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'''Jyothishya – The science of light ''' Jyothishya is the six auxiliary disciplines to support Vedic rituals. The word Jyothishya in Sanskrit is a composite word consisting of ‘Jyothi being light and ‘Isha’ being lord. Jyothishya thus translates into "the Lord of Light" or "the Knowledge of Light". This is “the Eye of the Vedas.” This is also the intricate personal science of the Seven Rays Of Light and Sound. The Grahas (planet) weave a web of light and sound upon us at the moment of our first breath into our earthly bodies.

Jyothishya is the study of the light that comes to us from the sun, moon, stars and planets. These visible things are fixed in nature, reflecting more the principle of what we might call fate. Inner light can be thought of as cognition or intuition—the elements beyond astronomy and mathematics that make up astrology. This inner light helps us perceive our true nature and activate our free will to see and shift obstacles in our path. Jyothishya gives us tools to cultivate our understanding of both inner and outer light. This is comprised of Six Branches. These are Gola, Ganita, Jataka, Prashna, Muhurta, and Nimitta.

  The first branch is Gola. Gola is observational astronomy. Ganita is the second branch of Jyothishya. Ganita is calculation. Jataka is the third branch of Jyothishya. Prasana is the fourth branch of Jyothishya. Prasana is a Sanskrit word that means “question” and its practice entails treating a question put to the astrologer as the moment of inception, similar to the moment of birth for a person. Muhurtha is the fifth branch of Jyothishya. Muhurtha is the Sanskrit word for “moment,” and is focused on picking an auspicious moment in which to begin a new endeavor. By picking the best moment, we can infuse the birth of the endeavor with the best possible astrological energy for success. Nimitta is the sixth and final branch of Jyothishya. Also called omenology, it is the art of studying and reading phenomena that occur at the time of a question, usually related to nature. 

A Vedic Jyothishya – The science of light and Sankalpa generally comprises of the elements of Time; Location; Almanac (Panchanga); Lineage; Purpose; Wish or desire; Target (the Deity); and nature or mode of karma.

The Sankalpa is day’s guide. Panchanga is used for knowing the five basic characteristics of time for sankalpa, locating dates for Yagna, yagas, vratas, Locating dates of shraddhas, locating muhurtha and look for auspicious/inauspicious timings for the use of common public. The performer is well versed with day's Tithi (Lunar Day), Vara (Day), Nakshatra (Moon's Constellation), Yoga (Sun, Moon Combination), and Karana (Half of Tahiti), along with Moon's current Position and Chaitra Paksheeya, Ayanamsha. It also gives your day’s Tarabala, Chandra Bala, Ashtama Chandra, Ghata Vara, Rahukala, Gulika, Yamaganda Timings, varjyam, Durmhurtha, Quality of Tahiti, Vara, Nakshatra, Yoga, Karana, Sun rise, Moon rise timings and Raasi, Nakshatra change timings, Chowghati, Hora timings, Muhurtha timings along with day guide and predictions based on Tarabala. This information is the process of selecting an auspicious moment to start any activity, is quite complex and needs a very good knowledge of Jyothishya. Panchanga is a tool for the application of this knowledge. Panchanga is a Sanskrit word, literally meaning "having five limbs“. These five limbs are linked to the five elements of fire, water, earth, air, and sky. The entire world is made up of these five elements or Panca Tattvas and the mind experiences the world through these elements.  The "five attributes" of the day or Vara are Tithi, Nakshatra, Raasi, Yoga, and Karana.

Vara is the lord of the day and is ruled by Mars, the ruler of the Fire element. Tithi is the lord of the lunar month or phase of the Moon and is ruled by Venus the ruler of the Water element. Karana is the lord of the half Tithi and is derived from the Tithi. It is ruled by Mercury the ruler of the Earth element. Nakshatra, Sanskrit for “night space or place” is the space the Moon travels thru in one day and is ruled by Saturn, the ruler of the air element. Yoga is the combination of the movement of the Sun and the Moon and is ruled by Jupiter, the ruler of Space or the Sky element.

<span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">Hora <span style="font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> is one hour. Hora Chakra to find auspicious and inauspicious timings for a day. The time duration of one day and one night is known as Ahora. There are 7 different Hora and total 24 Hora in a day. All seven Hora are cyclic and rotate in a constant fixed cycle throughout day and night.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;text-indent:.5in;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;text-indent:.5in;line-height:normal"><span style="text-indent:0.5in;font-size:12pt;font-family:'TimesNewRoman',serif;">Thus, Sankalpa plays <span style="text-indent:0.5in;font-size:12pt;font-family:'TimesNewRoman',serif;color:rgb(37,37,37);background-image:initial;background-attachment:initial;background-size:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;background-position:initial;background-repeat:initial;"> a significant role in the life of an individual, and it <span style="text-indent:0.5in;font-size:12pt;font-family:'TimesNewRoman',serif;">helps <span style="text-indent:0.5in;font-size:12pt;font-family:'TimesNewRoman',serif;color:rgb(37,37,37);background-image:initial;background-attachment:initial;background-size:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;background-position:initial;background-repeat:initial;">gaining back lost health and wealth, begetting offspring, divine help and assistance during difficult period in one’s life. In addition, <span style="text-indent:0.5in;font-size:12pt;font-family:'TimesNewRoman',serif;"> keeps the performer active as walking encyclopedia of Jyothishya Shastra.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;text-indent:.5in;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">Sivkishen, Author, Kingdom of Shiva