Astrology Concepts Explained in Alphabetic Order [SP]

The study of text books on Astrology does pose a problem in that one keeps running into words the meanings of which one should have remembered – but doesn’t. But the problem is far more acute when one encounters a stray article or a periodical on Astrology. The latter would normally feature six to eight articles on radically different topics. Author each article puts up his best but has to squeeze in a lot of information within a limited space and the piece is littered with technical terms.

Recalling accurately the meaning of the plethora of all these words within the covers of a periodical can be a very disconcerting experience. There is no denying the fact that barring some intellectuals, the feat of recalling all the meaning shall not be possible for an average student of Astrology, who after a reasonable training, does eventually turn to periodicals for enlarging his or her horizons.

Languages reflect cultures and their lines of thoughts, ways of life, beliefs, traditions and customs. Sanskrit is one such ancient most language and attempting to translate a culture that it defines is a selfdefeating exercise. Baring some words, the remaining overwhelming majority cannot be translated literally, the concept and terminology being sheer alien to English language.

An attempt to force a translation, in a sense, kills the spirit of the word. But we admit having done just that at places, thought against our conscience, yet with the hope that non-Sanskrit (and Hindi) students may understand the idea that we had been beating about. Of course, it has not worked every time and in our attempt to push a translation, we may have violated the spirit of the term.