|
Author
|
Topic: Indian astrology: the history
|
Archer
unregistered
|
posted January 17, 2004 09:27 AM
 
Greek astrology was transmitted to India in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD by means of several Sanskrit translations, of which the one best known is that made in AD 149/150 by Yavanesvara and versified as the Yavanajataka by Sphujidhvaja in AD 269/270. The techniques of Indian astrology are thus not surprisingly similar to those of its Hellenistic counterpart. But the techniques were transmitted without their philosophical underpinnings (for which the Indians substituted divine revelation), and the Indians modified the predictions, originally intended to be applied to Greek and Roman society, so that they would be meaningful to them. In particular, they took into account the caste system, the doctrine of metempsychosis (transmigration of souls), the Indian theory of five elements (earth, water, air, fire, and space), and the Indian systems of values.The Indians also found it useful to make more elaborate the already complex methodology of Hellenistic astrology. They added as significant elements: the naksatras (or lunar mansions); an elaborate system of three categories of yogas (or planetary combinations); dozens of different varieties of dasas (periods of the planets) and antardasas (subperiods); and a complex theory of astakavarga based on continuous horoscopy. The number of subdivisions of the zodiacal signs was increased by the addition of the horas (15 each), the saptamsas (4 2/7 each), and the navamsas (320' each); the number of planets was increased by the addition of the nodes of the Moon (the points of intersection of the lunar orbit with the ecliptic), and of a series of upagrahas, or imaginary planets. Several elements of Hellenistic astrology and its Sasanian offshoot (see below In Sasanian Iran), however--including the lots, the prorogator, the Lord of the Year, the triplicities, and astrological history--were introduced into India only in the 13th century through the Tajika texts. Besides genethlialogy, the Indians particularly cultivated military astrology and a form of catarchic astrology termed muhurta-sastra and, to a lesser extent, iatromathematics and interrogatory astrology.Source: encyclopedia Britannica.
IP: Logged |
Aphrodite
unregistered
|
posted January 17, 2004 01:44 PM
 Interesting! IP: Logged |
super_bull
unregistered
|
posted January 19, 2004 07:45 AM
love indian astrology. 
Archer do you practice indian astrology?
i know some of it and it works for me.  IP: Logged |
Archer
unregistered
|
posted January 20, 2004 10:11 PM
no, i'm just a layman.IP: Logged | |
Lindaland
UBBFriend: Email This Page to Someone! 
