The
Difference Between The Vedic And The Western Systems
The Zodiac is an imaginary ring in the sky which encircles
our solar system like a girdle. To determine the positions
of the planets on this circle we need some reference
point, a point which will remain fixed while the heavenly
bodies keep moving.
The seers of Vedic Astrology took a faraway star which
remains stationary and the position of the planets
were determined by referring them to this fixed star
cluster. This is known as the sidereal system. Sidereal
means measured by stars. The fixed star cluster chosen
for the purpose is taken as the 1st degree of Aries,
the starting point of the Indian Zodiac.
The Western system also uses a fixed reference point
but utilises the equinoxes for the purpose. Interestingly,
1st degree of Aries is yet again the starting point
of the Western Zodiac. But the major difference is
that the position of the Sun on Vernal equinox (the
first day of spring) is taken as the 1st degree of
Aries. This works equally well because the Sun moves
360° in a year. This is known as the Tropical Zodiac.
Taking two different reference points does not make
one system valid and the other invalid. In fact, one
can be mathematically deduced from the other. Ancient
Indians were aware of this. They knew that, because
of the perpetual titling of the earth the equinoxes
moved approximately 1° in every 72 years. So, they
introduced the idea of 'Ayanamsha' to accommodate
the procession of the equinoxes (Ayanchalan).
Hence, the Western Tropical Zodiac is called 'Sayan'
(with Ayan) i.e., with the procession of equinoxes
and the Sidereal Zodiac is called 'Nirayan' (without
Ayan) where this is ignored.
The planets and the houses in both systems are the
same. There are some differences in approach. For
example, in Indian Astrology the most important reference
point in a Horoscope is the 1st house known as Ascendant
while in the Western System the Sun occupies the central
place.
