Karmic Astrology—a Study

by Sunita Anant Chavan | 2017 | 68,707 words

This page relates ‘Ideology in the Brahmana Period’ of the study on Karmic Astrology and its presentation in Vedic and the later Sanskrit literature. Astrology (in Sanskrit: Jyotish-shastra) is based upon perceptive natural phenomenon of cosmic light forms while the Concept of Karman basically means “action according to Vedic injunction” such as the performance of meritorious sacrificial work.

Part 2.1 - Ideology in the Brāhmaṇa Period

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Flourished thoughts about sacrifices and the intention behind them formulate the ideology of the Brāhmaṇas. This chiefly aided to bring forth the speculative nature of these works regarding the correlation.

i. About Sacrifices

Sacrifices were believed to be connecting medium for an interaction between men and the gods, sacrificial action on specific times carried man to the world of the gods was a belief prevalent in this period.

This interaction as beyond physical or perceptive level was understood in the Brāhmaṇa period and the diversified notions of Pratyakṣa (perception) and Parokṣa (beyond sensory perception) existing in between the gods and men were explained. Pratyakṣa of human being Parokṣa for the gods and vice versa^[1] sensory perception became an insufficient means for appropriate knowledge of the gods which were a subject of study. The physical forms of the gods and their qualities were in consideration in the Ṛgveda yet these visible forms held an underlying reality which was the true form of the gods. Learning of the nature of this invisible truth (Satya) beyond the visible appearances was in practice in the Brāhmaṇa period. The perceptive cosmic activity conveyed the work of the gods in this sense.

ii. Satya equated with Actions and Time

Ṛta as Satya established in the earlier stage, (Ṛgveda-saṃhitā IX.113.4,X.190.1.), in the Brāmaṇas takes an additional sense. (Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa I.1.1.4,5 with Kauṣitaki-brāhmaṇa II.8). Imitating the deities continues in the Brāhmaṇas, they being true the nature of truth was constantly under consideration, which centralized in this period around the sacrifices.^[2] The forms of gods especially their immortality was a result achieved by means of sacrifices.^[3] Satya is thus equated with sacrifice or sacrificial action and is to be achieved by accuracy of correctly performed ritual actions.^[4] Varuṇa, often connected with morality in the Saṃhitās, in the Brāhmaṇas comes in connection with mistakes committed in the sacrificial process and punishes for the errors in the sacrifices.^[5]

Truth is connected with proper moment in the Brāhmaṇas, the deity Varuṇa is connected with evening, thus speaking truth is specially connected to evening time and inversely avoiding false utterances at this time is adviced.^[6] As also the connectivity of application of truth at proper moment. (Kauṣitaki-brāhmaṇa II.8.).The deities being aware of the intentions of the men even prior to the offerings or actual act (Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa III.4.2.6,7.) such a thought displays the subtle interaction of this period based on moral norms. Present intentions or will became the deciding factor for after life of a man after death.^[7] The idea of iṣṭāpūrta as imperishable continues in this period and its expressed in Kauṣitaki-brāhmaṇa VII.4. and Jaiminīya-brāhmaṇa II. 53. Along with which future life can be shaped by a man himself as a fruit of sacrifices or ritual actions conducted in present life unrestrained of divine will came to be a belief of this period. The beginnings of the later connectivity of present life to past actions lie in the above thoughts expressed in the Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa VI.2.2.27 and Kauṣitaki-brāhmaṇa XXVI. 3 on which the Jātaka branch of the post Greek period is based.

iii. Prajāpati as a form of Desire

Prajāpati the principle deity of the Brāhmaṇas is made the creator of both the gods as well as the asuras.^[8] Thus he possesses two sides to his nature, one of truth and light and the other side of untruth and darkness.^[9] Prajāpati is equated with sacrifice^[10] which is made a device of worship for the gods for obtainment of their desires.^[11] Prajāpati as a representation of desire, the ideology of the Brāhmaṇas connect the abstract form of ‘desire’ to the visible anthropomorphic form of desire represented by Prajāpati. Desire leading to sat or manifested world of activity is already expressed in Nāsadīyasūkta (Ṛgveda-saṃhitā X.129.) extending in the Brāhmaṇas for an actual representation, also implicating creation from desire. Prajāpati is said to be mortal at first (Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa10.1.3.1.). He is also the foremost sacrificer (Śat, Brā.6.2.3.1.) he sacrificed himself (Pañcaviṃśa-brāhmaṇa VII.2.1.) and also reached the Sun as a reward (Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa X.2.2.1.) Prajāpati made visible in the form of a Saṃvatsara and sacrificial actions arranged on his body parts, represents a stage when cosmic actions in an organized way were followed by human, more actively the physical ones as Prajāpati is seemingly dormant as a moral ruler, sacrificial actions a means for removal of sin or accumulation of merit.

iv. Release from Punarmṛtyu

Release from the bonds of Punarmṛtyu (repeated deaths) also is a thought pondered in this period. (Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa III.11.8), Immortality by transcending death being the solution for an ultimate future, efforts to avoid the repititions of death^[12] by the aid of sacrifices was a settled idea. The gods received immortality on proper performance of Agnicayana non-performance of which led to the series of deaths was a belief prevalent in the culture in this period.^[13] The thought advanced to connect the timed form of Prajāpati to ritual actions to acquire immortality.