Introductions to Jyotihsastra

[Martin Gansten]

>Is there a text that can be recommended to an artist interested in being
>introduced to Hindu astrology?

That depends on what level of introduction you are looking for. As this is a
scholarly list, I assume you are thinking primarily of scholarly studies, in
which case I know only of David Pingree's work -- e.g., his translation of
Sphujidhvaja's Yavanajataka. If list members know of other scholars active
in this field, please fill me in!

As you mention being an artist, you might be interested in a thesis on the
iconography of Hindu planetary deities published a few years ago.
Unfortunately, the author's name has slipped my mind. Does anyone else remember?

There are, of course, plenty of introductions in the sense of do-it-yourself
manuals, for those who want to learn Hindu astrology from the inside. Even
if your interest is purely academic, it may be a good idea to read one or
two of these, just to flesh out the picture. One that has been mentioned on
this list before is deFouw's and Svoboda's "Light on Life".

I'm afraid I'm rather ignorant when it comes to ancient observatories.

Best regards,
Martin Gansten