Jyotiṣa is one of the Vedāṅga, the six auxiliary disciplines used to support Vedic rituals.[8]:376 Early jyotiṣa is concerned with the preparation of a calendar to fix the date of sacrificial rituals.[8]:377 Nothing is written on planets.[8]:377 There are mentions of eclipse causing "demons" in the Atharvaveda and Chāndogya Upaniṣad, the Chāndogya mentioning Rāhu.[8]:382 In fact the term graha, which is now taken to mean planet, originally meant demon.[8]:381 The Ṛgveda also mentions an eclipse causing demon, Svarbhānu, however the specific term of "graha" becomes applied to Svarbhānu in the later Mahābhārata and Rāmāyaṇa..[8]:382
It is only after the Greek settlement in Bactria (third century BC) that explicit references to planets are attested in Sanskrit texts.[8]:382 It was only after the transmission of Hellenistic astrology that the order of planets in India was fixed in that of the seven-day week.[8]:383 Hellenstic astrology and astronomy also transmitted the twelve zodiacal signs beginning with Aries and the twelve astrological places beginning with the ascendant.[8]:384 The first evidence of the introduction of Greek astrology to India is the Yavanajātaka which dates to the early centuries CE.[8]:383 The Yavanajātaka ("Sayings of the Greeks") was translated from Greek to Sanskrit by Yavaneśvara during the 2nd century CE, under the patronage of the Western Satrap Sakaking Rudradaman I, and is considered the first Indian astrological treatise in the Sanskrit language.[9] However the only version that survives is the later verse version of Sphujidhvaja which dates to AD 270.[8]:383 The first Indian astronomical text to define the weekday was the Āryabhaṭīya of Āryabhaṭa (born AD 476).[8]:383 According to Michio Yano, Indian astronomers must have been occupied with the task of Indianizing and Sanskritizing Greek astronomy during the 300 or so years between the first Yavanajataka and the Āryabhaṭīya.[8]:388 The astronomical texts of these 300 years are lost.[8]:388 The later Pañcasiddhāntikā of Varāhamihira summarizes the five known Indian astronomical schools of the sixth century.[8]:388 It is interesting to note that Indian astronomy preserved some of the older pre-Ptolemaic elements of Greek astronomy.[8]:389
The main texts upon which classical Indian astrology is based are early medieval compilations, notably the Bṛhat Parāśara Horāśāstra, and Sārāvalī by Kalyāṇavarma. The Horāshastra is a composite work of 71 chapters, of which the first part (chapters 1–51) dates to the 7th to early 8th centuries and the second part (chapters 52–71) to the later 8th century. The Sārāvalī likewise dates to around 800 CE.[10] English translations of these texts were published by N.N. Krishna Rau and V.B. Choudhari in 1963 and 1961, respectively.Elements
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[edit]Vargas
Main article: Varga (astrology)
There are sixteen varga (Sanskrit: varga, 'part, division'), or divisional, charts used in Hindu astrology:[11]:61–64
| Varga | Divisor | Chart | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rāśi | 1 | D-1 | Natal chart |
| Horā | 2 | D-2 | Overall wealth |
| Drekkāṇa | 3 | D-3 | Siblings |
| Caturthāṁśa | 4 | D-4 | Properties |
| Saptaṁāṁśa | 7 | D-7 | Children |
| Navāṁśa | 9 | D-9 | Spouse, Etc. |
| Daśāṁśa | 10 | D-10 | Earning Career |
| Dvādaśāṁśa | 12 | D-12 | Parents, Grandparents |
| Ṣodhaśāṁśa | 16 | D-16 | Vehicles |
| Viṁśāṁśa | 20 | D-20 | Upasana-s, Sādhana-s |
| Caturviṁśāṁśa | 24 | D-24 | Education (higher) |
| Saptaviṁśāṁśa | 27 | D-27 | Vitality |
| Triṁśāṁśa | 30 | D-30 | Evils in life |
| Khavedāṁśa | 40 | D-40 | Quality of life |
| Akṣavedāṁśa | 45 | D-45 | (From here on out,the birth time must be absolutely precise or the divisional chart is incorrect!!) |
| Ṣasṭyāṁśa | 60 | D-60 | Used to differentiate between twins, past life karma, etc. |
[edit]Chart styles
There are three chart styles used in Jyotiṣa, which are depicted below:
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Legend:Ashu Ra - Rahu, Sa - Saturn, Ve - Venus, Su -Sun, Ma - Mars, Me - Mercury, As - Lagna, Mo - Moon, Ke - Kethu, Ju - Jupiter.
Grahas – the planets
Main article: Navagraha
Nine grahas, or navagrahas, are used:
| Sanskrit Name | Telugu Name | Kannada Name | Tamil Name | Malayalam Name | English Name | Abbreviation | Gender | Guna |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sūrya (सूर्य) | రవి | ಸೂರ್ಯ | ஞாயிறு, சூரியன் | ആദിത്യന് | Sun | Sy or Su | M | Sattva |
| Chandra (चंद्र) | చంద్ర | ಚಂದ್ರ | திங்கள், சந்திரன் | ചന്ദ്രന് | Moon | Ch or Mo | F | Sattva |
| Maṅgala (मंगल) | కుజ | ಮಂಗಳ | செவ்வாய் | ചൊവ്വ | Mars | Ma | M | Tamas |
| Budha (बुध) | బుధ | ಬುಧ | புதன் | ബുധന് | Mercury | Bu or Me | N | Rajas |
| Bṛhaspati(बृहस्पति) | గురు | ಗುರು | வியாழன், குரு | വ്യാഴം | Jupiter | Gu or Ju | M | Sattva |
| Śukra (शुक्र) | శుక్ర | ಶುಕ್ರ | வெள்ளி, சுக்கிரன் | ശുക്രന് | Venus | Sk or Ve | F | Rajas |
| Śani (शनि) | శని | ಶನಿ | சனி | ശനി | Saturn | Sa | N | Tamas |
| Rāhu (राहु) | రాహు | ರಾಹು | ராகு, கரும்பாம்பு | രാഹു | North Lunar Node | Ra | F | Tamas |
| Ketu (केतु) | కేతు | ಕೇತು | கேது, செம்பாம்பு | കേതു | South Lunar Node | Ke | M | Tamas |
Planets in maximum exaltation, Mūlatrikoṇa (own sign), and debilitation, are:
| Graha | Exaltation | Mūlatrikoṇa | Debilitation | Sign Rulership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 10° Aries | 4°-20° Leo | 10° Libra | Leo |
| Moon | 3° Taurus | 4°-20° Cancer | 3° Scorpio | Cancer |
| Mars | 28° Capricorn | 0°-12° Aries | 28° Cancer | Aries, Scorpio |
| Mercury | 15° Virgo | 16°-20° Virgo | 15° Pisces | Gemini, Virgo |
| Jupiter | 5° Cancer | 0°-10° Sagittarius | 5° Capricorn | Sagittarius, Pisces |
| Venus | 27° Pisces | 0°-15° Libra | 27° Virgo | Taurus, Libra |
| Saturn | 20° Libra | 0°-20° Aquarius | 20° Aries | Capricorn, Aquarius |
| Rāhu | Taurus, Gemini | Virgo | Scorpio, Sagittarius | Aquarius (co-ruler) |
| Ketu | Scorpio, Sagittarius | Pisces | Taurus, Gemini | Scorpio (co-ruler) |
The natural planetary relationships
| Graha | Friends | Neutral | Enemies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | Moon, Mars, Jupiter | Mercury | Venus, Saturn |
| Moon | Sun, Mercury | Mars, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn | Mercury, Venus, Saturn |
| Mars | Sun, Moon, Jupiter | Venus,Saturn | Mercury |
| Mercury | Sun, Venus | Mars, Jupiter, Saturn | Moon |
| Jupiter | Sun, Moon, Mars | Saturn | Mercury, Venus |
| Venus | Mercury, Saturn | Mars, Jupiter | Sun, Moon |
| Saturn | Venus, Mercury | Jupiter | Sun, Moon, Mars |
| Rahu | Saturn, Venus | Mars, Mercury, Jupiter | Sun |
| Ketu | Mars | Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn | Moon |
Rāśi – the zodiac signs
The Nirayana - sidereal or fixed zodiac is an imaginary belt of 360 degrees (like the Sāyana - tropical zodiac), divided into 12 equal parts. Each twelfth part (of 30 degrees) is called a sign or rāśi (Sanskrit: 'part'). Vedic (Jyotiṣa) and Western zodiacsdiffer in the method of measurement. While synchronically, the two systems are identical, Jyotiṣa uses primarily the sidereal zodiac (in which stars are considered to be the fixed background against which the motion of the planets is measured), whereas most Western astrology uses the tropical zodiac (the motion of the planets is measured against the position of the Sun on the Spring equinox). This difference becomes noticeable over time. After two millennia, as a result of the precession of the equinoxes, the origin of the ecliptic longitude has shifted by about 22 degrees. As a result the placement of planets in the Jyotiṣa system is consistent with the actual zodiac, while in western astrology the planets fall into the following sign, as compared to their placement in the sidereal zodiac, about two thirds of the time.
Template:Rāśi table The zodiac signs in Hindu astrology correspond to parts of the body:[13]
| Sign | Part of Body |
|---|---|
| Meṣa (Aries) | head |
| Vṛṣabha (Taurus) | mouth |
| Mithuna (Gemini) | arms |
| Karka (Cancer) | two sides |
| Siṁha (Leo) | heart |
| Kanyā (Virgo) | digestive system |
| Tula (Libra) | umbilical area |
| Vṛścika (Scorpio) | generative organs |
| Dhanu (Sagittarius) | thighs |
| Makara (Capricorn) | knees |
| Kumbha (Aquarius) | Lower part of legs |
| Mīna (Pisces) | feet |
Bhāvas – the houses
Main article: Bhāva
Bhāva (Sanskrit: 'division'.) In Hindu astrology, the Jātaka - Birth Chart is the Bhāva Cakra (Sanskrit: 'wheel'.) The Bhāva Cakra is the complete 360° circle of life, divided into houses, and represents our way of enacting the influences in the wheel. Each house has associated kāraka (Sanskrit: 'significator') planets that can alter the interpretation of a particular house.[11]:93–167
| House | Name | Kārakas | Meanings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lagna (Tanu) | Sun | outer personality, physique, health/well-being, hair, appearance |
| 2 | Dhana | Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Sun, Moon | wealth (fixed assets), family relationships, eating habits, speech, eyesight, death |
| 3 | Sahaja | Mars | natural state, innate temperament, courage, valor, virility, younger siblings, communication |
| 4 | Sukha | Moon | inner life, emotions, home, property,middle education, mother |
| 5 | Putra | Jupiter | creativity, children, spiritual practices, punya, love, sex, higher education |
| 6 | Ari | Mars, Saturn | acute illness, injury, openly known enemies, litigation, daily work, foreigners, service |
| 7 | Yuvati | Venus, Jupiter | business and personal relationships, marriage, spouse, war, fighting, genitals |
| 8 | Randhra | Saturn | longevity, length of life, death, mokṣa, chronic illness, deep and ancient traditions, sex-life |
| 9 | Dharma | Jupiter, Sun | luck, fortune, spirituality, dharma, guru, relationship with father |
| 10 | Karma | Mercury, Jupiter, Sun, Saturn | dream fulfillment, knees and spine, current karmas, career, sky, father |
| 11 | Lābha | Jupiter | gains, profits from work, ability to earn money, steady income, social contexts and organizations |
| 12 | Vyaya | Saturn | loss, intuition, imprisonment, foreign travel, moksha ]Nakṣatras |
A Nakṣatra or lunar mansion is one of the 27 divisions of the sky, identified by the prominent star(s) in them, used in Hindu astrology.
Historical (medieval) Hindu astrology enumerated either 27 or 28 nakṣatras. Today, popular usage[clarification needed] favours a rigid system of 27 nakṣatras covering 13°20’ of the ecliptic each. The missing 28th nakshatra is Abhijeeta. Each nakṣatra is divided into quarters or padas of 3°20’:
| # | Name | Location (Sidereal Longitude) | Ruler | Pada 1 | Pada 2 | Pada 3 | Pada 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aśvinī (अश्विनी) | 0 – 13°20' Aries | Ketu | चु Chu | चे Che | चो Cho | ला La |
| 2 | Bharaṇī (भरणी) | 13°20' – 26°40' Aries | Venus | ली Li | लू Lu | ले Le | पो Lo |
| 3 | Kṛttikā (कृत्तिका) | 26°40' Aries – 10°00' Taurus | Sun | अ A | ई I | उ U | ए E |
| 4 | Rohiṇī (रोहिणी) | 10°00' – 23°20' Taurus | Moon | ओ O | वा Va/Ba | वी Vi/Bi | वु Vu/Bu |
| 5 | Mṛgaśiras (मृगशिरा) | 23°20' Taurus – 6°40' Gemini | Mars | वे Ve/Be | वो Vo/Bo | का Ka | की Ke |
| 6 | Ārdrā (आर्द्रा) | 6°40' – 20°00' Gemini | Rahu | कु Ku | घ Gha | ङ Ng/Na | छ Chha |
| 7 | Punarvasu (पुनर्वसु) | 20°00' Gemini – 3°20' Cancer | Jupiter | के Ke | को Ko | हा Ha | ही Hi |
| 8 | Puṣya (पुष्य) | 3°20' – 16°40' Cancer | Saturn | हु Hu | हे He | हो Ho | ड Da |
| 9 | Āśleṣā (आश्लेषा) | 16°40' Cancer – 0°00' Leo | Mercury | डी Di | डू Du | डे De | डो Do |
| 10 | Maghā (मघा) | 0°00' – 13°20' Leo | Ketu | मा Ma | मी Mi | मू Mu | मे Me |
| 11 | Purva or Pūrva Phalgunī (पूर्व फल्गुनी) | 13°20' – 26°40' Leo | Venus | नो Mo | टा Ta | टी Ti | टू Tu |
| 12 | Uttara or Uttara Phalgunī (उत्तर फल्गुनी) | 26°40' Leo – 10°00' Virgo | Sun | टे Te | टो To | पा Pa | पी Pi |
| 13 | Hasta (हस्त) | 10°00' – 23°20' Virgo | Moon | पू Pu | ष Sha | ण Na | ठ Tha |
| 14 | Citrā (चित्रा) | 23°20' Virgo – 6°40' Libra | Mars | पे Pe | पो Po | रा Ra | री Ri |
| 15 | Svātī (स्वाती) | 6°40' – 20°00 Libra | Rahu | रू Ru | रे Re | रो Ro | ता Ta |
| 16 | Viśākhā (विशाखा) | 20°00' Libra – 3°20' Scorpio | Jupiter | ती Ti | तू Tu | ते Te | तो To |
| 17 | Anurādhā (अनुराधा) | 3°20' – 16°40' Scorpio | Saturn | ना Na | नी Ni | नू Nu | ने Ne |
| 18 | Jyeṣṭha (ज्येष्ठा) | 16°40' Scorpio – 0°00' Sagittarius | Mercury | नो No | या Ya | यी Yi | यू Yu |
| 19 | Mūla (मूल) | 0°00' – 13°20' Sagittarius | Ketu | ये Ye | यो Yo | भा Bha | भी Bhi |
| 20 | Pūrva Āṣāḍha (पूर्वाषाढ़ा) | 13°20' – 26°40' Sagittarius | Venus | भू Bhu | धा Dha | फा Bha/Pha | ढा Dha |
| 21 | Uttara Āṣāḍha (उत्तराषाढ़ा) | 26°40' Sagittarius – 10°00' Capricorn | Sun | भे Bhe | भो Bho | जा Ja | जी Ji |
| 22 | Śravaṇa (श्रवण) | 10°00' – 23°20' Capricorn | Moon | खी Ju/Khi | खू Je/Khu | खे Jo/Khe | खो Gha/Kho |
| 23 | Śraviṣṭha (धनिष्ठ) or Dhaniṣṭha | 23°20' Capricorn – 6°40' Aquarius | Mars | गा Ga | गी Gi | गु Gu | गे Ge |
| 24 | Śatabhiṣaj (शतभिषा)or Śatatāraka | 6°40' – 20°00' Aquarius | Rahu | गो Go | सा Sa | सी Si | सू Su |
| 25 | Pūrva Bhādrapadā (पूर्वभाद्रपदा) | 20°00' Aquarius – 3°20' Pisces | Jupiter | से Se | सो So | दा Da | दी Di |
| 26 | Uttara Bhādrapadā (उत्तरभाद्रपदा) | 3°20' – 16°40' Pisces | Saturn | दू Du | थ Tha | झ Jha | ञ Da/Tra |
| 27 | Revatī (रेवती) | 16°40' – 30°00' Pisces | Mercury | दे De | दो Do | च Cha | ची Chi |
Daśā-s – the planetary periods
Main article: Daśā (astrology)
Dasha (Devanāgarī: दशा, Sanskrit,daśā, 'planetary period'.) The Daśā system shows which planets will be ruling at particular times in Hindu astrology. There are several dasha systems; however, the primary system used by astrologers is the Viṁśottarī Daśā system. The first Mahā-Daśā is determined by the position of the natal Moon. Each Mahā-Dāśā is divided into subperiods called bhuktis or antar-daśās, which are of proportional division of the maha-dasa. Further proportional sub-divisions can be made (but error margin based on accuracy of the birth-time grows exponentially). Next sub-division is called pratyantar-daśā, which, in turn can be divided into sookshma-antardasa, which in turn can be divided into praana-antardaśā, which can be sub-divided into deha-antardaśā. Vimshottari dasha lengths are:[11]:211
| Mahā-Daśā | Length (Lunar Year) | Bhuktis |
|---|---|---|
| Ketu | 7 Years | Ketu, Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury |
| Venus | 20 Years | Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, Ketu |
| Sun | 6 Years | Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, Ketu, Venus |
| Moon | 10 Years | Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, Ketu, Venus, Sun |
| Mars | 7 Years | Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, Ketu, Venus, Sun, Moon |
| Rahu | 18 Years | Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, Ketu, Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars |
| Jupiter | 16 Years | Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, Ketu, Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu |
| Saturn | 19 Years | Saturn, Mercury, Ketu, Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter |
| Mercury | 17 Years | Mercury, Ketu, Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn |
[edit]DṛIṣṭhis – the planetary aspects
-
- Main article: Astrological aspect (Hindu Astrology)
Drishti (Sanskrit: Dṛṣṭi, 'sight'.) In Hindu astrology, the aspect is to an entire house, and grahas only cast forward aspects, and the furthest aspect is considered the strongest. For example, Mars aspects the 4th, 7th and 8th house from its position. It's 8th house aspect is considered more powerful than 7th aspect, which in turn is more powerful than it's 4th aspect.[11]:26–27
| Graha | Houses |
|---|---|
| Sun | 7th |
| Moon | 7th |
| Mercury | 7th |
| Venus | 7th |
| Mars | 4th, 7th, 8th |
| Jupiter | 5th, 7th, 9th |
| Saturn | 3rd, 7th, 10th |
| Rahu | 5th, 7th, 9th |
| Ketu | No planetary aspect (while some do consider it to aspect 5th, 7th, 9th) |
Gocharas – the transits
Gochara (Sanskrit: gochara, 'transit'.) Natal chart shows the position of the grahas at the moment of birth. Since that moment, the grahas have continued to move around the zodiac, interacting with the natal chart grahas. This period of interaction is called gochara.[11]:227
Yogas – the planetary combinations
Main article: Yoga (Hindu astrology)
Main article: Raja yoga (Hindu astrology)
Main article: Sanyasa yoga
Main article: Dhana yoga
Yoga (Sanskrit: yoga, 'union'.) In Hindu astrology, yogas are planetary combinations placed in specific relationships to each other.[11]:265
"There are many yogas that in Hindu system, but predominantly in today's age the positive and negative yogas have to be seen in different context as far as situations are concerned. Some yogas like Kaal Sarp are referred to as bad, but there are many famous people and billionaires with Kaal Sarp yoga."]Dig bala – the directional strength
Dig bala (Sanskrit: dig bala, 'directional strength'.) Graha-s gain strength when they are placed in specific cardinal houses:[11]:25–26
| House | Grahas | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Jupiter, Mercury | East |
| 4th | Venus, Moon | North |
| 7th | Saturn | West |
| 10th | Sun, Mars | South |
Horoscopy
Lagna – the ascendant
Main article: Lagna
Lagna (Sanskrit: lagna, 'ascendant'.) Lagna is the first moment of contact between the soul and its new life on earth in Hindu astrology. It is the horizon, and the rising sign in the horizon is considered the Lagna sign. Houses are calculated based on Lagna. For example the 30degrees span from 15degrees before the longitude of Ascendant to after the ascendant is calculated to be the first house. [11]:96 The Lagna - Ascendant means that which has ascended over the horizon at the time of birth and thus signifies the first house and the underlying zodiacal sign that serves to characterise the individual whose birth chart is being read. The Most Effective Point (MEP) of the Ascendant - Lagna, is that point of the zodiacal belt that coincides with the position of the horizon at the time of birth, for a given place of birth. [14]
Kārakas
Kārakas
1. ĀtmaKāraka (Sanskrit: from atma, 'soul', and kāraka, 'significator' .) ĀtmaKāraka is the significator of the soul's desire in Hindu astrology. It is the planet having the highest longitudinal degree.[11]:326
Main article: Atmakaraka
2. Amātyakāraka is the planet containing second highest degree in one's birth chart. It signifies one's mind
3. Bhrātṛkāraka : Siblings
4. Mātṛkāraka : Mother
5. Pitṛkāraka : Father, ancestors
6. Putrakāraka : Children, sex
7. Jñātikāraka : Relatives and kins
8. Dārakāraka : Spouse
Gaṇḍānta – the karmic knot
Gandanta (Sanskrit: gaṇḍānta, from gaṇḍ, 'knot', and anta, 'end'.) Gaṇḍānta is a spiritual or karmic knot in Hindu astrology. Gaṇḍānta describes the junction points in the natal chart where the solar and lunar zodiacs meet, and are directly associated with times of soul growth.[11]:61–64
Ayanāṁśa – the zodiac conversion
Ayanamsa (Sanskrit: ayanāṁśa, from ayana, 'movement', and aṁśa, 'component') is the longitudinal difference between the Tropical (Sāyana) and Sidereal (Nirayana) zodiacs. Since Tropical systems do no take into account the precession of the vernal equinoxes, this is the correction used in Sidereal zodiac.[11]:11
Maudhya – the combustion
Maudhya (Sanskrit: moudhya, 'combustion') is a planet that is in conjunction with the Sun. The degrees the planets are considered combust
| Graha | Degree |
|---|---|
| Moon | 12 |
| Mercury | 13 |
| Venus | 9 |
| Mars | 17 |
| Jupiter | 11 |
| Saturn | 15 |
Sāḍe Sātī – the critical transit
Sāḍe Sātī, the transit of Saturn over the natal Moon (Saturn return), is the most important transit in a birth chart and takes approximately 7.5 years to complete. The transit begins when Saturn enters the house before the Moon, and ends when Saturn departs the house after the Moon. The most intense phase is when Saturn is 2–3° on either side of the Moon. The beginning of the transit will give an indication of the issues to be addressed. Saade saati results in a complete transformation, usually with a change in career or life direction.[11]:231-232
Modern India
David Pingree notes that astrology and traditional medicine are the two traditional sciences that have survived best in modern India, although both have been much transformed by their western counterparts.[15]
Astrology remains an important facet of Hindu folk belief in contemporary India. Many Hindus believe that heavenly bodies, including the planets, have an influence throughout the life of a human being, and these planetary influences are the "fruit ofkarma." The Navagraha, planetary deities, are considered subordinate to Ishvara, i.e., the Supreme Being, in the administration of justice. Thus, these planets can influence earthly life.[16]
Status of astrology
Main article: Science and Astrology
Further information: NCERT controversy and Saffronization
In the early 2000s, under the Bharatiya Janata Party led government in India, astrology became a topic of political contention between the religious right and academic establishment, comparable to the "Creation science" debate in US education.
The University Grants Commission and the Ministry of Human Resource Development of the Government decided to introduce "Jyotir Vigyan" (i.e. jyotir vijñāna) or "Vedic astrology" as a discipline of study in Indian universities, backed up by a decision by the Andhra Pradesh High Court, despite widespread protests from the scientific community in India and Indian scientists working abroad.[17] In September of the same year, the Supreme Court of India issued a notice to the Ministry of Human Resource Development in reaction to a petition, stating that the introduction of astrology to university curricula is "a giant leap backwards, undermining whatever scientific credibility the country has achieved so far".[18]
In 2004, the Supreme Court dismissed a further petition, judging that the teaching of astrology does not qualify as promotion of religion.[19] In February 2011, the Bombay High Court reaffirmed astrology's standing in India when it dismissed a case which had challenged it status as a science.[20]
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