How Thoreau's Walden Pond Mixed with the Ganges and Yoga Came to America with Swami Vivekananda

Jyotish
“Jyotisha is the traditional Indian system of astrology
rooted in Vedic-Purānic tradition. It is
often called Vedic Jyotiṣa by its practitioners
and Hindu or Indian astrology by foreigners.
Jyotiṣa is a Vedānga or an auxiliary text to the
the Veda.
Jyotiṣa reasons out destiny in terms of Karma
phala [fruit of actions] and its predictions are
reflections of karma phalas. The shortest and
best definition of Jyotiṣa is 'Karma-phalavipāka-kāla-vidhānam',
i.e., set of rules for timing
of fruition of past actions. All actions do
not bear fruits instantly. Some results may be instantaneous while others may be
deep and far reaching, often going beyond a single life. Jyotiṣa studies these obscure
fruits of actions which we do not even remember. Destiny or prārabdha is
that part of fruits of past actions which has become dominant and has pushed
other fruits into background because they do not match with the dominant
group of fruits which have resulted into one's birth in this world.
Jyotiṣa is a Vedānga. The first ever record for Jyotiṣa is found in the Veda.
The earliest reference to Jyotiṣa as a vedānga is found in the Mundaka Upanishad
and Chāndogya Upanishada also mentions it as a distinct discipline. The
first Vedic Yajna in Yajurveda is Darsha-paurnamāsa Yajna, which needed correct
timing of tithis (eg, New Moon or Darsha, and Full Moon or Poornamāsa).
Vedas are concerned with Yajnas which can be performed only at astrologically
auspicious moments.
Jyotiṣa has been referred to as the Eye of Veda, i.e., Eye of real Knowledge
(Veda means real Knowledge), because Jyotisha provides the tangible proofs in
favor of existence of soul and rebirth by means of horoscope in this life reflecting
the karmas of past life.”
—Hindupedia
Vivekananda’s teaching on Jyotish tended to be critical but must be understood
in terms of what he is criticizing and the audience he is addressing. He
said:
“If you can get an explanation of a phenomenon from within its nature, it is
nonsense to look for an explanation from outside. If the world explains itself, it is
nonsense to go outside for an explanation. Have you found any phenomena in
the life of a man that you have ever seen which cannot be explained by the
power of the man himself ? So what is the use of going to the stars or anything
else in the world? My own Karma is sufficient explanation of my present state.
So in the case of Jesus himself. We know that his father was only a carpenter. We
need not go to anybody else to find an explanation of his power. He was the outcome
of his own past, all of which was a preparation for that Jesus. Buddha goes
back and back to animal bodies and tells us how he ultimately became Buddha.
So what is the use of going to stars for explanation? They may have a little influence;
but it is our duty to ignore them rather than hearken to them and make
ourselves nervous. This I lay down as the first essential in all I teach: anything
that brings spiritual, mental, or physical weakness, touch it not with the toes of
your feet. Religion is the manifestation of the natural strength that is in man. A
spring of infinite power is coiled up and is inside this little body, and that spring
is spreading itself. And as it goes on spreading, body after body is found insufficient;
it throws them off and takes higher bodies. This is the history of man, of
religion, civilization, or progress. That giant Prometheus, who is bound, is getting
himself unbound. It is always a manifestation of strength, and all these
ideas such as astrology, although there may be a grain of truth in them, should
be avoided.”
Vivekananda was criticizing that aspect of Jyotish that speaks of fate (Vithi)
as the determining factor. That aspect of jyotish has grown tremendously in India
to the point that people resign themselves to their fate without trying to make
a change. It seems to me, it was that disposition Vivekananda was addressing.
There is another aspect of jyotish: the casting light on life (jyoti means light).
This light enables a person to avoid the trouble that has not yet come by a determination
of the qualities of nature and ones relationship to them. It has little difference
from getting a weather report before going sailing across the ocean. Doing
so allows you to set out on one day as opposed to a less favorable one and to
sail on this route instead of another one.
Jyotish can be interpreted in such a way that it is all about fate and that things
are determined. This is the tendency among many people and especially so in India.
However, the Indian traditions also recognize free will and a better informed
person has a better field in which to operate. This does not make one weak unless
one merely resigns himself to his fate.
Sri Yukteswar, the Guru of Paramahamsa Yogananda who was himself a
well-known Vedic Astrologer wrote the following:
“The message boldly blazoned across the heavens at the moment of birth is
not meant to emphasize fate- the result of past good and evil- but to arouse
man’s will to escape from his universal thralldom. What he has done, he can
undo. None other than himself was the instigator of the causes of whatever effects
are now prevalent in his life. He can overcome any limitation, because he
created it by his own actions in the first place, and because he has spiritual resources
which are not subject to planetary pressure.”
“The wise man defeats his planets. There are certain mechanical features in
the law of karma which can be skillfully adjusted by the fingers of wisdom”
-Sri Yukteswar
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