पितामह-नारद-वसिष्ट-कश्यपादिसुनिर्मितं ज्योतिश्शास्त्रैकस्कन्धरुपं
जन्मनानाविधफलादेश्फलकं वेदचक्षुरुपं द्विजानामध्ययनीयं शास्त्रं होराशब्द वाज्यम्।pitāmaha-nārada-vasiṣṭa-kaśyapādisunirmitaṁ jyotiśśāstraikaskandharupaṁ
janmanānāvidhaphalādeśphalakaṁ vedacakṣurupaṁ dvijānāmadhyayanīyaṁ śāstraṁ horāśabda vājyam |
The science (Śāstra) of astrology, designated by the word Horā, was revealed by the sages Pitāmaha (the Universal Father, Brahmā), Nārada, Vaśiṣṭha, and Kaśyapa. It consists of a Skandha and reflects various kinds of effects arising from birth. It is the eye of the Vedas and is a science that should be studied by the Brāhmaṇas.
Nārada
उक्तञ्च नारदेन-
uktañca nāradena-
सिद्धान्तसंहिता होररुपं स्कन्धत्रयात्मकम्।
वेदस्य निर्मलं चक्षुर्ज्योतिश्शास्त्रमकल्मषम्॥ १३॥siddhāntasaṁhitā horarupaṁ skandhatrayātmakam |
vedasya nirmalaṁ cakṣurjyotiśśāstramakalmaṣam || 13 ||विनैतदखिलं श्रौतस्मार्तं कर्म न सिद्धयति।
तस्माज्जगद्धितायोदं ब्रह्मणा रचितं पुरा॥ १४॥
अत एव द्द्विजैरेतदध्योतव्यं प्रयत्नतः। इति।vinaitadakhilaṁ śrautasmārtaṁ karma na siddhayati |
tasmājjagaddhitāyodaṁ brahmaṇā racitaṁ purā || 14 ||
ata eva ddvijairetadadhyotavyaṁ prayatnataḥ | iti |
Sage Nārada said:
Astrology (Jyotiśa Śāstra), the pure eye of the Vedas, free from all blemish (akalmaṣam), consists of three branches: (1) Siddhānta, (2) Saṁhitā, and (3) Horā. Without the study of, or guidance from, these sciences, actions based upon Śruti and Smṛti cannot bear fruit. For this reason, Lord Brahmā revealed this science of astrology in ancient times for the welfare of the universe. Therefore, Brāhmaṇas should make every effort to understand and master this science. Thus ends Nārada’s exposition.
Parāśara
गणितेषु प्रवीणो यः शब्दशास्त्रे कृतश्रमः।
न्यायविद् बुद्धिमान् देशदिक्कालज्ञो जितेन्द्रियः॥ ३९॥gaṇiteṣu pravīṇo yaḥ śabdaśāstre kṛtaśramaḥ |
nyāyavid buddhimān deśadikkālajño jitendriyaḥ || 39 ||ऊहापोहपटुर्होरास्कन्धश्रवणसम्मतः।
मैत्रेय सत्यतां यादि तस्य वाक्यं न संशयः॥ ४०॥ūhāpohapaṭurhorāskandhaśravaṇasammataḥ |
maitreya satyatāṁ yādi tasya vākyaṁ na saṁśayaḥ || 40 ||
39–40. Qualifications for Accurate Predictions
O Maitreya, the words of one who has attained proficiency in mathematics, who has diligently studied grammar, who possesses knowledge of logic and justice, who is intelligent, who understands geography, space, and time, who has conquered the senses, who is skilled in reasoning and discernment, and who is well-versed in the Horā branch of Jyotiṣa, will undoubtedly be true.
(Bṛhat Parāśara Horā Śāstra, Chapter 27)
Kaśyapa
उक्तञ्च कश्यपेन –
uktañca kaśyapena –
राशिभेदे खेटयोनी वियोनिजन्मलक्षणम्।
निषेक-जननं पुंसामरिष्टे भङ्गलक्षणम्॥१७॥rāśibhede kheṭayonī viyonijanmalakṣaṇam |
niṣeka-jananaṁ puṁsāmariṣṭe bhaṅgalakṣaṇam ||17||आयुर्दयो दशभेदो ज्ञेया चान्तर्दशा तथा।
अष्टवगैः कर्मजीवै राजयोगाश्च नाभसः॥१८॥āyurdayo daśabhedo jñeyā cāntardaśā tathā |
aṣṭavagaiḥ karmajīvai rājayogāśca nābhasaḥ ||18||चन्द्रयोगा द्विग्रहाद्याः प्रव्रज्यायोगसंभवाः।
राशिशीलं दृफलं ग्रहभावफलं ततः॥१९॥candrayogā dvigrahādyāḥ pravrajyāyogasaṁbhavāḥ |
rāśiśīlaṁ dṛphalaṁ grahabhāvaphalaṁ tataḥ ||19||आश्रयाख्यश्च् ये योगाः संकीर्णसंभवाः।
स्त्रीजातकं नष्टयोगां निर्यणं नष्टजातकम्॥२०॥द्रेष्काणदिफलं सर्वं होरास्कन्धस्य संभवः इति।
āśrayākhyaśc ye yogāḥ saṁkīrṇasaṁbhavāḥ |
strījātakaṁ naṣṭayogāṁ niryaṇaṁ naṣṭajātakam ||20||
dreṣkāṇadiphalaṁ sarvaṁ horāskandhasya saṁbhavaḥ iti |
Within the branch of Horā, the following subjects are discussed (in sequence): zodiac signs, planets, birth-related conditions, conception, birth, planetary afflictions at birth, cancellation of such afflictions, longevity, various types of major and sub-periods (daśās and antardaśās), Aṣṭakavarga, livelihood, combinations indicating royal status, Nābhasa Yogas (the most enduring planetary combinations), lunar yogas, the effects of two or more planets in conjunction, combinations indicating renunciation, the nature of the signs, the effects of planetary aspects, the effects of planets in various bhāvas, Āśraya Yogas, female horoscopes, combinations indicating infertility, death, lost horoscopes, the effects of decanates (dreṣkāṇas), and more. All of these subjects arise from the branch of Horā.
Vaśiṣṭha
उक्तञ्च वशिष्ठेन –
uktañca vaśiṣṭhena –
अध्येतव्यं ब्राह्मणैरेव तस्माज्ज्योतिश्शास्त्र पुण्यमेद् हस्यम्।
adhyetavyaṁ brāhmaṇaireva tasmājjyotiśśāstra puṇyamed hasyam |
एतद्बुध्वा सम्यगाप्नोति यस्मादर्थ धर्म मोक्षमग्रयं यशश्च॥२१॥
etadbudhvā samyagāpnoti yasmādartha dharma mokṣamagrayaṁ yaśaśca ||21||
According to Vaśiṣṭha, only a Brāhmaṇa has the right to study the science of astrology, which is sacred and mysterious. After successfully mastering this science, a Brāhmaṇa attains wealth, religious merit, great fame, and liberation (mokṣa).
यथा शिखा मयूराणां नागानां मणयो यथा।
तद्वद् वेदाङ्गशास्त्राणां ज्योतिषं मूर्धनि स्थितम्॥yathā śikhā mayūrāṇāṃ nāgānāṃ maṇayo yathā |
tadvad vedāṅgaśāstrāṇāṃ jyotiṣaṃ mūrdhani sthitam ||„As the crest-feather of the peacock, as the crest-jewel of the serpent — so stands Jyotiṣa at the crown of the Vedāṅga sciences.”
— Vedāṅga Jyotiṣa · Lagadha Maharṣi
“A child is born on that day and at that hour when the celestial rays are in mathematical harmony with his individual karma. The horoscope is a portrait of challenges, revealing his unalterable past and probable future results. The message boldly blazoned across the heavens at the moment of birth is not meant to emphasize fate, but to awaken our will to action.”
— Svāmi Śrī Yuktesvar Giri
Jyotiṣa is a precise discipline of Vedic knowledge. It is the science and technology of consciousness and the governing authority over the entire range of the all-pervading universe. Its contribution is Enlightenment, self-sufficiency, invincibility, and the realization of all possibilities in the life of any individual or any nation.
— Mahārṣi Mahesh Yogi