LCI Learning

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on LinkedIn

Share on Email

Share More

PIL AGAINST ASTROLOGY

Page no : 4

Arup Kumar Gupta, Korba, Chattishgarh ((m)9893058429)     04 February 2010

well informative, mr.Ramaswamy Sastry.

but is ugc open any study centre on it? why?

Though i am nastik and oppose the astrology, but i fever to go on a scientific study on it by which people came to know what actually it is. these astrologers often take money from the people and give some false information to their customer, in the name of ancient veidic science. it is better to open such study centre and let the people know, how these astrologers, exploit the common people in the name of vaidic science.

if i get a chance to study in such a centre, i will proof that all these are veuge and a money looting policy.

Feroz M Shafeeque (Police Officer)     04 February 2010

I too find nothing wrong in conducting a course on astrology, as no one opposes the courses on homoepathy--which is also considered pseudo science by those who practice modern medicine.

Ramaswamy Sastry (NA)     05 February 2010

Vedic astrology has a lot more to it than the weekly forecasts and claims by some unscrupulous persons about 100% accurate predictions and guaranteed results. Astrology has always been part and parcel of Hindu religion and faith. Astrology is one of the six angas (organs) of the veda, Siksha, Vyakarana, Chandas, Nirukta and Kalpa being the other five. It is called Vedasya chakshuh or eye of the veda.

 
  1. Eighteen Rishis – Surya, Pitamahah, Vyasa, Vasishta, Atri, Parasara, Kasyapa, Narada, Garga, Marichi, Manu, Angiras, Lomasha, Paulisha, Chyavana, Yavana, Bhrigu and Saunaka are the creators of astrology and the classical texts of astrology are written by these sages. Some of these texts are Parasara Hora, Garga Hora and Yavana Hora.There are also texts from eminent scholars such as Jaimini ,Varahamihira, Mantresvara, and Kalyanavarma. Uttarakalamrita by Kalidasa is a treasure house of astrological knowledge and Naradapurana deals extensively in astrology. More than one thousand text books on astrology are in print both classical and contemporary.
 
 
  1. The planets and nakshatras have been assigned divine attributes in the vedas and puranas and there are mantras and rituals meant to worship them. Astrology is a matter of faith and worship for the Hindu. There are navagraha temples all over the country and it is part of Hindu faith to recognize the divine power of the planets and worship them. While the planets themselves are treated as divine beings, there are also adhidevatas, pratyadhidevatas and abhimanadevatas as their associate deities. In Hindu religion, the planets are considered as agents responsible for fructification of one’s own past karma.  Atharva veda contains mantras to predict the outcome of a battle.
 
  1. The planets in vedic astrology are not the physical planets we see in the sky. There is a difference of about 22 to 23 degrees between the physical longitude of the planet and its longitude in the horoscope. This difference is called ayanamsa. The planets in astrology can be best described as karmic influences aligned with the physical planets. The graha word in Sanskrit means “one who takes hold of or control of ” and not planet as in science.
 
 
  1. Identification of muhurtas for yajnas and rituals such as marriage is based on the tenets of astrology and the ritualistic side of Hindu religion is closely linked to astrology. In the absence of Hindu almanac based on vedic astrology the festivals in our day to day life such as Ram Navami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, Gudi padwa and Makara Samkranti will disappear.
                                                                                                      
  1. The Government of India publishes Rashtriya Panchanga giving the planetary positions on a daily basis which are widely used for casting horoscopes and other astrological purposes.
 
  1. Astrology is a regular curriculum in many Universities approved by the UGC. Degrees such as B.A., M.A., M.Phil and Ph.D. or their equivalents are awarded on successful completion of the courses. Rashtriya Samskrita Samsthanam deemed university established under the Ministry of HRD offers all these courses. Sastra University - Thanjavur, PSR University – Hyderabad and Kalidas Sanskrit University – Ramtek are some of the universities offering PG level courses in astrology. In addition to this, there are many more universities having well established departments of astrology such as the eminent Banaras Hindu University and Sampurnanad Sanskrit University, Kashi. Serious research into many aspects of astrology are conducted in these universities.
 
  1. There are widely read journals in astrology and the contributors include a wide spectrum of personalities like retired judges, scientists, doctors, technocrats, professors, bureaucrats along with professional astrologers.
 
  1. There are many remedies prescribed by Hindu Dharmasatras, the vedic treatises and also the mantra sastras. In fact every Hindu ritual has a goal and this is the expected result of the ritual. The success depends on so many factors. The penances and rituals prescribed in texts such as Santhikusumakara depend entirely on the horoscope for arriving at the right remedy. The bona fide of the all solving yantras and gadgets is of course questionable. Indiscriminate advertising and tall claims have definitely cast a shadow upon this ancient knowledge.
 
  1. No genuine astrologer would claim that all his predictions will come true just as even the scientific weather forecasts also at times turn out to be incorrect. No genuine priest would guarantee results. “ The sastra itself says that “phalani grahacharena soochayanti maneeshinaha. Ko vakta taratamyasya tamekam vedhasam vina “ – the scholars only indicate the future results. Who other than the creator himself can say for sure what will happen. Hindu dharmasastra and astrology are inseparable and a good astrologer is called daivajna (one who knows God). His qualities in addition to astrological knowledge are honesty, awareness , humility, vedic knowledge and devotion to the navagrahas.
 
  1. It is not fair to insist that everything has to be scientific. That is only one way of looking at things. Is God a scientific concept? Is religion scientific? Is the entertainment industry comprising of movies, serials etc. scientific or pieces of imagination? What is scientific about poetry? It is a fundamental right of every Indian citizen to follow his religious system and faith. Even science does not promise 100% results. Does the Medical Science cure every patient? There are quacks and frauds even in the Medical profession. That does not call for a ban on the profession. It is up to the law to deal with them. The argument is that astrology is not scientifically proved. The question is “Has it been scientifically disproved, if so by what authority ?”
 
  1. Vedic astrology has stood the test of time. It is our ancient knowledge with great social value. In the hands of genuine practitioners it is a great tool of counseling in times of distress and confusion. While cleaning the system of frauds and cheats is welcome, it should not in any way hamper the faith of millions and the true pursuit of this branch of knowledge.

Ramaswamy Sastry (NA)     25 February 2010

The Union Government has taken a stand relying on the Supreme Court ruling that astrology can not be banned.

 

The case has also a constitutional angle to it.

 

Vedic astrology is part and parcel of Hindu religion and is absolutely essential for the practice of its ritualistic side.

Astrology is so important in Hindu religion that it is assigned the status of one of the six organs (shadangas) of the vedas and is called the "eye of the vedas"

The time factor of the universe in Hindu religion is explained and taught by astrology. Astrology is also called kalavidhanasastra or knowledge of time and its divisions. Time cannot be perceived by the sensory organs, so the only way to determine time was through movement like that of sun and moon.

A Hindu is duty bound to perform many rituals to guarantee his well being in future lives, a place in heaven and subsequently moksha or release from the cycle of births and deaths. It is astrology based on planetary positions which tells him when to perform these rituals. Nothing or nobody else other than the panchanga based on planetary positions can tell him when is amavasya, when is makara samkranthi, when is yugadi, when is ashtaka, when is anvashtaka, when is akshaya triteeya and the like.

Yajnas are performed as ordained in the vedas and they are dependent on appropriate timing. Astrology is what guides us through timing. Hence astrology deserves the position as an anga of vedas. (ref : Sidhanta Siromani of Sankaracharya)

At the start of of every Hindu ritual, there is a procedure called sankalpa in which the geographical location of the ritual, the time and the purpose are declared. The declaration of the time includes the yuga, year, month, tithi, vara, nakshatra, yoga, karana and the planetary positions. These are all astrological factors. It is believed that in the absence of the sankalpa, the ritual will go aimless and will not yield any result. Astrology is essential part of every Hindu ritual. To deprive the priest of astrological data is like asking the doctor to go without a stethescope. Muhurta chintamani says “ pratyaksham jyotisham sastram chandrarkou yatra sakshinou | vinaitadakhilam srouta smarta karma na sidhyati “ – Astrology is a visible sastra whose witnesses are the sun and moon ; in the absence of astrology it will not be possible to perform the rituals ordained in the vedas and smrutis.

Only the horoscope tells the Hindu what kind of karma he has accrued from the past life and this will help him in taking up steps such as penances to exhaust this karma and progress in his spiritual path.

Identification of the right spiritual path for the Hindu sadhaka draws great help from astrology following principles laid down in texts such as Rudra yamalam.

Hinduism advocates performance of penances for sins committed in the present and past lives. Only astrology can throw light on sins committed in the past lives.

Hinduism considers the nava grahas as divine powers and they are propitiated by offerings at the onset of every ritual. This is called graha preeti daanam. Every Hindu Gruha pravesha and every Satyanarayana pooja involves worship of the navagrahas.

Navagrahas are worshipped in navagraha temples all over
India.

                           

Jagatguru Chandrasekharendra Sarasvati Swamiji, the 68th Sankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetha from 1907 to 1995 has been quoted as saying

"The condition of a man corresponds to the changes in the position of the nine grahas. A human being does not enjoy happiness all the time nor does he always suffer hardships - that is, he experiences a mixture of happiness and sorrow. While he may be pushed up to a high position today, he may be thrust down to the depths tomorrow. It is not man alone that is subject to changes of fortune. Establishments too have their ups and down, so also nations."

"The sages saw a relationship between the position and movements of the planets and the destiny of man, the sorrow and happiness experienced by him. There is a branch of astrology called 'hora-skandha'. If we know the planetary position at the time of commencing a job or enterprise, with its help, we should be able to find out how it would take shape, how we would fare in it. If our horoscope is cast on the basis of the configuration of the planets at the time of our birth, our fortunes over the entire period of our life can be predicted."

"Different reasons are given for the ups and downs in a man's life, for his joys and sorrows. It is similar to finding out the different causes of the ailment he suffers from. [The physicians, mantravadins, pandits, and psychologists will give different reasons.] ... All these different causes may be valid. All of them go to create an experience. ... Many outward signs manifest themselves as the fruits of our past karma. They are all related to one another. The course of planets governing our life is in accordance with our karma. We come to know the consequences of our actions in previous births in various ways. Astrological calculations help us to find out such consequences as indicated by the heavenly bodies."


Hindus worship their ancestors during a 15 day period called pitrupaksha every year. The Gregorian calendar does not tell when this period is. Hindus are dependent on the panchanga based on astrology to identify this period. In the absence of astrology, Hindus will be deprived of the opportunity to perform this worship which can invite the wrath of the ancestors on account of non performance of this worship or through performance at the wrong time.

Any effort to restrict astrology will be violate article 25(1) of the constitution of
India which guarentees right to freely profess, practice and propagate religion.

Khushi (IT officer)     10 May 2012

Astrology is from ancient times.Astrology is a science based on mathematical calculations of planatory positions.Every human is associated with astrology and based on his planetary positions during his birth his kundali is prepared.Palmistry is also fortune telling through hand. https://youtu.be/dzkLUmN9rbE The fingerprints of a human being are as unique as the person themselves. The finger prints too hold important clues about a person's personality and many palmists make a thorough study of the prints to understand the clues hidden.


Leave a reply

Your are not logged in . Please login to post replies

Click here to Login / Register