Fwd: [hc] Vedic astrology! Eh? Nothing Vedic about it--K N Rao

[Guest guest]

hinducivilization , Tripura Malini

<tripura_malini wrote:

 

Dear Kaul ji,

With my very

limited understanding, I fail to see where the problem is? Whether

you condemn

vedic astrology? or the prefix 'vedic' attached to astrology? or you

are

against astrology as a branch of knowledge? Please clarify. I am

confused. Did

you feel better when KN Rao removed 'Vedic' from his predictive

astrology? Now

what do you want us to call it? Rao's Astrology? Every branch of

knowledge has

its origin somewhere in the past. When and where is the origin of

astrology

according to you? Or is it totally baseless? Or there is a foreign

hand which

brought it to India? Please tell us.

I do not know

much about your views as I just responded to one of your mails which

condemned

both astrology and astrologers. Now we must take up issues one by

one. If you

condemn both, no arguments, to each his own… there are many non-

believers and

it is fine with us.

You do seem to

believe in Muhurta. Where does Muhurta have its basis? Use of

astronomy to find

a good time for our activities on earth? So which system do you

follow for

muhurta? Indian, Vedic or Greek? Or any other? Or you have propounded

your own

system? Kaul's Muhurta?

Similarly for

the festivals which have our religious sanctity more than any

astronomical or

astrological reasoning, if you want to change the dates, you will

have to

become a Dharmguru and create a big force of disciples and command

them to

change the dates… that's the only way.

We

are

young minds with a very limited understanding, but very keen on

knowing

different aspects of our culture and heritage. Kindly first explain

these

issues one by one so that we can decide which way to go!!

Regards

Tripura

 

 

 

Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to

http://messenger./invite/

 

--- End forwarded message ---

[Guest guest]

hinducivilization , ShankaraBharadwaj

Khandavalli <shankarabharadwaj wrote:

 

Pranam Sri A K Kaul ji,

 

"

Your replies are actually more confusing than enlighening! "

 

I am too small to enlighten someone as learned as you. I am only

pointing things that seem obvious to me.

 

"

Sometimes you say that astrology is " present " in the Vedas though we

cannot see the same. Then you say that " nirayana " Rashis may not be

in the Vedas but they are in later astrologcial works! When asked to

name even a single such indigenous pre-Surya Sidhanta astrolgical

wrok which talks of Mesha etc. rashis, you give an entirely different

twist to the entire discussion, so that we lose all the track of the

subject of discussion! "

 

To me there is a lot of ambiguity and there are too many factors that

can invert our conclusions on these. Multiplicity of schools, depth

of time and evolving practices, loss of literature are only a few to

mention. And it is simplistic to take on astrology as the devil.

 

"

Now you say that because the Vedanga Jyotisha has given the wrong

duration of a year that is why we are celebrating our festivals and

muhurtas on worng days, in spite of the fact that nobody is going by

the VJ these days, least of all NASA/JPL, whose data is being used by

Rashtirya (read Lahiri) Panchanga after ayanamsha tonsure! "

 

I have not said it is wrong. The reason I put the question is to hint

at the factor of depth of time.

 

 

In the first place, VJ is not a text of Vedic times. The " Vedic

calculation of year " perhaps saw a modification at VJ times, and that

in turn has seen changes later on.

 

Since how long have Hindus been following Lahiri or Raman or any

other Pancanga? What was the timing of Varahamihira? What kind of

error would their calculation induce over that length time, that we

celebrate our festivals almost a month later? What is the kind of

accuracy in calculation we find in Vedic days and from VJ times, and

what kind of error would that induce over such length of time? And if

Astrologers' calculation is solely responsible for " error " , then it

should also be conceded that their tradition is much older than you

suggest.

 

5000 years since MBH, an error of a single minute in the length of

year from then would put us about a fortnight behind by now. This is

with plain arithmetic, without considering any other factors and

changes to the calculations over time.

 

So the whole problem of calculation of festivals on " right " days is

very incomplete without all those things taken into picture. I think

attacking these " recent " versions will only take you in a loop.

 

"

Astrologers cannot answer my questions because they are not

scientists! And sceintists cannot answer them because they are not

astrologers! What are you? A scientist or an astrologer or neither

or both? "

 

I stand by the first. The second, I did not say but you are not

wrong. Because astrology involves something more than these

calculations.

 

As for me, I am neither by practice, but have learned a littttttle of

both. I have seen a whole range of people who are " astrologers " , who

are not, who do predictions and what not. You might be surprised to

know that there are a lot of people who look at some chart (they do

not even know the basics of how to draw a chart) and make right

predictions. There are people who make such charts. There are also

people who study Panca Siddhantika and make calculations, and do

predictions. And there are people who studied the " science " and

cannot predict.

 

"

<So your questions are going to virtually none! >

 

Still you are answering them! "

 

Well I wish I know enough to answer. The person who has the correct

answer can seldom be found. Most opinions and calculations have

limitations. But my intention in saying that is, to bring a positive

change the system is really too big and complex, with no single

deciding authority where sufficient information and power is there.

Anything has to start as a tradition, and that freedom is fortunately

there in our society.

 

 

 

 

 

________________________________

Avtar Krishen Kaul <jyotirved

hinducivilization

Wednesday, December 17, 2008 8:59:50 PM

[hc] Re: " Vedic astrology! Eh? Nothing Vedic about it " --K N

Rao

 

 

Shri Shankara Bharadwaj Khandavalliji,

Namaskar!

Your replies are actually more confusing than enlighening!

Sometimes you say that astrology is " present " in the Vedas though we

cannot see the same. Then you say that " nirayana " Rashis may not be

in the Vedas but they are in later astrologcial works! When asked to

name even a single such indigenous pre-Surya Sidhanta astrolgical

wrok which talks of Mesha etc. rashis, you give an entirely different

twist to the entire discussion, so that we lose all the track of the

subject of discussion!

 

Now you say that because the Vedanga Jyotisha has given the wrong

duration of a year that is why we are celebrating our festivals and

muhurtas on worng days, in spite of the fact that nobody is going by

the VJ these days, least of all NASA/JPL, whose data is being used by

Rashtirya (read Lahiri) Panchanga after ayanamsha tonsure!

 

Then you say, " I do not think any astrologer will have answers to

your questions, because he is not a scientist - he does not study why

things work and what is the basis for the entire subject. He is the

consumer of the subject. " This is all talking in circles!

Astrologers cannot answer my questions because they are not

scientists! And sceintists cannot answer them because they are not

astrologers! What are you? A scientist or an astrologer or neither

or both?

 

Your following statement takes the cake

 

<So your questions are going to virtually none! >

 

Still you are answering them!

Regards,

A K Kaul

 

--- End forwarded message ---