From what I have gathered from the courses I have taken so far, as well as from the research detours that those studies have lead me down, I have compiled a list of what seems to be the core texts any good Vedic astrologer must study. I have listed them in the order of their weight or authority (according to my current understanding).
I would appreciate any correction to the ordering and groupings, as well as any recommended translation preferences. In particular, I would like to know which of the books are truly shastras, and which are really tertiary commentary and recapitulations.
Also, should any of these be read in a particular order, or read together as a set, or that work best as a supplement to another text?
I understand that there are number of critically important books by B. V. Raman and V. S. Rao that I have not listed. I am really seeking to identify and rank just the most ancient and authoritative texts.
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Vedic Scriptures (having a strong astrological substance or relevance)
- Rig Veda
- Bhagavad Gita
- MahaBharata
- Ramayana
- Bhagavata Purana
- Garuda Purana
- Vishnu Purana
Key Astrological Shastras
- Vridha Karakas [Vridhakarika?] At the start of the Rasi Sutras Audio course, Ernst mention this as being the oldest set of texts. I wasn’t able to find anything more about it via research. Is it still available?
- Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra [Preferred Translation: G. C. Sharma, 1995]
- Upadesa Sutras of Jaimini
- Surya Siddhanta
- Brihat Jataka
- Phala Deepika
- Jataka Parijata
- Sarvartha Chintamani
- Saravali
- Laghu Parashari
- Uttara Kalamrita
- Hora Sara
- Satya Jataka
Secondary Astrological Shastras (in no particular order of authority; A-Z)
- Bhavartha Ratnakara
- Bhrigu Samhita
- Brihat Samhita
- Dasadhyayi
- Jataka Tattva
- Kalaprakasika
- Muhurta Chintamani
- Pancha-Siddhantika
- Prashna Marga
- Siddhanta Siromani
- Sripati Paddhati
- Taittiriya Brahmana
- Vridha Yavana Jataka
- Yavana Jataka
Tertiary Astrological Shastras (in no particular order of authority; A-Z)
- Ashtak Varga Nibandh
- Brghu Sutra
- Hora Makaranda
- Hora Ratnam
- Jataka Candrika
- Jataka Desa Marga
- Jataka Sara Dhipa
- Jataka-lankara
- Krishneeya
- Mana Sagari
- Narada Purana
- Parasara Samhita
- Parasara Samhita
- Prasna-Jnana
- Sanketa Nidhi
- Shambu Hora Prakasha
- Shatpanchasika
Vedic Scriptures
- Rig Veda
- Bhagavad Gita (yogananda version) (And the first part of Sri Yuktesvar's commentary avaialble for free at yoganiketan.net which refers many things to astrology.)
- MahaBharata (Bridged Komalya SUbramanya version to start with)
- Ramayana
- Bhagavata Purana (Bridged Komalya SUbramanya version to start with)
I also suggest the Holy Science by Sri Yuktesvar.
There are no Astrological Shastras in the sense of being given directly by some rishi in the exact way it was first taught. Everything written was written centuries after being taught by the supposed rishi and books like saravali, etc. are just them putting down what they learned from the available books or orally and none of them are flawless. The only one I would consider a SHastra is Jaimini Sutras. THe most important are:
Brihat Parashara
Jaimini SUtras
Yavana Jataka
Sarvartha Chintamani for good yogas
Jattaka Tattva for good yogas
Phaladeepika
Bhavartna Ratnakara
The others are largely redundant, and many are not good at all like Sri pati paddhati, nothing helpful in there, just some misleading things actually.
THen for Astronomy, Just Surya Siddhanta and also its good to read Panchasiddhantika
If you want to get into omens, then Brihat Samhita.
Many of the books on your list are not available in English. like vriddha yavana jataka. Its not nearly as important as Yavana Jataka.
1. Do you also recommend the Ramayana translation by Kamala Subramaniam?
2. I am surprised that the Brihat Jataka and the Jataka Parijata did not make your top 7 list, given that you cite (and translate?) them often in your books. By leaving them out, do you mean to imply they are mostly redundant (apart from the translated quotes you have included in your writings)?
3. I can't recall where, but I remember that you mentioned that you were not a fan of the Sarvali text. Considering many Vedic astrologers place it in their top five (along with the other two books mentioned above), would you mind clarifying specifically why? Just redundant, or is it that there are too many errors to be useful (as considered from the angle of Parashara)?
4. Regarding your recommended readings for the Bhagavad Gita, were you refering to the following two books?: (1) God Talks with Arjuna: The Bhagavad Gita, and (2) Srimad Bhagavad Gita: Spiritual Commentaries by Yogiraj Lahiri Mahasay and Swami Sri Yukteshvar.
5. At the start of the Rasi Sutras Audio course, you mentioned a book called the Vridha Karakas (I can only assume I am spelling that correctly) as being the oldest collection of B.C. texts in existence. I wasn't able to find anything about such a text, nor have I seen it mentioned or listed anywhere. Are there available English translations of this text? The way you spoke of it, it seems to warrent quite a high place amoungst the texts.
6. A book called Surya Siromani comes coupled with the Surya Siddhanta in my edition (Sarasvati, 2007). Do you also recommend the Surya Siromani? What is its status and place among the texts?
7. Regarding your top books...
- Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra [G. Sharma, 1995; w/Ernst Wilhelm]
- Upadesa Sutras of Jaimini [B. Raman, 1949; w/Ernst Wilhelm]
- Yavana Jataka [D. Pingree, 1978]
- Sarvartha Chintamani [B. Rao, 1899]
- Jataka Tattva [V. Sastri, 1941]
- Phala Deepika [G. Kapoor, 2014]
- Bhavartha Ratnakara [B. Raman, 1947]
- Surya Siddhanta [B. Sarasvati, 2007]
- Pancha Siddhantika [K. Sarma, 1993]
- Brihat Samhita [N. Iyer, 1884]
...are there specific English translations that you recommend?
I've placed the editions and translations that I am using in brackets (which are (usually) just the latest editions I could find; the exception seems to be the N. Iyer translation of the Brihat Samhita [ https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/brihat-samhita ]).
8. Are V. Sastri's translations of Brihat Jataka, Saravali, and Jataka Parijata the best?
9. Have you thought about releasing a book that contains only your Sanskrit translations from any and all Vedic texts you have worked with? It would be nice to have all your translations in one, ordered reference book.
Thanks, Ernst.
Yes, all hte translations by Kamala Subramanya do a good job of capturing the mythological aspects of the texts. Brihat Jataka is largely based on yavana jataka, its much better to read yavana jataka. Same for saravali. Brihat Jataka may have some coded secrets in it and there is a commentator who wrote on that but I have never seen the book and its only in sanskrit. Jataka Parijita is a large parashara copy without some of the more important things. I have owned all available classics and I am just telling you the ones i use over and over again. Most i never picked up again after the first read.
Yes to question 4. Vidha Karakas are not available. There are only scraps of them left, some of them may have worked their way into BPHS as it was recompiled in late 1800s and who knows where what originally came from. I heard about it from the prof who did the jaimini translation - in his introduction.
I don't recommend any other of the astronomy books. Its just redunt and not as good.
THe raman jaimini sutras is horrible. Its full of nonsense. The only good jaimini translation is mine. If you try to read the english in any other one you are going to learn a lifetime of bad habits, you will have to forget. THe second best one is by Prof. Abhyankar, at least he tried to do a literal translation instead of pretending to translate and really just making up things up. Its not available, and it wont help you. Unless you can read sanskrit and want to spend years on each chapter, don't read it. YOu dont have a lot of options on translations, its best to get every one you can find, none are perfect. Most english translations are done sloppy unless they are done by the english or germans who usually did a better job but of course the did not translate any astrology books. Sastri in general is good. The ranjan BPHS is better than the sagar.
Thanks, Ernst.
So, apart from the changes in red, the other translations are preferred? In accordance with the general recommendation to (1) Prefer V. Sastri translations generally, and (2) get every translation available and cross reference.
- Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra [G. Kapoor, 1987; w/Ernst Wilhelm]
- Upadesa Sutras of Jaimini [Abhyankar, 1951; Ernst Wilhelm]
- Yavana Jataka [D. Pingree, 1978]
- Sarvartha Chintamani [B. Rao, 1899]
- Jataka Tattva [V. Sastri, 1941]
- Phala Deepika [G. Kapoor, 2014]
- Bhavartha Ratnakara [B. Raman, 1947]
- Surya Siddhanta [B. Sarasvati, 2007]
- Pancha Siddhantika [K. Sarma, 1993]
- Brihat Samhita [N. Iyer, 1884]
Only get the surya siddhanta by burgess and whitney, the others are garbage. Its out of print but if you are patient, you can find one on abesbooks.com or ebay. there is someone who is making digital hard bound reprints of it and it costs about as much as finding a used copy of the original.
Regarding the 1860 translation by E. Burgess (revised by W. Whitney and edited by Gangooly, who also added commentary): the original 1858 version (sans Gangooly's additions) is available for free online. The 1935 edition is here. (The translation by Wilkinson/Sastri is available here. The translation by Sarasvati is available here.)
This article provided helpful orientation to the text:
The Sanskrit text of the Sūrya-siddhānta was first published, along with the commentary by Raṅganātha, in 1859 in the Bibliotheca Indica series, Calcutta. ... For the extant Sūrya-siddhānta, only three different English translations have been published so far. All of these are more than a century old.
The first of these was made by Rev. Ebenezer Burgess, revised by William Dwight Whitney, and published in 1860. The second of these was made by Bāpū Deva Śāstrī independently of the Burgess translation, and published in 1861. The third of these was made by Bimalā Prasāda Siddhānta Sarasvatī from Sanskrit to Bengali and published in 1894 or 1896, and then translated from Bengali to English and published in 2007.
All three translations utilized the commentary by Raṅganātha to interpret the verses of the Sūrya-siddhānta.
Rev. Ebenezer Burgess went to India as a missionary in 1839. He diligently applied himself to the study of Indian astronomy and its primary text, the Sūrya-siddhānta, throughout his years in India, in order to produce a textbook on astronomy in the Marathi language. He writes in his “Introductory Note” to the translation of the Sūrya-siddhānta that: “My first rough draft of the translation and notes was made while I was still in India, with the aid of Brahmans who were familiar with the Sanskrit and well versed in Hindu astronomical science.” When he returned to the United States, he turned it over to William Dwight Whitney, a brilliant linguist and competent Sanskrit scholar. Whitney’s touch is evident throughout, in two ways. First, he made the translation follow the Sanskrit closely; that is, he made it literally accurate.
The translation by Burgess/Whitney was highly enough regarded in India that it was reprinted by the University of Calcutta in 1935. The “Note” that introduces this reprint says: “Owing to the time, thought and patient diligence that he and his colleagues devoted to the task, this translation stands out as a model of research work in the field of Hindu astronomy.” This reprint included a new 45-page Introduction by eminent Indian scholar of Hindu astronomy, Prabodh Chandra Sengupta. Sengupta there concludes (p. li): “Burgess’s translation, indeed, gives a very clear and complete exposition and discussion of every rule that it contains together with illustrations also.” Moreover, Sengupta adds that “his views about the originality of Hindu astronomy are the sanest.” Sengupta is referring to Burgess’s view that the astronomy of theSūrya-siddhāntawas original to India (see “Concluding Note by the Translator”), in disagreement with Whitney, who thought that astronomy came to India from Greece. The Burgess/Whitney translation was originally published in theJournal of the American Oriental Society, vol. 6, 1860, pp. 141-498.