Origin of Greek astrology

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Dear All, We know that Mascedonian greek were NOT the originators of what is known today as greek astrology. In truth their epics such as Illiad and Odesy, their culture, their astrology all are indebted to the MINOAN CULTURE OF CRETE (that used scripts which are named today as Linear A and Linear B) which got destroyed by the then uncultured Macedonian Greeks. Macedonian Greek knowledge has its roots in two great cultures one that of Minoan culture of crete and the other the pharaoh culture of Egypt. If Minoans where the father to this greek culture then Egyptians were its mother. The astrological knowledge processed by greeks were also no exception to this. The signs, the house system etc all comes to them from the Minoans and the Drekkana system etc from the Egyptians. Now let us dare to ask the question, from where the Minoans got this astrological wisdom. Do they had story that can give us some pointers? Yes, they did. And here goes a thoughtful pointer - (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellenistic_astrology )//Several Hellenistic astrologers ascribe its creation to a mythical sage named Hermes Trismegistus. Hermes is said to have written several major texts which formed the basis of the art or its evolution from the system of astrology that was inherited from the Babylonians and the Egyptians. Several authors cite Hermes as being the first to outline the houses and their meaning, and thus the houses are usually thought to date back to the very beginning of the Hellenistic tradition and indeed they are one of the major defining factors which separate Hellenistic astrology and other forms of horoscopic astrology from Babylonian astrology and other traditions in different parts of the world. This system of horoscopic astrology was then passed to another mythical figure named Asclepius to who some of the Hermetic writings are addressed.

According to Firmicus Maternus, the system was subsequently handed down to an Egyptian pharaoh named Nechepso

and his priest Petosiris. [2]

They are said to have written several major textbooks which explicated the system and it is from this text that many of the later Hellenistic astrologers draw from and cite directly. This system formed the basis of

all later forms of horoscopic astrology.// OK. So the Greeks traced back the origin of their astrological wisdom to a SAGE named Hermes Trismegistus. Now we need to ask who is this sage "Hermes Trismegistus"? Is it a mixed-up name? What is the name with which the original and knowledgeable Minoans called him? The following paragraph provides a clue - (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermes_Trismegistus )//Origin and Identity: Both Thoth

and Hermes

were gods of writing and of magic in their respective cultures. Thus, the Greek god of

interpretive communication was combined with the Egyptian god of wisdom

as a patron of astrology and alchemy. In addition, both gods were

psychopomps;

guiding souls to the afterlife. And there is also a connection with the

Egyptian Priest and Polymath Imhotep[citation needed].

A Mycenaean

Greek reference found on a Linear B

clay tablet at Pylos[3]

to a deity or semi-deity called TI-RI-SE-RO-E, Trisheros (the "thrice or triple hero[4]")

could be connected to the later epithet "thrice wiseTrismegistus", applied to Hermes/Thoth. On the same Tn 316 tablet as well as other Linear B

tablets, found in Pylos and Knossos, appears the name of the deity "Hermes" as E-MA-A, but not in any apparent connection with the "Trisheros". This interpretation of poorly understood Mycenaean material

is disputed, since Hermes Trismegistus is not referenced in any of the copious sources before he emerges in Hellenistic Egypt.// OK. So for the Minoans of ancient crete TIRISEROSE (Tri-Siras! The three headed - wisest - deity!) and EMAA (Mercury) where different deities! Possibly the laterday Macedonian greeks adopted and mixed-up these distinct concepts and created a "Hermes Trismegistus" (Trisiras the wise! or Trisiras the mercurian) identity out of it, and then further confused it with their god concept of Mercury (Hermes) and a god concept almost totally alien to them that is Trisiras! Oh! So who is Trisiras or Trisheros? or better Sage Trisiras? Is there an Indian, Iranian or central Asian parallel? Does this name sound familiar to you? Let us see who this Trisiras is from the Indian perspective - (Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trisiras )//In Hinduism,

Trisiras is the three-headed son of Tvashta. He was created by Tvashta to dethrone Indra. With one head, he ate; with another head, he observed his surroundings; with his last head, he read the Vedas. He grew so powerful that Indra became frightened of him, especially after Trisiras scorned the women Indra sent to seduce him. Indra killed him and Trisiras' father, Tvashta, created Vritra

to gain revenge. Trisiras was also known as Viśvarūpa (in Bhagavata Purana).// So the wise Sage Trisiras was the son of Tvashta. (The names Trisiras and Tvashta sounds bit alian, non-sanskrit, prakrit, possibly pointing to the origin of these names before the refining of Sanskrit itself, an origin way beyond and behind the proto-indo-iranian culture; something that may go back to their non-vedic central asian home. Not deva cult related, but something related to the asura cult; anti-indra; anti-vedic; Let us see what we can find; but ofcourse our reference would be the earliest literature available - i.e. the vedic literature itself). So who is this Tvashta? As per wikipedea - (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tvashta )//In Vedic religion,Tvaṣṭṛ, also transliterated

as Tvaṣṭr,Tvaṣṭr or Tvaṣṭr, nominative TvaṣṭÄ, is the heavenly builder, the maker of divine implements, especially Indra's Vajra and the guardian of Soma.

Tvaṣṭṛ is mentioned 65 times in the Ṛgveda[1]

and is the former of the bodies of men and animals, and therefore called firstborn and invoked when desiring offspring, called garbha-pati

or the lord of the womb[1].

Tvaṣṭṛ is also referred to as RathakÄra

or the chariot maker[2]

and sometimes as Taká¹£Ä in Ṛgveda[1].

Tvaṣṭṛ is mentioned in the Mitanni treaty, which establishes him as a Proto-Indo-Iranian divinity.

As per Ṛgveda Tvaṣṭr known as RathakÄra belongs to clan of the Bhá¹›gus. Similarly,as mentioned in the epic MahÄbhÄrata,

Tvaṣṭr or the RathakÄra is ÅšukrÄcÄrya's son, ÅšukrÄcÄrya is Bhá¹›gu's grandson

and VÄruṇibhá¹›gu's son[3].

Tvaṣṭṛ is sometimes associated or identified with similar deities,such as Savitṛ,

PrajÄpatÄ«,

Viśvakarman and Puṣan[1].

He is the father of Saranyṇ, who twice bears twins to Vivasvat (RV 8.26.21)[4],

Yama and Yami, also identified as the first humans. He is also the father of Viśvarūpa or Triśiras

who was killed by Indra, in revenge Tvaṣṭṛ created Vrtra a fearsome dragon[1].

Surprisingly he is also inferred to as Indra's father[1].

Tvaṣṭṛ is a solar deity in the epic of MahÄbhÄrata and the Harivaṃśa.

He is mentioned as the son of KÄÅ›yapa

and Aditi,

and is said to have made the three worlds with pieces of the Sun god Surya.// Huh! Things seems to be getting more and more interesting! Are we dealing with imaginary stories or actual history or memories of actual history here?! We are getting a total lineage! (Kasyapa + Aditi) => Brigu (Sukracharya) => Varunibhrigu => Tvastr =>Trisiras! Some say that Kasyapa and his clan had some connection with Caspian sea and that they lived around that area. The Bhrigu clan was present in Central asia, Iran and India. The Atharva veda (Angirasa veda) and Avestan veda (Atharva veda) both mentions the Bhrigus extensively and it is even argued that the Atharva veda (and Angirasa veda) are the vedas OF THE Bhrigus. The term "Veda of the Bhrigus" in this context can mean, "The veda of the central asians", "The veda of the asserians", "The veda of the asuras", "the veda of the tantrics" and much more! Whether the origin be the area near European Caspian sea, or central asia near Tajistan where we find languages of Prakrit (sanskrit like) family such as Glascha (Mlescha?), all this point to the fact that origin and flow of this astrological and archeological wisdom the Central Asians, Sindhu-Sarasvaty Indians, Minoans and the laterday Greeks processed has some common source of origin. Whether the same was in any way related to Egyptians or not in that ancient past is totally another question (which we are not considering here). The astrology taught by Bhrigu is still remembered in India. Kasyapa and Bhrigu are still remembered among the propagators of astrology (Jyotisastra pravartaka). Tvashta is still remembered as the master builder and even a Nakshtra (out of the 27 Nakshatras) is named after him (has Tvashta as deity). Trisiras is mentioned in Indian literature in many times, but still remains a bit alian to the current culture of aryan majority in literature. Can we conclude that the Central Asian wise man named "Sage Trisiras" (who later got killed by the Vedic Iranian aryans) was the propagator of astrological wisdom in Minoan Crete? If so, was he a Sage or a King? What ever that be, let us bow to the wise Trisiras who preserved the ancient astrological wisdom for us within and outside India in one way or other - against all odds and opposition he had to face from other invading cults and cultures! Let us bow not only to him, but also to many such little known ancient heros, who preserved ancient knowledge for us!Note: Let us remember that when we speak about Tvast, Trisiras etc we are speaking of a period around BC 3000 or so or before.Love and regards,Sreenadh