Part 1 - Significance of the Study

The emergence and the developmental process of the correlation of Jyotiḥśāstra and the Concept of Karman significantly appear in divergent perspectives in the Veda and the later Sanskrit literature. Whereas Jyotiḥśāstra is based upon perceptive natural phenomenon of cosmic light forms and is thereby factual the Concept of Karman is presented as a philosophical notion resting on the ideology related to human. The growth of Jyotiḥśāstra occurred initially with a curiosity to understand the cosmic workings with observations of the spontaneity and also the order prevailing in the cosmos and later became a record of the calculations of the motions of the planetary bodies. Karma, on the other hand projected earlier the sacrifices and other ritual actions and later was associated with the moral actions of man. Whereas Jyotiḥśāstra in its early phase carried a primitive Indo-German legacy in the form of omens and portents also sharing an association with Babylonian and later on with Greek and Arabic Astrology, the growth of Karma theory was completely indigenous. The theory of Karma rest on the foundation that the physical and the moral actions performed by man become decisive as per their qualitative value and the soul transmigrate on account of these actions which accord it a specific motion in co-ordination with its deeds. This concept of transmigration associated with the rebirths of the soul is a uniquely Indian approach towards the question of action and its results.

In the culture, the correlation of Jyotiṣa and Karma chiefly came forth to provide a perceptive base to the ideology of human regarding future along with its practical application. The cosmic activities in the form of divinations constituted a sign language revealing about future. An effort to understand the nature of time concerned with the correlation was also attempted by means of the ordered activity in the cosmos.

The correlation signifies an attempt to the erection of a moral theory by the culture. The factors contributing such an assumption on the cosmic side appears initially in the moral aspects of Varuṇa more so in the concept of the immortal gods as glorified human beings. An effort to perceive their veiled nature occurs initially in viewing stars or Nakṣatras as their abodes. An attempt of imitation also depicts in their anthropomorphized forms. The bifurcation of the cosmic qualities appears more systematized by characterizing the Nakṣatras and later on the Rāśis by means of which the human mind is visualized.

The correlation also worked as a means to understand the mechanism of Karma in human by the means of qualitative time. Sattva being the original form of human mind in accordance with the philosophy of the culture the qualitative time bifurcating the cosmic qualities was supposedly utilized for according a Sattva form to the mind. Karma equaled with motion in this sense and prescribed work on certain time can lead human to an evolved form also presupposes a basis for the correlation.

The correlation clearly worked in the culture to bring the abstract philosophy of the Vedic man into practical empiricism. Human discovered as of a Knowledge form by the culture an effort to derive the same with the aid of a natural basis is seemingly where the correlation is directed and where it united with the conceptions of Pantheism and Cosmogonism.

An extension to the probabilities of Evolution of human by means of individual effort with the aid of the correlation is also distinctly expressed in its preliminary form.

Also apart from the independent growth of Jyotiḥśāstra and the Concept of Karman in the literature the two correlated with each other for the core purpose of performance of ritual actions evident initially in the form of Sacrifices and later on the Muhūrtas for various cultural activities to be performed on specific times the mention of which occurs earlier in the Vedic and later in the Sanskrit literature.