti), it can have many practical definitions.

For example in Astrology –

Purusha = Kala Purusha (Energy + Time)

 

Prakriti = Zodiac (3 Dimensional Space including sky and

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planets)

In Vastu Sastra–

Purusha = Vastu Purusha (Built space + Energy)

Prakriti = Vastu (3 dimensional space including as land and

environment)

In Ayurveda–

Purusha = Body (Soul + Mind + Body)

Prakriti = Nature (Nature of body + Environment)

Any one can expand/explore this or similar philosophic content

in astrology or in any other holistic subject. The holistic philosophic

content is a thread that is common to all holistic subjects.

 

 

2) Concepts

 

 

(i) Concept of Universe (Zodiac)

 

 

The universe around us ( for the people living in earth) is spherical

in shape. We can use the ecliptic to represent the circular horizontal

plane in it and the celestial poles represents the other two

directions up and below that sphere. But this spherical representation

causes problems, since it is difficult to project the 8 directions

correctly in it, and it is difficult to draw. Therefore in astrology the

spherical circular shape of the zodiac is represented as a square.

Yes, as you know it is the Rasi chakra (The Zodiac), as popularly

known to us, starting from the first point of Aries and Aswini stellar

division. (Reasons for fixing this point as the first point and

dividing the ecliptic into 30 deg and 13 deg 20 min divisions etc is

the stuff for another discussion, involving lot of mathematics.

Chandrahari has done it in an excellent way in his book Hindu

Zodiac)

Other similar/fundamental concepts in astrology are : (ii) Kala

 

Purusha (iii) Prakriti-Purusha (iv) Signs (v)Planets (vi) Houses

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vii) Nakshatras (viii) Pancha Bhoota etc

I invite others to go into the depths or give an introduction to

such concepts in astrology for the benefit of all, for the benefit of

beginners for understanding them as concepts. Here, in this discussion,

the point I want to emphasis is that, many such concepts

forms the foundation for any holistic subject.

 

 

3) Rules

 

 

The Rules can be divided into two – Laws and Principles. Well

tested, well founded, unchangeable rules with a mathematical precession

are termed Laws. And the flexible and simple rules that

are used to describe, modify, expand and apply the Laws can be

termed principles. Laws are nothing but, well accepted principles.

Let us understand them in the light of astrology.

 

 

(i) Laws

 

 

Even though we have the concepts in its place, we need to

know the laws to utilize those concepts. In astrology it starts with-

(a) Rules to divide the zodiac into Signs and Nakshatras.(b) The

7-fold rule for calculating Yogas (which ultimately lead to prediction)

© The rules for calculating Dasa and Gochara.

 

 

(ii) Principles

 

 

Let us understand them with some examples- (a) Rules that

explain how the Signs, Houses, Nakshatras and Planets can be

made use in prediction. (b) Rules that tells us about the 7-fold

prediction system and the exceptions related to it. © Rules to be

followed while predicting with Dasa and Gochara. Almost the

whole of the astrology is nothing but this rules (which base themselves

on the fundamental concepts) and there application.

 

 

5)Rituals

 

 

Rituals that is associated with implementation etc. For example-

 

(i) Rituals (Actions) associated with Prasna such as deter

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of Arudha.(ii) Rituals associated with worshiping of the signs, planets

etc.(iii) Remedial rituals associated with etc

In this short essay I have tried to categorize the content dealt

with in any holistic subject taking astrology as an example. Yes,

the categorization of subject matter into- Philosophy, Concepts,

Rules, Rituals is important in any holistic subject. This fundamental

classification should be considered, and any subject should be

weighed against this, so as to ascertain whether it is holistic or not.

If it is a holistic subject, then it will fit into this categorization and

also will not obey the path of scientific method

Any comments on this regard are welcome. I also request others

to weigh other subjects such as Yoga, Vastu, Naturopathy, Psychology,

 

Ayurveda etc as per these structural norms.

[watchthisfree]

sandhuji,

 

thanks a lot. you are like an ocean of knowledge. i always enjoy your posts here. can you please give me some info about the KP system ie the Krishnamurthi padhdhati? a little explaination with an example or two will suffice. i am right now trying to learn it as it is said to be more accurate in deciding the timing of an event. thanks a lot and happy new year to all of here. regards,

 

ravi...................

[astroseeker]

Hello Sandhuji, when you " cut and paste " materials from other's writings , pl give credit to them. otherwise you and this site , can be sued for copyright protection laws.

This article has been written by SREENATH.OG. His email id is " sreesog@.

[sandhu.jp]

Dear Astroseeker,

 

Thanks for the input, i never claimed the write up to be mine , you are right due credit should be given to the authors, its only now that i have the complete article ,previously when i posted it it was just in the shape i posted it. When i contribute something of my own i usually end the posting with regards and my name. Please see the title it clearly mentions it as collected articles on astrology. Please see the other posts to note that i do mention the authors name whenever the name is available.

 

 

Regards

 

J.s.sandhu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello Sandhuji, when you " cut and paste " materials from other's writings , pl give credit to them. otherwise you and this site , can be sued for copyright protection laws.

This article has been written by SREENATH.OG. His email id is " sreesog@.

[Anusha]

Dear Sandhu Ji/ Shridhar Ji, Pranams

 

KP Ayanamsa & Lahiri Ayanamsa -Both seem almost same.Please correct,If not so.

Warm regards,

Anusha