Article by Umang Taneja
in
The Hindustan Times
"Clarifying stardom"

WHAT IS ASTROLOGY? An art, occult, blind faith or science? To many it is anything but science. This is because astrology as practised today has inherent contradictions and confusions. Most astrologers today do not have the means to predict accurately.

A planet is expected to have favourable or unfavourable effects on the owner, according to the houses of his horoscope, which are fixed for all the 12 ascendants (lagans). In addition to it moon, sun, 16 other lagans (shodashvargas), pad lagans etc. are also used in handling a horoscope. A number of astrologers are also using ashtakvarga, varshaphal and various dasas also to study a particular horoscope. There is no agreement on the principles/rules of all the above in books, amongst astrologers and ancient savants of astrology. And to add to the confusion there are hundreds of yogas, arishtas, planet strengths — since a horoscope contains a number of yogas both positive and negative which further contradict each other.

Now the question arises: Is there any system that is logical and scientific? The answer is yes. Nadi astrology, which is scientific and gives accurate results, is the answer. It is governed by definite principles and rules. The second relevant factor is the casting of Nirayana Bhava Chalit chart, in addition to the lagan (ascendant) chart, which shows the planetary position as observed for an individual from a particular longitude and latitude, or the place of birth of the individual.

According to the principles of Nadi astrology the sub-lord is stronger than the nakshatra, which is stronger than the planet and various combinations of houses that determine life events. I will illustrate an example here for better understanding. In astrology all houses have significance e.g. the 12th house in a horoscope signifies loss, investment, confinement, carnal pleasures, foreign travel, export-import etc. Ordinarily it becomes difficult for an astrologer to predict accurately when the dasa of a planet signifying the 12th house is in operation. But when the 12th house is signified in combination with other houses predicting becomes easy. Like when the 12th house is signified with the 6th or the 8th the individual suffers loss and when signified with 2, 6, 10, 11 there are profits in investments. When the 5th house is signified with the 12th house, the individual enjoys carnal pleasures. Similarly when the 7th house, which is the house of open animosity, and the 8th, which represents sexual organs and insults, are signified with the 12th and Venus (the natural signifier of sex) the female undergoes rape. Similarly all the major events of life viz. marriage, health, property etc. are formulated to give accurate results.

To find out the time when life events of an individual will fructify, the correct dasa system i.e. vimsottari dasa system, in which the dasa lord is stronger than the bhukti lord, which in turn is stronger than the antar lord, should be used. Timing is also pinpointed by using the transits.

Most astrologers follow conventional methods because no research has taken place in the field. Introducing astrology as an optional subject in schools and colleges can rectify this. This will also give astrology a scientific support. If this scientific approach is adopted it can be a step in the right direction for astrology in the next millennium.