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COVER STORY: ASTROLOGY
DESTINY'S CHILD: THE ANATOMY OF A HOROSCOPE
All you wanted to know about horoscopes, planets
and rashis
What the planets have in store for you on
the professional front
SUN: Government service, politics, statistical
work
MOON: Music, medicine, fine arts, chemicals
MARS: Logic related work, engineering,
mechanics, property disputes
MERCURY: Accountancy, journalism, astrology
JUPITER: Humanities, banking, zoology,
management
VENUS: Fine arts, tourism, animation
graphics
SATURN: Geology, archaeology, engineering,
labour laws
KETU: Linguistics, computers, meteorology
RAHU: Psychology, analytical work, space
engineer, pilot, air-hostess
This is the horoscope of an imaginary child
born on September 5, 2001 in Delhi at 1608 hours. The uppermost rhombus
represents the child's lagna, or the house in which Earth was placed at
the time of his birth. His lagna is Capricorn. Since he is born in the
dasha of Mercury, which promotes intelligence and education, he will excel
in studies. Because the Moon is in the third house, which denotes hobbies,
he will have artistic pursuits.
The numbers denote the zodiac signs: 1- Aries,
2-Taurus, 3-Gemini, 4-Cancer, 5-Leo, 6-Virgo, 7-Libra, 8-Scorpio, 9-Sagittarius,
10-Capricorn, 11-Aquarius, 12-Pisces.
Indian astrology does not take into account the planets
Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.
GLOSSARY
ASHTAKAVARGA: Allocation of dots to interpret
transit of planets.
DASHA: The period, or phases, in a man's
life.
KARMA: Sum total of one's physical, mental
and spiritual achievements.
GOCHARA: Planetary transit.
KARMASTHANA: 10th house of the horoscope
(which pertains to job)
RASHIS: 12 parts of the Zodiac, each
being 30 degrees, which cover 360 degrees. They correspond to the zodiac
signs in western astrology.
SADE-SAATI: Transit of Saturn over the
natal Moon. This is generally considered bad.
COUNTERPOINT: YASH PAL
Going Retro
Let astrology remain a harmless pastime, study the sociology
behind its popularity
The formal opening
of a department of Vedic astrology with, of course, the blessings and
initiative of the highest educational authorities in the country, is a
retrograde step. If the intention of studying the subject at the university
level were to understand the psychological and social reasons for the
widespread prevalence of astrology I would be game for it. Seeking such
understanding would be a signal enterprise in social psychology. But setting
up separate departments of astrology to teach astrology-Vedic or any other
kind-would do just the reverse. Such departments would reinforce the already
existing irrationalism. They would be peopled by believers and not by
those who would seek an understanding. Non-believing scientists, sociologists
and psychologists are not likely to be appointed in such departments.
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"If results don't
consistently come true, the theory is wrong. This means that astrology
cannot be a science."
Rajesh Kochhar, Director, National Institute of
Science, Technology & Development Studies, Delhi
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"This whole
debate is nonsensical. You can study astrology if it is interesting
but it is definitely not a science."
N. Kumar, Director, Raman Research Institute,
Bangalore
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Resurrecting Vedic astrology is a crusade that
is seen as a component of resurrecting ancient Indian science and philosophy.
This is a dangerous game. I consider the birth of astrology as a tribute
to the inborn scientific curiosity of the early humans. They had nothing
else to explain the apparently inexplicable. The only regularities they
could spot were in the motion of the moon, the sun and the planets. The
only fixed directions they could identify were those of the stars and
their constellations. Then they looked for a correlation between the known
and the inexplicable and some of them started making predictions. This
seemed to satisfy and amaze an enormous number of people. It gave them
an alibi for non-performance or ill fortune. The fascination still remains.
The educational establishment in India wants
a rebirth of the beginnings but they should know that there is no point
in going back to the cradle. In the present day it would seem ridiculous
to literally think of Saturn, Mars, Jupiter, the moon and the sun as gods.
We know them almost as well as we know anything on earth. That which is
understood on the basis of what is already known and understood cannot
be outside the ambit of natural laws.
I believe that astrology is nothing more than
a pseudo science. Several persons with high academic credentials have
also started speaking in its favour. But I would advise them to let astrology
remain a harmless amusement for those who need it. Let us instead study
the history, sociology and psychology that account for its continued popularity.
That might illuminate other landscapes in which humans have tended to
imprison themselves. Some astrologers might study psychology and provide
counselling to those who need it. They might all try to become scientists!
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