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The 18 family non-vedic and 8 family vedic traditions of astrology:

The 18 family non-vedic and 8 family vedic traditions of astrology - Written By Sreenadh OG As all of you may know the name of Jaimini as a Jyotisastra pravartaka (propagators of ancient indian astrological wisdom) is not available in any of the popular lists of Jyotisastra pravartakas. Many used to wonder why the name of Jaimini is not mentioned in any of those lists, if Jaimini is an ancient sage who wrote books on astrology. This write-up is an effort to answer this question. It is wrong to say that the name of Jaimini is not mentioned in any of the lists; but it would be rather correct to state that, Jaimini's name is not mentioned in any of the lists that refer to the 18 families of `propagators of astrology'. Jaimini is not part of the non-vedic 18 family tradition of astrology, but of the vedic 8 family tradition of astrology. But when I say so, I am supposed to provide some references as well, regarding the 8 family tradition and also about the families included on that list. Here it goes Chamatkara Chintamani is a texts that builds up and provides the results for planets in all the 12 houses based on the ancient 18 family tradition of astrology. But while speaking about the propagators of astrology Chamatkara Chintamani states "Vadantashta deemantamanye muneendraH" (Sloka 63.) [It is told that there are 8 other sages as well (popular as propagators of astrology)]. This statement kindles our curiosity. From the wording "other sages" it is evident that the author of Chamatkara Chintamani does not consider himself as a follower of this 8 sages (or 8 family) tradition. But the question is who are these 8 ancient sages, the kula acharyas of 8 families who contributed to astrology? The following quote answers our curiosity Atreyaschasmarathyopi choudulomeeti samjitaH Karshnalini tathacharyaH kasakrintana eva cha Jaimini Badari Badarayanascha muneeswaraH

Ete chashtau samakhyata jyotiH sastra vidhayakaH [Atreya, Asmarathya, Audulomi, Karshnalini (Karsnajini), Kasakrintana (Kasakrtsna),

Jaimini, Badari, Badarayana (Parasari) - these 8 sages are known as teachers provides us with the rules regarding astrology (they too are the propagators of astrology)] This is interesting! These 8 names are not popular in current astrology, and possibly this is the only list available that mentions the names of Jaimini as an ancient propagator of astrology. The system propagated by the Badarayana mentioned above is the one popular with the name Parasari now a days and is the base of BPHS. Among those mentioned above Parasari and Jaimini systems are popular today, but we have no news about the astrological contribution of Atreya, Asmarathya, Audulomi, Karshnalini (Karsnajini), Kasakrintana (Kasakrtsna) and Badari mentioned in the above list. It is interesting to note that this 8 family teacher list is primarily available in Brahma Sutras written by Badrayana. They are all Vedic ritual teachers and reformists. Is it possible that the above quote and list is a made up one where after taking the list of 8 vedic scholars mentioned Brahma Sutra someone added the word "jyotiH sastra vidhayakaH" into it? Till we know more about the authenticity of the above quote this doubt too should be kept alive. (I got the above sloka from a Malayalam commentary to Phaladeepika as quoted by Brahmasri Cheruvalli Narayanan Nambootiri, and he does not give any reference regarding where this quote is taken from). But as of now, let us assume that the above quote is authentic and that it points to an ancient astrological tradition an alternate school of thought. None of the popular ancient astrological classics mentions their names or refers to their astrological contribution! Why? The answer to this question possibly lies in the fact that most of the astrological classics available today is a continuation of one or other of 18 family tradition and not of the not known 8 family tradition. Let us have a brief understanding about both these traditions.

18 family agama (non-vedic) tradition

The ancient indian astrology mainly depends on the teachings of 18 families possibly of nonvedic or early vedic stream. Skanda, Vasishta, Kausika, Surya, Sounaka, Manu, Chayavana, Yavana, Brigu, Garga are all among these 18 ancient masters of astrology. Not only the available ancient texts and quotes of these 18 acharyas and their followers, but also even

the medieval scholars like Mihira (Brihat Jataka 6th century), Gunakara (Hora Makaranda 6th century), Balabhadra (Hora Ratna), Acharya Narasimha (Hora Sara 16th century), Kalyana Varma (Saravali 10th century), Bhattolpala (commentry of Brihat Jataka 9th century), Talakkulattu Govinda Bhattatiri (Dasadhyayi commentary of Brihat Jataka 15th century), Kaikulangara (Hridyapatha commentary of Brihat Jataka 19thcentury), Ballala Sena (Adbhuta Samhita 12th century) are all texts that belong to this tradition initiated by this ancient 18 families; the ancient. But please note that the Jaimini sutra text available today, the Tajik jyotisha texts, the lal kitab texts, the Ramala Jyotish texts and the current BPHS with too much Jaimini methods interpolation DOES NOT belong to this tradition (but of course many of ancient methods and info that is not part of Jaimini system present in current BPHS does belong to this tradition).

8 family nigama (vedic) tradition

But then we find a possibly later day stream of the teachings of 8 families possibly of vedic or later vedic stream. Among them only the astrological teachings of Jaimini and Badarayana (Parasari) are popular as of now possibly the version of astrological teaching introduced by some vedic reformists of the 8 family order. Let us see who they are Atreya, Asmarathya, Audulomi, Karsnajini,Kasakrtsna, Jaimini, Badari, Parasari (B adarayana). Karmandi-bhiksu and Alekhana etc are other personalities mentioned along with them. They were all reformists and ritual teachers but of non-conventional vedic order. The absence of early commentaries for the texts written by the above masters indicate that these texts might be of much later origin possibly between 10th to 17th century texts written by some notable individuals from the above family order. Let us remember that the first commentary that refers to Jaimini Sutram named Phala Ratnamala by Krishna Mishra (1050-1070) and Kalpalatha by his son Somanath Mishra appeared only in 11thcentury AD. From texts like Jaimin Sutra, Badarayana sutras etc we may assume that the texts by the above 8 generally written in a sutra style and are devoid of any reference to their place, period of creation etc depicting a confusing and made-up nature in general. Their woks can be better treated as efforts of later day Vedic ritualists to adopt and improve upon the non-vedic astrological foundation in a vedic way. Since there is no evidence that the scholars of the above 8 families who lived during the ancient vedic period talked much on astrology anywhere (in Brahmanas, Aranyakas, discussions on Brahma sutra, Meemamsa texts etc) it is doubtful that the astrological literature ascribed to these families belongs to

the vedic past. Most possibly (as indicated by the absence of commentaries to their astrological texts, or references to them or their astrological texts in ancient astrological classics) it can concluded that the astrological texts ascribed to these families must have been created by later day scholars of these families in their effort to create the vedic (nigama) version of the non-vedic (agama) branch of knowledge astrology; an effort by the 8 vedic families to counter or extend the foundation provided by the ancient 18 family tradition. Possibly the astrological texts ascribed to this 8 ancient vedic families do not belong to the ancient vedic past but originated only after or around 10th century AD it seems. Till more evidence surfaces in favor or against the ancient 8 family origin and association of astrological Jaimini, Badarayana etc, it can only be assumed that, may be it was all part of an effort by the 10th century vedic brahmins to accept and assimilate this ancient agama branch of knowledge into their knowledge base, after seeming the revival that happened to astrology after Meenaraja and Sphujidwaja (3rd Century Tantirc Yamala followers?), Vararuchi (4th century north indian scholar who got settled in Kerala), Mihira (6th century indian settled Iranian of Avanti who learned astrology from Srilanka?), Aryabhata (5th century Kerala Jain scholar) etc who adopted and developed this ancient Aganama branch of knowledge that was adored by Agama Tantric tradition of Skanda hora, Brihat Prajapatya, Brahma Yamala, Adi yamala etc. But instead of integrating and adopting the then existing astrology with the Vedic astrology as mentioned in Atharva parisishta, Atharva Vedanga Jyotisha the 8 family tradition seems to have taken the path of extending and introducing new innovative methods of interpretation such as Chara karakas, Rasi drishti, Argala, Numerous dasas and so on just as done by the innovators behind the Prashna branch of astrology happening nearly the same time in Kerala started by Vararuchi of 4thcentury AD that extended upto the creation of texts such as Prshna Marga in 16th century AD. The South Indian Prashna stream and this 8 family stream seems to have much in common especially considering the fact that both of them mostly use and depend upon secondary methodologies derived based upon the foundation system provided by the 18 family traditions.

Those who are interested in this information bit can build upon this pointer and strengthen their foundation I hope that the followers of 8 family traditions (such as Jaimini and Parasari systems) will utilize this information and build upon it further.

Tailpiece 1: Badari = The Badarian culture provides the earliest direct evidence of agriculture in Upper Egypt during the Predynastic Era. It flourished between 4500 to 3800 BCE, and might have already existed as far back as 5000 BCE. Is it possible that the words like "Atreya, Asmarathya, Audulomi, Karsnajini, Kasakrtsna, Jaimini, Badari, Parasari (Badarayana)" etc points to non-indian, or outside indian origin of these vedic words and people