VEDIC ASTROLOGY

                                           ARUN ROY MUKHERJEE

Vedic astrology is a great myth. It is propagated and is commonly believed by the Hindus that Astrology is a part and parcel of religion and is an integral part of Hinduism and Hindu Religion. It is claimed and believed that it originated in Atharva Veda and fully elucidated in Vedanga Jyotish derived from the Vedas. It is also claimed that mention of astrology and its prevalence in society are found in many of the episodes in the Puranas and the epics like the Ramayana and the Mahavarata. It is also claimed that some of the Vedic sages e.g., Parashara, Vrigu, Jaimini etc. used to practice astrology and even wrote texts on the subject which acts as the basis of astrology in India till today.  

It is well known that the Vedas depict various theories, faith, beliefs, customs etc. prevalent among the people of various groups and social units. It is for this reason the Vedas is more aptly described as the encyclopedia of faiths, beliefs and custom of the people  The Vedas do not preach any particular faith as such but compiled all. Rather, it compiled different thoughts, philosophies and ideas. Vedas are a record of faiths, beliefs, ideas of individuals and also of groups of people. The Vedas act as the seed of higher philosophies and basis of religious thoughts and religion. The great philosophical theories and forms of religion such as “Sakara Vada”, “Nirakara Vada”, Dwaita Vada”, “Adwaita Vada”, “Vishistadwaita Vada” and theories and forms of ideas such as “Sankhya”, “Vaiseshika” etc. developed from the Vedas and the Upanisadas. Unlike others, Hinduism is not a definite single philosophy or ism. It incorporates and includes various forms of faith, beliefs, ideas, theories, philosophies and practices in its fold.

The Vedas and the Upanisadas, as is propagated and commonly believed, rather contrary to such faith,  do not deal with the system of casting the horoscope, calculation, rules and theories for prediction of events, past, present and future, on the basis of positions of stars and planets or about foretelling of human destiny on the basis of stars and planets. In fact, those texts nowhere state that the planets control or guide events on earth or that of human destiny or that it is possible to make predictions on such matters. On the other hand, the Vedas and the Upanisadas condemn the subject. Yajur Veda and Ishaponisada clearly condemn such faith and also of worshipping the inanimate objects stating that it takes a person to the darkest region of ignorance.

Astrology originated in Babylon and then spread into other countries in the middle-east. Greek astrologers developed the subject to a great extent. When it came to India, the Vedic sages rejected it stating that it does not serve any useful purpose to human beings and human society.  In later part of the Vedic period, a few kings and powerful men of the time became interested in the subject and invited their court-priests and scholars to study the subject and develop it. Thus it was developed and patronized by the powerful men. It became popular among the common people also. The priests also used it as a means of their earning and they also started promoting it in full vigour. The common people always suffer from various miseries and problems. Being weak-minded and weak in all other respect, they accepted it as a way of succor and for solving the problems and as a means to relieve them from the miseries.  Gradually people accepted it as a means of fortune-telling and also for mitigation through talisman, black-magic, gemstones, tantric activities and even through using roots of various herbs and trees.

It is purely a misconception that astrology is a part of Hindu religion. The misconception arose due to misunderstanding, misinformation and false propaganda and use of the word “Jyotish” in many of the ancient texts, including the text known as “Vedanga Jyotish”. Vedic sages and scholars of the time used to study celestial bodies, their movements etc, which in modern times is known as “Astronomy” but it never linked human life and destiny and events on the earth to those bodies in the sky. In those days astronomy was termed as “Jyotish” and that led to the misgiving and misunderstanding that “Vedanga Jyotish” deals in astrology in details. “Vedanga Jyotish” recorded the movements of celestial bodies only and also depicted some auspicious time and moments for performing of various duties, rites and ceremonies and has nothing to do with anything related to the subject of astrology and telling the future etc. The subject matter of the text of “Vedanga Jyotish”was comprehended and compiled during 1^st century BC. Astrology and its practice were already prevalent in India long before that time. Improvements of astrological theories made by the Greeks came to India immediately after Alexander’s invasion of India which event happened during 327 & 326 BC. Vedanga Jyotish was comprehended and compiled in the !st centyry BC. Therefore the notion, idea and related propaganda that Vedanga Jyotish elucidates the astrological theories originating in the Vedas and is the basis of astrology in India is not correct at all.    

A question may rightly be asked that if the Vedas have no mention of astrology and do not approve of the subject, how could Vedic sages such as Parashara, Vrigu, Jaimini etc. could preach and practice astrology and also write treaties on astrology which are well-known (Vrihat Parashara Hora, Vrigu Samhita, Jaimini Sutra etc.) and are used as references by astrologers from very early period of history till date. This question is particularly relevant when the episode in Visnu Purana states that MAA Mahaluxmi and Bhagawan Vishnu bestowed the knowledge of “Jyotish” as a boon to the Vedic sage Vrigu. A review through all those texts reveals that those texts are written in Sanskrit. Sanskrit language came into being when the language used during the Vedic period and the in The Vedas was reformed, modified and brought within the framework of a grammatical format and regulations . This modification of language was done and Sanskrit, as a language, came into being only during the 4^th century BC. The old language used in the Vedas and during the Vedic period was reformed and modified doing “Sanskara” and the modified language thus became known as “Sanskrit” which means reformed and modified. Therefore Sanskrit came into being and in use only during the 4^th century BC. If the astrological treaties claimed to be written by the original Vedic sages Parashara, Vrigu or Jaimini be true, it is not logically possible and physically possible for those original Vedic sages Vrigu, Parashara and Jaimini to write those renowned astrological texts in Sanskrit language which was conceived, formed and came into existence and use only during the 4^th century BC.  It is now well known and  established that the latest age of the written form of the Vedas is as old as 1500 BC.  There is no record to show when the Vedas was first conceived. It came through a few generations through word of mouth and therefore it is otherwise also known as “Shruti”. Then a time came when the Vedas was put into a written form. The last such written form of the Vedas is dated around 15^th century BC. The language of the Vedas in its written form is not “Sanskrit” (i.e. the reformed &modified version) and even the script is not “Devnagri” The script used in the Vedas is known as “Brahmi Lipi” and Sanskrit is written in “Devnagri” script.

Thus we find that there is a gap of about 11 hundred years between the time of last written form of the Vedas and the coming of the “Sanskrit” as a language. In the light of this fact it is most logical to assume that those treaties on astrology, claimed to be written by Vrigu, Parashara and Jaimini were written, not by the Vedic sages who are well-known by those names, but by some other people either having the same name or who assumed the pseudonyms “Vrigu”, “Parashara” and “Jaimini” to give it a touch of authenticity. In a lighter vein it may be mentioned that there are about ten Vrigus, two or three Parasharas and one Jaimini at the least in and around Calcutta alone. Some of them have also written treaties on astrology. After some ten thousand years those treaties may also be considered by the people of that era as written by and as part of the Texts by the Vedic sages of those names. The episode in  Visnu Purana about the boon of “Jyotish” received by Maharishi Vrigu from Maa Mahaluxmi may be explained that Vrigu actually recived the knowledge of astronomy from the Goddess because astronomy in those days was termed as “Jyotish” instead of the modern, reformed and modified language version as “JyotirVidya”. 

The Vedas and the Upanisadas condemned the subject of astrology. Srimad Bhagvat Geeta taught us to have faith on our own selves and on God alone. The Giri Goardhan episode from the life of Lord Krishna is a relevant example of his teachings. The people of Vrindavan and adjoining places were very afraid of rain, storm and thunders and used to worship Indra, the God of those elements and also used to offer sacrifices to him to appease God Indra. Lord Krishna chastised the people for being afraid of elements of nature and worshipping Indra and for offering sacrifices to him. He taught them to utilize their knowledge, skill, energy and power to take guard against those elements of nature to take protection both for themselves and their property.

It may be mentioned in this connection that none of the great religious teachers, sadhus and saints in India ever preached or practiced astrology and/or advised the disciples on the basis of planetary positions and configurations. The priests, professional astrologers and some family Guru s were and are known to advise their clients and disciples on such basis. But a true religious Guru and saint like Sankaracharyya, Ramanuja, Madhabacharyya, Mahavira and the Jain Tirthankaras, Goutam Buddha, Mahapravu Sri Chaitanya Dev, Guru Nanak Ji, Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda, Guru Ramananda, Sant Kabir, Tailanga Swami, Sri Ram Das Kathia Babaji to name a only a few, never preached, practiced or advised people on the basis of such faith in stars and planets. Goutam Buddha prohibited his disciple to study, preach or practice astrology. Guru Nanak Ji openly condemned it. Swami Vivekananda termed such faith as a weakness of mind  and advised people to go for proper treatment for such weakness.

We may therefore conclude that the subject of Astrology is neither a part of the Vedas and that it has no relation with Hinduism and Hindu religion and also with any other religion originating in India.

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