For over 3,000 years the cultures that occupied the Indus valley and the subcontinent of India have studied the relationship between the planetary movements and life events. This observational history has been enriched by the contributions of many different cultures.
In the fifth century AD, Parashara wrote an encyclopedic text, Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, which captured the astrological knowledge of his time and has served as the basis for all future studies and texts. While the principles have remained the same, the manifestations of these planetary forces continually take new forms. Therefore the ancient texts must be correctly applied to modern society.
For example, many planetary combinations are said to give “many elephants”. Today in the West, few people invest in elephants as a sign of power and wealth. Their conveyance of choice is more likely to be a new car. Therefore, a modern Jyotish must appropriately apply the ancient wisdom in relevant terms.