“Simple linear logic, in which principles come first and deductions
follow, is not very useful when it comes to comprehending a vidya,
because the sages who developed these vidyas employed an entirely
different mode of thinking. 'They thought rather in terms of what
we might call a fugue, in which all the notes cannot be constrained
into a single melodic scale, in which one is plunged directly into the
midst of things and must follow the temporal order created by their
thoughts' (de Santillana, p. xi). Probably the most essential condition
for becoming a capable jyotishi, which happens to be the most
difficult one for the average Westerner to fulfill, is to learn how to
think in this holistic, non-linear way. Because it is also very difficult
to write or teach non-linearly - it is simply impossible to 'square the
circle' - imperfections in books on Jyotish that are written in
modern languages are inevitable.
One reason why Jyotish's texts are written in Sanskrit is that
Sanskrit helps facilitate holistic thought. The Seers taught that
Sanskrit's very sounds are sacred, and they held that Sanskrit (when
properly intoned) speaks directly to the soul of living creatures,
transmitting, as does music, a universal meaning which does not
depend on its composition or lyrics. Because the essence of the
Vedas is believed to be transferred to the listener when Vedic
hymns are recited correctly, the Vedas must be studied vocally in
their original Sanskrit if they are to be truly understood. This also
applies to the Vedas' satellite vidyas such as Jyotish and Ayweda
(India's traditional medical system). Other languages may convey
the vidyas' theoretical meaning, but only Sanskrit captures and
conveys their quintessence. Anyone who wishes to become a master
jyotishi must eventually possess and be posscsscd by Sanskrit, and
although theoretical or book learning can be helpful, Sanskrit, like
Jyotish, can only be truly learned orally from a competent teacher.”