Vedic Astrology

Vedic Astrology

Astrology! Horoscope! Sometimes this topic is discussed for fun in social gatherings. Sometimes it is discussed thoughtfully among the people that believe in the topic. It is very likely the topic gets more attention when someone is getting married by matches arranged by the prospect’s parents or immediate family members. Some people use Astrology as a means to find some solution to their problems, if they are running through tough times of life. Whatever the context the topic is discussed or used, the mere words - Astrology and Horoscope carry mystic attraction towards them and many people, do get drawn it.

As proponents of Astrology support, it is a science based on the planet, stars and their positions with respect to time. The literary meaning of Astro from Cambridge dictionary is ‘relating to space, the planets, stars or other objects in space, or to a structure in the shape of a star’. This meaning does translate Astrology as a study of stars, planet with respect to time. If Astrology was something false or hoax, then it would have not existed for thousands of years nor do you see so many advertisements of Astrologers on TV. Astrology is so popular that some universities even offer Doctoral degree programs in the field.

There are several approaches to the study and practice of Astrology across the world including the Indian Vedic, western, Greek, Middle Eastern and Chinese system. The study that originated from India is the Vedic Astrology. As implicit from the name, Vedic Astrology is the Study of planets, stars and their positions based on the teachings provide ancient Vedas in India. Most commonly used Vedic Astrology tool by the people in/from India and anyone across the world who believe in Vedic Astrology is the Vedic Horoscope.

Vedic Horoscope is in its true meaning, is the construction of a person’s birth chart which shows the exact location of planets in a preset format based on the teachings provided in Vedas. To construct a Vedic Horoscope of a person you need three important things – person’s date of birth, time of birth and place of birth. Construction of a Vedic Horoscope used to take minutes to months depending the skill and knowledge of the person constructing it. Normally the horoscopes were constructed by Vedic Astrologers and some scholars that were knowledgeable about Vedic Astrology. The person constructing the horoscope has to be skilled in math as it involves many, many calculations including local time and latitude/longitude of place of birth and position of planets at the time of birth and many more. After construction of the Horoscope, the usage comes in the form and response of interpretations. The important parts in the horoscope are Lagna Kundali(chart that shows Ascendent, position of planets at time of birth) and Amsha Kundali and dasha periods. The Janma kundali has Janma Lagna(Ascendent), Janma Rashi(Star constellation of Moon) and 12 houses known as Bhavas.

Computers have made the construction of the Vedic Horoscope easier with availability of software tools. The advent of internet and adoption by Astrologers has made not just life easier for the construction of the Vedic Horoscope but also in interpretation of the Horoscope. There are innumerous websites that describe what the Vedic Astrology and Horoscope mean. Some sites provide education about the Vedic Astrology and Horoscope.

Using the Vedic Horoscope falls in the need of the person for whom it is constructed. The interpretation of the horoscope is generally called reading. It ranges from generic reading (that is advised only once) to specific situations and contexts of life. Generic reading helps the person to know the type of personality of person, any health issues, defect in horoscope or to know the reasons for why some events happen certain in life. Examples of specific contexts may be like changing jobs, getting married or going through a rough phase in lifer. Reading and interpreting of Horoscope should always be done using a knowledgeable Astrologer. Reading and/or Interpretation really helps to find three things - any defects that are in the horoscope at the time of birth, the influence that is felt in current time/context and influences that can be seen in future. It also forms the basis for suggestions of possible remedy in case of any defect.

A person believing in Horoscope should get it constructed and have at least a generic reading done. It is good to use the horoscope and readings as a guide in contexts of Life Events like getting married, changing jobs or when life is taking you through rough ride. Any good astrologer will strongly advise you against using horoscope for fun or getting addicted to it without putting any human efforts to take care of life.

Horoscope readings by half-baked astrologers or greedy ones is dangerous. For example the horoscope of people born between October 15 and November 14 of the year will have Sun in the sign of Libra. In the sign of Libra, Sun is debilated and does not do much good as it is weak. As sun provides energy to all the planets and source of energy for the solar system, it gives a feeling that all the people born in this period are affected big time in a negative way. But it does not explain the position and achievements of people born in the mentioned period. Some notable examples born in this period are Shah Rukh Khan, Margret Thatcher and Jawaharlal Nehru. Saturn is the planet that has bad / negative influences in life but when it is exalted and positioned in the 10^th house of the horoscope makes a person one have scholarship, intelligence, virility and will be the leader of assemblies, Will be well off in life, Will change professions often. So it is important to get horoscope constructed and interpreted by a knowledgeable astrologers.

The mystic attraction of the topic Astrology is such that, even non believers do read about it. It survived thousands of year and will survive the years to come.