Indian Astrology

[prasad1]

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In another thread, there was a discussion on astrology. It deserves more scrutiny.

Orion (not a Zodiacal constellation) is the constellation most commonly used for a demonstration of how unrelated the stars in a given constellation are, partially because it’s so recognizable in the sky, and mostly made of very bright stars, so you can see it even in light-polluted city skies. It's also a good example because the stars within it are comically unrelated to each other.

Betelgeuse, the bright red star in Orion’s shoulder is about 640 light years from earth. In contrast, Bellatrix, the other shoulder star, is only 200 light years from earth, three times closer. Mintaka, the rightmost star in the belt, is a whopping 1200 light years away from the earth, twice as far as Betelgeuse. Put all together into a visualization, the constellation does the following when you rotate around it:



This isn’t unique to Orion. Pretty much any constellation you pick would do the same thing. Even a slight shift in perspective away from our solar system will scramble the entire constellation to our eyes. The stars that make up the Big Dipper are also unrelated to each other, though slightly less scattered than those which make up Orion; the seven bright stars that make up the dipper range from 58 light-years from Earth to 124 light-years from earth, which is still twice as far as the closest star, but means that all the stars in the Big Dipper are closer to us than any of the stars in Orion.

How Related Are The Stars In A Constellation?

The constellations are made of a set of stars which appear close to each other as seen from the Earth, but how close to each other are they really?

www.forbes.com

 

[prasad1]

While the Orion constellation is named after the hunter in Greek mythology, it is anything but stealthy. Orion, which is located on the celestial equator, is one of the most prominent and recognizable constellations in the sky and can be seen throughout the world.

Orion is the brightest and most beautiful of the winter constellations. Some of its stars, including Betelgeuse and Rigel, are among the brightest stars. (Image credit: Starry Night Software)

Locating Orion the Hunter​

Orion is clearly visible in the night sky from November to February. Orion is in the southwestern sky if you are in the Northern Hemisphere or the northwestern sky if you are in the Southern Hemisphere. It is best seen between latitudes 85 and minus 75 degrees. Its right ascension is 5 hours, and its declination is 5 degrees.

Alnilam, Mintaka and Alnitak, which form Orion’s belt, are the most prominent stars in the Orion constellation. Betelgeuse, the second brightest star in Orion, establishes the right shoulder of the hunter. Bellatrix serves as Orion's left shoulder.

The Orion Nebula — a formation of dust, hydrogen, helium and other ionized gases rather than a star — is the middle "star" in Orion’s sword, which hangs off of Orion's Belt. The Horsehead Nebula is also nearby.

Other stars in the constellation include Hatsya, which establishes the tip of Orion's sword that hangs off the belt, and Meissa, which forms Orion's head. Saiph serves as Orion's right knee. Rigel, Orion’s brightest star, forms the hunter's left knee.

With one exception, all of the main stars in Orion are bright young blue giants or supergiants, ranging in distance from Bellatrix (243 light-years) to Alnilam (1,359 light-years). The Orion Nebula is farther away than any of the naked eye stars at a distance of about 1,600 light-years. One light-year is the distance light travels in a single year, about 6 trillion miles (10 trillion kilometers).

The exception is the star Betelgeuse, which is a red giant and one of the largest stars known. It is also the only star in the sky large enough and close enough to have been imaged as a disk in the Hubble Space Telescope. Observers with a keen eye should be able to see the difference in color between Betelgeuse and all the other stars in Orion. [Space Photos: Orion Nebula & Other Stunning Views]

Orion Constellation: Facts About the Hunter

The Orion Constellation is a familiar sight around the world.

www.space.com

 

[renuka]

While the Orion constellation is named after the hunter in Greek mythology, it is anything but stealthy. Orion, which is located on the celestial equator, is one of the most prominent and recognizable constellations in the sky and can be seen throughout the world.

Orion is the brightest and most beautiful of the winter constellations. Some of its stars, including Betelgeuse and Rigel, are among the brightest stars. (Image credit: Starry Night Software)

Locating Orion the Hunter​

Orion is clearly visible in the night sky from November to February. Orion is in the southwestern sky if you are in the Northern Hemisphere or the northwestern sky if you are in the Southern Hemisphere. It is best seen between latitudes 85 and minus 75 degrees. Its right ascension is 5 hours, and its declination is 5 degrees.

Alnilam, Mintaka and Alnitak, which form Orion’s belt, are the most prominent stars in the Orion constellation. Betelgeuse, the second brightest star in Orion, establishes the right shoulder of the hunter. Bellatrix serves as Orion's left shoulder.

The Orion Nebula — a formation of dust, hydrogen, helium and other ionized gases rather than a star — is the middle "star" in Orion’s sword, which hangs off of Orion's Belt. The Horsehead Nebula is also nearby.

Other stars in the constellation include Hatsya, which establishes the tip of Orion's sword that hangs off the belt, and Meissa, which forms Orion's head. Saiph serves as Orion's right knee. Rigel, Orion’s brightest star, forms the hunter's left knee.

With one exception, all of the main stars in Orion are bright young blue giants or supergiants, ranging in distance from Bellatrix (243 light-years) to Alnilam (1,359 light-years). The Orion Nebula is farther away than any of the naked eye stars at a distance of about 1,600 light-years. One light-year is the distance light travels in a single year, about 6 trillion miles (10 trillion kilometers).

The exception is the star Betelgeuse, which is a red giant and one of the largest stars known. It is also the only star in the sky large enough and close enough to have been imaged as a disk in the Hubble Space Telescope. Observers with a keen eye should be able to see the difference in color between Betelgeuse and all the other stars in Orion. [Space Photos: Orion Nebula & Other Stunning Views]

Orion Constellation: Facts About the Hunter

The Orion Constellation is a familiar sight around the world.

www.space.com

This video gives an interesting angle to astrology.

 

[prasad1]

What do the Vedas say about astrology?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing in Vedas about Astrology.

I would go one more step to say that Vedas don't talk about even Spirituality. Those who see and believe that Vedas are all about spirituality, have actually not read them properly or have not read them at all!

Vedas are about Cosmology. Every hymn of Rig Veda is about Creation and Particle physics. The full works. It doesn't talk about our earth, sun, and moon. It's all on Universal Scale!

I slightly know Rig Veda and Yajur Veda. There are Nakshatra (stellar constellations) suktha and Navagraha (Nine influential houses) suktha. One of the Veda angas (limbs of Veda) is astronomy.

No doubt the astronomical knowledge was advanced. But there was no astrology in Vedas. It is later developed knowledge. The development may have taken place while dividing time. Year, Month, and day and night divisions were calculated precisely. The word for day/night is Aho-ratra. From end syllables, word hora was formed. This word may have been later known to indicate ‘hour’ in English. Such divisions of time along with the planetary positions and position of constellations over the day and night, could be precisely determined by a mathematicians having a knowledge on astronomy. This is how panchang or almanac is made. Such calculations have helped in determining the time of birth or start of festivals, etc. (If you visit Jantar Mantar in Jaipur, you will amazed to find how precisely, a time can be found out during day or night). Based on the place and time and day of birth, whether the astrologer calculates manually or an amateur feeds into computer with astrology software, the output will be more or less identical. But predictions are not sourced in Vedas and are not scientific. This is not to condemn astrology. There are great astrologers, though a handful, who can generally advise the seeker. Such astrologers do not predict. They usually give sane advice, so that the seeker’s mind is cleared of confusion and he/she can solve the problems and progress in life.

What do the Vedas say about astrology?

Answer (1 of 5): I have similar opinions like Shri Sharad’s Mahale and Shri Krishna Iyer. I slightly know Rig Veda and Yajur Veda. There are Nakshatra (stellar constellations) suktha and Navagraha (Nine influential houses) suktha. One of the Veda angas (limbs of Veda) is astronomy. No doubt the a...

www.quora.com

 

[renuka]

If a person is in the NOW,the time axis wont be felt cos the mind does not dwell in the past nor anxiously shifts to the future.

In that situation ,astrology won't be of any significance cos the person is eternally in the PRESENT and leads life in the GOLDEN MEAN and even though the effects of his karma phala is on going yet he is able to be equipose in all situations and even if the scales of his Golden Mean balance is titled little it stabilizes very fast and the mind is never in a Richter 10 of sorrow or euphoria.

Astrology is significant for those who still feel the time axis.
For those who are in the Golden Mean of the Present..their minds do not seek to dwell in the past nor want to know the future for they understand that TIME is RELATIVE and all we experience is the SERIAL NOW.

So if we are still seeking Astrology though we are performing any Sadhana, this will be a good indicator to assess ourselves..if we still seek Astrology to know the future that means we havent experienced the Golden Mean of being in the Present yet.

 

[prasad1]

This video gives an interesting angle to astrology.

That vedio is a mix of truth and superstions.
Astronomy was prevelent in Vedic times, astrolog is borrowed from the Greeks.

 

[prasad1]

Every winter, I go star gazing at least once and just listen to Greek and Indian mythological stories. Stories that were invented when we had no understanding of the universe. Stories that didn’t know what stars actually were. We just saw shapes, we put them together and voila, we have characters. Some are amazing spreading across the sky, some are small though significant. However, some of them moved weird (planets). They were in a different parts of the sky every season. No one could understand that. People assumed they might be God. Hence, the names.

The seed of Astrology was this innate and insatiable thirst of the unknown. Humans have always tried to solve difficult puzzles. What we can’t answer, we either ignore or make stuff up with our powerful imagination.

This is how it began. We attach meaning to stuff we can’t understand. The early religions basically worshiped the nature. No one could understand why it rained, why it became hot or cold and who started the forest fire destroying out settlements. Astrology was just another irrational misfitted piece in the puzzle that we had to come up with to fill the void of knowledge the Cosmos put forth.

Even the great Astronomer Ptolemy believed that stars could affect our lives for better or worse. He among others of his generation advised rulers on strategies of war, on husbands for their daughters as well as on prediction of weather patterns and prosperity of the kingdom. But Ptolemy knew there was no exact science. He made predictions and reiterated based on whether the prediction came true. Some were false positive, some false negative. Machine learning 101, pretty much.

Coming to the present, we have the ultimate con artists. They use specific software to input your date and place of birth, generate a beautiful looking chart of the sun sign, the moon sign and the planetary positions during that time, and with the most elegant stupidity start blabbering out shit so generic that if you hear them out of context, it would sound like the bumper sticker of a random truck. But, people fall for it. And I want to get to the root of it. I am going to list a few defensive points by Astrology believers.

The Unbearable Stupidity of Astrology

Every winter, I go star gazing at least once and just listen to Greek and Indian mythological stories. Stories that were invented when we…

gauravshetty4.medium.com

 

[prasad1]

Astrology is Mathematics mentioned in the Vedas​

Well, the Vedas somehow missed out on the Pythagoras Theorem, but yes, it must be right about Astrology.

Did Vedas have the part of Nuclear fusion going on in the stars? I mean it should have been mentioned since the people at the time were so smart. There is an important reason that we updated Science textbooks. It is because we understand the universe better with every passing year.

Astrology was a form of study of the stars when we didn’t even know what they actually were. People thought God put them for a reason, to look over us, to affect our lives and our crops and our businesses.

If you can’t explain back to me the process of nuclear fusion precisely, then you can’t tell me that Astrology has been mentioned in the Vedas. You have read neither so please give me a break.

The Unbearable Stupidity of Astrology

Every winter, I go star gazing at least once and just listen to Greek and Indian mythological stories. Stories that were invented when we…

gauravshetty4.medium.com

 

[prasad1]

The fear of Shani​

Saturn is probably the most scary planet to every Indian. It is a God they respect, it is what they fear. The fear of 7 and a half years of doom that will destroy them unless they visit the temple and pour some oil. Stories are shared of losses in business, degradation in health because you didn’t go to the his temple on Saturday. I have gone to the temple a hundred times wasting oil which could have been donated to the needy.

Every star in your zodiac sign is light years apart from each other. From our perception they seem on the same plane but they would not even be neighbours. It is just like saying the lamp post and the mountains are friends because from where I stand they are of the same height. Saturn is a tiny spec that those stars themselves won’t be able to see. So, I think it is highly unlikely that the entry of Shani in your zodiac are planning a conspiracy against you.

Have you ever wondered why do we have only 7 days in a week? Why our Uranus and Neptune not causing any emotional imbalance in your life?

That’s because Astrology hasn’t been updated ever. In those books, there are only 7 celestial bodies in the sky. The sun, the moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.

The Unbearable Stupidity of Astrology

Every winter, I go star gazing at least once and just listen to Greek and Indian mythological stories. Stories that were invented when we…

gauravshetty4.medium.com

 

[prasad1]

Nevertheless, I am not saying Astrologers have got nothing right. Of course they would. They base their predictions on probability in the same way we predict whether the coin toss will give a head or a tail. Half of us get it right, the remaining half say the coin is rigged and you may need to please the Gods first. That is essentially how Astrology works. They sell you a prediction. You pay for it. If it comes true, you go to him for the next prediction. If it doesn’t, he upsells you a pooja or a ritual (like feed green grass to a brown cow to get white milk to pour on a black stone and pray until the next blue moon) which could help please the right planets and the right Gods.

I know I have no business telling you what to believe or not. Most of you may get their free horoscopes on the phone, have some fun while reading it. However, there are people who are conned on a daily basis. Astrologers play with our weakest emotion, the fear of losing. It potentially makes us paranoid and compels us to spend our life savings on things that would never work in a thousand years. I want to educate those people and prevent them from draining their money into this cesspool.

If you want to really learn about stars, the meaning of life, the world and philosophy in general, read Carl Sagan’s Cosmos. It is one of the most insightful books I have ever read. It makes our everyday problems seem irrelevant leaving us with a glassful of curiosity and a bucket full of wonderment. Or you can also join me for a star gazing event. I guarantee that you will leave enlightened and more curious about the Universe than ever before.

The Unbearable Stupidity of Astrology

Every winter, I go star gazing at least once and just listen to Greek and Indian mythological stories. Stories that were invented when we…

gauravshetty4.medium.com

 

[prasad1]

Vedic Astrology is a misnomer. There is absolutely no mention of Predictive Astrology in any of the four Vedas, Upanishads or Brahmanas. No authentic Hindu scripture ever supported astrology.

“India is the source of most superstitions in the world….” one of my colleagues made a sweeping statement during a meeting. He is an atheist and leftist.

I asked him: “Can you show me any superstitions that originated from India, that’s before 1000AD, that’s before foreign invasions?…”

“Astrology…”

“It is NOT originated in India. Swami Vivekandand said ‘Anything that is Indian origin, first accept it, then verify it if necessary. Anything that is western origin, first you verify it, then accept’. Yes- astrology has origin, not in India, but in ancient Babylonian, Greece and Roman beliefs. The belief became common in India after 1000AD”

“Oh, then what about Vedic astrology? it was there from Vedic period”

“What’s that ?” I asked.

“You have been learning and writing about Indian our cultural heritage you must be well-aware about Vedic astrology…,”he said

“Whats’ that? And what’s that to do with our cultural heritage?”

“Oh- you have not heard about Vedic astrology?”

“I have seen advertisements about it, but I do not understand it” I said.

“You have learned sacred books – like Vedas, Puranas, Ithihas, Darshans, Upanishads, Gita and other texts, still you have not come across it?”

“No…”

“Do you believe ancient scriptures are based on truth?”

“Yes. All our scriptures deal with subjects from Sex to Space science. Psychology to Mathematics. Aviation to navigation…Going into deep, I found that, my logic founded upon modern science and conditioning of my mind, is not true. The profound analysis and in-depth interpretation while dealing any subjects in those ancient texts can be termed as unparalleled. Many-a-times, modern science looked very puny and silly compared with ancient science…”

“Then you might have come across Vedic astrology…”

“Our ancestors were masters in Astronomy (Please note Astronomy=Science; Astrology=belief – both are not related anyways!)”

“You mean to say there is no mention about astrology and Jyotish anywhere?”

“I found that there is no system of predictions has any validity either from the Vedas or even Puranas least of all our dharmashastras etc. I have not found any predictive science anywhere in authentic Hindu scriptures. I am not saying I have read everything. As far as I know, that is. I am not an authentic expert in ancient scriptures…”

“But I have read in many places that people have been following Vedic astrology…”

“You are wrong…Our ancient scriptures never promoted any superstitions and mis-beliefs. Ancient Indians (till 1000 AD) didn’t have any superstitions (durachara and anachara)… British rewrote our history to make us feel shameful about our culture and tradition. After foreign invasion and foreign rules, we were left with shame and contempt of our own culture. So please do not evaluate Rigvedic period based on Indian history, leftist pseudo-intellects and semitic pundits. If you really read Vedas and Upanishads, you would understand that we had a much advanced civilization…”

There is no astrology in the Vedas so the term Vedic astrology is a misnomer. Vedanta also doesn’t talk about astrology.

“Oh, forget Vedic thing then, I am sure that I have read about astrology is originated in India”
“No. It has been borrowed from the ancient Greeks and the Babylonians. Historically speaking, astronomy started with the work of Aryabhatta. It was the first systematic astronomical text. The Vedas only discuss seasons, nakshatras and phenomena like solstices and equinoxes.”

“So you don’t believe in astrology?” he asked.

“No. I don’t” I said.

“Phew, so you are in the scientific path…”

“Yes- like our ancestors who were on scientific path from 3000BC…” I said. Most of our scriptures deal with pure and applied science.

Is Vedic Astrology the world’s oldest con?

Vedic Astrology is a misnomer. There is absolutely no mention of Predictive Astrology in any of the four Vedas, Upanishads or Brahmanas. No authentic Hindu scripture ever support astrology.

udaypai.in

 

[prasad1]

ASTROLOGY CHALLENGES THE VERY BASIC CONCEPT OF GOD. If you really believe in God, surrender to God. Cross-checking what god has in stored for us in the future is insulting the trust in God. If you believe in astrology, your belief in God is not true. If somebody says that god will be pleased by making payments for certain poojas, then he/she is taking you for a ride. Ask yourself: Is god so cheap to wait for bribes? As if god gives you bad time, so that you will pay him bribes! The entire universe belongs to God. According to astrologers, God’s will can be purchased by offering him some money. Everything belongs to God. When astrologers say that God falls for few Indian Rupees or US Dollars, we can’t rubbish it off as just a childish thinking- this mind set can come only from very inferior beings who think even God is corrupt. Before going to astrologer, ask yourself, should I trust in God or should I trust an astrologer? Both go opposite direction.

Those who really believe in existence of divine power won’t doubt it’s strength. Please do not manipulate yourself believing that this divine power can be bribed. Our ancestors taught us clearly about dharma and karma, please try to understand it, before jumping into superstitions.

Please note that I am not against astrology or astrologers… There are more corrupt people in our society. Politicians also exploit us, right? I do believe that there are lots of people who can use their intuition to predict what is going to happen. Such precognitive power can appear by practicing deeper meditation, but such people won’t use it for material benefits. They won’t take innocent people for a ride. In short, they are not astrologers.


My real concern is about exploiting innocent people in the name of beliefs and mis-interpreting our sacred knowledge. We are ridiculing our profound astronomy wisdom with fraudulent astrology. We have seen above, astrology is neither science nor art. It can be termed as belief. Again, I am not challenging any beliefs. Every human have the right to believe in beliefs. But, if astrologers charge a fee for their services, they should be accountable and should come under consumer protection act.

Most of the Hindus in India don’t follow the authentic scriptures. How many Hindus have read the Gita? This ignorance allows cunning people to twist Hindu religion for their own benefits.

Is Vedic Astrology the world’s oldest con?

Vedic Astrology is a misnomer. There is absolutely no mention of Predictive Astrology in any of the four Vedas, Upanishads or Brahmanas. No authentic Hindu scripture ever support astrology.

udaypai.in

 

[renuka]

All of us to some extent at some part of our lives as Hindus would have used astrology.

But I totally stopped looking at astrology as anything significant the day Covid 19 struck the whole world.

No astrologer knew about an impending pandemic and no one knows when it will end.

 

[prasad1]

All of us to some extent at some part of our lives as Hindus would have used astrology.

But I totally stopped looking at astrology as anything significant the day Covid 19 struck the whole world.

No astrologer knew about an impending pandemic and no one knows when it will end.

Will coronavirus end in 2021? Astrologers' prediction

www.deccanherald.com

The comedy continues.

Delhi based astrologer Suresh Koshal says that the “devastating period” started the world over when Saturn entered Capricorn on January 23, 2020 where it will remain till January 17, 2023. The adverse effects on different countries will be during different time periods depending on their respective national horoscopes as also their geographical placements in different continents: “In astrology, Cancer rules lungs and chest cavity, therefore Covid-19 has it in its worst form. In India's horoscope, Moon is extremely weak and the country is also passing through the worst period of Saturn from December 11,2019 till July 7, 2021. This is responsible for the outbreak of Covid-19 and also the period when India is worst hit by it”.
Unlike some others who don’t see the end of the pandemic anytime soon, Suresh Koshal predicts a 'curtains down; on Covid-19 in India by July 11, when the adverse effect of Saturn ends.

The worst, says Koshal, is perhaps over because after May 4, 2021, things will begin to improve: “On May 1, this year, Mercury entered Taurus which is favourable for India and the world. Cases have already begun to decline and deaths too will lessen by May 26th”. However he warns caution till June 13, this year.

According to Koshal the following dates are critical: between May 14 and May 16; May 26 and May 28; June 1 to June 3 and June 9 to June 12: “Things could get bad then” he says indicating that cases would begin to rise yet again.

Unlike some others who don’t see the end of the pandemic anytime soon, Koshal predicts a “curtains down” on Covid-19 in India by July 11, 2021 when the adverse effect of Saturn ends: “However, there may be few cases surfacing in October this year”.


However, India will enter a “phase of economic revival” between July 2021 and December 2022 concludes Koshal.

So fingers crossed and a wait and watch through this year and part of the next.

What the stars have in store for us: Astrologers tell all

There are various interpretations and astrologers are burning both ends of the candle to tell us where we erred or if we actually did or whether things were simply beyond our control.

www.hindustantimes.com

 

[prasad1]

I do not believe in this but a lot of so-called smart people believe in such foolishness.