Greek origin of astrology.

[P.K.Ramakrishnan]

Greek origin of astrology

 

Vrahamihira says –

 

म्लेच्छा हि यवनास्तेषु

सम्यग् शास्त्रमिदं स्थितम् /

ऋषिवत् ते०पि पूज्यन्ते

किं पुनर्दैववित् द्विज: //

 

Yavanas or Greeks are mlecchas

or uncivilized.  But this science (of

fortune telling) is well established in them.

They are worshipped like Rishis.

Then why not a Brahmin who knows

fortune telling or Astrology.

 

In his well known book Horasastram

Varahanihira uses various Greek words.

 

 I shall give a few examples.

 

There are 12 signs in the zodiac.  The Indian names

in Sanskrit are based on the Greek names.

 

Varahamihira says -

 

क्रिय-तावुरु-जितुम-कुळीर-

लेय-पार्थोन-जूक-कोर्प्याख्या: /

तौक्षिक-आकोकेरो

हृद्रोगश्चन्त्यभं चेत्थम् //

The equivalent in Sanskrit.

क्रिय = मेष

तावुरु = वृषभ

जितुम = मिथुन

कुळीर = कर्कटक

लॆय ( leo ) = सिम्ह

पार्थोन = कन्या

जूक   = तुला

कोर्पि (scorpion) = वृश्चिक

तौक्षिक = धनुस्

अकोकेर = मकर

हृद्रोग   = कुम्भ

इत्थम्  = मीनम्

 

There are other Greek words used by Varahamihira in his Brihat Jatakam.

 

Kendra    - the first, fourth, seventh and tenth rasi/bhava in a horoscope. (Now accepted as a Sanskrit word)

 

Panapara – the second, eighth, eleventh rasi/bhava in a horoscope.

 

Apoklima- the third, nineth, twelth rasi/bhava in a horoscope.

 

There are a few more Greek words used in Indian astrology.

 

 

 

During Aryabhata's time week day has been established in India.  But that it is of Greek origin can be ascertained by his use of the word "hora" in horesaah. Even Varahamihira could not the find hora in Sanskrit.  So he wondered its origin like this.

 

होरेत्यहोरात्रविकल्पमेके

वान्छन्ति पूर्वापरवर्णलोपात् /

 

He said it could be ahoratra

with the disappearance of the

first and last letters in अ-होरा-त्र.

 

Another point to be brought out here is that

in India a day is divided into 60 nadikas and

not 24 hours which is a Greek method.

 

 

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P.K.Ramakrishnan
http://peekayar.blogspot.com