Ritual

Hastakara Yantra, with auspicious
signs on the palms. Rajasthan,
c. 18th century. Gouache on paper.
118
exclusively with astrology. Many significant notions, such as the
twelve signs of the zodiac, the seven days of the week, the division
of the day, show a remarkable affinity to modern Western
concepts; it is generally considered that a number of these topics
are based on the Greek system.
The celestial sphere, with its infinite constellations, has always
been a principal life-force in the Indian way of life in general and
the tantric way in particular. Recourse is had to astrology for every
conceivable operation, however trivial, from drawing a birth chart
and making prognostications to setting out propitious months,
days, hours and moments. The same method was used for a great
enterprise or for casting a personal horoscope. It usually involves
computation of time by mathematical calculation, from which the
results of complex planetary combinations are drawn. In operation,
it is so closely related to horometry that astrology became a system
for the measurement of time in relation to the stellar and galactic
rhythms and their interaction on behavioural patterns.
The practice of astrology was not concerned so much with
esotericism as with the pragmatic aim of determining the fruitful
results of any event. Every operation, it was believed, must have a
favourable outcome, and one of the most powerful means of
ensuring it is not to isolate the event but to integrate it with every
mode and rhythm of life including those of the distant asterisms, or
lunar mansions. This belief was based partly on the notion of
micro-macro correspondence and partly on the persuasion that
every object in nature, thought, matter, or action, radiates a certain
degree of cosmic force; various cosmic forces must be combined in
harmony and at the right moment if they are to interact
favourably. A typical example is the tradition of pilgrimages, or
yatras, which are an important astrological subject and event in
that it is desirable to commence such a journey at an auspicious
hour. The Yoga Yatra texts provide many astrological conjunctions
which supply the proper and useful knowledge to make
pilgrimage a success. A yatra was recommended at specific
positions of the 9 Nakshatras (lunar mansions), viz., Asvini,
Punarvasu, Anuradha, Mrigasiras, Pushya, Revati, Hasta, Sravana
and Dhanistha. In his Brihat-Samhita, Varaha-Mihira devoted
1,100 verses to the subject and also composed important
independent works, such as Brihad Yoga Yatra, Yoga Yatra and
Tikkanika, which deal exclusively with the same topic.
In calculating the precise 'time', many factors are taken into
consideration, among which the most important ones are the
conjunction of the planets, the lunar mansion, the fortnight