Jyotisha: Encyclopedia - Jyotisha

Jyotisha

Jyotisha (jyotiṣa, in Hindi Jyotish) is the Hindu system of astrology, one of the six disciplines of Vedanga. The Sanskrit word derives from jyótis which means "light, brightness", but in the plural also "the heavenly bodies, planets and stars". Jyotisha thus signifies the "science of heavenly bodies".

Jyotish is often discussed as the instructional element of the Rig Veda, and as such is a Vedanga, or "body part" of the Vedas. Jyotish is called the Eye of the Veda, for its believed ability to view both phenomenal reality and wisdom itself. Part of a larger Vedic curriculum including mathematics, architecture, medical and military applications, it superficially has much in common with ancient and modern Western astrology (and the early traces of the descent of various schools of astrology from the Harappan and Egyptian cultures, Chinese and the Chaldean, through the Arabs, Greeks, and early Romans show complex interweavings that are assessed variously by diverse camps of scholars -- who, however, currently find little common ground as to the exact historical development). Jyotish has many facets, and some of its basics are clearly also cornerstones of Western astrology, such as symbolically endowed signs, houses and planets. But Jyotish has its own sophisticated reference to the noumenal: the planets are "grahas", semi-divine consciousnesses or forces that seize or act upon created beings and influence their actions and fates.

Jyotish has historically been part of a continuous "holistic" approach to living and to spiritual practice within the life of Hindus predominant in India.

Jyotisha - Foundations

Jyotisha's many lineages or paramparas emphasize that its study is a sadhana or technique of mental and existential development. In modern times it is a chief source of reference for many Hindus and other spiritual practitioners with common ties globally. In addition to sustaining its own lore, commentary and debates on the dilemmas of fate and free will and the philosophy of karma, jyotish maintains a virtual materia medica of remedies for difficulties found in horoscopes. Vedic astrologers will frequently prescribe special stones, or specific therapeutic practices or meditation techniques using mantras to those facing difficult or unclear futures as predicted by means consistent with Jyotish methodology. In past centuries, Brahmins have been the primary practitioners of Jyotish. In the last century, a renaissance of study of Jyotish and other Vedic sciences has emerged in India and the west. Although the subject of much controversy among secularists and skeptics, as of the late 1990s and early 2000s, Indian universities have begun to create courses and curricula in the discipline.

The Vedas are replete with references to astrology in that cosmology and divinity are indistinguishable from the movements of Nature and planets and the growth of understanding in man as he lives in harmony with his highest spirituality. Surya, the Sun, is a manifestation of Vishnu, a central aspect of the Supreme, and is also the Atman within man. The term "Vedic astrology" has been recently introduced by American and Western astrologers in the 1980s and 1990s, leading to collaborative organizations such as the now-international Council of Vedic Astrology.

Jyotish is still commonly used to aid in important decisions in modern India. In Hindu culture, newborns are traditionally named based on their jyotish charts, and jyotish concepts are pervasive in the organization of the calendar and holidays as well as in many areas of life and science. Astrology is vital to decisions made about marriage, opening a new business, moving into a new home, etc.

Jyotisha - Hindu and Western astrologies

The most easily referred to difference between the two lies in the method of measurement of the Zodiac. Vedic astrology uses primarily the sidereal zodiac (in which stars are considered to be the fixed background against which the motion of the planets is measured), whereas most Western astrology uses the tropical zodiac (the motion of the planets is measured against the position of the Sun on the Spring equinox). Of course, the ancient rishis were aware of the tropical, season-based cycles of northern and southern declination paths of the Sun and used them also when appropriate. But in the popular mind, the main difference between the two systems is that Jyotish uses the sidereal zodiac and Western astrology uses the tropical. The most obvious effect of the sidereal/tropical difference is that about 80% of planets in a Western chart will move to the previous sign in a sidereal reading of the same chart.

Both Jyotish and Western traditions have existed for millennia. Vedic astrology includes several nuanced sub-systems of interpretation and prediction incorporating unique sacralized elements not found elsewhere, such as its specific system of lunar mansions (called nakshatras, encompassing a pantheon of archetypal deities). The nakshatras are used to pick auspicious times of day or month for every human activity as well as to provide insight into the motivations and guiding characteristics of humans and events coming under their influence. Nakshatra cycles, or dashas, are developing a reputation in contemporary culture for the accuracy with which they time events.

A further unique concept in jyotish not seen in Western astrology is the concept of Dashas - a mathematical analyses that breaks down human or the subject's lifetime into various sub-periods based on the location of Moon at birth.

Predictions in jyotish incorporate various elements around the birth chart - influences of transits (similar to Western Astrology though more focused on houses or bhavas) as well as Dashas.

Jyotisha - Fundamentals of Jyotisha

Jyotish is based on what Western astrologers call the whole house system and recognizes nine grahas (heavenly bodies or "planets"):

They also recognize twelve zodiac signs, or Rashis:

One's Ascendant, or lagna, the rashi which is rising on the eastern horizon at the time of one's birth, is the most influential and important one. Of lesser importance but still some impact is the Janma Rashi, the rashi in which the moon lay while one was born.

There are three different Jyotish chart notations, which are functionally equivalent but quite different in appearance. The following images show the same birth chart in the two main notations - North Indian and South Indian. The third notation is followed in Eastern parts of India.

In the North Indian notation, the house positions are fixed (1st house top middle, with the rest following in counterclockwise order) and the signs of the zodiac are indicated by numbers in the chart (1 for Aries, and so on).

Conversely, in the South Indian notation, the signs of the zodiac have fixed positions (Aries always occupies the 2nd box from the left in the top row, with the rest following in clockwise order), and the first house is marked "As" (for ascendant) with the rest following in clockwise order.

The charts are broken into twelve sections, houses or Bhavas, each of which is related to a rashi in an equal house system.

Jyotisha - Partial Bibliography

• "27 Celestial Portals", Trivedi, Lotus Press, Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, ISBN 0-940985-84-5
• "A Textbook of Varshaphala: Vedic Astrology Technique of Annual Horoscopy", Dr. K S Charak, Uma Publications, New Delhi, India, ISBN 81-901008-1-5
• "Applications of Yogini Dasha for Brilliant Predictions", Rajeev Jhanji and N.K. Sharma, Systems Vision, New Delhi, India, ISBN 81-86374-00-0
• "Astrology of the Seers", Frawley, Lotus Press, Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, ISBN 0-914955-89-6
• "Dots of Destiny: Applications of Ashtakvarga", Vinay Aditya, Systems Vision, New Delhi, India, ISBN 81-868240-4-9
• "Elements of Vedic Astrology", Dr. K S Charak, Uma Publications, New Delhi, India, ISBN 81-901008-0-7
• "Essentials of Medical Astrology", Dr. K S Charak, Uma Publications, New Delhi, India, ISBN 81-901008-3-1
• "Fundamentals of Vedic Astrology, Vedic Astrologer's Handbook Vol. 1", Behari, Lotus Press, Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, ISBN 0-940985-52-7
• "Key of Life: Astrology of the Lunar Nodes", Trivedi, Lotus Press, Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, ISBN 0-940985-33-0
• "Light on Life: An Introduction to the Astrology of India", de Fouw and Svoboda, Lotus Press, Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, ISBN 0-940985-69-1
• "Myths and Symbols of Vedic Astrology", Behari, Lotus Press, Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, ISBN 0-940985-51-9
• "Nakshatras: The Lunar Mansions of Vedic Astrology", Harness, Lotus Press, Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, ISBN 0-914955-83-7
• "Planets in the Signs and Houses: Vedic Astrologer's Handbook Vol. 2", Behari, Lotus Press, Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, ISBN 0-940985-53-5
• "Predictive Techniques in Varshaphala: Annual Horoscopy", Dr. K S Charak, Uma Publications, New Delhi, India, ISBN 81-868240-3-0
• "Subtleties of Medical Astrology", Dr. K S Charak, Uma Publications, New Delhi, India, ISBN 81-901008-5-8
• "Surya The Sun God", Dr. K S Charak, Uma Publications, New Delhi, India, ISBN 81-901008-2-3
• "Yogas in Astrology", Dr. K S Charak, Uma Publications, New Delhi, India, ISBN 81-901008-4-X

Jyotisha - See Also

• Vedas
• Hinduism
• History of India
• Culture of India
• Hindu calendar
• Hindu
• Bhrigu Samhita

Categories: Cleanup from November 2005 | Hindu astronomy | Vedangas | Astrology by tradition | Astrology by type | Astrology

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Jyotisha", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki