Bṛhajjātaka and the Making of Horoscopy

Abstract

An important transformation is seen in the branch of science in the Gupta period. The area of the science mostly consisted of chemistry, medicine, astronomy, astrology and architecture. The idea of a well versed person is based on his excellence in all fields of science. During this time, many mathematicians and scientists gave their theories and reached the zenith, and Varāhamihira was one of them. He was born in Avanti in 505 A.D and was patronized by Yaśodharman Vikramāditya of Malwa. Bhaṭṭotpal, commentator of Varāhamihira‘s Bṛhat Saṁhitā, wrote on his excellence of writing, ―the redactor of entire Jyotiḥśāstra‖. Varāhamihira includes points of all previous authors and considers astrology based on the āgamas. The term Jyotiḥśāstra is elaborated in Varāhamihira‘s text Bṛhatsaṁhitā. He divides it into three Skandha or parts: the first branch is called Tantra and deals with the mathematical calculation of heavenly bodies; the second known as Horā treats horoscopy or the casting of horoscope; the third is called Aṅgaviniścaya based on natural astrology. In the Saṁhitā, all these parts are discussed with some additional details on medicine, gems and stones, good and bad animals, and the planets and results of their appearance, architecture, manufacture of perfume, eclipse, rainfall etc. There are other important works by the same author. Paňcasiddhāntikā is a well-known work on Tantra (mathematical calculation of astronomy) and Bṛhajjātaka deals with horoscopy. This paper will focus on the critical study of Bṛhajjātak and the process of casting the horoscopic chart. Bṛhajjātaka talked about several signs of the zodiac, effect of different planets in these signs, planetary division and subdivision of life known as Daśās and Antardaśās. There different RājaYogas or the birth of kings, and ascetic Yogas have also been discussed. This process is based on the calculation of rising signs in different places at different timings. Varāhamihira tells us that an astrologer is one ―who knows both text and meaning of the works on mathematical astronomy, natural astrology and horoscopy.‖ All these aspects will be critically dealt with in this paper.