Is Astrology Fraud? What You Really Need To Know!
Many people have tried and failed to discredit astrology throughout the years. Recently, a fame-seeking, self-styled influencer released a video in which he called astrology a "fraud" industry catering to feeble minded Indians. The video's producer stated that millions of Indians are being "fooled" into thinking that astrology is real while in fact it is a hoax.
The video makes some rather sweeping assertions about the validity of astrology and other esoteric fields, like numerology, that don't appear to be backed up by evidence or a thorough examination of the subject. When it came to the planets and the zodiac, however, all that was available was a broad, oversimplified explanation. Without taking their distinctions into account, Western and Indian astrological traditions have been clubbed together. The video eventually turned out to be a clever way to promote an audio-book service, and the creator likely chose a topic related to astrology due to the enormous interest in the field throughout the world.
Still, it raises some serious issues regarding astrology and its adherents. Is it true that those who believe in astrology are "fooled" into their ideas, and that they are "weak-minded" because of their reliance on astrology for comfort? Is it accurate to say that astrology is "fraudulent"? As was already said, astrology has a history of being ridiculed and mocked. The debate over whether astrology is more of a superstition or a logical and scientific practise has been ongoing for quite some time.
The legal context of astrology in India provides the solution to this issue. In 2004, the honourable Supreme Court of India proclaimed astrology as a science. In a historic judgement, the apex court noted, “Astrology is a science, which claims to foretell the future or make predictions by studying the supposed influence of the relative positions of the moon, sun, planets and other stars on human affairs. It, therefore, requires study of celestial bodies, of their positions, magnitudes, motions, and distances, etc...” The court further directed the universities in India to consider adding astrology as a subject.
Again in 2011, the Bombay High Court dismissed a plea that had challenged astrology as science. It refused to consider astrology and other allied sciences like Palmistry as part of The Drugs and Magical Remedies Act of 1954. It sided with the view that astrology is a time-tested science and dates back more than 4000 years old and refused to ban on practices promoting astrology.
Since then, astrology is being taught in several universities in India. Infact, very recently, IGNOU introduced a Master’s programme in Jyotish via distance learning which can only by pursued by students who have completed their undergraduate degree. This goes on to show that there is definitely an educational criterion to study astrology since it involves various computations and abstract ideas. Clearly, astrology cannot be called a ‘fraud’ industry.
The subject matter of astrology is human beings and how they are affected by the motions and placements of the planets, stars, and other heavenly bodies across the Zodiac. Astrology draws heavily from two ‘pure’ sciences - Astronomy and Mathematics. The influence of planets is studied using data gathered by astronomers on the orbits of planets and other celestial bodies on a daily basis. Information on the daily motion of the planets and its effect on human behaviour is compiled in a log-book called Ephemeris. In order to determine the precise degree of the ascendant and the planets, complex mathematical calculations must be performed throughout the horoscope-making process. The accuracy of horoscope predictions is highly sensitive to even the smallest of mathematical errors.
In the same way, astrology makes use of the fundamentals of geography like longitude and latitude to interpret the positioning of the stars and planets in relation to Earth. Thus, a significant quantity of "verifiable" data is amassed. The astrologer then analyses the data and uses it to make predictions about the person's life. Like a scientist, an astrologer becomes more reliable and effective with time and practise.
Astrology is undeniably a scientific discipline. It's an integral component of Indian culture and has been for centuries. It was always practiced by Indians as a scientific way of life, be it the type of food to be eaten according to the body type, auspicious timings for various activities calculated from the distance between Sun and Moon, health matters, direction of houses, to understand relationship between man and other living and non-living beings and to decipher the purpose of life through karmic patterns generated through subconscious and conscious emotional interplay. The foundation of astrology is the concept of 'harmony' between the many types of energy in the cosmos. It has withstood the onslaught of western culture throughout the years and continues to evolve, adapt and re-invent itself in line with the changing times.
To label Indians as "weak-minded" is an insulting generalisation. For thousands of years, Indians have used astrology as a tool to learn about the meaning of life and achieve personal enlightenment. As a matter of religion and belief, astrology has been steadfastly practised. A means of adjusting karmic direction, the science of astrology will always continue to remain relevant in times to come.
(Neeraj Dhankher is the Founder & CEO of Astro Zindagi. He has 24 years of experience in practicing Vedic Astrology).
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