One of the most intriguing mysteries
that have challenged human thinking has always been ‘the reality’ about the
coming into being of this vast and fascinating Cosmos (Universe). From the
earliest humans who wandered on this earth to the modern scientist, the
exploration of the universe has been an important engagement. In the beginning this
exploration was dictated by the senses of hunger and security whereas today the
search goes on for a multitude of reasons which still fall in the two basic
causative compulsions i.e. the need to find more and more resources for
sustenance of the present day human existence and the need for securing human
existence against all odds. Almost all such exploratory efforts have either begun-with or have led-to the same questions as to ‘Why’ and ‘How’ did this universe
come into existence. These questions have almost always been followed up by the
question ‘Who’, if at-all there-is or
there-was any such being, facilitated
its creation. Innumerable thinkers, scholars, philosophers and scientists have
dealt with these questions and have provided various hypothesis and models for
establishing / explaining the Process
and the Event of the creation of our
universe. However in that quest, a tremendous wealth of knowledge ranging from the extreme
frontiers of space up to the smallest of the building blocks of this dynamic
phenomenon (the universe) have been revealed even though the truth still remains elusive - as far
away as at any time before.
The scientific hypothesis for the creation of the Cosmos:
There have been multiple theories
propagated by scientists from time to time pronouncing the most plausible
explanations regarding the manifestation of the cosmos. The challenge for
scientists emanated from the traditional theological view of the universe being
an eternal entity created by God. The dual dimensions of ‘Eternity’ and ‘Creation at
some point in time’ are mutually incongruous. The Newtonian model of the
universe gave way to the Einsteinian model which was further modified by
developments of Quantum physics and the findings by Hubble in the 1920s which
ultimately led to the Steady state
model of the universe proposed by Boldi, Gold & Hoyle in 1948. A parallel
theory also came up about the same time as proposed by Georges Lemaitre in the 1950s
which later became more popular as the Big
Bang theory of cosmic evolution with the contributions of Stephan Hawking
et al. The big bang theory too has outlived its sanctity as the most perfect
explanation of the manifestation of the universe. There are newer theories as
more and more research based on new data is being carried out. Some of the
recent theories are the Cyclical theory
of Steinhard and Turok, the String theory
of Schwarz and Sherk, the Multiverse
model of Carroll and the Platonia
model of Barbour. The scientists’ quest goes on but the last word on the
scientific premise regarding the manifestation of the universe remains to be
spoken.
The universe exists and functions as a Cosmic System:
The universe howsoever it came
into being is an orderly phenomenon which behaves in accordance with a law or a
set of laws which has / have remained unchanged since eternity or for the
entire history of the existence of the universe. This qualifies the universe to
be called a cosmic system and not a
haphazard or chaotic entity. This orderly behavior of the universe is guided by
the irrevocable underlying principle or set of principles called the Universal
Law. The universal law has the following features which define and describe its
intrinsic nature and character:
1.
The universal
law is omnipresent—indicating thereby
its ‘being’ present in every aspect of existence / phenomena
of the universe at all times;
2.
The universal
law has to be complied with—that is
to say that it is unavoidable and its application is without any exception
whatsoever at any time without prejudice of circumstances or consequences;
3.
The universal
law is all-pervasive – in other words
it applies to and permeates each and every domain or subset of the universe
whether static or dynamic both at the
macro and the micro levels at all times;
4.
The universal
law is immutable-- that is to say that its nature and character
remain unchangeable for / under any or all conditions
irrespective of the time dimension;
5.
The universal
law is homogenous—which means that it
affects every part / aspect of the universe identically,
uniformly and symmetrically;
6.
The Universal
law is uncaused—which indicates that it does not originate / result from some other
phenomena within or without the universe i.e. it has been existing as long as
the universe has existed;
7.
The universal
law conserves—meaning thereby that it
neither adds nor destroys but only transforms the state of existence
thereby conserving the existence
itself;
8.
The universal
law is reversible—which indicates
that it can work in the reverse direction
in time even though time dimension itself is irreversible thereby
proportionately and uniformly undoing the
consequences previously caused;
9.
The universal
law can appear / express differently in different
domains—this reconciles the apparent variability of different laws
applicable in different domains as such domain-specific
laws e.g. as the laws of motion in physics, the laws of chemical reactions
in chemistry or the laws of planetary motion in astronomy.
The universe is made up of inter-connected
and inter-dependent mass-energy
structures which we commonly identify as matter. Matter exists in one of its
many forms in a state of conditional (dynamic) equilibrium however this
equilibrium changes to a renewed conditional (dynamic) equilibrium under the
influence of some external ‘force-field’ which causes matter to change form.
Even though the forms of matter change from one state of equilibrium to another
under the influence of the force-field, the total quantum of energy is
conserved as the mass-energy content
may proportionately reconfigure itself as per the fundamental equation – E= M* C2 . Since mass M and energy E are
interchangeable entities, it can be safely derived that Energy is the more fundamental
of the two. Thus ‘at all times the total
Energy is conserved in this universe’
which is the most fundamental law of
this universe. All other laws, be it the laws of physics, chemistry,
thermodynamics, astronomy etc. can be reduced to this one fundamental law of
the universe. In effect all processes governed by any law of nature are but
energy exchanges wherein the total mass-energy
is conserved. This fundamental law possesses all the above stated nine
properties. There is an important corollary to the universal law that is ‘all universal processes are basically
exchanges of energy’.
In the foregoing there is a
mention of the ‘force-fields’ which can cause matter (mass-energy structures)
to change form. There are four primary force-fields in the universe that cause
all the universal processes to take place and these are listed below:
1.
The force of
Gravity;
2.
The
Electro-Magnetic force;
3.
The strong
Nuclear force;
4.
The weak
Nuclear force.
The above mentioned four basic
forces are the tools of Nature which shape all the happenings in the universe
whether in the short run or in the long run. These forces work singularly or in
tandem as the case may be to create the ‘next’ scenario in universal Existence both at the macro and the
micro levels however as stated earlier, throughout and at all stages the mass-energy content of the universe is
conserved.
The scientific understanding of
the universe may not have established the perfect theory to explain the origin
of the cosmic system called the universe as yet but science has been able to
identify the underlying principles that regulate its functioning with greater
clarity. The limitation of the scientific process lies in the fact that it is
concerned only with the material aspects of the cosmic system however the
universe is not just mass-energy structure, there is another important
dimension of the universe called Life
which is not definable merely as a mass-energy structure. Life gives the
spiritual dimension to the universe making it a ‘Spirit – Matter’ complex or a
‘Spirit – Matter’ system. It is Life that gives meaning to this universe and
makes it into Existence. To put it
simply ‘Matter defines the universe but it is Life that defines Existence’.
Any discussion about the universe
therefore is incomplete unless its existence i.e. its spiritual dimension is
taken into consideration. Even scientists are on the lookout for the elusive life principle which is referred to as
the ‘God particle’ in scientific parlance. The elaborate CERN experiment being
undertaken by scientists is a step in that direction. The spirit dimension of
the universe has however been the focus of study in religions and philosophy
since ages. Religion has looked upon the Spirit
dimension of universal Existence in
two parts, one part represented by the individual life and the other by God.
The concept of God has been the
central theme around which religious philosophies have been developed. The
objective of all religions has been to provide a paradigm to its followers for
living a more inclusive, harmonious and rewarding life and not so much about
the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of the manifestation of the universe except whenever
necessary for the ‘reference and context’ of the religious narrative. The
religious discourses put a stop to any deeper investigation of the ‘why and
how’ by bringing in God as the sole factor to answer those questions. Probably
because knowing the ‘why and how’ of the universe could have contributed little
or nothing to the religious narrative. God was conceptualized as an
omnipresent, omniscient and an omnipotent Being
to accommodate all that could not be explained or answered. God also provided
the necessary validity to the religious doctrines. God was credited to have
authored the operating manual as
Commandments which stated the correct
way of life advocated by religion. The operating manual was also
accompanied by the manual of Reward and
Punishment to ensure the adherence of the followers on the correct (religious)
path. To block any attempt by anyone to question the religious premise, a
necessary element of Faith and Devotion
was introduced within religion. Those who did not exhibit faith and devotion
were exterminated and even punished. This ensured the unquestioned adherence to
religion. History is replete with the stories of many revolutionary thinkers
and scholars being punished or exterminated for questioning the religious /
traditional narrative. When seen with the background of the nine necessary
attributes of the ‘fundamental universal law’ described here-in-earlier, one
would interestingly find that the description of God fulfills the criteria of
the fundamental universal law. Thus God was / is the embodiment of the
fundamental principle / law of the universe. Thus from Science to Belief, the
basic fundamental principle for the manifestation and the functioning of this
universal existence is identical in nature, whether as the fundamental law of
the universe or as God.
The spiritual dimension of
universal existence was also taken up by other thinkers and scholars who were
less oriented only to finding the ‘correct way of existing’ in the universe but
who wished to go deeper into its metaphysical aspects. They can be called the Spiritual Seekers of the answers to all
questions about the universal manifestation and its existence. This brings into
focus a third line of exploration of universal existence which is termed as
Spirituality. Thus there is Science, there is Religion and there is
Spirituality – all pursuing similar subjects however in distinctly differing
ways and for different objectives.
Spirituality is the process of
focusing on the human spirit also referred to as the inner being or the Inner-Self. This aspect of existence has
been the key area of study and contemplation for the spiritualists all around
the world but the oldest and the most profound spiritual philosophies have
emerged in the eastern world particularly in India. From the earliest possible
times since the humans evolved from their barbaric past into sophisticated
thinking beings, the thinkers and scholars in India started investigating the
spirit instead of matter alone. They believed that the universe was a
homogenous entity - Yatha Brahmanda Tatha
Pinda which means “as at the macro
level so at the micro level”; thereby making the study of the microcosm as
their key focus area for knowing the whole
truth about the Existence. Moreover they placed the spirit above matter and
linked the individual spiritual spark (Atman) to the totality of all such
sparks into one whole spiritual entity (Paramatma) that enlivens the entire
universal existence. They also believed that the Atman as well as the Paramatma
were eternal, neither having a beginning nor an end. Paramatma should not be
confused with God since God is defined in religion as a superior being whereas
Paramatma is the total spirit of existence. The ancient Indian spiritualists
hold the view that it is the mind that creates the world both at the micro and
the macro levels and the mind is not Atman but gets energized or enlivened by
the Atman; similarly the total spirit i.e. Paramatma enlivens the total mind
called the Hiranyagarbha which enables the manifestation of the entirety of the
universal existence. Often God (called Ishwara in Sanskrit) is used
interchangeably with Paramatma by the Hindus but that is due to the close
proximity of religion and spirituality all over the world. Spirituality is
seldom seen as a distinct entity in common parlance. In many cases the thoughts
and teachings of a spiritual master have been erroneously converted into a
religion as happened in the case of Buddha’s teachings which have been made
into Buddhism.
It is important to have clarity
with regard to ‘the fundamental cosmic law’, defined by science, ‘God’ as
conceptualized by religion and the ‘Paramatma’ as defined by the ancient Indian
spiritualists; the three may appear to be synonymous but in fact they are very
different from each other. In this way at the physical or the objective level
the universe is bound by the fundamental cosmic law whereas at the existence or
the subjective level God is seen as its creator and sustainer. At the spiritual
level the Total (Cosmic) Spirit represented
by the totality of the Life Principle defines
the universal existence. Therefore the basic understanding of the Matter-Spirit
conglomerate which defines universal existence is a fusion of the principles of
the three streams of knowledge i.e. science dealing with the material
dimension, spirituality dealing with the spirit dimension and religion dealing
with the existential dimension. This fusion of knowledge leads to the
visualization of the metaphysical reality of the universal existence as a Cosmic Being having the material vesture
made out of the five elements – the solids, the liquids, the gases, the dark as
well as the light energy and the space. The cosmic spirit enlivens this cosmic
being making it into a dynamic phenomenon. The cosmic being encompasses and
includes all other universal phenomena both sentient and insentient. In fact
the cosmic spirit permeates all subsystems and entities making up the universal
existence which makes their categorization as sentient and insentient, a
superfluous one. Thus a rock and a human being are carrying some spark of the
cosmic spirit, which probably enlivens them in entirely and uniquely different
ways. This explains to some extent as to why the Hindu tradition of idol
worship is not so much an aberration as it seems to be in the grosser
understanding of the non-Hindus and the same holds true for the shamanic
worship of hills, rivers and trees etc..
The sub-systems within the cosmic
super-system are interconnected and inter-dependent hence a change in the
orientation of one entity affects all others one way or the other, in the
process reorienting the entire cosmic super-system to a new state. This
reorientation keeps happening all the time much like the designs manifesting in
a kaleidoscope after every rotation. Each new orientation in an instant is akin
to a still picture of the universe in each ‘Now’
quite like the Platonia model proposed by Barbour. Even though the
reorientation is unique at each stage it follows a pattern being a systemic
process. The patterns are unique for each individual entity as well as for the
totality of the universal existence. The dynamics of the patterns follow a
cyclical path in varying time scales as is seen in the atomic structures at the
micro level and in the planetary orbits at the macro level. The cycles of the
totality of the cosmic system begin and end in the zero state thereby indicating
the emergence of the universe from nothingness and its receding back into it
much like the emergence of new galaxies from one of the black holes and getting
sucked into another. This resembles the emergence of the universe and its
annihilation by the processes of the big bang and big crunch. This cyclical
process of emergence and annihilation of the universe coincide with the
cyclical model of the universe proposed by Steinhard and Turok. The cycle
repeats itself in the eternal time dimension forming a string of such events in
line with the string theory enunciated by Schwarz and Sherk. All the theories
of the universe’s manifestation therefore are relevant and complementary to
each other.
From the foregoing it can be
derived that the Cosmic Being enlivened by the Cosmic Spirit appears and
disappears in time cycles which get eternally repeated. All through the process
the enlivening Cosmic Spirit or the Life Principle remains unaffected as though
the universe bursts forth from it and gets sucked back into it only to reemerge
for a new beginning. In other words the existence of the cosmic being is finite
whereas the cosmic spirit is eternal. Thus the universe incorporates both
finitude and eternity thereby integrating the religious view of its creation at
some point in time (by God) and the spiritualist’s view of the enlivening life
principle – the cosmic spirit-- being eternal. This principle of appearance and
disappearance is visible in all the sub-systems of the universe. Galaxies,
stars, humans, animals, plants, mountains and rivers – all appear and disappear
in time, albeit in varying time cycles.
The most obvious question that may arise at this stage
would be – Why do the ‘appearance –
disappearance’ dramas of the universe happen at all?
The universe is the greatest mystery
which remains unresolved till date. Any explanation is only a hypothesis. One
of the plausible answers to the above question is being attempted here-in by
the author in all humility.
The fundamental cosmic law (described
here-in-earlier) states that all happenings related to the universal phenomenon
are but exchanges of energy wherein the total cosmic energy is conserved at all
times. The manifestation of the universe and its disappearance into nothingness
too are in accordance with the fundamental cosmic law. Thus the total cosmic
energy transforms itself from the potential state of nothingness into the
kinetic state when the universe manifests; however the total cosmic energy
remains conserved in both the states. The cause for the repetitive
manifestation and annihilation of the material vesture of the universe is to
maintain the equilibrium of the two energy states on an eternal time scale.
Potential energy cannot remain in the nothingness state forever otherwise it
shall lose its potential to manifest itself thereby making it redundant hence
it is necessary for the total cosmic energy to keep alternating itself between
the two states i.e. between the nothingness state and the manifested state. The
cosmic spirit however is eternal and remains unaffected by the alternations
between the two energy states; it enlivens the manifestation as well as its
dissolution into nothingness continuously and repetitively. That which appears
and disappears therefore is only the material vesture of the universe and not
the cosmic spirit at any time in the process of alternation. In other words it
is only the cosmic being that appears and disappears during such alternations
in cycles enlivened by the cosmic spirit for maintaining the process of energy
exchanges and its conservation.
Moreover while the entities
within the universe are interconnected and interdependent, not all entities
affect the other entities in the same proportion and intensity. Such effect
varies due to various variable determining factors which may be starkly evident
or may be latent features in a process e.g. the constitution of USA may apparently
be irrelevant for Indian citizens directly and obviously but it does affect
Indian citizens in many ways, not starkly evident or obvious; and the intensity
of any such effect shall also vary as per the context. The principle called the
Pareto effect (the law of the vital few
or the principle of factor sparsity} comes into play for empirical derivations.
The Pareto effect states that for a system where a large number of variable factors
determine an outcome, there exist a set of very
few critical factors which largely determine the contours of the situation
being studied. This rule is applicable to all the subsystems and entities of the
universe. In other words, for any domain of study the critical factor(s) that
directly and majorly affect(s) the patterns within the said domain can be
identified empirically by observations carried out on a large number of cases
spread over varying dimensions of time and space. In this manner, one or a set
of variable factors can be identified for any domain of study within the
universe, which can be applied for determining the outcomes for the studied
domain that shall be:-
1.
Exhaustive in
terms of covering the greatest range of possibilities within the studied domain;
and
2.
Provide
statistically accurate projections of the possiblilities for any changes in the
values of such identified variable factors.
In fact all sciences that study any
subset of the universal phenomena follow these principles. The application of
the Pareto principle helps in economizing time, effort and resources without
compromising the effectiveness and accuracy of a study.
Indian Astrology is an ancient
science that studies the happenings on earth in two distinct dimensions:-
1.
Happenings in
the perceivable mundane world;
2.
Happenings in
the life of a human being perceived as experiences in living.
Both these dimensions are studied
by astrology within the boundaries of time and space. Astrology like any other
science bases its study on the vital few
variable factors that have been empirically identified to be most critical and
exhaustive in determining accurate astrological outcomes. These important vital
few variables constituting the basic matrix for the study of Indian Astrological
system are:-
1.
The Zodiac
that is the elliptical pathway of the planets, the Sun and the Moon in the
geo-centric model of the solar system that stretches up to 9 degrees on either
side of the Sun’s pathway as observed from the earth.
2.
The Rasis (zodiac
sign) - the twelve hypothetical 30 degree angular segments of the elliptical
geo-centric zodiac;
3.
The Solar
system with the star Sun at its center and the five planets – Saturn, Jupiter,
Mars, Venus and Mercury that orbit the Sun as well as the Earth’s satellite –
the Moon;
4.
The 27 groups
of stars - called the Nakshatras - perceived to be doting the elliptical
geo-centric zodiac;
5.
The three
motions of the Earth i.e.
a)
Around its
own axis once in approx. 24 hours – a day;
b)
Around the
Sun once in approx. 365 days – an year;
c)
The wobbling
motion of the Earth’s axis which completes one such rotation in approx. 26000
years.
6.
The northern
and the southern intersection points of the moon’s orbit and the Sun’s apparent
orbit in the geo-centric model of the solar system. These two intersection
points are called Rahu and Ketu in Indian Astrology.
7.
Some
sensitive points on the zodiac such as the Bhrigu Bindu;
8.
The motion of
the planets and other entities defined here-in above including the apparent
orbital motion of the Sun and the Moon based on the geo-centric model of the
solar system.
9.
Lagna or the
Ascendant which is the reference point on the zodiac that is rising on the
eastern horizon at a given time and location on earth. This links the
orientation of the dynamic positions of planets etc. on the geo-centric zodiac
to the observer’s position on earth at a given time and location on earth.
The usage of the phrase ‘ancient science’ for describing Indian
Astrology is likely to raise a few eyebrows while some others may brush it
aside as a prejudiced statement of an astrologer. It therefore becomes
necessary to explain and establish the appropriateness of terming Indian
astrology as an ancient science. Science
basically means knowledge but as it is understood today, science represents a
body of validated and reliable knowledge which derives a certain degree of
reverence in common parlance, being taken to be an undeniable and infallible
dictum. The high pedestal on which modern science has been placed has resulted mainly
due to its being a product of a fail-safe epistemological
procedure called the scientific
method.
Traditionally ‘knowledge’ is
construed to be a ‘justified true belief’. Epistemology is the science which
focuses on the task of justification of a belief leading to the determination
of truth based on the criterion- Does the belief in question, correspond to
reality? Derived from this concept are the techniques of inquiry that
eventually result in the evolution of a new sensibility that is coterminous
with the development of exact procedures for scientific determination based on
the method of reasoning which forms the core of Epistemology. The set of such
procedures is together termed as the scientific method. There are two
approaches to the scientific determination of reality. One is the inductive approach and the other is the deductive approach. Whereas the
inductive approach helps in the generation of a new theory from the observed
data related to the phenomena being investigated, the deductive approach is
useful in testing the theory and establishing its credibility. Thus both these
approaches are complementary for scientific determination of truth. In this way
the scientific method ensures the twin necessities of the justified true belief
which are reliability and validity.
Whereas the reliability and validity of the method
itself ensures the quality of the ‘reasoning and rationale’, the reliability
and validity of the empirical data
assures the dependability of the experience and observation of the phenomenon.
The heady mix of
reliability and validity for determining the dependability or credibility of
any knowledge of any phenomena may sometimes tend to become increasingly
complicated making it less and less useful. Reason and logic are only important
as accurate guiding posts and can rarely lead to absolute truth as Albert
Einstein observed “Insofar as mathematics
(reason/logic) is exact, it does not
apply to reality; and insofar as mathematics (reason/logic) applies to reality, it is not exact” .Thus
the Pragmatist view (introduced by
Aristotle and emphasized by Kant) is more relevant in the determination of
reality. Pragmatism can be explained as
considering something to be Knowledge if it is useful to some End. Whether an idea is true or gets at
reality is not considered to be of that much importance; what is important is
that a given model helps to solve problems and it actually works. The
investigation is therefore guided by the objective that the proposition is
workable and it stands the test of observation, experience and reason.
It follows from the foregoing
that whereas the scientific method is undoubtedly the most important
determinant of knowledge for it to be termed as science in the modern context; the application of the scientific
method needs to be further tempered by the utility, workability and problem
solving ability of the propositions making up such knowledge. It is therefore
the pragmatic application of the scientific method to the data generated
through observation and experience which determines whether or not some
knowledge about any phenomena can be called a science. This process can be formal or structured as is the
practice today or it can be informal as was the case prior to Rene Descartes
(17th century), who developed the idea of the scientific method that
was first initiated by Aristotle much earlier in the 5th century
B.C.. We tend to overlook the contributions of eastern philosophers who
advocated and developed the epistemological foundations in their quest for spiritual reality or truth. The
contributions of two stalwarts of the Hindu philosophical thought namely the
Indian sages Gautam (enunciator of the Nyaya
Sutras) and Karad (enunciator of the Vaisheshika Sutras) are noteworthy.
It is evident that any knowledge
worthy of being termed as a science prior to the 17th century was
recognized purely on the basis of observations and experiences through an
informal process and not through any structured procedure like the scientific
method of today. This however should not lead to the conclusion that prior to
the 17th century there was no knowledge worthy of being called a
science. The knowledge domains of the yore which have got established on the
basis of observations of different phenomenon and have been found to be true and
useful through the experiences of generations of human beings are called ancient wisdom or ancient sciences. The sciences of Ayurveda, Yoga and Meditation
which were developed in India are shining examples of ancient sciences which
have been immaculately perfected and are revered today by all humanity. Indian
astrology too is one such ancient science. What is more interesting is the fact
that the Rishis (sages) who pioneered the development of Ayurveda etc. were in
most cases the same Rishis who enunciated the principles of Indian astrology.
There is however a basic
difference in the approach of the ancient scientists and the current scientific
community which lies in the fact that whereas today’s scientific community
gives a higher priority to researching for new knowledge and then looking for
its application for human utility; the ancient scientists sought knowledge for
improving human life which was the primary and the only goal of their pursuit
of knowledge / truth. In other words the pragmatist requirements of knowledge
i.e. usefulness, workability and problem-solving-ability
were the primary considerations for seeking knowledge by the ancient scientists.
The development of the ancient science of astrology has also been motivated and
triggered by such pragmatist considerations.
It becomes imperative therefore to
determine the pragmatist premises of Indian astrology as well as its
credibility in terms of the informal application of the scientific method prior
to accepting it as an ancient science. To this end Indian astrology needs to be
judged on the following points:-
1.
Usefulness;
2.
Workability;
3.
Problem
solving ability;
4.
Validity on
the basis of observations;
5.
Reliability
on the basis of both subjective and objective experiences;
A. Usefulness of Indian astrology gets established by its being an inalienable
part of the composite Hindu culture throughout the length and breadth of India
and the surrounding non-Islamized neighboring countries. This usefulness gets
reflected in the womb to the tomb journey of an individual on all occasions right
from naming the child, beginning of education, selection of an appropriate
spouse, date and time of marriage, date and time of travel, sowing of seeds for
agriculture, assessment of rainfall, expectation of harvest, date and time for
beginning house construction, orientation of the dwelling structure and in
almost all aspects of daily living as well as in festivities, worship and other
rituals. It is used for the prediction of longevity, prosperity, health
matters, selection of professional pursuits, timing of progeny and the likely
trends of success and failure in undertakings as well as for life in general.
The utility of this knowledge is evident in the fact that even today learning
astrology remains an important dimension of the training for priesthood.
B. The Indian
astrological system works on the basis of simple readymade templates which
provide all necessary information at a glance thereby making the application of
the astrological formulas smooth and easy. The templates are available in the
form of Panchangas which include the annual calendar with details of lunar
dates, corresponding day, nakshatras, zodiac positions of the planets, sun and
moon for each date and time; as well as readymade useful data which may
otherwise require tedious and time consuming calculations by experts. All other
information and guidelines to facilitate even laymen to be able to use the
Panchangas are included therein. In fact many of the desired results from
astrological applications are standardized and included that can be directly
read from the Panchangas. It is a simple and workable procedure that can be
learnt and practiced quite easily. Even the preparation of individual planetary
charts for a given time and place on earth can be prepared in no time using the
Panchangas. Moreover Indian astrology has designed the presentation of the
planetary charts in such a way that the astrologer can visualize, just by a
glance, the linkages between the planetary positions on the zodiac, the zodiac
signs and the nakshatras to facilitate quick and easy evaluation and
interpretation of the situation for making predictions as per rules. The rules
have also been structured in a logical manner for easy memorization and
application. On the whole the Indian astrological system works smoothly and
flawlessly which makes it efficient and effective. It is this inherent
workability and simplicity that has helped this ancient wisdom to remain intact
and to last thousands of years through history.
C. The problem solving ability of Indian
astrology is only an extension of its usefulness that has been explained in
detail in ‘A’ above. This knowledge helps in diagnosing the highlighted issues;
be it related to health, education, profession, prosperity etc. in terms of the
astrological factors and thereafter prescribes astral remedies (to the extent
possible) for their resolution. It also provides guidance on auspicious timing
of important events such as marriage etc. for satisfactory results. The science
assists in decision making and making the best choice in a given situation. It
contains multiple tools for attending to and for solving specific problems
faced by individuals, groups and communities from time to time in their daily
living. In fact the objective of Indian astrology is problem solving for human
existence.
D. Indian
astrology has two distinct dimensions that comprise its body of knowledge i.e.
(a) the astronomical data matrix relating to the solar system that provides the
basic data for this subject and (b) the application of such astronomical data
for the welfare of human existence on earth. The validity of its first
dimension gets determined by the complete coincidence of the data employed by
Indian astrology and the data from observations of the science of astronomy
such as the data related to the motion of planets etc. in the geo-centric model
of the solar system. This very data is used for the various applications of
Indian astrology as described in its second dimension. The validity for the
application dimension of Indian astrology can be judged from its acceptance for
thousands of years by a very large population as a credible format which has
hardly ever been challenged by the beneficiary population. This credibility had
been assigned on the basis of the experiences of the beneficiary population and
despite the erosion of its faith dimension Indian astrology continues to enjoy
a high degree of credibility even to date. Another factor enabling and thereby
strengthening the credibility of the application part of Indian astrology lies
in the fact that it was enunciated and professed by some of the known and
established questioning minds of the yore over the years who’s intellectual
ability and agility has been proven beyond doubt through their contributions to
other forms of knowledge of their times. In addition, it shall be inappropriate
to deny or question the collective wisdom of a whole society which has consciously
lived with this knowledge and applied it to their lives for a very long period
without any coercion or compulsion. In the absence of any formal method for
measuring the validity for ancient wisdom, one has to rely on its acceptance in
time by a large population. On this premise even the application aspect of
Indian astrology can be said to be valid.
E. The reliability
of any system, method or knowledge is determined by the consistency of the
outcomes through the application of such knowledge or system to real life
situations. This consistency gets established by the repetitive test-retest
process through applications over a large number of cases by different agencies
over a long period. The reliability of the principles and processes of Indian
astrology get easily established by the fact that the templates used by all
practitioners of this knowledge are the same templates (Panchangas) and the
practitioners reach the same conclusions for the same set of data. In other
words all Indian astrologers prepare the same horoscope (planetary chart for a
given place and time) for the same set of inputs and they would give similar
readings from it subject of-course to the limitations of individual astrologer’s
expertise and experience quite similar to the variances in diagnosis by
different medical practitioners. Indian astrology has many different methods
for approaching and reading the horoscopes however in a large majority of cases
the outcomes are the same or similar. In my long experience as a practicing
astrologer, I have never come across a situation where two or more astrologers
have given divergent opinions; they may differ on details or finer points as a
result of subjective interpretations but readings are on similar lines. Apart
from the diagnosis, the remedial routes taken may vary in content depending
upon the traditions of the locality and conditionings applicable to the case.
The remedies are often also tempered by the systemic orientation and individual
experience of the astrologer regarding the efficacy of the remedy but the
guiding factors remain the same. It can be said therefore that the subject of
Indian astrology is highly consistent in its applications and this consistency
has been observed over thousands of years for applications spread over
distinctly differing regions and communities.
From the foregoing assertions (A
to E), the prequalifying pragmatist and epistemological determinants for the
acceptance of Indian astrology as an ancient science are evidently satisfactorily
fulfilled. No ‘body of knowledge’ can be perfect and it needs to be
continuously improved upon through active research. Michael Angelo had once
remarked ‘scruples lead to perfection but
perfection is no scruple’ which applies to scientific development as much
as to anything else. It should not be overlooked by students of Indian
astrology therefore that the astronomical foundations that formed the basis of ancient
Indian astrology have undergone changes due to the dynamics of the cosmic
process and would need to be appropriately upgraded, brought up-to-date and
integrated into the system through continuous research. A lot of research is
now being carried out by the students of this branch of knowledge in a
structured manner as per the tenets of modern scientific method It shall be possible over a period of time to
re-establish Indian astrology within the comity of modern sciences.
The cosmic system and all its
subsystems are homogenous in nature therefore a good understanding of one
subsystem can provide a reasonably fair understanding of the cosmos - the
universe - as a whole. The Hindu spiritualists embarked upon the study of the
solar system and its linkages to life on earth with the clear understanding
that if one knows the solar system well enough, one can extrapolate one’s
understanding to comprehend the universe as well as its enlivening spirit the
Paramatma. The ancient science of Indian astrology was thus a byproduct of the
ancient Indian spiritual masters’ deep study of the solar system and its
connections to life on earth for developing an understanding of the cosmos and
its enlivening total spirit. In this manner they transcended the solar system
to comprehend the cosmos and could establish the link between individual life on
earth enlivened by the Atman and the enlivener of the cosmos – the
Paramatma. Thus a deep understanding of
Indian astrology can enable a serious student of this science to visualize the
cosmos which can lead him into realizing the Paramatma. This aspect of Hindu
philosophy has been presented by sage Vyasa through Geeta through the dialogue
between Krishna and Arjuna wherein Krishna unveils the Virat Swarup – the
cosmic being – with all life forms, cosmic entities, happenings and events existing
within it, spanning the three dimensions of space and time. In this manner
Indian astrology is the study of the perceivable functional subsystem of the
universe (the solar system) for realizing it (the cosmos) in its entirety.
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