Difference Between Vedic and Western Astrology

Key Difference – Vedic Astrology vs Western Astrology
 

Vedic Astrology and Western Astrology are two systems between which a key difference can be discerned. Mankind has always been fascinated by celestial bodies and their movements. It has tried to decipher the meaning of these movements and also tried to correlate them with happenings in the life of an individual. Astrology is a science that studies cosmic objects and makes predictions about events in the lives of individuals based upon the position of sun, moon, other stars and planets. While there is western astrology that is very popular and involves the study of horoscopes, there is also Hindu astrology, also called Vedic astrology that makes predictions based upon movements and positions of celestial bodies. These two systems of astrology are quite different, and this article intends to highlight these differences.

What is Vedic Astrology?

Vedic astrology or the Hindu astrology is based upon jyotisha, or the system of calculation of position and movement of heavenly bodies. This system of astrology makes use of the real positions of planets in the backdrop of certain celestial bodies that remain fixed or permanently in the same position. This system is also referred to as sidereal zodiac. Vedic astrology is based upon the knowledge and wisdom of rishis that lived in India thousands of years ago. Their knowledge was passed down to generations orally but later some of this body of knowledge was compiled into written form, which forms the core of Vedic astrology.

Vedic astrology takes into account planets like Sun, moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Rahu and Ketu, the two nodes of moon while deciphering the events in an individual’s life or his future predictions. It does not take into account Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto as these planets are considered too far away and insignificant as far as making an impact on the life of an individual. Jyotishis take into account the exact date of birth and time and make a horoscope of the individual. This horoscope tells all about the nashatras and the dasha of the individual and allows the astronomer to predict the beginning and end period of a good period or bad period in the life of the individual.

What is Western Astrology?

Western astrology is a system of prediction of future events in the life of an individual based upon tropical zodiac. This system was developed by the Greeks and the Babylonians 2000 years ago. These civilizations believed that sun being the centre of the solar system asserts great influence over earth. In this system, relationship of sun with the earth’s tropics is most important. According to western astrology, heavens remain fixed in comparison to earth, but they made a mistake as earth does not come back to its original position after completing one circle of the sun.

What is the Difference Between Vedic and Western Astrology?

Definitions of Vedic Astrology and Western Astrology:

Vedic Astrology: Vedic astrology is based upon jyotisha, or the system of calculation of position and movement of heavenly bodies.

Western Astrology: Western astrology is a system of prediction of future events in the life of an individual based upon tropical zodiac.

Characteristics of Vedic Astrology and Western Astrology:

Base:

Vedic Astrology: Vedic astrology is cosmic astrology.

Western Astrology: Western astrology is sun based.

Other Names:

Vedic Astrology: Vedic astrology is also called sidereal zodiac.

Western Astrology: Western astrology is called tropical zodiac.

Date of Birth:

Vedic Astrology: Astrologer makes your horoscope based upon your date and time of birth and the nashatras and dashas.

Western Astrology: Date of birth decides your sun sign in western astrology.

Chart:

Vedic Astrology: It is square in Vedic astrology.

Western Astrology: The chart in western astrology is circular.

Development:

Vedic Astrology: Vedic astrology was developed by the sages in India much earlier.

Western Astrology: Western astrology was developed by ancient Greeks or the Babylonians 2000-3000 years ago.

Image Courtesy:

1. Birth Chart (Northern Format) By Mkweise at English Wikipedia [GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

2. “Astrological Chart – New Millennium“. [CC BY-SA 3.0] via Commons

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