The Union Government has taken a stand relying on the Supreme Court ruling that astrology can not be banned.
The case has also a constitutional angle to it.
Vedic astrology is part and parcel of Hindu religion and is absolutely essential for the practice of its ritualistic side.
Astrology is so important in Hindu religion that it is assigned the status of one of the six organs (shadangas) of the vedas and is called the "eye of the vedas"
The time factor of the universe in Hindu religion is explained and taught by astrology. Astrology is also called kalavidhanasastra or knowledge of time and its divisions. Time cannot be perceived by the sensory organs, so the only way to determine time was through movement like that of sun and moon.
A Hindu is duty bound to perform many rituals to guarantee his well being in future lives, a place in heaven and subsequently moksha or release from the cycle of births and deaths. It is astrology based on planetary positions which tells him when to perform these rituals. Nothing or nobody else other than the panchanga based on planetary positions can tell him when is amavasya, when is makara samkranthi, when is yugadi, when is ashtaka, when is anvashtaka, when is akshaya triteeya and the like.
Yajnas are performed as ordained in the vedas and they are dependent on appropriate timing. Astrology is what guides us through timing. Hence astrology deserves the position as an anga of vedas. (ref : Sidhanta Siromani of Sankaracharya)
At the start of of every Hindu ritual, there is a procedure called sankalpa in which the geographical location of the ritual, the time and the purpose are declared. The declaration of the time includes the yuga, year, month, tithi, vara, nakshatra, yoga, karana and the planetary positions. These are all astrological factors. It is believed that in the absence of the sankalpa, the ritual will go aimless and will not yield any result. Astrology is essential part of every Hindu ritual. To deprive the priest of astrological data is like asking the doctor to go without a stethescope. Muhurta chintamani says “ pratyaksham jyotisham sastram chandrarkou yatra sakshinou | vinaitadakhilam srouta smarta karma na sidhyati “ – Astrology is a visible sastra whose witnesses are the sun and moon ; in the absence of astrology it will not be possible to perform the rituals ordained in the vedas and smrutis.
Only the horoscope tells the Hindu what kind of karma he has accrued from the past life and this will help him in taking up steps such as penances to exhaust this karma and progress in his spiritual path.
Identification of the right spiritual path for the Hindu sadhaka draws great help from astrology following principles laid down in texts such as Rudra yamalam.
Hinduism advocates performance of penances for sins committed in the present and past lives. Only astrology can throw light on sins committed in the past lives.
Hinduism considers the nava grahas as divine powers and they are propitiated by offerings at the onset of every ritual. This is called graha preeti daanam. Every Hindu Gruha pravesha and every Satyanarayana pooja involves worship of the navagrahas.
Navagrahas are worshipped in navagraha temples all over India.
Jagatguru Chandrasekharendra Sarasvati Swamiji, the 68th Sankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetha from 1907 to 1995 has been quoted as saying
"The condition of a man corresponds to the changes in the position of the nine grahas. A human being does not enjoy happiness all the time nor does he always suffer hardships - that is, he experiences a mixture of happiness and sorrow. While he may be pushed up to a high position today, he may be thrust down to the depths tomorrow. It is not man alone that is subject to changes of fortune. Establishments too have their ups and down, so also nations."
"The sages saw a relationship between the position and movements of the planets and the destiny of man, the sorrow and happiness experienced by him. There is a branch of astrology called 'hora-skandha'. If we know the planetary position at the time of commencing a job or enterprise, with its help, we should be able to find out how it would take shape, how we would fare in it. If our horoscope is cast on the basis of the configuration of the planets at the time of our birth, our fortunes over the entire period of our life can be predicted."
"Different reasons are given for the ups and downs in a man's life, for his joys and sorrows. It is similar to finding out the different causes of the ailment he suffers from. [The physicians, mantravadins, pandits, and psychologists will give different reasons.] ... All these different causes may be valid. All of them go to create an experience. ... Many outward signs manifest themselves as the fruits of our past karma. They are all related to one another. The course of planets governing our life is in accordance with our karma. We come to know the consequences of our actions in previous births in various ways. Astrological calculations help us to find out such consequences as indicated by the heavenly bodies."
Hindus worship their ancestors during a 15 day period called pitrupaksha every year. The Gregorian calendar does not tell when this period is. Hindus are dependent on the panchanga based on astrology to identify this period. In the absence of astrology, Hindus will be deprived of the opportunity to perform this worship which can invite the wrath of the ancestors on account of non performance of this worship or through performance at the wrong time.
Any effort to restrict astrology will be violate article 25(1) of the constitution of India which guarentees right to freely profess, practice and propagate religion.
