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Hindu astrology (also known as Indian astrology, more recently Vedic astrology Kannada: ವೇದ ಜ್ಯೋತಿಶಾಸ್ರ), also Jyotish or Jyotisha, from Sanskrit jyotiṣa, from jyótis- "light, heavenly body") is the ancient Indian system of astronomy and astrology. It has three branches (triskandham jyautiṣam horā ganitam samhiteti ca BPHS 1.2):
The foundation of Hindu astrology is the notion of bandhu of the Vedas, (scriptures), which is the connection between the microcosm and the macrocosm. Practice relies primarily on the sidereal zodiac, which is different from the tropical zodiac used in Western (Hellenistic) astrology in that an ayanamsa adjustment is made for the gradual precession of the vernal equinox. Astrology remains an important facet in the lives of many Hindus. In Hindu culture, newborns are traditionally named based on their jyotish charts, and astrological concepts are pervasive in the organization of the calendar and holidays as well as in many areas of life, such as in making decisions made about marriage, opening a new business, and moving into a new home. Astrology retains a position among the sciences in modern India.[1] Following a judgement of the Andhra Pradesh High Court in 2001, some Indian universities offer advanced degrees in astrology.[2]
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Hindu astrology had been in use as the English equivalent of Jyotisha since the early 19th century. Vedic astrology is a relatively recent term, entering common usage in the 1980s with self-help publications on Ayurveda or Yoga. The qualifier "Vedic" is however a something of a misnomer,[3][4][5] as there is no mention of Jyotisha in the Vedas, however, Varaaha Mihira clearly stated that he is aggregating from the books written by his ancestors like Paraashara. Considering that Paraashara Samhitha is well known book of astrology and that Paraashara is father of the Krishna Dhvypaayan, alias Vedha Vyaasa, it can be inferred that the roots of Indian astrology existed prior to the Mahabhaaratha war which was recorded to have happened 5113 year ago; but still there are some counter arguments from a certain section of historians that there is no mention of Jyotisha in the Vedas, and historical documentation suggests horoscopic astrology in the Indian subcontinent was a Hellenic influence post-dating the Vedic period.[6]
The term jyotiṣa in the sense of one of the Vedanga, the six auxiliary disciplines of Vedic religion, is used in the Mundaka Upanishad and thus likely dates to Mauryan times. The Vedanga Jyotisha redacted by Lagadha dates to the Mauryan period, with rules for tracking the motions of the sun and the moon.
The documented history of Hindu astrology begins with the interaction of Indian and Hellenistic cultures in the Indo-Greek period. The oldest surviving treatises, such as the Yavanajataka or the Brihat-Samhita, date to the early centuries CE. The Yavanajataka ("Sayings of the Greeks") was translated from Greek to Sanskrit by Yavanesvara during the 2nd century CE, under the patronage of the Western Satrap Saka king Rudradaman I, and is considered the first Indian astrological treatise in the Sanskrit language.[7]
The first named authors writing treatises on astronomy are from the 5th century CE, the date when the classical period of Indian astronomy can be said to begin. Besides the theories of Aryabhata in the Aryabhatiya and the lost Arya-siddhānta, there is the Pancha-Siddhāntika of Varahamihira.
The main texts upon which classical Indian astrology is based are early medieval compilations, notably the Bṛhat Parāśara Horāśāstra, and Sārāvalī by Kalyāṇavarman. The Horashastra is a composite work of 71 chapters, of which the first part (chapters 1–51) dates to the 7th to early 8th centuries and the second part (chapters 52–71) to the later 8th century. The Sārāvalī likewise dates to around 800 CE.[8] English translations of these texts were published by N.N. Krishna Rau and V.B. Choudhari in 1963 and 1961, respectively. Historically, the study of astrology in India was an important factor in the development of astronomy in the Early Middle Ages. Ganaka is a caste in Kerala, India famous for doing traditional Hindu or vedic astrology as their traditional career.
There are sixteen varga (Sanskrit: varga, 'part, division'), or divisional, charts used in Hindu astrology:[9]
| Varga | Divisor | Chart | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rasi | 1 | D-1 | Natal chart |
| Hora | 2 | D-2 | Overall wealth |
| Drekkana | 3 | D-3 | Siblings |
| Chaturtamsha | 4 | D-4 | Properties |
| Trimshamsha | 5 | D-5 | Morals, ethics, spiritual values |
| Saptamsha | 7 | D-7 | Children |
| Navamsha | 9 | D-9 | Spouse, Etc. |
| Dashamsha | 10 | D-10 | Earning Career |
| Dwadashamsha | 12 | D-12 | Parents, Grandparents |
| Shodhashamsha | 16 | D-16 | Vehicles |
| Vimshamsha | 20 | D-20 | Upasana-s, Sādhana-s |
| Chaturvimsha | 24 | D-24 | Education (higher) |
| Saptavimshamsha | 27 | D-27 | Vitality |
| Khavedamsha | 40 | D-40 | Quality of life |
| Akshavedamsha | 45 | D-45 | (From here on out,the birth time must be absolutely precise or the divisional chart is incorrect!!) |
| Shastiamsha | 60 | D-60 | Used to differentiate between twins, etc., etc. |
There are three chart styles used in Jyotiṣa, which are depicted below:
Legend: Ra - Rahu, Sa - Saturn, Ve - Venus, Su -Sun, Ma - Mars, Me - Mercury, As - Lagna, Mo - Moon, Ke - Kethu, Ju - Jupiter. The third style of chart is available here.
Graha (Devanagari: ग्रह, Sanskrit: graha, 'seizing, laying hold of, holding'.)[10]
Nine grahas, or navagrahas, are used:[11]
| Sanskrit Name | English Name | Abbreviation | Gender | Guna |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surya (सूर्य) | Sun | Sy or Su | M | Sattva |
| Chandra (चंद्र) | Moon | Ch or Mo | F | Sattva |
| Mangala (मंगल) | Mars | Ma | M | Tamas |
| Budha (बुध) | Mercury | Bu or Me | N | Rajas |
| Brihaspati (बृहस्पति) | Jupiter | Gu or Ju | M | Sattva |
| Shukra (शुक्र) | Venus | Sk or Ve | F | Rajas |
| Shani (शनि) | Saturn | Sa | M | Tamas |
| Rahu (राहु) | North Lunar Node | Ra | M | Tamas |
| Ketu (केतु) | South Lunar Node | Ke | M | Tamas |
Planets in maximum exaltation, mooltrikona (own sign), and debilitation, are:[12]
| Graha | Exaltation | Mooltrikona | Debilitation | Sign Rulership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 10° Aries | 4°-20° Leo | 10° Libra | Leo |
| Moon | 3° Taurus | 4°-20° Cancer | 3° Scorpio | Cancer |
| Mars | 28° Capricorn | 0°-12° Aries | 28° Cancer | Aries, Scorpio |
| Mercury | 15° Virgo | 16°-20° Virgo | 15° Pisces | Gemini, Virgo |
| Jupiter | 5° Cancer | 0°-10° Sagittarius | 5° Capricorn | Sagittarius, Pisces |
| Venus | 27° Pisces | 0°-15° Libra | 27° Virgo | Taurus, Libra |
| Saturn | 20° Libra | 0°-20° Aquarius | 20° Aries | Capricorn, Aquarius |
Rahu and Ketu are exalted in Taurus/Scorpio and are also exalted in Gemini and Virgo.
The natural planetary relationships are:[13]
| Graha | Friends | Neutral | Enemies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | Moon, Mars, Jupiter | Mercury | Venus, Saturn |
| Moon | Sun, Mercury | Mars, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn | Mercury, Venus, Saturn |
| Mars | Sun, Moon, Jupiter | Venus,Saturn | Mercury |
| Mercury | Sun, Venus | Mars, Jupiter, Saturn | Moon |
| Jupiter | Sun, Moon, Mars | Saturn | Mercury, Venus |
| Venus | Mercury, Saturn | Mars, Jupiter | Sun, Moon |
| Saturn | Venus, Mercury | Jupiter | Sun, Moon, Mars |
| Rahu, Ketu | Mercury, Venus, Saturn | Mars | Sun, Moon, Jupiter |
The sidereal zodiac is an imaginary belt of 360 degrees (like the tropical zodiac), divided into 12 equal parts. Each twelfth part (of 30 degrees) is called a sign or rāśi (Sanskrit: rāśi, 'part'). Jyotiṣa and Western zodiacs differ in the method of measurement. While synchronically, the two systems are identical, Jyotiṣa uses primarily the sidereal zodiac (in which stars are considered to be the fixed background against which the motion of the planets is measured), whereas most Western astrology uses the tropical zodiac (the motion of the planets is measured against the position of the Sun on the Spring equinox). This difference becomes noticeable over time. After two millennia, as a result of the precession of the equinoxes, the origin of the ecliptic longitude has shifted by about 22 degrees. As a result the placement of planets in the Jyotiṣa system is consistent with the actual zodiac, while in western astrology the planets fall into the following sign, as compared to their placement in the sidereal zodiac, about two thirds of the time.
| Number | Sanskrit Name | Western/Greek Name | Tattva (Element) | Quality | Ruling Planet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meṣa (मेष) "ram" | Aries (Κριός "ram") | Tejas (Fire) | Cara (Movable) | Mars |
| 2 | Vṛṣabha (वृषभ) "bull" | Taurus (Ταῦρος "bull") | Prithivi (Earth) | Sthira (Fixed) | Venus |
| 3 | Mithuna (मिथुन) "twins" | Gemini (Δίδυμοι "twins") | Vayu (Air) | Dvisvabhava (Dual) | Mercury |
| 4 | Karkaṭa (कर्कट) "crab" | Cancer (Καρκίνος "crab") | Jala (Water) | Cara (Movable) | Moon |
| 5 | Siṃha (सिंह) "lion" | Leo (Λέων "lion") | Tejas (Fire) | Sthira (Fixed) | Sun |
| 6 | Kanyā (कन्या) "girl" | Virgo (Παρθένος "virgin") | Prithivi (Earth) | Dvisvabhava (Dual) | Mercury |
| 7 | Tulā (तुला) "balance" | Libra (Ζυγός "balance") | Vayu (Air) | Cara (Movable) | Venus |
| 8 | Vṛścika (वृश्चिक) "scorpion" | Scorpio (Σκoρπιός "scorpion") | Jala (Water) | Sthira (Fixed) | Mars |
| 9 | Dhanus (धनुष) "bow" | Sagittarius (Τοξότης "archer") | Tejas (Fire) | Dvisvabhava (Dual) | Jupiter |
| 10 | Makara (मकर) "sea-monster" | Capricorn (Αἰγόκερως "goat-horned") | Prithivi (Earth) | Cara (Movable) | Saturn |
| 11 | Kumbha (कुम्भ) "pitcher" | Aquarius (Ὑδροχόος "water-pourer") | Vayu (Air) | Sthira (Fixed) | Saturn |
| 12 | Mīna (मीन) "fish" | Pisces (Ἰχθεῖς "fish") | Jala (Water) | Dvisvabhava (Dual) | Jupiter |
The zodiac signs in Hindu astrology correspond to parts of the body:[14]
| Sign | Part of Body |
|---|---|
| Meṣa (Aries) | head |
| Vṛṣabha (Taurus) | mouth |
| Mithuna (Gemini) | arms |
| Karka (Cancer) | two sides |
| Siṃha (Leo) | heart |
| Kanyā (Virgo) | digestive system |
| Tula (Libra) | umbilical area |
| Vṛścika (Scorpio) | generative organs |
| Dhanus (Sagittarius) | thighs |
| Makara (Capricorn) | knees |
| Kumbha (Aquarius) | Lower part of legs |
| Mīna (Pisces) | feet |
Bhāva (Sanskrit: bhāva, 'division'.) In Hindu astrology, the natal chart is the bhava chakra (Sanskrit: chakra, 'wheel'.) The bhava chakra is the complete 360° circle of life, divided into houses, and represents our way of enacting the influences in the wheel. Each house has associated karaka (Sanskrit: karaka, 'significator') planets that can alter the interpretation of a particular house.[15]
| House | Name | Karakas | Meanings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lagna | Sun | outer personality, physique, health/well-being, hair, appearance |
| 2 | Dhana | Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Sun, Moon | wealth, family relationships, eating habits, speech, eyesight, death |
| 3 | Sahaja | Mars | natural state, innate temperament, courage, valor, virility, younger siblings |
| 4 | Sukha | Moon | inner life, emotions, home, property, education, mother |
| 5 | Putra | Jupiter | creativity, children, spiritual practices, punya |
| 6 | Ari | Mars, Saturn | acute illness, injury, openly known enemies, litigation, daily work, foreigners, service |
| 7 | Yuvati | Venus, Jupiter | business and personal relationships, marriage, spouse, war, fighting |
| 8 | Randhara | Saturn | length of life, physical death, mokṣa, chronic illness, deep and ancient traditions |
| 9 | Dharma | Jupiter, Sun | luck, fortune, spirituality, dharma, guru, father |
| 10 | Karma | Mercury, Jupiter, Sun, Saturn | dream fulfillment, knees and spine, current karmas, career, sky themes (being 12am/mid heavens |
| 11 | Labha | Jupiter | gains, profits from work, ability to earn money, social contexts and organizations |
| 12 | Vyaya | Saturn | loss, intuition, imprisonment, foreign travel, moksha |
A nakshatra or lunar mansion is one of the 27 divisions of the sky, identified by the prominent star(s) in them, used in Hindu astrology.[16]
Historical (medieval) Hindu astrology had various systems of enumerating either 27 or 28 nakshatras. Today, popular usage favours a rigid system of 27 nakshatras covering 13°20’ of the ecliptic each. Each nakshatra is divided into quarters or padas of 3°20’:
| # | Name | Location | Ruler | Pada 1 | Pada 2 | Pada 3 | Pada 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ashvinī (अश्विनी) | 0 – 13°20' Aries | Ketu | चु Chu | चे Che | चो Cho | ला La |
| 2 | Bharanī (भरणी) | 13°20' – 26°40' Aries | Venus | ली Li | लू Lu | ले Le | पो Lo |
| 3 | Krittikā (कृत्तिका) | 26°40' Aries – 10°00' Taurus | Sun | अ A | ई I | उ U | ए E |
| 4 | Rohini (रोहिणी) | 10°00' – 23°20' Taurus | Moon | ओ O | वा Va/Ba | वी Vi/Bi | वु Vu/Bu |
| 5 | Mrigashīrsha (म्रृगशीर्षा) | 23°20' Taurus – 6°40' Gemini | Mars | वे Ve/Be | वो Vo/Bo | का Ka | की Ke |
| 6 | Ārdrā (आर्द्रा) | 6°40' – 20°00' Gemini | Rahu | कु Ku | घ Gha | ङ Ng/Na | छ Chha |
| 7 | Punarvasu (पुनर्वसु) | 20°00' Gemini – 3°20' Cancer | Jupiter | के Ke | को Ko | हा Ha | ही Hi |
| 8 | Pushya (पुष्य) | 3°20' – 16°20' Cancer | Saturn | हु Hu | हे He | हो Ho | ड Da |
| 9 | Āshleshā (आश्लेषा) | 16°40' Cancer – 0°00' Leo | Mercury | डी Di | डू Du | डे De | डो Do |
| 10 | Maghā (मघा) | 0°00' – 13°20' Leo | Ketu | मा Ma | मी Mi | मू Mu | मे Me |
| 11 | Pūrva or Pūrva Phalgunī (पूर्व फाल्गुनी) | 13°20' – 26°40' Leo | Venus | नो Mo | टा Ta | टी Ti | टू Tu |
| 12 | Uttara or Uttara Phalgunī (उत्तर फाल्गुनी) | 26°40' Leo – 10°00' Virgo | Sun | टे Te | टो To | पा Pa | पी Pi |
| 13 | Hasta (हस्त) | 10°00' – 23°20' Virgo | Moon | पू Pu | ष Sha | ण Na | ठ Tha |
| 14 | Chitrā (चित्रा) | 23°20' Virgo – 6°40' Libra | Mars | पे Pe | पो Po | रा Ra | री Ri |
| 15 | Svātī (स्वाती) | 6°40' – 20°00 Libra | Rahu | रू Ru | रे Re | रो Ro | ता Ta |
| 16 | Vishākhā (विशाखा) | 20°00' Libra – 3°20' Scorpio | Jupiter | ती Ti | तू Tu | ते Te | तो To |
| 17 | Anurādhā (अनुराधा) | 3°20' – 16°40' Scorpio | Saturn | ना Na | नी Ni | नू Nu | ने Ne |
| 18 | Jyeshtha (ज्येष्ठा) | 16°40' Scorpio – 0°00' Sagittarius | Mercury | नो No | या Ya | यी Yi | यू Yu |
| 19 | Mūla (मूल) | 0°00' – 13°20' Sagittarius | Ketu | ये Ye | यो Yo | भा Bha | भी Bhi |
| 20 | Pūrva Ashādhā (पूर्वाषाढ़ा) | 13°20' – 26°40' Sagittarius | Venus | भू Bhu | धा Dha | फा Bha/Pha | ढा Dha |
| 21 | Uttara Ashādhā (उत्तराषाढ़ा) | 26°40' Sagittarius – 10°00' Capricorn | Sun | भे Bhe | भो Bho | जा Ja | जी Ji |
| 22 | Shravana (श्रवण) | 10°00' – 23°20' Capricorn | Moon | खी Ju/Khi | खू Je/Khu | खे Jo/Khe | खो Gha/Kho |
| 23 | Shravishthā (धनिष्ठा) or Dhanistā | 23°20' Capricorn – 6°40' Aquarius | Mars | गा Ga | गी Gi | गु Gu | गे Ge |
| 24 | Shatabhishā (शतभिषा)or Shatataraka | 6°40' – 20°00' Aquarius | Rahu | गो Go | सा Sa | सी Si | सू Su |
| 25 | Pūrva Bhādrapadā (पूर्वभाद्रपदा) | 20°00' Aquarius – 3°20' Pisces | Jupiter | से Se | सो So | दा Da | दी Di |
| 26 | Uttara Bhādrapadā (उत्तरभाद्रपदा) | 3°20' – 16°40' Pisces | Saturn | दू Du | थ Tha | झ Jha | ञ Da/Tra |
| 27 | Revatī (रेवती) | 16°40' – 30°00' Pisces | Mercury | दे De | दो Do | च Cha | ची Chi |
Dasha (Devanagari: दशा, Sanskrit,daśā, 'planetary period'.) The dasha system shows which planets will be ruling at particular times in Hindu astrology. There are several dasha systems; however, the primary system used by astrologers is the Vimshottari dasha system. The first maha dasha is determined by the position of the natal Moon. Each maha dasha is divided into subperiods called bhuktis. Vimshottari dasha lengths are:[17]
| Maha Dasha | Length | Bhuktis |
|---|---|---|
| Ketu | 7 Years | Ketu, Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury |
| Venus | 20 Years | Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, Ketu |
| Sun | 6 Years | Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, Ketu, Venus |
| Moon | 10 Years | Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, Ketu, Venus, Sun |
| Mars | 7 Years | Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, Ketu, Venus, Sun, Moon |
| Rahu | 18 Years | Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, Ketu, Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars |
| Jupiter | 16 Years | Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, Ketu, Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu |
| Saturn | 19 Years | Saturn, Mercury, Ketu, Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter |
| Mercury | 17 Years | Mercury, Ketu, Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn |
Drishti (Sanskrit: drishti, 'sight'.) In Hindu astrology, the aspect is to an entire sign, and grahas only cast forward aspects:[18]
| Graha | Houses |
|---|---|
| Sun | 7th |
| Moon | 7th |
| Mercury | 7th |
| Venus | 7th |
| Mars | 4th, 7th, 8th |
| Jupiter | 5th, 7th, 9th |
| Saturn | 3rd, 7th, 10th |
| Rahu | 5th, 7th, 9th |
| Ketu | 5th, 7th, 9th |
Gochara (Sanskrit: gochara, 'transit'.) In Hindu astrology, a natal chart shows the actual positions of the grahas at the moment of birth. Since that moment, the grahas have continued to move around the zodiac, interacting with the natal chart grahas. This period of interaction is called gochara.[19]
Yoga (Sanskrit: yoga, 'union'.) In Hindu astrology, yogas are planetary combinations placed in specific relationships to each other.[20]
Kalasarpa Yoga is a dangerous yoga. If all planets (excepting Uranus, Neptune, Pluto) are 1-side of Rahu & Ketu, it becomes Kala-Sarpa Yoga.
Dig bala (Sanskrit: dig bala, 'directional strength'.) Graha-s gain strength when they are placed in specific cardinal houses:[21]
| House | Grahas | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Jupiter, Mercury | East |
| 4th | Venus, Moon | North |
| 7th | Saturn | West |
| 10th | Sun, Mars | South |
Lagna (Sanskrit: lagna, 'ascendant'.) Lagna is the first moment of contact between the soul and its new life on earth in Hindu astrology.[22]
Atmakaraka (Sanskrit: atmakaraka, from atma, 'soul', and karaka, 'significator' .) Atmakaraka is the significator of the soul's desire in Hindu astrology.[23]
Gandanta (Sanskrit: gandanta, from gand, 'knot', and anta, 'end'.) Gandanta is a spiritual or karmic knot in Hindu astrology. Gandanta describes the junction points in the natal chart where the solar and lunar zodiacs meet, and are directly associated with times of soul growth.[24]
Ayanamsa (Sanskrit: ayanāṃsa, from ayana, 'movement', and aṃsa, 'component') is the longitudinal difference between the Tropical (Sayana) and Sidereal (Nirayana) zodiacs.[25]
Moudhya (Sanskrit: moudhya, 'combustion') is a planet that is in conjunction with the Sun. The degrees the planets are considered combust are:[26]
| Graha | Degree |
|---|---|
| Moon | 12 |
| Mercury | 13 |
| Venus | 9 |
| Mars | 17 |
| Jupiter | 11 |
| Saturn | 15 |
Saade saati, the transit of Saturn over the natal Moon, is the most important transit in a birth chart and takes approximately 7.5 years to complete. The transit begins when Saturn enters the house before the Moon, and ends when Saturn departs the house after the Moon. The most intense phase is when Saturn is 2–3° on either side of the Moon. The beginning of the transit will give an indication of the issues to be addressed. Saade saati results in a complete transformation, usually with a change in career or life direction.[27]
Panchanga (Sanskrit: pañcāṅga, from panch, 'five' and anga, 'limbs'.) The panchanga is a Hindu astrological almanac that follows traditional Indian cosmology, and presents important astronomical data in tabulated form. Panchanga means five limbs, or five lights that influence every day.[28]
David Pingree notes that astrology and traditional medicine are the two traditional sciences that have survived best in modern India, although both have been much transformed by their western counterparts.[29]
Astrology remains an important facet of Hindu folk belief in contemporary India. Many Hindus believe that heavenly bodies, including the planets, have an influence throughout the life of a human being, and these planetary influences are the "fruit of karma."[30] The Navagraha, planetary deities, are considered subordinate to Ishvara, i.e., the Supreme Being) in Hindu belief assist in the administration of justice.[31] Thus, these planets can influence earthly life.[32]
Charts are sometimes consulted before a baby is born in order to help pick a name for the child.
In the early 2000s, under the Bharatiya Janata Party led government, astrology became a topic of political contention between the religious right and academic establishment, comparable to the "Creation science" debate in US education.
The University Grants Commission and the Ministry of Human Resource Development of the Government decided to introduce "Jyotir Vigyan" (i.e. jyotir vijñāna) or "Vedic astrology" as a discipline of study in Indian universities, backed up by a decision by the Andhra Pradesh High Court, despite widespread protests from the scientific community in India and Indian scientists working abroad.[33] In September of the same year, the Supreme Court of India issued a notice to the Ministry of Human Resource Development in reaction to a petition, stating that the introduction of astrology to university curricula is "a giant leap backwards, undermining whatever scientific credibility the country has achieved so far".[34]
In 2004, the Supreme Court dismissed a further petition, judging that the teaching of astrology does not qualify as promotion of religion.[35] In February 2011, the Bombay High Court reaffirmed astrology's standing in India when it dismissed a case which had challenged it status as a science.[36]
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