Charlatanry

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> "Although astrology has been proven to be considerably less accurate than

> random guessing so far as predicting the future is concerned, Srila

> Prabhupada believed in its theoretical efficacy (although wisely warning

> devotees not to consult astrologers).

 

Astrology has never been "proven to be considerably less accurate than

random guessing". It is not humanly possible to come up with such a proof in

the first place. Only someone who is aware of all astrological predictions

and random guesses ever made can compare the two and prove the superiority

of one over the other. In other words, only Krishna or perhaps a demigod

could ever make such a statement. And until they do, the above statement

remains nothing but an unproven assumption.

 

I do remember hearing HH Bhanu Maharaj say that American psychics scored

only 25 % hits in their predictions for 97 or so (I dont remember the year

clearly) while an ordinary analyst using logic and reason scored 60 %.

That´s a very telling result indeed but it does not say anything about

astrology at all. Neither does it mean that all psychics at all times and in

all countries are charlatans. There are bona fide astrologers and there are

useless astrologers. There are some useless, so-called psychics but there

are also some genuine psychics.

 

I personally met an assuming little old man in Bombay whose name is yogi

Karve. Hari Sauri Prabhu was also there. This man was able to tell me my

whole chart off the top of his head without any calculations and he got it

all right! Clearly a real psychic. By the way, Yogi Karve also knew my

wife´s chart (who was not even present) but here he made a small mistake and

mixed up the positions of two planets. And he predicted the gender of my

then unborn child wrong. In other words, in this age even psychics with

actual predictive ability are not perfect anymore, what to speak of others.

Sometimes predictions fail and the advice given by unqualified astrologers -

particularly if they are nondevotees - can do much more harm than it will

benefit.

 

And I think this is what Prabhupada was trying to point out when he told one

or two disciples in personal letters "dont go to astrologers". He did not

mean to say that no devotee should ever go to an astrologer. Don´t consult

unqualified astrolgoer who give non Krishna conscious advice. After all,

Prabhupada himself had repeatedly consulted astrologers in his lifetime

and,in his books, repeatedly established that astrology is a bona fide vedic

science:

 

"No, no. It is calculated by the astral movement. It is a great science.

People do not know it now ... We believe in astrology, but because it is a

difficult science, people do not understand it properly. That is another

thing. In my practical life I see. In my horoscope, everything is written,

what I am doing. Everything is written." (Morning walk, 29/12/1973)

 

Actually Prabhupada even went so far as to say that it is the duty of the

parents to have an astrologer calculate the chart of their kids:

 

"It is the duty of a father to understand the astrological position of his

children and do what is needed for their happiness. Now, taking advantage of

the opportunity afforded by the presence of Gargamuni, Nanda Maharaja

suggested that Gargamuni prepare a horoscope for Nanda's two sons, Krishna

and Balarama." (SB 10.8.5)

 

"Astrology is a science. Krsna consciousness has nothing to do with

astrology, but it is the general custom that as soon as a child is born the

astrologers come. That is the Indian system, Vedic system." (8-4-69)

 

"According to vedic scriptures, whenever a child is born, there are some

ceremonies known as jata karma and nama karana, in which learned brahmanas

immediately after the birth of the child make a horoscope according to

astrological calculations." (SB 9.20.37)

 

"By psychology, by horoscope, by birth-right, the children of the

Gita-Nagari community shall be divided into different destined works."(Srila

Prabhupada in "Interpretations of the Bhagavad-gita", quoted in ISKCON farm

newsletter, vol.2, no.1)

 

So there is no question of "Prabhupada wisely warning devotees not to

consult astrologers." Rather the warning is: Do not to see bhogus

astrologers.

 

Prabhupada sums up the essence of the matter perfectly when he says that "A

man's destiny is therefore ascertained by the birthtime constellation of

stars, and a factual horoscope is made by a learned astrologer. It is a

great science, and misuse of a science does not make it useless"

(SB 1.12.12)

 

ys Anantarupa das