James wrote:
I think i need a dictionary for all the vedic / indian terms in use.. i am running into problems in this regard with some of the present books i have... usually they explain what the term means - hora - horoscope and etc.. but not always..
I learned India's astrology way back in the 1970s before the birth of the American "Vedic" group in 1992. Back then B.V. Raman tried to make it easy for western students and used many English words for Indian terms. There seems to be almost a snob value today in keeping as many Sanskrit and Indian words as possible. Also there is no need to use square Indian charts in the west. They can be difficult to read for students used to circular charts. I always use western style wheels.
Yes, I have Prash Trivedi's nakshatra book,
27 Celestial Portals. Like his node book, this is the most complete book on the 27 mansions. Other books can't touch it for content--everything he covers. This isn't to say that Trivedi is 100 percent accurate. But he does include a lot of material that isn't in other books. And he's a native of India, so has more of an authentic background. The book has 27 paintings to match the mansions.
As far as I know Shad Bala calculations are the same everywhere. Shad Bala is covered in many books, and of course Jyotish software calculates Shad Bala instantly. Shad Bala seems to be very accurate in showing which planets are part of our psychology and talents (high shad bala count) and which planets are in the background or need more work on our part (low shad bala count).
I haven't seen that book. It was first published in 2017, at least that is the date on Amazon.
I don't call India's astrology "Vedic." That term was introduced in California in 1992. Chakrapani began using "Vedic" at the suggestion of Muktananda. But (as others have said) India's horoscopic astrology isn't in the Vedas.
I suppose i am trying to get a grip on where to begin in better understanding vedic astrology... mark mentioned a book -- light on life by hart defouw and robert svoboda.. are you familiar with it?
I've had the book since it first came out in 1996. But it would be a difficult book for beginners. Though it's one of the best books on India's astrology, still a few western concepts have crept into the text.
What do you recommend i proceed to put everything in perspective here? thanks..
The book that gives the most accurate view of India's astrology is Valerie J. Roebucks's
Circle of Stars. The book is a superb foundation, but won't teach you how to read a birth chart. I would have to think a little about which books are best for that. All the most recent books are beginning to include concepts copied from Tropical astrology. But India's classic and more accurate texts are difficult to read and would discourage beginners.
I just remembered a little book that is fun to read and a work of art---every page is beautiful. The book isn't entirely accurate and definitely has a western tone, but still, for an introduction to basic concepts it might be O.K. before hitting other books.
Vedic Astrology Simply Put by William R. Levacy. (I haven't really "read" the book all the way through. I just enjoy looking at the art design and paintings.)