Palmistry through Astrology

Dr. Shanker Adawal (Jyotishaacharya, PHD, MBA)

Some say palmistry is also a branch of science. To some extent the version seem to be correct. Even if tracing the origin of palm-reading including a reference to the 'Lal-Kitab' – a well known classic of its time, the palm refers to planets (all of them i.e. the Sun, the Moon, Mars, Mercurry, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn) as they are referred to in astrology. Actually, the palm itself has been classified as a Horoscope with reference to the portion of the palm owned by the planets. Similarly, the 4 fingers (12 parts) represent the twelve signs as used in astrology. How to cound signs from fingers shall be discussed later. It would suffice to mention the following twelve signs referred to in Astrology as well as in Palmistry:

1. Aries - Mesha

2. Taurus - Vrishabh

3. Gemini - Mithun

4. Cancer - Karaka (kataka)

5. Leo - Simha

6. Virgo - Kanya

7. Libra - Tula

8. Scorpio - Varishchika

9. Sagittarius - Dhannu

10. Capricorn - Makara

11. Aquarius - Kumbha

12. Pisces - Meena

The idea is to acquaint the reader about the intermingling of Astrology and Palmistry. Whether astrology itself is a science ornot, the persons knowing astrology would claim it to be a perfect science. Palmistry comes next to the science of astrology and even many of the known palmists have admitted the fact that the palm cannot afford to time the happening of events as accurately as astrology can.

We have the expressions connected with palmistry i.e. chirognomy, chirosophy, physiogonomy, phrenology etc.

We had known classic 'Samudrika Shastra'. A small part of it represents 'Hasta Samudrika'. It is admitted by all that many of the treatises on 'Samudrika Shastra' now stand destroyed and with the passage of time, they have become extinct. The present version of palmistry has come to us in various distorted ways and the modern writers, with their own experience and keeping in view the modern conditions, have made some observations which do hold well. Be that as it may, the science of palmistry to study the shape of various organs of the body and indicate the tendencies of the person including his forecast for the future.

A point for the debate and consideration is whether the science of palmistry traveled from India or it had come to India from other places. Some claim that the science of palmistry traveled from India to China, Greece, Rome, Tibet and even to Egypt and Iran. But some claim its origin to Greece. However, in modern times, this science of palm-reading has traveled and has developed in all countries including the Europe, the United States of America and other western countries. Rather, Indian experts/authors do take help from the books written on palmistry by foreigners. As fas as I see, most of the scientific development in the field of palmistry have come in the 19th and 20th century. Some of the writers take to 384 BC and even earlier as reference in some of the books is made to Aristotle, the famous Greek Philosopher who was considered to be crudités scholar of both branches of palmistry i.e. (1) the shape of the hand and (ii) lines on the palm. Before proceeding further in our discussion, it would be apt to say that every line, apart from the shape of the hand has its own story to tell as we have a different story to tell by the rising ascendant (lagna) at the time of birth.

When any branch of knowledge take the status of 'science' would largely depend on the methodology it adops, steps to be followed, results to be obtained and the application of results. Even medial science, though grown to a major extent, but all the results are not found correct. Hence, this point has to be kept in mind whether it is the field of astrology, palmistry or numerology.

The role of Nature cannot be denied by any scientist. Rather, the Nature continue to be supreme and except to little extent, the Nature-forces of planets, continue to play their part. Actually, we read nature too much in the light of books rather than with reference to the character of her own known and set circular movement – rising of the Sun regularly and so on. Palmistry practically fails with regard to mundane matters. Here again comes the role of astrology. Actually, our Sages/Rishis were gifted with spiritual powers to read the Nature.

It hurts me to say that an incomplete man doubts the other incomplete man. I have seen some of the books saying where astrology has been dubbed as 'doubtful science' and some of the books on astrology make no mention of palmistry at all. Both palmistry and astrology are complimentary to each other. In my opinion astrologer should also be a palmist and a palmist should also be an astrologer. Hence the modern time coined term 'Astro-Palmist'.

Without deviating from the field of palmistry, the science under discussion, it is stated that there is nothing really new under the sun/sky. Actually, all these doctrines ad laws about the palmistry were known in the ancient times in more or less in a rudimentary state. Briefly, all these principle have been dying their own death and giving rise to new principles to be adopted by the persons living at a particular point of time. It is not wrong to say that palmistry is an old friend of human being with a new face rather with persons born with new hand (new set of lines). With regard to origin of this science and difference of opinion, the learned author A.R. Craig in his book 'Your Luck is in your hand' refers to Egyptians and then Greeks. Whereas our Indian Palmist/Author prof. Dayanand in his book "All the Secret of Palmistry for profession and Popularity' traces the origin of palmistry to India.

Shanker Adawal

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