Jyotiṣa is the Sanskrit word for ”Astrology.” There is a lot of speculation on what it means. Here is what it really means, in lieu of authentic Sanskrit dictionaries and linguistic rules. It is made of two parts jyotis and the suffix ṣa. [It's not made by combining jyoti and iśa because (a) there is no such word as jytoi (it's jyotis), and (b) there is [...]
I have come to embrace the conclusion that the 12 sidereal signs of modern Indian astrology are not in line with the classical Indian definitions of the 12 signs, and have therefore adopted a somewhat unique system of calculating the 12 signs tropically, but calculating the 27 stars (“nakshatra”) sidereally. Many people have kindly read [...]
My article, “Vedic Astrology?” established that the excellent astrological system of modern India is a hybrid of Indian, Greek and Persian astrological culture. I got one interesting reply: Only one critique I can make is that by dating written literature you are not considering how knowledge was passed down from teacher to the student in [...]
Describing the astrological conditions of the birth of King Yudhisthira, the Mahabharata says, starting from 114.4: muhUtrte ‘bhijite ‘zthame divaa madhya-gate sUrye tithau puNye ‘bhipUjite The first line means Yuddhisthira was born, “at the moment of abhijit / eighth.” Abhijit is never considered the 8th nakshatra (it is counted as the 22nd or sometimes the [...]
There is confusion among modern astrologers regarding the god empowering Viśākhā. The name of this god is Indrāgñi, and most people seem to think that it refers to two different gods: Indra (god of rain) and Agñi (god of fire). However this is not the case. Indrāgñi is the name of a single being noted [...]
does lord krishna have control over the planets in astrology? The us Government makes laws. In that sense they have control over US law. The police and courts enforce the laws, invested with the power of the US Government. Still it is the citizens who either break or obey the laws. The Government or police [...]
“When we consult an astrologer, aren’t we trying to get the fruits of our work? And isn’t that in contradiction to the advice of Krsna in Bhagavad Gita?” What a really, really wonderful question! Thank you so much for asking this. First I will note that different people consult astrologers for different reasons. Some consult [...]
In the ancient classic of Vedic astrology, Parashara Muni writes: “Lord of dissolution (12th house) in the house of wealth (2nd house): always spending money on good deeds; moral; sweetly spoken; virtuous and happy.” This information does nothing if not underscore the extreme importance of humility as the fundamental good quality in life, and the [...]
I have published a page clearly defining 188 essential yogas defined in the classical Vedic Astrology texts Brihat Parashara Hora and Phaladipika. These are the yogas that my forthcoming reading on the topic will evaluate. Here is a link to see the definitions of these yogas: http://www.vicdicara.com/yogas.php
The word yoga has entered household use all around the globe. It is a Sanskrit word, of Vedic origin. It means linking together, combining. That might not be what most people expect yoga to mean. The majority of people think of yoga as a mental and physical health system. Others think of it as some [...]
