Jyotish: Origin & Principles

om namo baghavate vasudevaya

The principles of Jyotish are well founded in the Vedas. "Karma" or one's actions (what you sow, so shall you reap) forms the fundamental basis of Jyotish. Even a mere thought is said to trigger a cosmic reaction. Hence, human as well as other lives tend to progress through this spiritual journey by taking on physical forms until they realize the absolute reality (the reasons or the process is all too extensive to discuss here). A Jyotishi or Astrologer then is someone who delineates an individual's "Karma Phala" (the fruits of our karma) and provides the individual with the necessary spiritual insight/jyoti (light) to steer them towards the absolute reality/truth. Hence, a true Jyotishi is one who himself/herself is illumined by understanding the absolute reality (which is why this science can't be quantified or tested). In vedic thought, Jyotish is regarded as one of the "anghas" or parts of the Vedas. Jyotish is designated to be the "eyes" of the Vedas (rightfully so). With Jyotish one is able to see everything the Vedas propound - the very truth about our existence.

Jyotish is multi-faceted. "Jathaka" or Horoscopy is one facet of Jyotish that looks at the planetary positions at birth to predict the events in one's life. "Muhurtha" or Electional astrology looks at the quality of time to predict the course of an event started at any specific time. "Prasna" or Horary astrology is another branch that deals exclusively with predicting outcomes of queries. "Nimmitas" or premonitions based on signs/symbols are another way of understanding how events will unfold. "Ganita" or mathematics is yet another branch that deals with the calculations of planetary motions, the reasoning behind these numbers, etc. Finally, "Gola" or study of rounded objects is study of the actual planets themselves and why they revolve/rotate, etc.

It is said that everything emanated from this one basic vibration of "Om" or "Aum." From "Om" the five elemental vibrations emerged representing the five different tattwas (or elements). The five planets represent these five vibrations – Guru/Jupiter for Ether, Sani/Saturn for Air, Mangal/Mars for Fire, Buddha/Mercury for Earth, and Sukra/Venus for Water. Everything is made up of these five different elements in different proportions. The same principles of Jyotish hold true in the science of Ayurveda, the science of Yoga, the art of Indian classical music, the language of Sanskrit and pretty much every other science and art in ancient India. Hence, the absolute understanding of any of these will directly lead to the understanding of the absolute reality/truth.

Some believe that astrology in India came from Babylon, Greece and other such places. However, considering that the principles of Jyotish lies completely in the Vedas it is difficult to believe that it was borrowed from elsewhere and retro-fitted into Vedic thought, the other way seems more plausible. Why? In the case of Jyotish, be it the dilineation of "karma-phala" on the basis of Karma, or the understanding of the Kalachakra we see jyotish as completly interwoven into the fabric of vedic thought and the knowledge of both emanating from the single source of truth. Whereas in the case of western astrology, it's clear to see the bifurcation of astrology and philosophy, indicating perhaps one of these (astrology or philosophy) was retrofitted into the other.