View source for Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra

{{Hindu scriptures |Hindu astrology}}
The '''Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra''' ([[Sanskrit]]: बृहत् पराशर होरा शास्त्र; [[IAST]]: ''{{IAST|bṛhat parāśara horā śāstra}}''; [[Abbreviation|abbreviated]] to BPHS) is the most comprehensive extant [[Śāstra]] on [[Hindu astrology|Vedic]] [[natal astrology]], in particular the [[Hora (astrology)|Horā]] branch (predictive astrology, e.g. [[horoscope]]s).<ref>Likely from Greek {{lang|grc|ὥρα}}, although the BPHS (4.1-2) states that the word originates from ''ahorātra'' "day and night" after dropping its first and the last syllable. However, the alleged derivation of Sanskrit horā from ahorātra is not very likely, nor does it follow common rules of Sanskrit word formation. In Greek language, the word was part of common language since old times whereas in Sanskrit it exist only as an astrological jargon.</ref>Though ascribed to [[Maharishi|Maharṣi]] [[Parashara|Parāśara]], the origin and date of the original composition is unknown. The most popular version of the BPHS consists of 97 chapters, a 1984 translation by R. Santhanam.

== Nomenclature ==
'''<nowiki/>'bṛhat parāśara horā śāstra'''' (बृहत् पराशर होरा शास्त्र) can be loosely translated to examples such as 'the great book on [[Horoscopic astrology|horoscopy]] by Parashara' or 'Great Parashara's manual on [[Horoscopic astrology]]':

* '''<nowiki/>'bṛhat'''' (बृहत्) means 'great, large, wide, vast, abundant, compact, solid, massy, strong, mighty' or 'full-grown, old' or 'extended or bright (as a luminous body)' or 'clear, loud (said of sounds)'.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D|title=बृहत् - Wiktionary|website=en.wiktionary.org|access-date=2020-03-20}}</ref>
* '''<nowiki/>'parāśara'<nowiki/>''' (पराशर) is the name of a [[Vedic period|Vedic]] [[Maharishi]] ('great [[Rishi]]')
* '''<nowiki/>'horā'''' (होरा) means '[[horoscope]] or [[Horoscopic astrology|horoscopy]]';<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://faculty.washington.edu/prem/mw/h.html|title=Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary: 'Hora'|website=faculty.washington.edu|access-date=2020-03-20}}</ref> also means "hour" or "time", from Greek(''ώρα'').<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://spokensanskrit.org/index.php?mode=3&script=hk&tran_input=hora&direct=se&anz=100|title=Sanskrit Dictionary for Spoken Sanskrit: 'Hora'|website=spokensanskrit.org|access-date=2020-03-20}}</ref><ref>BPHS (4.1-2) states that the word originates from ''ahorātra'' "day and night" after dropping its first and the last syllable. However, the alleged derivation of Sanskrit horā from ahorātra is not very likely, nor does it follow common rules of Sanskrit word formation. And it is totally unlikely that the Greeks took over this word from Indian astrology, because in ancient Greek, this word was part of common language since old times whereas in Sanskrit it exist only as an astrological jargon.</ref>
* '''<nowiki/>'[[Shastra|śāstra]]'<nowiki/>''' (शास्त्र) means 'compendium', 'book', 'manual', 'rule', 'instruction', 'science', and 'advice'.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://spokensanskrit.org/index.php?mode=3&script=hk&tran_input=shastra&direct=se&anz=100|title=Sanskrit Dictionary for Spoken Sanskrit: 'Shastra'|website=spokensanskrit.org|access-date=2020-03-20}}</ref>

== Summary ==
{{quote|Venerable [[Parashara|Parāśara]], leader among Muni-Sages [said:] [[Hindu astrology|Jyotiṣa]], the supreme limb of the [[Vedas]], has three divisions - [[Hora (astrology)|Horā]], Gaṇita and [[Saṃhita]]. Excellent is Hora among the three distributions, consisting of the general part of Jyotisa.|source=Way of the native: Parasara's Hora Sastra By Dev Bhattacharyy, Chapter 1, Verse 1<ref>{{Cite book|last=Bhattacharyya|first=Dev|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CuKHDAAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=Brihat+Parashara+Hora+Shastra|title=Way of the native: Parasara's Hora Sastra|date=2015-10-18|publisher=DevB Inc|isbn=978-1-5150-5024-7|pages=11|language=en}}</ref>|author=|title=}}

The [[Hindu astrology|Jyotiṣa]] - Vedic Astrology - is one of the [[Vedāṅga]] or six disciplines linked with the [[Vedas]] to support [[Yajna|Vedic rituals]]. The three branches of Jyotiṣa are:

* '''[[Hora (astrology)|Horā]]:''' Predictive astrology (e.g. [[Natal astrology|Natal (genethliac) astrology]], [[horoscopic astrology]], personal horoscopes, etc.)
* '''Gaṇita:''' Mathematical [[astronomy]] (e.g. planetary distances, movements, sizes, strengths, etc.)
* '''[[Saṃhita]]:''' Mundane astrology (e.g. collective culture, community, and society)

The ''Bṛhat Parāśara Horā Śāstra'' is concerned with the predictive branch of [[Hora (astrology)|Horā]], used, for example, to determine the appropriate and most auspicious times for various events and ceremonies (i.e. depending on the anticipated planetary and star movements and positions).<ref name="Flood">Flood, Gavin. Yano, Michio. 2003. ''The Blackwell Companion to Hinduism.'' Malden: Blackwell.</ref>

== Origin and authenticity ==
J. Gonda states that at 'some time after 600 [<nowiki/>[[Common Era|C.E.]]] was written the ''purva-khanda'' of what was to become known as the ''Brhatparasarahora'' [''Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra''], ascribed to [[Parashara|Parasa]]... [it] is deeply indebted to the [Brhajjataka of [[Varāhamihira|Varahamihira]]]; it has also borrowed two verses from [[Yavanajataka|Sphujidhvaja]]... and its existence is presupposed by the author of the ''uttara-khanda'', which was commented on by [[Govindasvāmi|Govindasvamin]] in ca. 850 [C.E.]. Therefore, the ''purva-khanda'' must have been written between ca. 600 and 750... but before 800'.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Gonda|first=J.|url=http://archive.org/details/AHistoryOfIndianLiteratureVolVIFasc.4JyotishShastraAstralAndMathematicalLiteratureJGonda|title=A History Of Indian Literature Vol VI Fasc. 4 Jyotish Shastra Astral And Mathematical Literature J Gonda|pages=86|language=en}}</ref>

Additionally [[Utpala (astronomer)|Bhaṭṭotpala]] (circa 900 [[Common Era|C.E.]]) was a [[Hindu astrology|Vedic astrologer]] that 'in his commentaries he wrote that though he had heard of [the] ''Bṛhat Parāśara Horā Śāstra'', he had never seen it. Thus we know it was lost for at least nine hundred years, until new manuscripts emerged from the early 20th century (see below).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://vedic-astrology.net/Articles/Brihat-Parashara-Hora-Shastra.asp|title=Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra - Vedic Astrology Article {{!}} Vedic-Astrology.net|website=vedic-astrology.net|access-date=2020-03-21}}</ref>

As such, there are doubts in regards to the authenticity of various manuscripts of the ''Bṛhat Parāśara Horā Śāstra'' (BPHS) that emerged centuries later. One concern raised is the apparent admission by Sitram [[Jha (surname)|Jha]] in his 1944 publication of the BPHS that he changed and removed elements of the manuscript.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=http://vedicastrology.wikidot.com/bhaavachalita#toc4|title=Bhaavachalita - Vedic Astrology|website=vedicastrology.wikidot.com|access-date=2020-03-21}}</ref> Another concern raised by Vedic Astrologers such as Shyamasundara Dasa 'that casts doubt on the veracity of the modern BPHS is the complete lack of any ancient commentary on the text. The oldest commentary known to me is that of Devacandra Jha's Hindi commentary from the first half of the 20th century, that is, less than 100 years old'.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/articles/bphs.html|title=On the Authenticity of the Brhat Parasara Hora Sastra|website=shyamasundaradasa.com|access-date=2020-03-21}}</ref>

=== Editions and translations ===
According to R. Santhanam and J. Gonda, the following are the modern translations (and manuscripts) of the ''Bṛhat Parāśara Horā Śāstra'' (BPHS):<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
{| class="wikitable"
!No.
!Editors / translators
!Edition name
!Chapters
!Verses
!First published
!Description
|-
|'''1'''
|Giridhara Lala Sarma and Govinda Sarma (Sri Venkateswata Press, Bombay)
|
|
|5781
|1905
|First printed version of the BPHS. Partial [[Hindi]], mostly [[Sanskrit]] commentary. reprinted by Khemraj Press in 1961.<ref name=":2" />
|-
|'''2'''
|Thakuradasa Cudamana (Calcutta)
|
|
|
|1926
|Bengali translation
|-
|'''3'''
|Sitram [[Jha (surname)|Jha]]'''<ref>{{Cite book|last=Sanatan Dharm|url=http://archive.org/details/BrihatParasharHoraShastra|title=Brihat Parashar Hora Shastra}}</ref>'''
|'''Varanasi'''
|71
|5100
|1944
|translated to [[Hindi]]. Apparently admitted tampering with his published version of the BPHS manuscript.<ref name=":2" />
|-
|'''4'''
|Devachandra Jha (Chaukhambha Publications)
|'''Chaukambha'''
|
|
|
|translated to Hindi; similar to the '''Varanasi edition'''.
|-
|'''5'''
|Ganesa Datta Pathak
|'''Thakur Prasad'''
|
|
|1972
|translated to Hindi
|-
|'''6'''
|C.G. Rajan
|
|36
|
|
|[[Tamil language|Tamil]] translation; without Sanskrit verses
|-
|'''7'''
|N.N.K. Rao and V.B. Choudhari<ref>Pingree, pp.86-87</ref>
|
|25
|
|1963
|[[English language|English]] translation (2 volumes); without Sanskrit [[Shloka|slokas]]
|-
|'''8'''
|R. Santhanam (Ranjan Publications, New Delhi)<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" />
|
|97
|
|1984
|English translation. 97 chapters with Sanskrit slokas.
|}

== Content and structure ==
The first full 97-chapter English [[translation]] of the ''Bṛhat Parāśara Horā Śāstra'' (BPHS) was translated by R. Santhanam in 1984.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Santhanam|first=R.|url=http://archive.org/details/BPHSEnglish|title=Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (vol. 1)|publisher=Ranjan Publications|year=1984|pages=10–11}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/BPHSEnglish/BPHS%20-%202%20RSanthanam#page/n1/mode/2up|title=Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (vol 2.)|last=Santhanam|first=R.|website=archive.org|access-date=2020-03-20}}</ref> Based on the '''Varanasi edition''' (originally translated into Hindi by Sitram Jha), it is in two volumes and contains the following chapters:

* '''Volume 1: (Chapters 1-45; 45 chapters total)'''
** Chapter 1: The creation [of all existence]
** Chapter 2: Great incarnations (of the lord) [<nowiki/>[[Daśāvatāra]] of [[Vishnu]]]
** Chapter 3: [[Planet]]ary characteristics and description
** Chapter 4: [[Zodiac]]al signs described
** Chapter 5: Special Ascendants
** Chapter 6: The sixteen divisions of a sign
** Chapter 7: Divisional consideration
** Chapter 8: Aspects of the signs
** Chapter 9: Evils at birth
** Chapter 10: Antidotes for evils
** Chapter 11: Judgement of Houses [<nowiki/>[[Nakṣatra]]s]
** Chapters 12-23: [Effects of the twelve houses]
** Chapter 24: Effects of the [[Bhava]] lords
** Chapter 25: Effects of non-[[Luminous flame|luminous]] planets
** Chapter 26: Evaluation of planetary aspects
** Chapter 27: Evaluation of strengths
** Chapter 28: Ishta and Kashta Balas
** Chapter 29: Bhava Padas
** Chapter 30: Upa Pada
** Chapter 31: Argala or planetary intervention 
** Chapter 32: Planetary Karakatwas
** Chapter 33: Effects of Karakamsa
** Chapter 34: [[Yoga]] Karakas
** Chapter 35: [[Nābhāsa yoga|Nabhasa Yogas]]
** Chapter 36: Many other Yogas
** Chapter 37: Lunar Yogas
** Chapter 38: Solar Yogas
** Chapter 39: Raja Yogas
** Chapter 40: Yogas for [[Kshatriya|royal]] association
** Chapter 41: Yogas for wealth
** Chapter 42: Combinations for [[Extreme poverty|Penury]]
** Chapter 43: Longevity
** Chapter 44: Maraka (killer) planets
** Chapter 45: [[Avastha (Hindu astrology)|Avasthas]] of planets
* '''Volume 2 (Chapters 46–97; 52 chapters total)'''
** Chapter 46: Dasas (periods) of planets
** Chapter 47: Effects of Dasas
** Chapter 48: Distinctive effects of the [[Nakshatra]] [[dasa]] or the dasas of the lords of (Vimshottari Dasa) of various houses
** Chapter 49: Effects of the [[Kalachakra]] dasa
** Chapter 51: Effects of the chara, etc., dasas
** Chapter 52: Working out of antardasas of planets and Rasis in Vimsottari, etc., in the dasa of sun
** Chapter 53: Effects of the antardasas in the dasa of the [[moon]]
** Chapter 54: " " of [[Mars]]
** Chapter 55: " " of [[Rahu]]
** Chapter 56: " " of [[Jupiter]]
** Chapter 57: ." " of [[Saturn]]
** Chapter 58: " " of [[Mercury (planet)|Mercury]]
** Chapter 59: " " of [[Ketu (mythology)|Ketu]]
** Chapter 60: " " of [[Venus]]
** Chapter 61: Effects of Pratyantar dasas in the antardasas of planets
** Chapter 62: Effects of Sookshmantar dasas in the Pratyantar dasas of the various planets
** Chapter 63: Effects of the Prana Dasas in the Sookshama dasa of the various planets
** Chapter 64: Effects of the antardasas in the [[Kalachakra|Kala Chakta]] dasa
** Chapter 65: Effects of the dasas of Rasis in [[Aries (astrology)|Aries]] Amsa [portion]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://spokensanskrit.org/index.php?mode=3&script=hk&tran_input=amsa&direct=se&anz=100|title=Sanskrit Dictionary for Spoken Sanskrit: 'Amsa'|website=spokensanskrit.org|access-date=2020-03-20}}</ref>
** Chapter 66: Ashtakavarga 
** Chapter 67: Trikona Sodhana (refectification) in the Ashtakavarga scheme
** Chapter 68: Ekadhipatya Shodhana in the Ashtakavarga scheme
** Chapter 69: [[Pinda (riceball)|Pinda]] Sadhana in the Ashtakavarga scheme
** Chapter 70: Effects of the Ashtakavarga
** Chapter 71: Determination of longevity through the Ashtakavarga
** Chapter 72: [[Skandha|Aggregrational]] Ashtakavarga
** Chapter 73: Effects of the rays on the planets
** Chapter 74: Effects of the [[Sudarshana Chakra|Sudarashana chakra]]
** Chapter 75: Characteristic features of Panchamahapurushas [Pancha-maha-purushas, meaning five great [[yoga]]s or [[purusha]]s]
** Chapter 76: Effects if the [[Pancha Bhoota|five elements]] - Earth, air, water, fire, and ether
** Chapter 77: Effects of the [[Sattva|Satwa]] [[Guṇa|Guna]], etc.
** Chapter 78: Lost [[Horoscopic astrology|Horoscopy]]
** Chapter 79: Yogas leading to [[asceticism]] 
** Chapter 80: Female Horoscopy
** Chapter 81: Effects of the characteristic features of the various parts of woman's body
** Chapter 82: Effects of moles, marks, signs, etc., for men and women
** Chapter 83: Effects of curses in the [[Reincarnation|previous birth]]
** Chapter 84: Remedial measures to obtain relief from the malevolence of the planets
** Chapter 85: Inauspicious births
** Chapter 86: Remedial measures for birth on [[Amavasya]]
** Chapter 87: Remedies from the evil effects of birth on Krishna Chaturdashi
** Chapter 88: Remedies from the evil effects of birth in Bhadra and inauspicious Yogas
** Chapter 89: Remedies from Nakshatra birth
** Chapter 90: Remedies from [[Sankranti]] birth
** Chapter 91: Remedies from birth in [[eclipse]]s
** Chapter 92: Remedies from birth in [[Gandanta]]
** Chapter 93: Remedies from birth in Abhukta Moola
** Chapter 94: Remedies from birth in Jyestha Gandanta
** Chapter 95: Remedies from effects of birth of the daughter after 3 sons
** Chapter 96: Remedies from evil effects of unusual delivery
** Chapter 97: Conclusion

==See also==
*[[Hindu astrology|Jyotiṣa]]
*[[Hora (astrology)]]
*[[Natal astrology|Natal (genethliac) astrology]]
*[[Nakṣatra]]s
*[[Dasa]]
*[[Sārāvalī]]
*[[Uttara kalamrita]]

==Notes and references==
{{reflist}}

===References===
*[[David Pingree]], ''{{IAST|Jyotiḥśāstra}}'' in J. Gonda (Ed.) ''A History of Indian Literature'', Vol VI Fasc 4 (1981)

==External links==
*Original text {{in lang|sa}}   [http://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D बृहत्पाराशरहोराशास्त्र]
* Translations online {{in lang|en}} [http://www.reliableastrology.com/mphs.htm ''Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra'' by Maharishi [[Parasara]]
* Translation and elaboration Online [http://bphs.blogspot.com ''Brihat Parashara Hora Sastra'' By Maharishi Parashara]
* Translation and commentary [http://parashara.net ''Brihat Parashara Hora Sastra'']

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra}}
[[Category:Hindu astrological texts]]
[[Category:Sanskrit texts]]
[[Category:8th-century Indian books]]