This page from the Horashastra begins with an invocation to Ganesha and praises the Sun as the treasure-house of luminaries, describing how even Shiva makes salutation at sunrise and sunset. The text explains that this astrological treatise reveals accumulated karma from previous births like a lamp in darkness. It details the correspondence between zodiacal signs and body parts: head, face, arms, heart, belly, hips, bladder, secret part, thighs, knees, shanks, and feet. The passage describes how to examine the limbs of the Time-Person (kala-purusha) at birth to determine whether they are nourished or afflicted by planetary conjunctions.

Sanskrit

Laghujātaka jyotiṣa(varāhamihirāchārya)

This Sanskrit manuscript presents the opening chapter (Rāśiprabhedādhyāyaḥ) of the *Laghu-Jātaka*, a seminal work on horoscopic astrology (*horāśāstra*) composed by the renowned sixth-century astronomer-astrologer Varāhamihira. The text systematically delineates fundamental astrological concepts including the twelve zodiac signs (*rāśi*), their bodily correspondences, directional associations, elemental qualities, and planetary rulerships, alongside intricate calculations for subdivisions such as *navāṃśa*, *dreṣkāṇa*, and *horā*. Particularly noteworthy is its sophisticated treatment of planetary dignities, strengths (*bala*), and mutual relationships (*mitra-śatru*), demonstrating the highly developed computational and interpretive frameworks characteristic of classical Indian astrology. The preserved verses exhibit the characteristic metrical structure and technical precision that established Varāhamihira's authority in the jyotiṣa tradition.

Opening verse of the Laghujātaka mapping the zodiac to the human body

JyotishaNovember 22, 2025

Varāhamihira's Zodiac: The Body of Time

The Laghujātaka maps the zodiac onto the human body — Aries is the head, Pisces the feet — and lays out the twelve signs, their planets, and the divisions of a birth chart.

From: Laghujātaka jyotiṣa(varāhamihirāchārya)Read moreeast