PLANETS' MOTION- ViziOn View

We do not understand why Budha (Mercury) and Sukra (Venus) being Lords of FOUR Houses in Horoscope (12 HOUSES) be so cruelly snubbed and curtailed to deliver their Good / Favourable effects in Astrology

Examine ancient Hindu Astronomy, its design and development in the past. Concentrate on such elements of Astronomy necessary for Astrologers. True Bhaskara-II said “Knowledge of Astronomical calculations and Astrological factors, is the success-key to be a good Astrologer”.

Our understanding of Hindu Astronomy and Astrology is based on Surya Siddhanta (by Rev. Burgess), Aryabhatiya, Bruhatjataka, Sripathi, Graha Laaghava, Ganakaananda, Pratyabdaphala Panchaanga Sarali, Kaala Maadhaveeya, Kaalasaadhana Koumudi, Krishnamisriya, and such texts. Our rehearsals of these complex mathematical formulae improved our understanding of Astronomico-Astrological concepts better.

Hindu Astronomy attained par-excellence world over in reconciling ancient Hindu scriptures and thoughts with different Astronomical views elsewhere in the world. But this Astronomy is not adequate enough for Astrological requirements of future predictions. Hindu Astronomy though an approxiamte science, gained popularity and repute due to the simple fact that all anomolies vanish because of large distances among the Solar system bodies, and their rapid motions. Viewed from a large distance from Earth, these bodies exhibit insignificant abberations, and this is the root-cause for our visible approval of the behaviour of these solar bodies.

For Astrological purposses, Moon, Mercury and Venus can disobey their sphuta or refined positional & motion theory for Astrological and future predictions. Basically Hindu Sphere is a siderial one. Mercury, Venus are the Lords of 4 out of 12 Rasis/Houses in Horoscope. So their significance due to their position and motion is very important in Astrology. As per Surya Siddhanta (by Rev. Burgess) verses 20 to 44, Mercury Venus are no way bonded to the movement of Sun as per Hindu thought. Because, they obey their own elliptical orbits irrespective of that of Sun, like every Planet does. What sphuta theory prescribes is their visual position as is seen from Earth. In sphutikarana as per Drik-siddhanta, Sun is considered as the reference. This is the mighty postulate for Moon and all the five planets.  So, there is a tie-up with Sun, to proclaim that Sun is at the centre of their Orbits falling in their two focii. Moon being Earth’s Satellite, has orbit around Earth although Earth orbits around Sun. This establishes Newton’s spiral motion. In the case of Mercury and Venus, they too have their orbits around Sun, but similar to the spiral motion as that of Moon. Whether in fact so or not, is matter of concern. But, it is so as is visualized from ON EARTH. Because, Hindu Astrology (Astronomy too) demands Earth to be the reference.

Never-the-less, one can go precisely backwards into remotest past and farthest future without Drik-siddhanta sphutikarana to verify known planetary configurations and eclipses. This is possible with mean-motions of Mercury and Venus and not sphuta or adjusted positions as is done in the case of their speed or Gati calculations. Secondly, the apogge, perigee, aphelion, and perhelion points should remain the same. In Sphutikarana, except in Deshantara Samskara (Local Adjustment), Madhya-Gati (uniform speed) of Mercury and Venus are not used elsewhere, BUT mentioned. We believe that from this stage onwards, newly-introduced Drik-Samskara took-over, altogether differently from original Surya Siddhanta. What used to follow after this Deshantara Samskara in the original Surya Siddhanta remained a mystery for all Hindus without any trace of knowing it. What this sphutikarana adjustment prescribes is but a non-uniform motion within these four nodes. We experimented with familiar Horoscopes with and without sphutikarana and found that sphutikarana gives different results in Astrological predictions. We must admit that it should not give accurate results as a matter of principle, because the calculations give planetary longitudes which are not truly ecliptical but spirally-skewed-elliptical, whereas all other planets are practically ecliptical. How can two entirely different appraoches fit in the same frame. There must be consistency in theory. We understand, Sphutikarana is meant basically for Hindu Muhurtas or regulated Human behaviour and conduct of life-styles. Sphutikarana is not tenable beyond a few year’s future, since based on Dyugana. And Ahargana based on Dyugana we all know, is prone to error because of its large size, even with any computerized approach. In fact, this is why Salivahana and Vikramaditya eras came into being instead of Kaliyug as the start of epoch, Iron Age.

Our doubts further center round a number of gaps. Few vitally important gaps deserve mention here. First, Moon, Mercury, and Venus have their own independent orbits. These may be revolving around Sun one way or other. Their Longitudes are calculated on the basis of Bhuja (Sine) to know the true arc for its apparent true position. Instead of Bhuja, if longitudes are calculated on basis of Koti (Cosine), then their orbit would be ecliptical, following path of Sun. This would smoothen their spiral orbit into an elliptical and ecliptical orbit. After all, how much difference in Longitudes it makes is dependent on the Maximum and Minimum diameters of the ellipse, which is not much significant compared to its relative distance to Earth. Astrology is primarily based on the TENET that Planets effect Human behaviour due to their sort of radiational influence. The case of Moon will be different, although needing refinement. This kind of refinement helps in Astrological predictions with apparent positions (reference to Earth) with refined longitudes and lattitudes. Other related factors like East-West Risings (Udaya), East-West Settings (Astamay), Vakra (Retrograde motion) can be accordingly refined. With such refinements, perhaps predictions must be fairly accurate theoretically. It is true that Hindu Astronomy survived in the hands of Astrologers since 12^th AD, but that popularity must extend beyond Astronomy and satisfy Astrological requisites. Blind application of Drik-siddha Sphuta motions in Astrology may have been a cause for our prediction-failures.

Second is Spiral Motion for falling bodies. All planets including Earth are falling bodies. So is Mercury and Venus. Mercury and Venus are often masked by Sun whether they are between Earth and Sun, or behind Sun. In this regard, we all know how many days, each of these two planets are obscured/masked by Sun due to Astangatva (combustion due to proximity with Sun), East-West Risings and Settings. Assuming their revolution along their apparently self-built-afresh orbits around Sun renders these two planets incapcitated and sometimes adversely too. Consider also the case of Planetary-tilt in its own axis of self-rotation (Swa-bhramana). All Planets revolve in a multi-dimensional space, and all planets are observed from a place on Earth which is but only three dimensional against the Stardom backdrop. This dimension reduction from a multi to three must be definitely addressed to ascribe and prescribe true orbits and speeds. In Higher Mathematics, there are concepts like into-mapping and onto-mapping. Perhaps such approaches might help in translating absolute-true phenomenon into visibly-true phenomenon.

Third is the difference between Astronomy and Astrology. The two branches deviate from Sphutikarana onwards, as said earlier. Whether such sphuta-motions are ably yielding desired Astrological predictions is of great concern to us. Today’s scientific thinking is towards the existence of many Suns. Universe is now known to be expanding at an increasingly-faster rate. Then, with which Sun would one allow Mercury and Venus to be dragged along ? Panchang (Almanac) calculations are acceptable for construction of Natal Horoscope. There is absolutely NO DISAGREMENT for the time-being. For longer-future forecasts into say decades after birth, only mean-motions are tenable/justified as is done by all traditional Astrological scholars, and not with sphuta motions. Further, except for Sun and Moon, we have no substantial recurring proofs like eclipses to prove or disprove other planets’ positions and speeds. Modern astronomical means and space-voyages may help and are known to have yielded rich valuable information.

Hindu Astrology is primarily meant for future predictions. Tri-skandha shashtra includes Siddhanta, Jyotisha, Muhurta. Siddhanta locates an individual human uniquely within one YEAR out of many many centuries. Jyotisha is primarily based on DAILY motion of Grahas (Planets). And, Muhurtha determines that 48 Minute time-interval in a day. Siddhantha and Jyotisha are two separate entities, both of which unfortunately did not progress at all, leave alone their abuse these wonderful theories are subjected to today. The reference point in Hindu Astrology is always the place of Birth on Earth. And hardly, we ever saw any corrections made for Earth's rotation on its own axis, or the 24-hour cycle positions of planets being adjusted inter-alia. Simply copying Panchang positions, and predicting, without regard for Planetary tilts in their axes etc..is the real abuse. This Birth place (often mis-represented by Panchang Ganith Kendra), can neither be the centre of Earth, nor the whole Earth squeezed into that very-tiny birth-place to position Mercury and Venus always dragged along by Sun. Hence is the fittest case to resolve planetary spiral motions into smoothened elliptically-ecliptic orbits. Till then, Madhya Graha's with Madhya Gati (uniform speed) of motion is substantially adequate for all Astrological prediction purposses.