Prithuyasas Shatpanchaska [AP]

Astrology is rightly termed as one of the shad-angas-the six works auxiliary to the Vedas. And it will not be too much to say that this branch of know – ledge is as necessary to civilization as any other branch, as a lack of knowledge of Astrology means a deficiency in the advancement of man.

The present work – Prasna sastra – is one of the branches of Jyotisha sastra and is condensed in – as the title of the book implies, 56 slokas. The author Prithuyasas is really a chip of the old block in as much as he is the son of that celebrated Astronomer Varahamihira-one of the nine gems of Vikramaditya’s court. All aspects pertaining to ‘query’ have been very cleverly handled in this short work. The author presumes a preliminary knowledge of astrology and it is understood that the reader masters the first two chapters of Brihath Jataka.

That Prithuyasas has kept up the line of thought after his father is plain from the fact that the number of slokas in this work is 56. With reference to life (little is said, but much is meant.) One is prompted to study every line in a detailed manner. For example the first line of this work starts with a prostration to the Sun, the beginner of everything.