Just some facts

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Dear Sunil Bhattacharjya ji, I agree with you completly. Please note the following facts - * Spudidhvaja Hora and Meenaraja Hora were written around AD 250; These books were written by scholars who lived in Gujarat, who followed the system of astrology taught by Yavaneswara (The auther of Yavaneswara Hora). They (Spujidhaja and Yavaneswara) DOES NOT mention any Greek god in their texts, but the texts gives ample proof that they were well aware of Upanishads and Vedic texts. Further these texts starts by praising PRAJAPATI (BRAHMA)! Only an individual with malicious intention will try to propagate that these texts were written by the Greeks or that they are translations of Greek works. * India: Ancient Astrology that was prevalent in India dates

back to BC 1400 Parasara and 1400 Garga; and the sage written astrology texts prior to them such as Skanda Hora, Vasishta Hora, Visvamitra Hora, Surya Jataka etc. If astrology was prevalent in Sindhu-Sarasvati period then it will date back even to BC 5000+ * Mesopotamia/ Babylonia/ Greece: The Mesopotamian/ Babylonian astrology dates back to BC 3000+ or more. The Greek astrology dates back to BC 800+. Together let us call them Hellenistic astrology - the astrology whose the origin and development is associated to the city of Sun god, Heliopolis. * Mayasura: Maya is the student of Sage Surya, the authentic sage specialized in astrology, who wrote Surya siddhanta, Surya Jataka and many other texts. Maya is an asura, may be due to some Assyerian or American connection. Maya is supposed have written many texts such as the putting in paper

of the theories taught by Sage Surya with the name Surya siddhanta, The text of archetectrure and vastu called Mayamata and many more. May be there is a modern day Maya as well, or may be that Maya was not that ancient a scholar (i.e. he was a recent day scholar), as evident from the fact that he copies many theories put forward by some greek scholers. He might have lived in or around BC 300 - AD 300. Vedic Astrology: Rig Jyotisha, Yajir Jyotisha, Atharva Jyotisha (The Vedanga Jyotisha texts) by Sage Lagadha is a totally different stream; it is NOT Nirayana astrology, but Sayana astrology. They are not Tantric in nature but Vedic. Even though dates back to BC 1400 these texts are NOT part of the stream of astrology that we practice and preach today. Please note that "no astrology texts mention the name of sage Lagatha or Vedanga Jyotisha". Lagatha was simply irrelevant to the Nirayana stream of astrology.

This is what I would like to add to your valuable and sincere thoughts.Love and regards,Sreenadh> Dear Bhagavatiji,> ?> Namaste,> ?> I wish to differ somewhat as I find it difficult to agree with David Pingree, who was the first to say that Indians learnt astrology from the Greeks. In fact to my knowledge that is what?Pingree? worked on for his?PhD. In the Vaiican library he found a manuscript in the Greek language. He said that it came from India? to? Babylon and?from there?to Greece and then he?said that India must have got it from Greece in the first place. In fact nobody has ever found any Greek astrology book prior to the Yavanajataka. ? Yavanajataka? must have been?based on Mayasura's Suryasiddhanta. ? The original Suryasiddhanta is said to be?much bigger than what is available today. Bhatotpala quoted some verses of the original ?Suryasiddhanta which?are not

available in the presently available Suryasiddhanta. ? Mayasura?was the Yavaneshwara, based on whose book Sphuridhvaja and Minaraja wrote their Yavanajataka. and Brihatyavanajataka respectively, in the versified> form in Sanskrit. Mayasura belonged to the time of the Pandavas and Mahabharata? tells us?that he resided in the Khandava area. Astrology was known to the Indians in the very ancient times much before astrology was taught to the Greeks by the Chaldeans in the 2nd century BCE. The ancient djarmashastra, Manu Smrirt says that the Vanaprasthis should not give astrological advice to the people from whom they beg their food. .Atharvana Jyotisha was as old as the Rig Jotisha and Yajus Jyotisha of the Vedanga jyotisha.but those influenced by the thinking of Pingree tries to lower the antiquity of Atharva Jyotisha by giving it a date of 500 BCE yet maintaining that Vedanga jJotisha was composed in the 14th century BCE. In fact Vedanga Jyotisha

was also composed much earlier than 14th century BCE as?the Vedanga jytisha mentions that uttarayana?? occurred in Dhanistha nakshatra.> ?> Regards,> ?> sunil Bhattacharjya> ?> ?> ?> ?> Dear all,> > Great thinking , whoever thought of it originally> > (Please note that this is not my invention and do not know who is the> Source, so do not ask me any queries, as when does rain fall in> january etc? Probably the place where these names were kept> (Greece ?? and India mix ???) and in those ages/places the rainfall> may have been at different times, then what we see now.> > From Greece, I have the following- so probably, what Bhaskarji wrote> has roots in India> > Rgds,> bhagavathi> > The Zodiac: Roots to Greek Mythology (written by Romeollo)> > Where did the Zodiac come

from? Why are the astrological signs what> they are? These are a couple questions I asked myself quite a while> back and found that it's all rooted to Greek Mythology (imagine my> glee). Anyway, I finally found my notes to this, so here's my brief> explanations.> > First of all, the word itself, zodiac, comes from a greek word> meaning, "The circle of animals". The animals representing the signs> were placed among the stars usually for great acts of heroism.> > Aries - The origin of Aries stems from the tale of the Golden Ram. In> a plot to trap the centaur Ixion, Hera created a woman looking nearly> identical to herself out of a cloud and named her Nephele. She then> forced King Athamus to marry this woman. This relationship didn't> work out at all as Athamus became bored with Nephele fairly quickly> and left her. Athamus almost immediately after

this, married Ino.> This of course angered Nephele, so she asked Hera for vengeance. Hera> had no problem in doing this as she was already angry at Athamus and> Ino already as a cause of them taking care of Dionysus for Zeus. Hera> then proceeded to poison their minds and make them crazy. Athamus> attempted to sacrifice his son by Nephele, Phrixius. This plot was> thwarted when Heracles sent a Golden Ram to save him. When the ram> brought Phrixius to his destination, he sacrificed the Golden Ram to> Zeus and in turn, Zeus placed the mighty ram among the stars for his> heroic deed. It is also from this ram that the Golden Fleece from the> tale of Jason & the Argonauts came from.> > Taurus - The sign of Taurus stems from the Tale of Europa and the> Bull. This is a tale of one of Zeus' many affairs. Zeus was extremely> attracted to Europa and yearned for

her affection. Zeus then appeared> before Europa in the form of a magnificent white bull. Europa> couldn't resist petting the bull, so she walked over to it and did> just that. She then climbed upon the bull's back at which point the> bull carried Europa across the sea to Crete where he then took the> form of an eagle and, for a lack of better terms, raped her. In> rememberance of this affair, Zeus placed the image of the bull> amongst the stars.> > Gemini - This sign stems from the Tale of Castor and Pollux. Castor> and Pollux were half-brothers. Castor was born of Tyndareus and Leda,> Pollux was born of the affair between Zeus and Leda (also known as> the Tale of Leda and the Swan). The twins grew inseperable as time> went on. One day, Castor was killed in a battle. Pollux was so grief> stricken that he took his own life to join his brother at death.

In> honor of the brothers' great love, Zeus placed them among the stars.> > Cancer - The sign of Cancer stems from one of the 12 Trials of> Heracles. While battling the Hydra, Hera sent down a giant crab to> thwart his efforts. The crab was only a nuisance at most as Heracles> simply crushed the crab under his foot just before he defeated the> Hydra. Hera honored the crab's attempt at stopping her most hated of> Zeus' children by placing it amongst the stars.> > Leo - The sign of Leo stems from yet another of Heracles 12 trials.> Leo of course represents the Lion of Nemea which was Heracles' first> trial. The lion couldn't be defeated by any weapon. Heracles> eventually battled the lion hand to hand (or maybe paw) and strangled> the lion to death. In rememberance of the grand battle, Zeus placed> the Lion of Nemea amongst the stars.> >

Virgo - One of the few signs not represented by an animal, Virgo's> origin stems from the Tale of Pandora. Virgo of course is the> representation of the goddess of purity and innocence, Astraea. After> Pandora opened the jar and let loose all the evil's unto the world,> the gods who lived on the earth fled back to the heavens and away> from the evil's of the earth. Astraea was the last to return to the> heavens. As a rememberance of innocence lost, Astraea was placed> amongst the stars in the form of Virgo.> > Libra - Libra are the scales that balance justice. They are held by> the goddess of devine justice, Themis. Why exactly she is placed> among the stars I haven't yet found out, but it is interesting that> Libra shines right beside Virgo which represents Astraea, daughter of> Themis.> > Scorpio - The sign of Scorpio stems from the Tale of Orion.

Orion was> the son of Poseidon and Euryale. Orion was also a favored hunting> partner by Artemis which made her brother Apollo very envious. Apollo> pleaded to Gaea to create a giant scorpion to kill Orion. Gaea> obliged, and the scorpion stung and killed great Orion. In> rememberance of this struggle, Zeus placed Orion and the scorpion> amongst the stars.> > Sagittarius - This sign is representative of the centaur, Cheiron.> Cheiron was a friend of many great hero's in Greek mythology such as> Achilles and Heracles. Speaking of Heracles, some friend he turned> out to be. While hunting, Heracles accidently shot Cheiron in the leg> with a poison arrow. Cheiron was immortal so he couldn't die, he just> had to take the unending pain. Heracles promised to help him somehow.> Upon his ventures, Heracles came upon Prometheus who was trapped with> no way of

escape. The only way Prometheus could be set free was for> someone else to take his place. Cheiron wanted only to be relieved of> his insufferable pain, so he took Prometheus' place and died. In> honor of the noble act, Zeus placed Cheiron amongst the stars.> > Capricorn - The sign of Capricorn represents the goat Amalthea who> fed the infant Zeus. It's said that Zeus placed her among the stars> in gratitude. Other accounts say that Capricorn represents Pan, the> god of the forest, woodlands, and nature.> > Aquarius - The sign of Aquarius stems from the Tale of the Deucalion> Flood. In this tale, Zeus pours all the waters of the heavens onto> earth to wash away all the evil beings. Deucalion and Pyrrha then> threw stones over their shoulders and created a new race of mankind.> > Pisces - Pisces represents the goddess of love & beauty,

Aphrodite> and the god of love, Eros. While taking a stroll down the Euphrates> River, they had an encounter with the vicious Typhon. They pleaded to> Zeus to help them escape, so Zeus changed the two into fish and they> swam away to safety. In rememberance of this, Athena placed the twin> fishes amongst the stars.>"This is copy of some facts exchanged between greats in Vedic Astrology recently"

A.V.Pathi,