In India, astrology, Jyotiṣa, is defined as Jyotiṣam sūryādi grahāṇām bodhakamśāstram, the system which explains the influences of the sun, moon, and planets.
Indian astrology came explicitly to light around 1200 BCE, when the monk Lagadha compiled the Vedānga‐Jyotiṣa on the basis of Vedas, in which lunar and solar months are described, with their adjustment by Adhimāsa (lunar leap month). ṛtus (seasons), years, and yugas (eras) are also described. Twenty‐seven constellations, eclipses, seven planets, and twelve signs of the zodiac were also known at that time.
In the period from 500 BCE to the beginning of the Christian era some texts were written on the subject of astrology. Nineteen famous sages composed their Siddhāntas (texts). Candra‐prajnapti, Sūrya‐prajnapti, and Jyotiṣakaraṇḍaka were written. The Sūryasiddhānta, the ancient text of Indian astrology, was composed around 200 BCE.
How we are affected by planets?
What we call the planets are no more than points of light in a vast energy network, connected intricately by subtle lines of force, linking the entire solar system into a single organism. Though the planets appear like small points of light in the distance, their energy fields are present on Earth, and they are responsible for many of the formations of the Earth life and of our own bodies and minds.
Vedic astrology is the map of our karma. It allows us to more precisely understand our own nature and destiny in order to navigate our lives in fulfilling these four goals. Ultimately, however, it’s about helping us in our spiritual development to achieve the final goal of moksha. By studying our horoscopes, we can better comprehend what energies are affecting us, and how we can best respond to those energies, often with spiritual practices like chanting or ritual worship, to help us in our spiritual growth.