LiberatedSouls: What is Vedic Astrology?

People in ancient times lived a much more natural lifestyle than we do today. They often slept, walked, sat and ate outdoors, in natural surroundings. They were keen observers whose livelihood depended on knowing well the subtle patient changes in nature. There was little of the pollution that presently mars our view of the heavens. So of course they noticed the millions of luminous bodies in the night sky.

They also noticed that certain of these luminous bodies move in regular patterns of time and space, and they became intimately familiar with the patterns marking the seasons and changes in weather. These patterns often have striking correlations with similar patterns of quality and action in our human sphere. This fundamental observation, refined over thousands of years by very observant and intelligent people, is the scientific basis and the heritage of astrology.

The planets constantly move relative to earth, the sky and each other. The movements and positions of Sun, Moon and planets close to the earth correlate closely with the fortunes of individual people, groups and other entities. It is absurd and childish to think that the stars and planets control human events; the actual theory of astrology is that the patterns of time in both the heavenly and human levels of reality are similar, because time and its effects on consciousness are the universal measure and common denominator of all events.

Observing this correlation between heavenly and human time patterns, and using it to predict what is likely to happen is the basic premise and practical method of astrology. Therefore astrology is a system for making educated guesses about probable patterns in the behavior of individuals and groups of human beings, based on the patterns and timing of the movements of the planets in the skies.

There are many theories and philosophies of astrology, but they are broadly divided into Western Astrology and Vedic Astrology. The two systems share a common historical origin in ancient culture, but at this point in history they differ significantly. Jyotish or Vedic astrology is the most ancient and original astrological science on this planet. Its core writings are over 5,000 years old, and an important part of the Vedic spiritual tradition. Because Jyotish is an integral part of the Vedic tradition, it is called "the eye of the Vedas." It not only gives insight into our material karma but also reveals the spiritual situation of the soul. Jyotish is therefore much more powerful and accurate than Western sun-sign astrology.

Unlike Western astrology, Jyotish uses the actual observed positions of the stars and planets in the sky. Western astrology contains a mistake that makes it change the actual positions of the planets by adding a correction factor called the ayanamsha. In other words, the positions of the planets used in Western astrology is imaginary, based on a mathematical formula instead of direct observation.

The principal work of Vedic Astrology is called Brhat Parasara Hora Sastra, written by the great sage Parasara, the father of the divine incarnation Vyasadeva, who compiled the great Vedic literature. Vedic astrology was reliable enough to be employed by kings to research and resolve questions of state administration. These were practical men, not superstitious fools; they managed entire countries using astrological predictions based on data from sophisticated astrological observatories like the Jantar Mantar, pictured at right, located in the ancient capital of Delhi. This instrument and its accessories are capable of measurements accurate to hundredths of a second of time, and fractions of a second of arc, without the use of telescopes or other modern technology.

Materialistically speaking, India may not be as rich and powerful as Europe and America, but compared to the West, it has an extremely rich cultural heritage. The depth of India's ancient knowledge (including astrology) is inconceivable to one who has not taken the time to study it from the original sources. Certainly the history, knowledge and value of the great Vedic civilization are incorrectly represented in the educational curriculum of modem society. There are important historical and political reasons for this, that once known give much-needed perspective to the story of world culture, and which we discuss in other courses.

Vedic Astrology is the most comprehensive and complete system of astrology available, and it is the only one that adequately addresses the puzzle of individual differences between twins. Vedic astrology is so sensitive to changes in birth time that it can accurately predict the similarities and differences of people born at the same location within 1 or 2 minutes of one other. The Vedic system accurately distinguishes between what a person truly is, what he thinks he is, what he wants to be and what the world thinks he is. Its model has sufficient distinctions, categories, parameters, tools, techniques and degrees of freedom to accurately represent the actual complexity of the conditions and possibilities of human life.

Vedic astrology is known by several different names. Early pioneers of modem Indian astrology, like Dr. B.V. Raman, called it "Hindu astrology." However, we do not accept this term because "Hindu" is not an authentic Sanskrit word. It was coined in relatively recent times by western invaders, as a pejorative of the name of a river flowing on the northwestern border of India (the river Sindhu or Indus). They used the word "Hindu" to describe the land and the people on the eastern side of this river. But since this term originated as a racial slur, it is not appropriate to the dignity of the ancient Vedic culture.

The religion practiced by a majority of Indians for thousands of years is commonly known as "Hinduism" in the West, but this name is only a few hundred years old at most. The ancient Sanskrit name for this religion is sanatana-dharma or vaidika-dharma, because its principles are purely spiritual and eternal (sanatana), and they are found in the literature of the Vedas (vaidika). Most other religions are known by the names of their founders or principal propagators, but the ancient Vedic religion has no single propagator or prophet. The foreign word "Hindu" coined by western invaders finds no place in the original Sanskrit literature.

Therefore we prefer the name "Vedic Astrology." The Vedas are the most ancient sacred scriptures currently studied and practiced on this planet. Astrology in particular is called a Vedāṅga or a limb of the Vedas. In particular, the ancient texts call it the eye of the Vedas. So while the name "Vedic Astrology" is appropriate, to distinguish our subject from Western astrology we will use Sanskrit terms such as "Jyotish," and "Jyotishi" to denote a practitioner of Jyotish.

Jyoti means light, and Īṣa means the Supreme Lord. Combining these words we get jyotīṣa in Sanskrit, meaning the light of God, or more specifically, God revealing Himself in light. When God's light is filtered or covered, the result is māyā or illusion. But when the original light is revealed it lights up everything, like the rising Sun reveals everything in the morning.

We cannot see without light. Our power of vision is helpless without the Sun, the source of light. Jyotish (I will use the common spelling rather than the strictly correct but more awkward Sanskrit transliteration jyotīṣa) is called the eye of the Vedas. Why? Because it gives light so that we can see how the truths of Vedic scriptural knowledge actually apply in our life.

Our life, this life, today, here and now, is determined by time. Without time nothing can exist, nothing can happen. Time is the essence of all existence, energy and activity. Therefore, one who knows time knows everything. But what do we know of time?

The Western concept of time as a uniform linear scale ticked off by the hands of a clock is ridiculous, crippled. We all know better than that. One minute in the dentist's chair is a lot longer than one minute with our favorite friend. Why? Because our experience of time is inextricably linked with the quality of our consciousness.

If we observe our consciousness carefully we will find that it goes through regular and predictable patterns beginning with waking, sleeping and dreaming, hunger and thirst. The longer you observe these interactions, the more you will see there are definite patterns and cycles. There are monthly and annual patterns of thoughts feelings and consciousness, and if we keep a diary we can come to understand our bigger cycles. These patterns are the interactions of time with our consciousness.

Jyotish is the Vedic science of patterns and cycles of time, and their influence on consciousness.

Jyotish is inseparable from the context of Vedic philosophy, which teaches that the individual living entity is an eternal spiritual being, transcendental to this material world and similar in quality to God, who has become covered by a temporary material body and mind and conditioned by material qualities and time. In other words we are in a trap; therefore the primary duty of human life is to extricate ourselves from this trap and return to our original eternal identity, form and home in the spiritual world.

As soon as we realize that we are caught in a trap, our very first question should be, "What is the structure and operation of the trap?" because that knowledge is the key to getting out. Jyotish describes the structure of the trap, or the interaction of time and consciousness, using a simple but very flexible model that accommodates all the gross and subtle conditions of human existence, consciousness and action, and can express, measure and analyze all the cycles of time that influence our existence.

The Jyotish model is the system of 9 planets (Grahas), 12 signs (Rāśis) and 27 stellar mansions (Nakṣatras), 16 Divisional Charts (Vargas) and 12 houses (Bhavas). The Grahas, Rāśis and Nakṣatras, Vargas and Bhavas are the four pillars of Jyotish. The Jyotish course presents this deep, flexible four-fold model and its applications in detail, using the original Sanskrit terminology to distinguish elements of the Jyotish model from their similar but limited counterparts in Western astrology.

Even before birth, as soon as our material body is conceived we find ourselves trapped in a complex dynamic mechanism driven by our karma, or the results of our activities in our previous lifetimes. To describe the operation of this machine, encompassing the body, mind, intelligence and environment of the living being—an intelligent machine that also interacts with and responds to our will—requires a symbolic language of deep complexity and subtlety. Jyotish provides this model by painting a picture of our life: the kuṇḍalī-cakra or astrological chart. The background of this picture is the stars and constellations of the sky. Kuṇḍalī means 'coiled,' and this describes both the starry background and the nature of time itself.

"This great machine, consisting of the stars and planets, resembles the form of a śiśumāra [dolphin] in the water. It is sometimes considered an incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva. Great yogīs meditate upon Vāsudeva in this form because it is actually visible. This form of the śiśumāra has its head downward and its body coiled. On the end of its tail is the planet of Dhruva, on the body of its tail are the planets of the demigods Prajāpati, Agni, Indra and Dharma, and at the base of its tail are the planets of the demigods Dhātā and Vidhātā. Where the hips might be on the śiśumāra are the seven saintly sages like Vasiṣṭha and Aṅgirā. The coiled body of the Śiśumāra-cakra turns toward its right side, on which the fourteen nakṣatras from Abhijit to Punarvasu are located. On its left side are the fourteen nakṣatras from Puṣyā to Uttarāṣāḍhā. Thus its body is balanced because its sides are occupied by an equal number of stars. On the back of the śiśumāra is the group of stars known as Ajavīthī, and on its abdomen is the Ganges that flows in the sky [the Milky Way]." [Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.23.4-5]

Superimposed on this background of the sky according to the time of birth is the complete spectrum of human qualities, activities and concerns, the 12 Bhavas or houses. The houses are like tinted lenses that focus the energies of Vāsudeva, expressed in the Rāśis and Nakṣatras, on the various departments of life. These houses are populated by an ensemble of planets playing various characters in the drama of life, constantly moving around the stage, performing activities according to their nature, and making various relationships with the signs, houses and one another.

This simple yet powerful model is complemented and enhanced by a very rich set of interpretive tools, allowing the astrologer to analyze the chart from many different points of view afforded by the Divisional Charts (Vargas). There are very few things that one cannot understand about a person from reading their chart. Jyotish has innumerable applications, from psychological assessment to political and economic analysis to medical diagnosis and treatment, but its principal and most important use is to shed light on our spiritual nature and condition, for this gives us the insight we need to escape the trap of conditioned material existence.

Again, the four pillars of Vedic astrology are the Grahas (planets), Raśis and Nakṣatras (signs), Vargas (divisional charts) and Bhavas (houses). Parāśara presents these four fundamental concepts in detail before discussing techniques of chart interpretation or prediction. The meaning of this is clear: the wise student should not attempt to go deeper into the practice of astrology until he has thoroughly mastered these four fundamental pillars.

Any language has nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. Similarly, the language of Jyotish is composed of Grahas, Raśis and Nakṣatras, Vargas and Bhavas. These four fundamental parts of speech require detailed study before we can study the grammar and syntax, and learn to speak the language of Jyotish fluently. Just as a musician's skill at expression and interpretation can never exceed his grasp of fundamentals like tone, rhythm and scales, an astrologer's ability to wield the tools of his craft are ever limited by his mastery of these four rudiments of Jyotish.

The kuṇḍalī-cakra or astrological chart provides a point of view that is external to time, karma and material qualities, and that is its most powerful and important ontological function. It lets us conceive and contemplate a specific human life from the viewpoint of eternity, and thus attain real objectivity. It reflects the divine vision of God and the scriptures on an accessible human scale, and guides our activities so that we can spring the trap of material existence and obtain final release.

By providing a detailed map of time as it affects our particular human existence, Jyotish can show us the details of the trap we are in, and it can also reveal the way out and the schedule of our best opportunities for escape. The karmic reactions of our previous life's activities form a complex knot of attachment that binds us to material existence. Jyotish can help us untangle that knot, and also gives us sophisticated and powerful navigational tools appropriate to the complexity of the material trap, that allow us to find our way through the constantly shifting maze of material possibilities to the one door leading to eternal spiritual freedom.

oṁ tat sat

love,
Baba

Gaurahari Dasanudas Babaji
(David Bruce Hughes)
Master Teacher, Esoteric Teaching Seminars