Topics

• Basics of Indian astrology

• Astronomical assumption in Indian astrology

• Scientific arguments against astrology

• How Astrology came into Indian scene

Basics of Indian astrology

• What is zodiac

• What is janma nakshatra

•
• What is panchang

• What is Shani dasha/ dosha?

The star that appears to be above
head at 8 pm one day will be above
head at 7:56 pm next day. That is
stellar sphere will appear to rotate
eastward by 1o.

Now we know that actually Earth

that is rotating about its own axis at
the rate of 1o in every 4 min., and
also going round the sun about 1o in
one day.
From the point of view of
Earth, thus sun will appear to
rotate once a year in the sky
and come to same star after
one year.

Or one can say, Sun ‗moves‘ in

the background of stars once a
year.
 PATH OF SUN

As seen from Earth, Sun in the

sky moves in a path – called
ecliptic.

12 constellations are almost

evenly placed on this ecliptic
ring. These are called Zodiac
signs or Rashis
 What is Rasi

The concept of Zodiac

originated in Mesopotamia and
spread to India via Greek.
Similarity of the names/ figures
attest to the same.

Taurus Scorpio Leo

Bull Scorpion Lion

Rishab Vrichikam Simham

 Measm
Rishabam Meenum

Apparent position of Sun

against a particular
constellation is the Rasi..
Number Sanskrit Name Western Name
1
Mesha Aries
2 Vrishabha Taurus

3 Mithuna Gemini

4 Karka Cancer

5 Simha Leo

6 Kanya Virgo

7 Tula Libra

8 Vrishchika Scorpio

9 Dhanus Sagittarius

10 Makara Capricorn

11 Kumbha Aquarius

12 Meena Pisces
 Panchang

Panch (five) – Ang (elements)

 Thithi- waxing and waning of moon (~ 29/30 days- a month)

 Nakshartra – position of moon in the background of stars (either
27 or 28 such Nakshatras are chosen in Indian tradition) – 1/4
part of a Nakshatra is called a Padam ( feet) making 108 padams
or divisions of the ecliptic
 Yogam – total of angle of sun & moon
 Karnam- one half of Thithi
 Vaara- 7 day week
 TITHI
The total time of rotation of moon around the earth (30 days) is
divided into 30 parts or Tithis. Thus, Tithi is 12° rotation around the
earth, but the time taken for 1 tithi is not uniform (because of moon‘s
elliptical orbit) and may vary from 19 to 26 hours. Tithis begin at
varying times of the day. There are 30 tithis in each lunar month.
Because the duration of Tithi keeps changing, one sun day ( 24 hours),
may contain 1,2 or 3 tithis. Thus, at times, it is difficult to give a Tithi
name to a sun-day, and there are differences amongst experts.
Celebration of festivals according to tithis also is often contested.
 NAKSHTRA
Moon takes about 27.3 days to go
around Earth once and come back to
the same star.
The position of moon each
day in its orbit against a
prominent star - called the
nakshatra or lunar
mansion. There are 27
nakshtras

Krittika

Bharani

Ashwini
 Janama Nakshtra
Barani Aswi
Karthik
a n
The first Nakshatra is
Aswini (Aswathi), a Rohin
group of 3 stars in the i
shape of
„Aswamukha‟ or
horse head.

If a child is born
when moon is near
Aswini, its birth star
is said to be Aswini.
 The next day Moon will be in Bharani,
Then it will go to Kritika (Karthika), the
seven sisters, then to Rohini (the
Hyades) in the shape of letter V, and so
on.

Since the Moon‟s path and Sun‟s path

are nearly the same, the nakshatras
and rashis fall on the same ecliptic
ring. Thus, all the 27 Nakshatras are
included in the 12 rashis, so that each
has 21/4 Nakshathra. Moon spends one
day and Sun 13-14 days in each
Nakshathra.
 Nakshtra as day count

27 1/3 Days is the length of a sidereal Lunar month ( from starting

Nakshatra back to the same nakshatra).

The Nakshtras were very useful in counting days, eg. if a child was
born in Aswini and today is Magha then evidently it is 10 days old.

In olden days Indians had no 7 day week !

Nakshtra and their
imaginary shape
 VAR- WEEKDAYS
Shani, Guru, Mangal, Ravi, Shukra, Budha, Chandra…. Is in order of
the speed at which they appear to move…

1Shani 2Guru 3Mangal 4Ravi

5Shukra 6Budha 7Chandra 8Shani
9Guru 10Mangal 11Ravi 12Shukra
13Budha 14Chandra 15Shani
16Guru 17Mangal 18Ravi 19Shukra
20Budha 21Chandra 22Shani
23Guru 24Mangal
25Ravi

In like manner, weekday order: Sun, Mon, Tue… flows

 VAR- WEEKDAYS
Shani, Guru, Kuja (Mangal), Ravi, Shukra, Budha, Chandra is the
order in which they appear to move around Earth. Shani is the
slowest. Chandra is fastest. This is because Shani takes 30 years to
come back to the same Nakshtra, Guru 12 years, and so on..
Chandra is fastest with 27 days.

Every day is 24 parts called ―hours‖ (hora). The successive hours are
considered to be governed by the celestial bodies in the above given
order. The celestial body governing the first hour of the day lent its
name to that day. For example, if you start from Shani as the planet
governing the first hour, that day is Shanivaara (Saturday). The
fourth planet from Shani in the given order is Ravi (the Sun) whose
name is lent to the next day as Ravivaara (Sunday). Then, the fourth
planet from Ravi is Chandra and hence the next day is named after
Chandra (the Moon) as Somavaara (Monday), Soma being a synonym
for Chandra.
 KARNAM

Karnam is half of a Tithi. Like day and night of solar day, Karnam is
one half of a lunar day.
Later it was accepted that, one Karanam equals 6 degree movement
around earth..
 YOGAM

Fictitious angular relationship between Sun and Moon. It is the

total of the two solar and lunar angles swept on the ecliptic. One
Yoga equals 13 degrees:20 minutes. There are 27 Yogas in all.
This has no real ‗physical meaning‘… This has only astrological
significance.
WHAT IS KUNDALI?
 Mars in Sun in Aquarius Moon in
Pisces Pisces

This is the basis of Kundali… it records the position

Position
of of
celestial objects
at the time of Birth heavenly
objects can
be recorded
against
zodiac

Jupiter in Venus in Saturn in

Taurus Gemini Libra
 Position of Planets, Moon and Sun as seen from Earth

Mangal in
Kanya Rising
Rashi-
Kanya-
Budha in Lagna
Thula

Shani in
Sun in Karkataka
Vrichika

Guru in
Shukra in Mithina
Dhanus

Chandra
in Meena
Position of Planets, Moon and Sun as seen from Earth.. Birds eye
view
Position of Planets, Moon and Sun as seen from Earth.. In Kundali
format
The Kundali
 Jathagam… South Indian style

Jupiter

Moon

Shani

Lagna

Venus Sun Mercury Mars

 What does this Kundali mean…

Ragu and Saturn in Kumbam is the

Meenam ascending rasi

Venus in Moon in
Mesham Danush

Sun, Mars
and Mercury
in Rishab

Ketu in Kanni
Jupiter in Simham
 Shani Dasha/ Dosha

Shani affects
these three
rasis

Saturn takes about 30 years to complete one revolution and

thus it will be in each Rasi for about 2.5 years. The ‗effect‘ of
‗dasa‘ of Shani is supposed to be affecting for the 2.5 years
before it is in a rasi, during and subsequently. Thus 2.5 x 3 =
7.5 years.
 Me Su Ve Ju
Ke n

Ma Ke,
Ru
Birth Today‘s Me,
chart postion Su,
Sa Ju Mo
Sa
Ma
La Mo Ru

Saturn has completed one full circle ie. 30 yrs. So, he is about 30 yrs
old. But need not be exact, since we don‘t know its exact position at the
time of birth and also now. (Each constellation consists of 300 and
Saturn could be anywhere between 0 and 30). So we consider Jupiter
now, it is clear that Jupiter has completed two full circles and moved 7
more constellations. So his age is 2x12+7=31 yrs (since Jupiter takes
12 year for one full circle) Again considering other planets an accuracy
of 1 day can be achieved. If we consider other factors like Lagna etc we
can be little more accurate.
 Night
Jupiter Side

Sun is
about 2 Moon
house
above Shani
Lagna,
therefor
e the
time is Planets
morning like
Lagna Jupiter
and
Saturn
are
Venus Sun Mercury Mars
visible
in the
night
Astronomical assumptions of
Indian Astrology
In ancient Indian traditions:
(similar to Greek, Roman, Arabic, Persian etc)

astronomy AND astrology (Aster=star + logos=logic) are called Hora

(Time) Shastra or Jyotisha (Light): Aryabhatiya (c. 474) deals only
with astronomy, uses jyotisha only in this sense, makes no
astrological predictions or statement.

Panchang and Kundali thus have a astronomical basis but were

hijacked by astrology ~ c. 600.

dominant astrological tradition is Parasari (others being Jaimini and

Tajaka) followed by Varahamihira, Bhattotpala, Venkatesa etc
astronomical basis is the Suryasiddhanta (c.700)
Astronomical assumptions in “Hindu” Astrology

along with almost ALL astrology:

– a zodiac or band of 9º either side of the ecliptic
– set of planets: (including Sun and Moon)
– 12 Constellations or Signs (solar months)
(IndianGreek)

Actually the path of all planets including Neptune and Uranus

passes through 13 constellations! The 13th zodiac constellation is
actually Ophiuchus.
 Geocentrism

Ancient astrology & astronomy was founded on geocentrism, that

the Earth is the center around which the heavenly bodies move.

Copernicus (~1540) showed a great simplification was possible if

the sun were in the center instead- his heliocentric theory proved
to be a step in right direction.

Newton‘s physics provided theoretical foundation and Sun

centered Solar system is accepted in modern science
Modern astronomy is distinct from astrology in this count.
movements of planets explained by geo-centric observation (eg.
―retrogression‖ of Mercury etc:

also from Ptolemy‘s epicycles forms the solar system model and
not accounting for Copernicus-Kepler-Newton laws
Indian Astrology is Earth centered, epicycle based astrology.
Ucha and Neecha(m) is the high and low point of the planets as they
go in epicycle.
Other uncorrected assumptions…

all planets rotate around their axes once/day W-E!

However, Venus rotates from E-W. Saturn rotates in 10 hrs.
Planets are (in order of distance from Earth):
Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Sun, Jupiter, Saturn
• do not recognise Uranus, Neptune, Pluto
• include ―phantom planets‖ Rahu and Ketu (missing in
Aryabhatiya which explains eclipses by shadows)

Furthermore Puran like Vishnu Puran claims that actually moon is

above that of sun and hence this implies moon cannot cause solar
eclipse!

In fact Aryabhata was criticized on this count !

 Precession

Movement of the earth‘s axis (with a period of 24,000 years) has

gradually shifted which sign of the Zodiac the sun is in each month. Not
all traditions of astrology take this into account.
 Shift of the Zodiac
Due to precession the position of
the zodiac has shifted in actual
reality.
Today the sun is in Pisces from
March 11 to April 18.
But modern western astrology
columns still give its location
2000 years ago, February 19 to
March 20.
Indian astrology (Sayana system)
give Meenam to be Feb 21 to
March 20
 Shift of the Zodiac

Thus modern newspaper astrology columns are about one sign (a

month) off from where the sun actually is!

So you have been reading the wrong sign for years!

Astrologers who adjust for this seem to have no better success

than those who do not!
In Indian astrology…

winter/summer solstices coincide with beginning of Makara

(=Capricorn) (uttarayana) and Kataka (=Cancer)
(dakshinayana)

Actual Utarayana is ~ December 22 but in Indian astrology it is

January 14
And Dakshinayana is ~ June 22 but is actually July 16th
 Astrology claims to be:

the most ancient science, almost perfected in India thousands

of years ago, for “foretelling of the regular movements of the
planets”

based on the “mysterious and subtle power” of planetary and

stellar conjunctions which influence humans and all
animates/inanimates on Earth.

a rigorous discipline, with mathematical foundations and

proven predictive capabilities.

unlike witchcraft, palmistry, reading of cards or omens and

other “occult” beliefs able to interpret the future in the light of
past karma AND enable coping through human will.
(from B.V.Raman, “Hindu Predictive Astrology”)
Astrology ..predictions

Who does not need?

Obviously, going abroad

means lots of paper work
and one should be indeed
careful with documents.

Life of course requires a mature

approach
Astrology as a discipline
has no theory for influences of cosmic bodies, only axiomatic
assertions: eg. “no sane brain could ever deny the influence of
planets upon man”
Predictions
– are mostly vague, with have many qualifiers (ifs and buts)
– have multiple causative factors and interpretations
anecdotal successes; failures unexplained
– “Nature” mag. studied >4,500 persons born within 1 hr.
over 25 years: found no correlations for >25 parameters!
Explanation: “not a science like… physics… requiring strict
adherence to… reasoning and… logic”!
[AND] “cannot be simply based on strict… principles… but
a certain amount of intuitive capacity [called for]…”
non-falsifiable in ultimate analysis
(Quotes from B.V.Raman, “Hindu Predictive Astrology”)
 Scientific investigation of astrology

 Around 1950s French psychologist and statistician Michel

Gauquelin devoted much of his life trying to determine whether
astrology has any scientific validity. He found little or no
evidence of the zodiac signs being of importance, especially
between family members. He found that very few people
showed the typical traits associated with their Sun sign and
rather that they lacked in them.

 In the mid-1980s, an American physicist Shawn Carlson of the

University of California, Berkeley, USA did a double blind test to
find out the scientific validity of astrology. Astrologers claims
that ‗natal charts‘ could be used to describe personality traits of
subjects accurately. This study examined this claims of
astrologers. The results, published in the journal Nature (5
December 1985) emphatically concluded that astrology failed
the test.
 Those with same Kundali…

• For about 2 hrs same Lagna is on the horizon. Even if one takes
every thing into account, those born within about 20 mts will
have same Kundali. Such ‗time twin‘s were studied to see if
they have same Bavishya- future.

• The study looked into 100 different characteristics, including

occupation, anxiety levels, marital status, aggressiveness,
sociability, IQ levels and ability in art, sport, mathematics and
reading—all of which astrologers claim can be gauged from
birth charts.

• The results of the study, reported in the Journal of

Consciousness Studies (Vol. 10, No. 6-7, June-July 2003).

• The study also proved to be negative. There appeared to be no

correlation!
 Properties of Planets
Jupiter, Venus, Full Moon, Mercury: Good
Saturn, Mars, New Moon, Rahu, Ketu: Bad

Jupiter, Mars, Sun: Male } used for

Venus, Rahu, Moon: Female } gender
Saturn, Mercury, Ketu: Neuter } determination

Jupiter, Venus: Brahmin } Varna

Sun, Mars: Kshatriya } based on
Moon: Vaisya } guna & karma
Mercury: Sudra }
Saturn: Antyaja }

(from B.V.Raman, “Hindu Predictive Astrology”)

 What are Astronomical Objects?

Ancient astrology had planets

as gods or angels.
Telescopes & space travel show
they are worlds like our Earth.
Nothing to indicate they are
living beings like gods or
angels.
 What are Astronomical Objects?

Similarly, stars are burning gas

balls like our sun.
Comets are large, dirty
snowballs.
These discoveries require (at
least) a large adjustment in
astrology.
 Stars & Constellations

Using parallax, we now realize that

the stars are very distant.
Using telescopes, that the stars are
very numerous.

The constellations disappear when

dimmer stars are taken into
account.

The constellations are also just the

result of local perspective. Hence
Rashi‘s are imaginary pictures,
rather than actual ‗shapes‘. The
stars in a Rashi are not at all
connected with each other, neither
close to each other, nor of the
same age.
 What is visible is history
• Now we know that stars are so
distant that light from them
reaching us may have started
hundreds, thousands or millions
of years back. How can images
made of such entities (like
rashis/nakshatras) predict /
influence our miniscule human
existence, less than a hundred
years? In stellar terms, we are
just momentary, insignificant
sparks!
 New Planets

Discovery of Uranus, Neptune &

Pluto since 1700s
How are these taken into
account by astrologers?
– Most ignore them
– A few include them
– No evidence the latter
have better results
 Stellar Influence

We do not claim that the sun and moon have no effect on earth:
– Light, heat, tides
But planets & stars exert nil influences at a person‘s birth:
– Compared to gravity of mother, doctor, hospital
– Compared to radiation from room lamps
Astrological successes are probably a combination of luck, fraud,
and vague pep-talk.
There appears to be no scientific basis for astrology!
How astrology came into Indian scene

At the outset, a historical-societal PSM (rather than

“rationalist”) perspective:

Origins of astrology lie in ideas about and the role of the Moon
and Sun in early human cultures, the Sun gaining importance
with start of annual agricultural operations

Regularity of motions of planets and stars then drew attention

and systematic observation
 Origins of Astrology
As human being gathered capacity to wonder at, and indulge in
certain amount of speculation …...
The regularity of appearance and disappearance of these objects
should have impressed them.
– the sequence of day and night, and the obvious connection
of the sun
– the periodic waxing and waning of the moon
– the unchanging character of the stellar vault
No wonder that all ancient civilisations possess proto-astronomy
in one form or other.
 Origins…

Primitive societies noticed that the hunting seasons changed

along with the periodic change in the night sky. Animals and
birds migrated with seasons

Soon primitive agriculture settlements emerged

In agricultural societies sowing and other operations depended

on climatic changes or the seasons.

The seasons arrived with appearance of certain groups of stars

and changed with the arrival of others.
As civilizations developed, trade
between distant countries also
developed. Since there were no
roads, they had to travel knowing
the direction of their destination.

The Babylonians, had to cross deserts to go anywhere outside their

country. So they could travel only during night. They found that certain
stars could tell the directions better than the sun. No wonder Babylonians
became the best astronomers of ancient times
Babylonians developed the solar calendar in detail. They
noticed that sun shifts its position 1o eastward everyday
with respect to the background stars- that is about 360 ~
365 days for a full cycle.
 Origins….

In lower Egypt the periodical

overflowing of the Nile was
noticed to have some
connection with the heliacal
rising of Sirius.
 Origins…

Naturally, a little amount of superstition could be expected at this

stage because many phenomena lacked physical explanations; eg.
a very small circular disc like the sun shines and heats the whole
world; another small disc, the moon causes tides; planets usually
moving from west to east through the star field, stops motion one
day and reverse the direction, [called the retrograde motion or
Vikara Gathi].

Do these heavenly bodies have will of their own. All these

heavenly bodies must have supernatural powers, they thought.
Yet, nobody thought in those days that a person‘s future could be
predicted from planetary positions.
 Vedic period ~ 2000 BC

In fact it is interesting to note that

Vedic literature is largely devoid of
astrology as we know today.

There is no reference to Rasi which is

most essential feature of astrology.

The ancient Indian Astronomy used concepts like Nakshatra, Tithi

and so on but not Rasi chakra.

Even the ‗Vedanga Jyothisha‘ of Lagadha, of around ~10th C. BC,

does not give any such indication.
 Omens…

However there are references to omens and prophecies in the

Vedic literature- Adhbuta, Utpaata or nimitta. (Eg: Tik-Tik by
lizard implies what is stated is Satya Vakku)

Certain rare and specified natural occurrences were expected to

foretell future events, good or bad.

Rigveda and Atharaveda is replete with reference to Shakuna a

ominous bird. Vedic literature also talks of auspicious time –
muhurta.
 Magic & natural world

On the other hand such beliefs in portents and omens are not to
be confused with predictive ‗astrology‘.

Just before rain one could foretell by sensing the gathering of

black cloud or perceive the smell of the soil.

The naïve beliefs towards omens are based upon naive realism.
Nevertheless many of such correlations drawn by the early
civilisations have actually proved to be incorrect.
 Nakshtra Vidya…

Nakshtra Vidya developed and

practiced during the Vedic
times essentially consisted of
omens and predictions based
upon the nakshtra occupied by
the Moon (Janma Nakshtra) at
the time of one‘s birth (eg;
those who are born in Bharani
will rule the world etc)
 Birth of predictive astrology

The prediction business started with the

Chaldians of Mesopotamia during the
7th C. BC. Babylonian Civilization was in
decline, people‘s life became miserable
and the priests could easily exploit them
by divining things from planetary
positions.

Thus, astrology, which began as an observational science, gradually

turned into a pseudo science and by the 4th C.BC, when Alexander
conquered Babylonia, the superstitions had reached its zenith.

Predictive Astrology gradually spread to Greece and Rome. It was

Baroses, a Chaldian priest, who first started a school of astrology in
Athens.
 Astrology reaches India…

Perhaps around 150 AD in the court of Western Kshatapa

Rudadaaman in Ujjayini, a Greek manuscript of an astrological
text composed in Egypt around 100 AD was translated into
Sanskrit. The text refereed to as Yavaneshwara, the names and
concepts related to predictive astrology were sanskritised. Though
the original work in its entirety is not available portions of it
incorporated in Sphujidhavaja composed around 270 AD is
available. This Yavana Jataka incorporated Egyptio-Greek
astrology into Indian astronomy/astrology.
 Greek roots of Indian Astrology
The famous Brihit Jaatakam of
Varahamihira ( 6 C AD) is candid in
acknowledging the Greeks influence
on Indian Astrology. Brihat Samhita
(II.14) notes that though Greeks
(Yavana) are melechas the astrology is
well established among them. Even
they are honoured as sages.

Brihat Jaatakam lists the twelve signs of Zodiac (Rasi). The

names are very similar to that of Greek name.
Even technical terms like declination (aapoklima) horizon (harija)
diameter (Jaamitra) Angle (Kona). Further scholars identify the
author of Paulisha Siddhanta, an astrological text with that of
Paulus Alexandrinus.
 Vedic Astrology is bunk!
The weekdays (Monday to Sunday) that we are so
familiar, was not Indian in origin. Earliest
inscriptional evidence so far available for the week
days is Eran Stone Pillar of Budhagupta (~484 AD)
Historians say that the practice of naming days after
the seven heavenly objects (5 visible planets, Sun and
the moon) was commenced by Chaldeans. Name of
week days are nowhere found in Vedas. It is clear that
the predictive astrology is not at all ‘Vedic Astrology’
as some make it to be.
 Why Astrology took root in India
Aryabhata, tallest personality in
ancient Indian astronomy (~ 450 AD)
has no reference to Astrology in his
work. He seeks no supernatural
powers to explain natural (celestial)
events like Eclipse.

In his work he explains how Solar eclipse occur due to

obstruction by moon. He does not even refer to the Puranic
myth of Ragu and Ketu.

..But then why India is plagued by astrology?

 Aryabhatiya
His work Aryabhatiya, completed in 421 Saka or
499 A.D., included, among others: (1) Aryabhata's
advocacy of the diurnal motion of the earth (rather
than the apparent rotation of the sun around it), (2) a
corresponding theory of gravity to explain why
objects are not thrown out as the earth churns, (3)
recognition of the parametric variability of the
concept of ``up'' and ``down'' depending on where
one is located on the globe, and (4) explanation of
lunar and solar eclipses in terms respectively of the
earth's shadow on the moon and the moon's
obscuring of the sun.
 Aryabhat’s time

Gupta period in which Aryabhata and his

followers lived was one that saw the building
of not only Hindu temples but also Buddhist
monuments such as Sanchi and universities
such as Nalanda and Nagarjundakhonda.
It was a period of openness to global ideas, that
it was characterised by magnificent
achievements in religious-philosophical
debates among Jains, Buddhists and Hindus
 Emergence of Hindu orthodoxy

Soon many parts of India came under the influence of Hindu

orthodoxy- esp Manu Smrithi- which had strict injunction against
heretical thinking.

Caste rules, rules of high and low, rules of untouchability and

inequality all were made more and more strict. All knowledge and
science was made more secret, secluded, hidden and concealed,
and every new thought and invention was opposed. Even
Auyrveda Vaidyas were considered ‗polluted‘ and down graded
 Astronomy and science attacked

Scientists like Aryabhatta became the subject of attacks. For

example, Aryabhatta's work was attacked by Brahmagupta,
Bhaskaracharya and Varahmihira.

Astronomers, or so-called 'jyotirvids' were denounced ; were

declared ‗polluted‘. Manu Smrithi condemned and prohibited them
from being called to yadnyas, mahadanas and shraadhas.

Further, the Brahmins changed the meaning of the word jyotirvidya,

which now meant those who study the 'effects' of stars on human
beings contrary to the original meaning of study of stars, and
themselves became 'daivaidnyas', -- the knower of fate
 Puranic myths were upheld

Brahmasiddhanta says ―Some people think that the eclipse is not

caused by the Head( which is Rahu, the head of the mythological
Asura). This, however, is a foolish idea, for it is he in fact who
eclipses, and the generality of the inhabitants of the world say
that it is the Head that eclipses. The Veda, which is the word of
God from the mouth of Brahman, says that the Head eclipses... On
the contrary. Varahamihira, Shrishena, Aryabhata and
Vishnuchandra maintain that the eclipse is not caused by the
Head, but by the moon and the shadow of the earth, in direct
opposition to all (to the generality of men), and from the enmity
against the just-mentioned dogma‖
 New role for Astronomy

On one hand Astronomy in India was constrained by the new

emerging social order
On the other astronomers had to seek legitimacy for their
profession
Astronomers began to parade themselves as astrologers…
Even famous astronomers like Varahamihira, Bhramagupta,
Baskara –II were astrologers as well as astronomers
Even in West astronomers like Kepler were astrologers…
 Driver of Astronomy

• Initially time reckoning was the drive for Astronomy

• Agriculture required better calendar based upon solar movement

• Once a reasonable calendar is made Astronomy had to look for

new areas of application…

Astrology became one such ‗application‘.

 Navigation and birth of modern astronomy

• After Galileo, modern astronomy found a new role- in

navigation.

• Astronomical events like eclipse of Galilean moons, Moon‘s

occultation and so on were proposed to be used to ‗solve the
question of longitude‘.

• If you know the precise time of eclipse of Jupiter, then you

comparing it with local time you can find the longitude.
Astronomers now had a new role…

• The caste system and exploitation has been simply explained

on the basis of karma and birth charts. Astrology provides the
justification for these by showing them to be ordained by the
heavens. This ‗divine destiny‘ for inequality still rules the Indian
mind.
 Birth of modern science and demise of astrology..

astrology thus remained intimately related to astronomy till c. 15th Cent.

astrology was perhaps the major driver for accurate astronomical

Observations in the ancient and medieval periods though Church, sects

like Sikhism shunned astrology, decline in importance of astrology (in
West esp.) began with the birth of modern Science
 Uncertain world and astrology

Astrology serves a sociological need in the modern world. The new

era of globalisation, social life is beset with uncertainty/ insecurity.
Astrology, with its façade of planets, stars and so on, appears to
provide a certain view into a person‘s future, thus giving him/her
hope and certainty.

Scientific study indicates that astrology fails all statistical tests

miserably. Nevertheless, many people believe in astrology largely
fooled due to the vague nature of the so called ‗predictions‘.

Astrology would weaken only in a world wherein such sociological

‗opium‘ becomes unnecessary.
THANK YOU