Vedic Astrology:

Vedic astrology is a language: it is the language of divination. It is a way by which we can communicate with God.  Vedic astrology is a divine cryptogram, an intricately coded message that reveals everything about us. Of course, Vedic astrology is not limited to an individual person it can also reveal the fates of nations, corporations, any entity within this world. Such a powerful language is not the product of empirical discovery, but rather divinely inspired and given to us by Lord Krsna Himself, Who transmitted it to Lord Brahma, who in turn transmitted it to the Rsis. It should be understood that because Vedic astrology is a language of divination, it does not cause anything, it only reveals what happens but does not cause it to happen. Because, as a language, it does not cause anything it can describe everything both material and spiritual. Just as an ordinary language can be used to describe the most mundane of secular matters or the most sublime spiritual topics.

For most of us, astrology describes the result of our karma from previous lifetimes, which are fructifying in this lifetime. However, this does not imply that Vedic astrology teaches fatalism or determinism. You always have freewill. Indeed, our everyday life is an interplay between fate and freewill; where fate or karma is the reaction to our previous exercise of freewill. Our fate or previous karma creates a certain situation in which we must exercise our freewill. Thus, you always have freewill. Vedic astrology does not negate freewill; and freewill does not negate Vedic astrology. This may seem paradoxical but actually is not. We shall explain how this can be so.

Most people are familiar with Natal Astrology, which is called Jataka in Sanskrit; this is the horoscope based upon the time of birth. With this horoscope, it is possible to predict many of the life circumstances that the person will find themselves in. It describes the situations which the karma of the individual will place them in that lifetime (we are speaking here of ordinary mortals). But it may, at times, be difficult to predict exactly what the person will do because they have freewill which creates new karma. Of course, by applying a little psychology, and commonsense, one could predict what an individual would do in a given circumstance. But this may not be exact. However, there are other branches of astrology, in particular Prasna and Nimitta, which will reveal the effects of freewill in this lifetime. Indeed, in the text Prasna Marga it is stated that if the result of the Prasna (chart made at the time of questioning) corresponds with that of the Natal horoscope then the result is due to past karma. However, if the result of the Prasna is different from that of the birth chart then the result is because of effects of freewill in this lifetime.We have described Vedic astrology as a language, a language of divination. It can also be described as the science of Time because astrology is based upon the time of birth, or the time the question is asked, etc. It also describes how things will happen through the course of time. Indeed, the motion of the planets has been compared to a large clock with many hands. In Sanskrit, the chart is called the Kala-cakra, the Wheel of Time. It is of course, this Time aspect which is used for making predictions. Thus, Vedic astrology deals with the fourth dimension, Time. Vedic astrology, as we have seen, is a gift of God and is part of the Vedic culture. All aspects of Vedic culture are deeply interconnected. It is impossible to truly understand Vedic astrology without becoming immersed in Vedic culture. The ultimate purpose of Vedic culture, and thus the ultimate purpose of Vedic astrology, is God realization and transcendence. In the great Vedic literature Srimad Bhagavatam (SB) there is a discourse in the third Canto between Maitreya Rsi and Vidura. (Maitreya Rsi is the disciple of Parasara Rsi, the great expounder of Vedic astrology. Indeed, the Brhad Parasara Hora Sastra is a conversation between Parasara Rsi and Maitreya Rsi.) Vidura has taken Maitreya as his guru and asks him many questions. In the 10th chapter of the third Canto, we find the following verse: "Vidura inquired from Maitreya: O my lord, O greatly learned sage, kindly describe eternal time, which is another form of the Supreme Lord, the wonderful actor. What are the symptoms of that eternal time? Please describe them to us in detail." SB 3.10.10 In this verse we see that eternal time is to be considered as one of the forms of the Supreme Lord. In the next several chapters Maitreya explains about time and several times mentions the intimate relationship between Time and God, Lord Krsna. For example, Maitreya Rsi states: "By exhibiting His potencies, the Supreme Personality of Godhead adjusts all these different elements, keeping Himself within as the Supersoul and without as time." SB 3.26.18 The meaning is clear, that God exists within the heart as the Supersoul and He exists outside as the Time Factor. So here we see how Vedic astrology is interconnected with the main goal of Vedic culture -- God consciousness and transcendence. Thus, the real object of study of the Vedic astrologer is the Supreme Lord in His form as Eternal Time. We can now understand why Vedic astrology can be considered a spiritual discipline if it is done correctly.

IN traditional Vedic culture the aspiring astrologer would have to study many subjects which would all enhance his ability to predict. Even a 100-150 years ago the student would first have to master Sanskrit. With knowledge of Sanskrit, he could then study mathematics (ganita). Having mastered mathematics, the student could progress to astronomy. (It must be remembered that in those days they did not have calculators and computers; they had to be able to calculate the planetary positions from scratch.) These scientific disciplines had to be mastered before they could study astrology.

Along with the scientific disciplines of Sanskrit (a mathematically precise language, the basis of modern-day linguistics), mathematics, and astronomy; the student also had to study and immerse himself in Vedic mysticism. This meant a rigorous study of Vedic literatures, practice of mantra meditation and Yoga with great devotion and sincerity. Mantras are powerful sound formulas that help us to understand God (not all mantras are the same -- some are for material things some for spiritual). God was the object of meditation. And Yoga literally means the reconnecting of the infinitesimal soul with the Supreme Soul in the relationship of servant and Master. In other words, the Brahmacari (Vedic student) sincerely engaged in the Vedic process of communing with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Brahmacari, aside from soaking himself in Vedic mysticism also led a particular lifestyle which aided in the acquisition of spiritual knowledge (the mature fruit of mysticism is spiritual knowledge): chastity, pure vegetarian diet, no intoxication of any sort, peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, simplicity, truthfulness, compassion, ahimsa (nonviolence), respect for parents and elders, respect for guru and saints, etc.

These two parallel lines of training that of scientific and mystic produced greatly powerful and accurate astrologers. The scientific training screened out the less intelligent students leaving only the most intelligent to continue studying. The mystic training inculcated humility which is the essence of wisdom. Thus, only the top 5 or 10 percentile of the intelligentsia studied astrology. The mathematical rigor gave very sharp reasoning capacity which greatly helped in analyzing horoscopes. But while analyzing horoscopes requires great intelligence, great intelligence is not enough. As any student of astrology will tell you, Vedic astrology is extremely complex even for the most intelligent student. Divine aid is necessary in understanding the horoscope. Since astrology is the science of Time; and the Time Factor is a manifestation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; it is recognized in Vedic culture that for an astrologer to be successful he must worship God. For it is only by inspiration from Lord Krsna, in the heart of the astrologer, that the astrologer can make a correct prediction. As Lord Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita 15.15:

" I am seated within everyone's heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge, and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas, I am to be known. Indeed, I am the compiler of Vedanta, and I and the knower of the Vedas."

And, in Bhagavad-gita 10.10 Lord Krishna states:

"To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me."

Another way to look at it is that Vedic astrology is divination. Divination means to find out the Will of the Divine, that is, to communicate with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. To communicate with God is not a cheap thing; you cannot force God to communicate with you. The communication has to be on God's terms. Thus, the Vedic astrologer has to approach God in great humility and supplication. It is therefore not surprising that the great astrologers of Vedic culture were the Vaishnava Brahmanas, the Vedic priests. In modern terms, one could say (but it is not an exact analogy) that these two types of simultaneous training, scientific and spiritual, developed both the right and left side of the brain. It is not possible to become a great astrologer if only one side is developed, both have to be there. We are suggesting is that one will become a great astrologer in proportion to one's natural intellectual ability, study of astrological texts, practice of the craft, purity of lifestyle, and devotion to God. We should always remember that an astrologer is called a Daivajna, one who knows the Will of God. The Supreme Lord will speak through the astrologer. The quality of the information will depend upon the purity of the astrologer’s consciousness which acts as the filter for the Divine knowledge. If the filter is dirty,-- the message will come out garbled. If you are able to purify your life and make it sacred, then you will be come a transparent via media through whom the Supreme Lord will speak, and all your predictions will come true without fail.