Story on Birth of Vedic Astrology.
August—01—2009 Saturday
During 4500 BC and earlier, the Brahmin community, in spite of their scriptural knowledge, high intellect and honesty, were economically deprived, as their duty was to give knowledge and perform the relgious rituals without seeking anything in return. So they had to live in poverty and depend entirely on the alms given by others out of generosity. Very few astrologers who had fortune to get kings’ patronage were well-to-do. So they requested Maharishi Bhrigu to find an amicable solution to end their poverty.
Maharishi Bhrigu worshipped Goddess Bhagavathi Sri Maha Lakshmi. After a long tapasya of twelve years, She appeared before him and granted him his wish. She advised him to create an astrological treatise with the help of which the Brahmin community can predict the past, present and future of people, and this will ward off their poverty. She told him no person shall have astrological predications as a free service; it shall be a great sin. The person must reward the astrologer liberally with dasa-daanas (ten types of offerings) which include gold coins, gorgeous clothes, cows, land, house and the like. If a person takes free aservice from an astrologer-brahmin using cunning / vile tacts, he has to repay thousand times the fee during next birth to the astrologer. This is a Runa (Debt), which is carried through different births in future. Then she granted him daivagna-jnana (proficiency in astrology) as a boon and disappeared.
Maharishi Bhrigu, with the help of Bhagavan Sri Ganesha, compiled the famous Bhrigu Samhita during 4500-50 period BC during Krutha yuga. Astrology has become an important Vedanga (an organ of Vedas) like Ayurveda medicine and Vastu Sastra (Hindu architecture). Later great saint astrologers wrote monumental works on astrology; they include (1) Maharshi Parasara (3500 BC); he was the father of Maharshi Veda Vyasa (who wrote Maha Bharatha in Sanskrit) and the great grand father of Pandavas and Kauravas of Maha Bharatha epic. His works are called Bruhath Parasara, Parasara Hora Sara. It is an standard text even now.
| Author- Astrologer | Book / Work | period | place |
| Maharshi Jaimini | Jaimini Suthras | 3500 BC | River Godavari; Basara |
| Maharshi Agastya | Agastya Samhita | 4500 BC | River Kaveri; banks |
| Maharshi Garga | Garga Hora Sara | 3000 BC | ----- |
| Maharshi Narada | Narada Samhita | 3500 BC | River Ganga; Prayaga |
| Kavi Kalidasa | Kalaamrutha | 350 BC | Pataliputhra; Ganga bank |
| Daivahna Varahamihira | Bruthat Jataka | 350 BC | Pataliputhra; Ganga bank |
| Manthreswara | Phala Deepika | 150 AC | ----- |
| Gopala Deva | Jataka Ratnakara | 500 AC | Kerala; |
The list is long and unending.
Expert astrologers examine thousands horoscopes with different planetary combinations, predict their results and the remedial measures for prosperity and to ward off the malefics. The Brahmin community gratefully learned astrology and used it for predications and prospered very well.
