Fundamentals of Vedic Astrology

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Vedic astrology has its roots in ancient Vedic occultism. The Vedic seers considered the Jyotish Shastra, which dealt with the knowledge of the future, as an important limb of the Vedas. The antiquity of the Vedas themselves is lost in archaic times and any effort to fix their origin is beyond human capability. The authorship of the various scriptures is attributed to several different seers, but none of them claimed originality. They merely recorded the wisdom they had heard or remembered. Time has not tarnished their work. During the course of human civilization the intellectual horizon of mankind has expanded and new lights have begun to shine from the ancient wisdom. With every new revelation, the ancient wisdom becomes yet more profound. But as yet, we have not succeeded in identifying the original foundation upon which the superstructure was raised, or the eternal spring from which these drops of nectar are drawn.

Vedic astrology is not inductive. Its principles are not founded solely upon celestial mechanics by way of which generalizations can be made for application to posterity. Vedic astrology reflects the understanding and perception of ancient spiritual teachers regarding the facts of life. If the receiving instrument was not perfect and the reflecting medium free from every distortion the understanding of this mysterious life-process could not be everlasting. Even when perception was free from any bias, the imparting of the knowledge had to be very carefully accomplished. Especially when the wisdom had to be transmitted over a long period of time, the language had to be such that e impact of time was minimal. Only a language which arose from the very nature of the objects and relationships it was designed to express could be useful in this regard. The most important handicap arose from the psycho-spiritual equipment possessed by the student, who had to comprehend the messages conveyed by the seers. Generally a student interprets or bends the wisdom to suit and fit his own experience, understanding and psychological propensities.

The ancient seers did nt inquire merely out of intellectual curiosity. They wanted to understand the laws of nature so that they could adapt themselves to these laws and enlighten the paths of other seekers. Astrology was "enlightenment" in the sense that its manifestation resulted from the process of enlightening of Eternal Darkness or Nothingness. Jyotish Shastra is related to the nature of light and the radiation of various objects (especially the celestial entities), but this process had a purpose and a direction as well as carefully defined nature and specific laws. Several occult scriptures concern themselves with different aspects of this process of manifestation and one cannot hope to comprehend the sublime nature of Vedic astrology unless it is approached from a wiser perspective.

The Yoga Sutras indicate the goal of one's intelligence and the process by which distortions in the same may be eliminated. Once an individual is able to attain clarity in perception, there are immense possibilities for him. Patanjali, author of the Yoga Sutras which are of such great value in these present times, tells us that the clarity attained by yogic practices can enable the practitioner to concentrate on the Sun and know the secret it holds with regard to the working of the solar system and the inhabitants dwelling therein. The basic principles of Vedic astrology resulted from this kind of attainment. By going to the very source, it is possible even today for students to understand the deeper meanings of celestial relationships. Unless one is able to attain perfection in yogic discipline, it is useless to ponder over the basic astrological tenets or seek to comprehend and intuit their deeper implication. Engaging in the necessary yogic practices, the related metaphysical knowledge coming from the archaic past should also be intensively studied.

The present study is a modest attempt to present merely a portion of the ancient astrological knowledge of the Vedic Aryans. The author has been merely an infant, trying to understand the spiritual nature of astrology and other occult literature of the East. He is not a professional astrologer and does not claim infallibility in his predictions. But his acquaintance with the subject for the last fifty years has shown him that a proper and unbiased approach may be very rewarding for the student, and reveal to him the purpose of his life and how to grapple with his everyday problems effectively so that, over the course of several incarnations, he succeeds in establishing a harmonious balance with Nature. The author has also learnt that the use of this approach in predicting the future of others proves effective in counseling. A large number of individuals with whom he has come into contact have felt that Vedic astrology has a distinct role to play in providing peace, stability and confidence in everyday human relationships. In the present work the author hopes to carry this message to a wider audience, especially the those with whom he cannot come into personal relationship and contact.

A prerequisite for astrological prediction is the realization of the existence of cosmic unity. In almost every occult tradition and wisdom religion of the East, the basic identity of microcosm and macrocosm has been emphasized. But an application of this principle in predictive astrology is often overlooked. Planetary combinations affect the universe in a very mysterious manner. An understanding of the mechanism by which planetary impulses impinge upon the manifested universe, are received by the earth and deflected to the individual, as well as the manner in which different individuals receive them in order to evolve toward their archetypal destiny, is essential in order to gain an insight into astrological forces. A synthesis between esoteric religious Philosophy (and in fact all such religions come from the same source, so there should be no basic difference between them) and various astrological concepts helps in understanding the code of relationships and hence the various suggestions made during astrological counseling. Generally this is a neglected aspect of astrological studies. The reader is strongly urged to see A study in Astrological Occultism by the author (available from Passage Press). The sections dealing with the Cosmic Man and his basic impulses, and the constitution of man in light of the Seven Rays and Principles, should prove especially helpful in throwing new light on the subject.

In astrological prediction, it is important to examine the nature of planetary combinations, the nature and strength of the planets and their influence on the bio-psychological field of the individual. The complete human individual consists of various subtle sheaths, has certain inherent impulses received at the time of birth, and is related to different levels of manifestation. These characteristics are reflected in the pattern of planetary combinations. During the course of worldly evolution and the emergence of individualized human souls, different kinds of concretization take place, both I the individual as well as in the manifested universe. But the basic link is never severed. The different houses in the natal chart and the planetary connections with the houses reflect these eternal relationships, and are the basis upon which the nature of the individual, his course of unfoldment, and the direction towards which his life is moving can be known. For a proper understanding of oneself, this knowledge is very helpful. The trials and tribulations of life, the selection of a career, the pleasant ad sorrowful experiences in human relationships and one's basic temperament are all deciphered from the natal chart. The first volume of the Vedic Astrologer's Handbook – Fundamentals of Vedic Astrology – deals with these subjects.

The nature of planetary influence depends upon the basic characteristics of the planets themselves. The Vedic astrologer does not consider the planets as inert orbs of different chemical composition: they are living, spiritual force-centres with their presiding deities, their specific functions and their history. These living occult forces are not restricted to the astrological realm. Life is much more expansive than ere astrological predictions can suggest. The Vedic seers have described the nature of the planets in many kinds of esoteric language. A Hindu occultist, T. Subha Rao, has emphasized that the key to the secret meaning of these zodiacal signs, planets, asterisms, etc., should be turned several times in order to decipher their meanings at various different levels. He has offered the following rules which, at the first level of such an exploration, may help the enquirer in ferreting out the deeper significance of the ancient Sanskrit nomenclature and in the old Aryan myths and allegories.

1. Find out the synonyms and other meanings of the terms which are used.
2. Find out the numerical value of the letters comprising the world according to the methods given in ancient Tantric works.
3. Examine the ancient myths or allegories, if any, which have any special connection with the word or concept in question.
4. Permutate the different syllables comprising the word and examine the new combinations formed, and their meanings, etc. etc.

In fact, such are the rules for deciphering the hidden meaning of all the esoteric or wisdom religions of the world, including Christianity and the Kabbalah. In order to examine some of the deeper meanings of Vedic astrological signs, planets and lunar mansions, the author has written Myths and Symbols of Vedic Astrology, published by Passage Press. The nature of planetary influences can be better appreciated if the chart of an individual is examined against the background of information given in this study, especially the section on the asterisms or lunar mansions which reveals special qualities of the planets in different horoscopes.

The planetary periods or dashas are the crux of astrological predictions. An individual may be very capable, but his latent faculties may not be useful to him unless he is able to use them. Money in the bank does not enable an individual to enjoy the comforts of living unless he draws that money for the purpose. The timing for the fructification of any result or the occurrence of any event is a special aspect of Vedic astrology. Elaborate guidelines have been given to work out the time period in which any planet will come into full play and thereby precipitate its influence. This aspect of the subject will be presented in Predictive Techniques of Vedic Astrology, Volume III of the Vedic Astrologer's Handbook on the basis of various methods indicated there, it is hoped that the reader will be able to draw some realistic inferences about everyday human struggles.

In the preparation of this study, I have been helped by many friends and colleagues. M.M. Mistri, an architect by profession but an expert on horary astrology, and Biman Behari an atomic physicist and practitioner in bio-rhythmic predictions, did much to help me in the preparation of the book. But the interaction with the team of friends and experts around Robben Hixson deserves special mention. Robben is a very discerning intellectual who is ever eager to harmonize different lines of thinking without imposing his own thinking or personality. He strives to achieve perfection in every bit of one's action for which he is prepared to incur many personal inconveniences. Erna Wilson and Ken Johnson typed, edited and went through the manuscript in great depth, highlighting things which needed special consideration and attention. As a result of the interaction with Robben, Erna and Ken, the book has assumed a radically different appearance from what it was I the beginning; in its present incarnation it evolved substantially. It is now difficult for anyone to identify which ideas arose from whom, but the final form has an identity of its own and I trust is much more useful than the original presentation. I alone am responsible for any shortcomings which may come to light.

The author would like to make a special request to his readers: as this study is likely to fail into the hands of individuals living in different social and geographical backgrounds than the author's they may experience reactions to planetary influences in a different manner than what has been described herein. They are welcome to share their insights and questions with the author.

Editor's Foreword

When Westerners approach the study of Hindu astrology, they are usually looking for something quite definite. They are looking for a spiritual astrology – a discipline which will throw light (jyotish) on their karma, their spiritual path, their ultimate purpose. The psychological emphasis of astrology in the West has proven somehow insufficient for their needs; they feel compelled to go beyond psychoanalysis to the techniques of enlightenment.

But to the seeker, no matter how earnest, Hindu astrology seems, at first, somewhat daunting. Various writers on the subject have stressed the predictive element in Hindu astrology – giving one the impression that here is a science concerned primarily with externals, an astrology which is far more focused on worldly matters than our own.

Surely, we say, there must be more. An ancient spiritual culture such as India must have an astrology which embodies the philosophical principles of Yoga and Vedanta. But how to we get beyond the surface level and contact the spiritual core of the science. The Hindu astrological scriptures, even when they are available to us (and they are often difficult to obtain), contains hundreds of rules and mathematical formulae to be memorized, and are written in the language of medieval India, a culture and world view entirely foreign to most of us.

Bepin Behari seeks out the yogic principles which underline the ancient writings. He elucidates the spiritual core upon which the rules and formulae have been based. In so doing, he restores to us the vision of the early Vedic astrologers. As David Frawley has remarked in his introduction to Behari's Myths and Symbols of Vedic Astrology, he preserves a "deeper and older wisdom tradition."

But if there is much that is old in Behari's work, there is also much that is new. Bepin Behari is a species of "Renaissance man". An economist by profession, he is also one of modern India's most widely published astrologers. He maintains a lively interest in Western psychology (especially Jung) and in quantum physics. He has been deeply influenced both by Theosophy and by traditional Hindu philosophy. All of these influences find a place in his work.

Behari is uniquely qualified to give Westerners a sense of the spiritual astrology they seek. He focuses on the inner principles upon which Vedic astrology is based, then defines those principles in the light of contemporary psychology and scientific speculation. He joins the ranks of those who seek to re-formulate Vedic wisdom for the modern world so that it may regain its rightful places as a truly integrated path which encompasses science, religion, psychology, and life in general. During the middle years of the twentieth century, Dane Rudhyar – another Renaissance man who was deeply influenced by Theosophy – gave Western astrology as thorough re-structuring which made of it a deeply meaningful form of psychology. Behari, in giving Hindu astrology an equally through restructuring, makes it a true spiritual science.

Fundamentals of Vedic Astrology, Vedic Astrologer's Handbook I is the second of Behari's works to be published by Passage Press (Myths and symbols of Vedic Astrology was the first). Many more are planned. The Handbook is intended primarily as a teaching manual, though it is a teaching manual enriched with philosophical speculation and spiritual exegesis. The first volume covers the basic principles of the art, while the second is devoted to an extremely detailed treatment of planets in the various signs and houses. The third volume will deal with predictive techniques and with synthesizing all the information into a practical but spiritual method of interpreting the horoscope, while the fourth will be comprised of essays on various astrological topics.

Hindu astrologers have never pretended that their art is simple. Behari will demand your full attention. You will study! But those who take the time to master the techniques offered in the Fundamentals of Vedic Astrology will find the spiritual astrology they have been seeking. They will also find unexpected gems of wisdom in the more philosophical portions of book.

To all those about to enter Bepin Behari's rich inner world: Happy wandering.

Back of the Book

Fundamental of Vedic Astrology is the first volume of the Vedic Astrologer's Handbook and is the cornerstone of the series. It presents the components of the astrological art – the planets, the signs, the houses and the lunar mansions. These concepts are presented in the context of a continuing process of self-discovery and spiritual development. Bepin Behari's unique esoteric lens probes the rules which govern the determination of planetary strength, the construction of the divisional charts (Vargas) and the principle yogas or combinations. Fundamentals of Vedic Astrology is an extremely valuable tool for anyone who wants to learn the art of Vedic Astrology and the spiritual principles upon which this indepth ancient science is founded.

Fundamentals of Vedic Astrology, like all of Bepin Behari's work, embodies a reformulation of classical Vedic principles (Yoga and Vedanta), a more "modern" interpretation to an ancient science. He cuts through the surface of the hundreds of rules of the Hindu astrological scriptures written in the language of medieval India to the spiritual care of the science.

An alumnous of Patna and London Universities, Bepin Behari joined the Indian Economic Service, and superannuated from a diplomatic assignment to European Economic Community at Brussels. He has been associated with Vedic Astrology for more than five decades. Persons from different countries belonging to different faiths and religions have sought astrological advice from him. He has authored more that a dozen books on astrology most of which have already gone in several editions. His studies have been published in English, Dutch and Spanish languages. Bepin Behari is considered one of the most original and outstanding Vedic Astrologer in almost every English speaking country.