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@ Satosha
2024-11-23 13:57:24Astrology (Jyotish) is the long old ancestor of modern day cosmology. Most people think astrology's secret sauce is somehow foretelling the future - through broad set of predictions that may apply to almost anyone - in any situation.
In truth, it is a deep understanding of space and time. Effect of motion of massive celestial bodies, on our physical reality — our tiny box.
Effect of celestial motion on earthlings were apparent in changing weathers, and it had already found applications in agriculture - the subject of Parāśara's early investigation, but he found seasons impacted the moods. There was something in the extra-terrestrial that connected deep with the spirit of not only humans but animals too.
Astrology was considered the ultimate science for it warranted knowledge of all the "hundred skills". One could predict only if s/he knew everything that was there to know. Not only the hundred skills, it needed deep understanding of three potencies of knowledge - particularly Vishnu - the very source of manifestation. Armed with this ultimate spiritual science, Parāśara figured out how to predict expression of a specific trait in a newborn — with high degree of accuracy.
Even today, in India, a priest (Pandit) pictorially draws the state of heavenly bodies at the time of a childbirth — a cosmic birth-chart (Janmpatri). This document details the exact positions of seven main grahas (the sun, moon and five main planets), and twenty-seven stars Nakshtras. It also details the effect of the motion of this system on child's future. It is an important consideration (in many Hindu families) to determine the suitable marital match.
His epic book Brihat Parāśara Hora Shastra is considered the starting point of Astrology. An English translation of this epic work is embedded here below for reference .. and to test if #nostr could render web archive in long form notes !