A Note on the Indian Planetary Exaltations and their Greek-Language Sources

Abstract

A close examination of the lists of planetary exaltations given by two of the earliest known Sanskrit authors on horoscopic astrology – Mīnarāja and Sphujidhvaja – solves the confusion surrounding Mīnarāja’s idiosyncratic assignment of degrees and suggests that both authors, and indeed all later Indian astrological literature, depended for this doctrine on a single, Greek-language source.

Keywords:

• Mīnarāja,
• Sphujidhvaja,
• Vṛddhayavanajātaka,
• Yavanajātaka,
• exaltations,
• horoscopic astrology