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What are the origins of Indian astrology?

Mapping the exact times of events in Indian history has always being a challenge. But still, we will start with best possible figures we can have.

History of Indian Astrology.jpg

One of the famous Astrologer of modern day (Nikhil Gupta) claim to research and traced the rough time for the birth of Indian epics and as per him,

  1. Prince Ram was born on 5114 BC. (10th Jan 5114 BC 11:30:21am (Exact time rectified by Nikhil) Ayodhya, India)

  2. Another epic Hero Krishna, his birth was traced to be near around year 3227 BC. (23rd June 3227 BC (Source: Nikhil’s research) 11:50:04pm (Source: Nikhil’s research) Mathura, India)

Reference of Nikhil’s work : Very Rare Astrological Birth Details of Greatest Personalities

Since they were the Birth of Great importance to Indian values, culture and religion, their birth statics like planet positions were acknowledged, preserved and passed on many generations.

So we have a clear indication that Astrology existed during and before this birth dates.

Now let’s trace it in time line.

From some other astrological reference and the work of Author DEVDUTT PATTANAIK, we get this rough time line -

  1. 10,000 BCE : End of ice age in Indian subcontinent.
  2. 7000 - 5000 BCE : Pre-Ramayana and Ramayana - The story of Ram (Astrology existed - verbally)
  3. 5000 - 3000 BCE : Pre-Mahabharat and Mahabharat - Time when Great war happened and Krishna walked on earth. (Astrology existed - mostly verbally)
  4. 3000 BCE : Pyramids built in Egypt.
  5. 2500 BCE : Harappan Civilization.
  6. 1500 BCE : Rig Veda period (Indian Astrology might be came to be know as Veda-anga OR a part of Veda.)
  7. 500 BCE : Time of Buddha
  8. 300 BCE : Mauryan Empire. (Written work of scripture started during the rule of Emperor Ashok) (Astrology might be existed in both - verbal and written forms)
  9. 100 BCE : Indo-Greek Empire
  10. 0 (Time 0) : Popular oral epics were gradually put down in writing in format Sanskrit. (Might be Astrological work was too in Sanskrit)
  11. 300 CE : Gupta Empire
  12. 1000 CE : Epics are formally composed in Tamil in south India. (Might be the partition of North and South Indian styles of Astrology, with both having different type of Birth chart)
  13. 1200 CE : Dehli Sultanate tries to dominate in north India.
  14. 1400 CE : Vijaynagar Empire defends ‘Hindu religion’.
  15. 1600 CE : Epics are now composed in Hindi language in north India.
  16. 1800 CE : British Raj
  17. 1900 CE : English translation of Sanskrit work and regional epics of India. (early phases of English translation of Indian Astrology)
  18. 2020 CE : I’m writing this Answer 😇(in the mid of a Pandemic).

Some different approaches of astrology with time reference : (Credits to - Facets of Marriage & the 7th House by Aparna Sharma)

  1. PARASHARI PERIOD - (3000 BC – 57 BC) In this period, important vital works pertaining to astrology were ‘Brihat parashara hora shastra’ by sage Parashar, Jaimini astrology by sage Jaimini Garga samhita by Gargacharya and Naadi astrology by sage satyacharya. Sage Parashara has been considered as the foremost astrologer for kaliyuga which is believed to have commenced from 3102 b. c. Parashar’s monumental work BRIHAT PARASHARA HORA SHASTRA is a backbone of vedic astrology and forms the base and essence of all astrology imported to us. Parashara has described about 7th house and marriage in ‘chapter 18 of ‘Brihat parashara hora shastra’.

  2. VARAHAMIHIR PERIOD - (57 BC – 1900 AD) Important texts like Brihat jataka, Brihat samhita, Panchsidhhantika, Daivagya vallabha, Sarvaartha chintaamani and Chamatkaar chintamani and Jaataka alankar etc. were products of this period.

    Most detailed in natal predictive techniques and having references about marriage in it were texts like –

    Saaravali by Kalyan verma Jaataka Paarijaata by Vaidyanath Jaataka Bharana by Dhundhiraj Phaldeepika by Mantreswara Sanket Nidhi by Ramdayalu

If we talk about tracing down the proper origins of Indian astrology, I have to say it was embedded into Indian cultural components like birth, marriages and other important ceremonies. And it traces down to be as old as 8,000 BCE. If we count from now it is approximately as old as 10 thousand years. But not to forget that Hindu religion and core Indian culture are one of the oldest to survive. And Indian Astrology being and Integral part survived along with it.

Last updated on 9th November 2020 by Nachiket

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