posted May 13, 2004 10:42 AM              

There are quite a few differences. I'll attempt to cover some of the
more interesting and significant ones here. As far as which works
better, that depends largely on the the application and the
practicioner. Both systems can give excellent insight into the nature
of an individual and both can be very useful in revealing the
possibilities of future events. Personally I have more success with
Hindu astrology in both departments. In particular I find the Hindu
system's dasa method of prediction more thorough and easier to use than
the Western progression and transits method. In my associations with
other astrologers, I have encountered many who have started with
Western astrology and have switched to Hindu astrology after they have
taken some time to understand it. I don't know of anyone though who
has switched back to Western astrology exclusively after learning the
Hindu system or who has started with the Hindu system and switched to
Western astrology. This could be due to my particular frame of
reference though. Anyway, I hope you find this useful.

o Hindu astrology is a sideral system and Western astrology is a
tropical system. The current difference in longitide between the
two systems is between 23 and 24 degrees. Both systems have been
used successfully for hundreds of years. It is even possible to
come to the same conclusion by using the different techniques of
the two systems. James Braha writes that in his opinion each
system is geared to delineating its own specifically desired
results: the Hindu system analyzes events and circumstances that
occur by virtue of one's past actions and the Western system
reveals one's experince of such events. [James Braha, "Ancient
Hindu Astrology for the Modern Western Astrologer", Hermetician
Press, Miami, 1986, p. 1]

o Hindu astrology uses an equal sign and equal house system. The
most widely used method of casting a horoscope is to have all
houses be 30 degrees and begin at the 0 degree point of the sign
they occupy.

o In the Hindu system, planets aspect houses as well as other planets
but there is a limit to the type of aspects considered. The inner
planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus) only aspect fully the house and
planets that are seven houses from thier respective position, that
is they only aspect in opposition. Mars aspects the fourth,
seventh and eighth houses (and the planets in those houses) from
its position. Jupiter aspects the fifth, seventh and ninth houses
from itself. Saturn aspects the third, seventh and tenth from
itself. As far as the lunar nodes go, some practicioners feel they
are successful considering them capable of aspecting. Others say
that since they are not physical bodies they can't cast aspects.
I'm still trying to determine for myself if they do or don't.

o Just as the Sun's path (the zodiac) is divided up into 12 signs,
the Hindu's divide the Moon's path (which is very close to the
Sun's path) into 27 constellations or asterisms. These 27
constellations are called the nakshatras. Translated, this means
lunar mansions. Like the signs of the zodiac, these constellations
have their own characteristics. The mansion the Moon occupies at
the time of birth is what determines the planetary period the
person starts his/her life with. The nakshatra system seems to
have been in practice since the time of the Atharva Veda (the last
of the four vedas - composed sometime after 1000 B.C.) [Valerie J.
Roebuck, "Indian Astrology", Element Books Ltd., Shaftesbury,
Dorset, 1992, p. 3]

o To the Hindus, the ascendent is the most important factor in
judging a horoscope, followed by the Moon and then the Sun.

o Hindu astrology is closely tied to the Hindu religion. This
explains some of the irrational behavior certain individuals
exhibit when they perceive their belief system is being attacked,
defamed or otherwise insulted.

o Transits are used in Hindu astrology but not to the extent that
they are in Western astrology. Tom Hopke indicates that the
planets most influential in transit are the Sun, the Moon, Jupiter
and Saturn. The others do have some influence but not to the same
degree. [Tom Hopke (Nalini-Kantha Das), "How To Read Your
Horoscope", Vedic Cultural Association, Honolulu, 1987, p. 225]
There is a major difference in how transits are examined between
the two systems though. In Hindu astrology, the house that the
natal Moon occupies is considered to be the first house. I should
emphasize here that this is primarily for puropses of delineating
transits.

o Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are not used in Hindu astrology. The
Rishis (seers), being omniscient, knew of the existance of these
planets but did not consider them to be significant in a
horoscope. The Hindu astrologer Chakrapani Ullal gives this
analogy: there are many people in the city of Los Angeles but only
a few actually have influence over what direction the city moves.
I must say here that I personally find this analogy sorely lacking
and when I'm looking at a chart, I do like to be aware of what
houses the outer planets are transiting.