From the Jacket
For many years there has been a persistent demand for an upto date comprehensive text-book of Astrology based on scientific treatment of the subject. This book is complete in itself, includes every aspect of Astrology and does away with the necessity of purchasing any additional volume as text book.
The present work in the beginning emphasizes on relation of Astrology to science and philosophy and thus establishes the validity of Astrology. There is added stress on the importance of aspects and value of Uranus, Neptune and Pluto in modern times as new horizons have evolved in the fields of employment and social values. The work includes exhaustive chapters on longevity determination, scientific determination of bhavas, principles of judgement, Yogas, Astro-medical diagnosis, Transits, Ashtaka Varga and elements of Jaimini System.
A number of example horoscopes confirm the validity of the principles especially in chapters on professions and diseases. The sanctity and intrinsic character of Hindu Astrology has been maintained throughout which makes the book equally indispensable for the beginners as well as scholars of Astrology.
About the Author Prof P. S. Sastri M. A. Ph. D. D. Litt born on 22nd January 1920 is an M. A. in English, Sanskrit, Telugu and Philosophy, has Ph. D. degrees in Rigveda, Aesthetics and Coleridge and D. Litt in Indian Philosophy.
Formerly of Professor and Head of the department of English, University of Nagpur (Retired 1980) and was president All India Teachers Conference Varanasi (1950). He authored nearly Sixty Books on Literature and Philosophy, English and Telugu. He authored classical Astrological, works.
Preface
There are many good books on Astrology written by distinguished scholars and practitioners in India. Dr. B.V. Raman, R. Santhanam, J. N. Bhasin, Dr. G. S. Kapoor, G. K. Ojha, Shil Ponde, Dr. Satyanarayana Rao, Harihar Majumdar and many others have enriched our knowledge of the subject. Yet there is a need for other works.
Most of the texts available speak of Hindu Astrology. As a science, Astrology cannot be the copyright of any one nation. We do not have Russian chemistry, German physics, French Biology, British Mathematics, American Science, or Muslim Tajak. Each country contributed to each science. We borrowed Tajaka from Tazhakistan.
Indians have been pioneers in Astrology, Astronomy, Mathematics, Medicine and other subjects. Our ancients did not have an insular outlook. Varahamihira refers to Manittha (Manetha), an Alexandrian Greek, and he assimilated the views of the Buddhist Satya Kirti whom he specifically called Bhadanta. It is clear that Varahamihira did not write his Brihat Jataka as a purely Hindu work on Astrology. Moreover, in his Brihat Samhita he stated clearly:
'The Yavanas are of low origin (not Vedic Aryans). This science was formerly established in their hands. Even they are revered like our seers. How much more would a knower of astrology who is a Dvija (twice-born) deserve at our hands?
The great Varahamihira has permitted to absorb and assimilate the findings of the foreigners into our system. Yet some of the modern Indian scholars maintain that Hindu Astrology is self-contained and complete, and that it does not need any new incursions into the Hindu System of Astrology. They forget or they do not know that no science is complete and closed, and that it is always advancing by correcting some of the past findings and by assimilating the new discoveries. Ptolemy was replaced by Copernicus, Euclid by Riemann, Newton by Einstein. That is how science advances.
But some of the modern Indian astrologers refuse to consider Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and asteroids on the plea that they have no place in the Hindu System of Astrology because they are western. But are these planets moving in Zodiac or not? Are they influencing us or not? Were these planets unknown to ancient Indians?
The Mahabharata refers many times to the positions of the planets before, during, and after the great war. On the basis of the accurate scientific data scholars were able to arrive at the actual date of the war. The positions of some celestial bodies mentioned in the text were ignored for want of proper identification. We quote a few verses from the definitive edition of the Mahabharata published by the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune.
In the third canto of Bhishma Parva we read.
There was Sveta Graha then transiting the constellation Chitra. In verse 15, there is a mention of 'Shyamo Graha'. Calculating backwards we find that this Sveta planet is no other than Neptune.
The variant reading is 'Maha Patah'. This was not other than Uranus, which as the concluding part of this verse states, was in Sravana. The Shyama planet was shining while Rahu was in Jyeshtha. Then in Bhishma Parva we read:
At that time some planet was inn Krittika. By calculating backwards we identify this as Pluto.
In the conversation between Karna and Krishna in Udyoga Parva (Canto 143) Mahapata (Uranus) was said to be in Chitra. In Udyoga Parva we read.
The variant reading is Mahapatah: This is Uranus. The great sage Vyasa knew about Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Indians were the first to discover these extra-Satarnine planets. Uranus and Pluto are also said to be violent.
That Uranus, Neptune and Pluto influenced the course of events was clearly stated by Vyasa. In course of time foreign invasions and the like disrupted or destroyed the pursuit of these planets. No one can now say that we do not need them because they are found only in western astrology.
The present work takes into consideration Uranus and Neptune. Pluto is kept out temporarily for want of adequate information. Without incorporating these into our system we cannot accurately predict the events. Pluto refers to creative and regenerative forces, enforced changes, underworld eruptions, volcanoes, earthquake, gangsters, terrorism, kidnapping and hijacking. Weymiss assigns Cancer to Pluto, Libra to Neptune and Scorpio to Uranus. But as per Bode's Law we ascribe Neptune to Pisces and Uranus to Aquarius. Pluto has greater affinity with Scorpio.
The present work does not claim to be exhaustive. But it offers a systematic scientific account of predictive astrology. We have relied on our great texts like Parasara Hora, Brihat Jataka, Saravali, Gaga Hora, Yavana Jataka, Shambhu Hora, Deva Kerala, Satya Samhita, Mana Sagari, Jataka Parijata, Phala Dipika, Sanketa Nidhi, Jataka Tattva and Jatakadesa Marga. We have also taken the help of western authorities like Alan Leo, Roland Carter. Above all we relied on our own experience spread over six decades.
M/s Ranjan Publications richly deserve grateful thanks of the author. They waited patiently and persuaded the author to bring out this volume. The author thanks them profoundly for the neat get-up and printing of this work.
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Horoscopes (164)
Medical Astrology (47)
Nadi (30)
Numerology (53)
Original Texts (279)
Palmistry (46)
Planets (196)
Romance (37)
Vastu (106)
Vedic Astrology (75)
हिन्दी (291)
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