A ' (

treatise A treatise is a Formality, formal and systematic written discourse on some subject concerned with investigating or exposing the main principles of the subject and its conclusions."mwod:treatise, Treatise." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Acc ...

on Jyotisha) is a text from a classical body of literature on the topic of Hindu astrology, known as , dating to the medieval period of

Classical Sanskrit literature Sanskrit literature is a broad term for all literature composed in Sanskrit. This includes texts composed in the earliest attested descendant of the Proto-Indo-Aryan language known as Vedic Sanskrit, texts in Classical Sanskrit as well as some ...

(roughly the 3rd to 9th centuries CE). Only the most important ones exist in scholarly editions or translations, while many remain unedited in Sanskrit or vernacular manuscripts. Such classical texts should be distinguished from modern works. There are a great number of contemporary publications, reflecting the persisting importance of astrology in

Hindu culture Hinduism () is an umbrella term for a range of Indian religious and spiritual traditions ( ''sampradaya''s) that are unified by adherence to the concept of ''dharma'', a cosmic order maintained by its followers through rituals and right ...

, and the corresponding economical attractivity of the market in India. Notable modern authors include Sri Yukteswar Giri (1855–1936) and Bangalore Venkata Raman (1912–1998).

Classification

David Pingree David Edwin Pingree (January 2, 1933 – November 11, 2005) was an American historian of mathematics in the ancient world. He was a University Professor and Professor of History of Mathematics and Classics at Brown University. Life Pingree gra ...

defines ''jyotihshastra'' as manuscripts on

astronomy Astronomy is a natural science that studies celestial objects and the phenomena that occur in the cosmos. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and their overall evolution. Objects of interest includ ...

mathematics Mathematics is a field of study that discovers and organizes methods, Mathematical theory, theories and theorems that are developed and Mathematical proof, proved for the needs of empirical sciences and mathematics itself. There are many ar ...

astrology Astrology is a range of Divination, divinatory practices, recognized as pseudoscientific since the 18th century, that propose that information about human affairs and terrestrial events may be discerned by studying the apparent positions ...

and

divination Divination () is the attempt to gain insight into a question or situation by way of an occultic ritual or practice. Using various methods throughout history, diviners ascertain their interpretations of how a should proceed by reading signs, ...

, and estimates that about 10% of surviving Sanskrit manuscripts belong to the category. Traditionally, ''jyotihshastra'' texts are classified into three broad categories: * samhitā or ''śākhā'' (natural astrology and omens): effects of planetary positions and other natural phenomenon on the world * horā or ''jātaka'' (horoscopic astrology): effects of planetary positions on humans, * gaṇita (mathematical astronomy): calculations of planetary paths and other astronomical matters such as spherics ** siddhanta: a fundamental treatise; generally uses the beginning of creation of ''kalpa'' (aeon) as the

epoch In chronology and periodization, an epoch or reference epoch is an instant in time chosen as the origin of a particular calendar era. The "epoch" serves as a reference point from which time is measured. The moment of epoch is usually decided b ...

of calculation ** tantra: generally uses the beginning of the ''

kali yuga ''Kali Yuga'' (Devanagari: कलियुग), in Hinduism, is the fourth, shortest, and worst of the four '' yugas'' (world ages) in a '' Yuga cycle'', preceded by '' Dvapara Yuga'' and followed by the next cycle's '' Krita (Satya) Yuga''. I ...

'' as the epoch of calculation ** karana: a handy, practical work describing short and simplified calculations; meant for

panchanga A panchāngam (; ) is a Hindu calendar and almanac, which follows traditional units of Hindu timekeeping, and presents important dates and their calculations in a tabulated form. It is sometimes spelled ''Panchāngamu, Pancanga'', ''Pancha ...

-makers; generally uses the year of composition as the epoch According to Pingree, this classification, mentioned in sources such as the '' Brihat Samhita'' (1.9), does not cover the field adequately.

List of classical texts

* '' Gargiya-jyotisha'' * '' Garga-samhita'', attributed to

Vrddha Garga Garga, also known as Vṛddha Garga ("Garga the Elder"), was an ancient Indian scholar of jyotisha. Several Sanskrit-language jyotiḥśāstra works - covering topics such as astrology, astronomy, and divination - are attributed to him. These wor ...

* '' Garga Hora'' * '' Brihat Parasara Horashastra'', attributed to sage

Parasara Parashara (Sanskrit: पराशर; IAST: ) was a maharishi and the author of many ancient Hindu texts. He is accredited as the author of the first Purana, the Vishnu Purana, before his son Vyasa wrote it in its present form. He was the gran ...

* '' Jaimini Sutra'', attributed to sage

Jaimini Jaimini was an ancient Indian scholar who founded the Mīmāṃsā school of Hindu philosophy. He is the son of Parāśara and is considered to be a disciple of sage Vyasa. Traditionally attributed to be the author of the '' Mimamsa Sutras''Ja ...

* ''Sphujidhwaja Hora'' or

Yavanajataka The Yavanajātaka (Sanskrit: '' yavana'' 'Greek' + ''jātaka'' ' nativity' = 'nativity according to the Greeks'), written by Sphujidhvaja, is an ancient text in Indian astrology. According to David Pingree, it is a later versification of an earl ...

by King Sphujidhwaja) * ''

Sārāvalī :''Kalyanavarman is also the name of a member of the Varman dynasty (5th century).'' The ''Sārāvalī'' of Kalyāṇavarman is a foundational compilation of Indian astrology, dating to ca. 800 CE, somewhat post-dating the '.David Pingree, ' (J. ...

'' by Kalyanavarma * '' Brihat Samhitā'' by Varahamihira * '' Brihat Jataka'' by Varahamihira * ''Daivajna Vallabha'' by Varahamihira * '' Phaladeepika'' by Mantreshvara * '' Hora Sara'' by Prithuyasas * '' Sarvartha Chintamani'' by Venkatesha Daivajna * '' Hora Ratna'' by Acharya Balabhadra * '' Jataka Parijata'' by Vaidyanatha Deekshita * '' Chamatkara Chintamani'' by

Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri (Mēlpattūr Nārāyaṇa Bhaṭṭatiri; 1560–1646/1666), third student of Achyuta Pisharati, was a member of Madhava of Sangamagrama's Kerala school of astronomy and mathematics. He was a mathematical linguist ...

* '' Uttara Kalamritam'' by Ganaka Kalidasa * ''

Tajika Neelakanthi Tajika Neelakanthi (IAST: Tājikanīlakaṇṭhī) is a treatise on the predictive part of Hindu astrology written in Sanskrit Slokas by the celebrated authority on Tajika shastra, Neelakantha, son of Ananta Deva, on the basis of many earlie ...

'' by

Nilakantha Nilkanth, Neelkanth, or Nīlakaṇtha () is another name or characteristic of the Hindu deity Shiva. It may also refer to: People * Mahipatram Rupram Nilkanth, Gujarati educationist, reformer, novelist and biographer * Neelakantha Chaturdhara ...

) * '' Prasna Marga'' by Panakkattu Nambootiri * '' Dasadhyayi'' by

Govinda Bhattathiri Govinda Bhaṭṭathiri (also known as Govinda Bhattathiri of Thalakkulam or Thalkkulathur) ( 1237 – 1295) (p.15) was an Indian astrologer and astronomer who flourished in Kerala during the thirteenth century BCE, CE. Govinda Bhaṭṭatir ...

References

Bibliography

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Jyotihsastra Hindu astrological texts Jyotisha Jyotisha Sanskrit texts

Classification

List of classical texts

See also

References

Bibliography