हंसः सोऽहं प्रचोदयात्॥
om haṁsahaṁsāya vidmahe so’haṁ haṁsāya dhimahi|
haṁsaḥ so’haṁ pracodayāt||
Brahma taught the Vedas and Vedangas (which include astrology) to his mental son, Narada. Some astrological teachings are found in the Narada Samhita. Devarshi Narada, in turn, passed this knowledge on to Maharishi Shaunak. Maharishi Parashara was a disciple of Maharishi Shaunak and acquired a thorough knowledge of the Vedas and Vedangas from his guru, as well as profound teachings from his illustrious grandfather, Maharishi Vashistha.
His magnum opus, the Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, is a traditional dialogue with his disciple, Maharishi Maitreya, in which a humble disciple asks questions with a sincere heart and is taught the entire Hora Shastra. The Vishnu Purana contains a similar dialogue between Parashara and Maitreya. Therefore, it is essential to study this Purana to better understand the sage’s teachings. In our tradition, three texts are considered foundational:
Summary
The Parashara Jyotish course will be taught in the tradition of Puri, India, and includes spiritual instruction to develop the mind to understand the entire subject. The student will develop a deep understanding of Vedic astrology and master all the verses of the Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (BPHS).
After successfully completing the required course, students will be awarded the degrees of Jyotish Pandit (3rd academic year) and Jyotish Guru (5th academic year) from the Devguru Brihaspati Kendra [under the bylaws of the governing body of the Shree Jagannath Kendra®]. Students must take an oath to obtain this certification, which entitles them to practice as Vedic astrologers and mentor trainees, and also to teach the Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra in the Vedic tradition.
This course includes the study of the monumental classical Sanskrit text, Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, composed by Maharishi Parashara, which forms the basis of Vedic astrology. Each shloka will be studied in depth, and the Sanskrit words will be explained and translated into English. All studies will be accompanied by ample examples, as is the tradition’s method, that demonstrate the application of the teachings. Rather than simply memorizing the shlokas, it is better to memorize them through practical application, which deepens the knowledge. The student will develop a deep understanding of the relevant principles, and the tradition encourages deep contemplation to cultivate astrological consciousness.
