Grace of bhavAni

October 3, 2009

Dear All,

One final posting before I take leave for a few weeks again.

I seem to be getting good responses for my astrological correctness and predictions.

I had been condescending for the past few weeks,due to some quirk of my mind, to entertain many requests for a peep into their future.

However,lest this gets into my head or that Im misconstrued for some great astrologer,let me tell you all openly,Im a small-fry as far as astrology is concerned.Whatever has been predicted correctly by me is a stroke of good luck due to ambA's karunA for an imbecile like me.

Mere study of s'AstrAs alone does not make a good astrologer.I have read jAthak chadrikA,brihath parAs'arA hOra s'AstrA,sathya samhithA,dhruvanADi,some karanagranthAs(handwritten astrological palmleaves in the possession of a distant spinster aunt of mine),etc and have even memorized many a samskruthA verses.Yet, I used to make many mistakes in delineation of horoscopes in my over-enthusiasm.

"We with our confined powers of understading presume to comprehend in any shape whatever the prodigous extent of the heavens,in any shape whatever,from an idea of immensity of the surrounding space.The utmost stretch of human thought cannot attain the least notion of it"---Didacus Placidus de Titnus(an Italian monk cum astrologer)

My own father does not understand even basic rAsi or navAms'A and leaves things to his ishtadevathA and does lot of sAdhanA.It was his advice to depend on parAmbikA more than mere dry-readings of s'AstrAs and arrogating oneself which changed the astrologer in me alchemically.

I do not profess astrology,I would not entertain on my own accord normally anyone's horoscope and also evade or direct them to better astrologers.Please do direct your requests to someone more competent than me.

Astrology is a science of internal prognostication and also as an aid to understand the karmA theory better.

Every astrologer must have implicit faith in God and upAsanA.People who predict while leading their lives in anAchArA(immoral lifestyles) might be initially or partially correct but then their predictions would be a damnation soon.It is these prophets of doom who bring the dark cloud over astrology(a divine science) and make it a mockery of sorts.

They also frighten people with their meagre knowledge and do not give much care for remedial measures(which is the crux of jyOthishA) and try to fleece their "clients" of their money prescribing measures which are either unnecessary or totally detrimental.

Only the astrologer who has the list of traits mentioned below should be approached.Rest are just upstarts who need to be ignored.

1. The astrologer must lead a life of upAsanA and AchArA.

2. He/She must speak the truth and must be humble in disposition,attitude and dress.

3. He/She must be good to look at(sathva gunA in the face),well-mannered,respectful to his/her guru.

4. He/She must be proficient in accurate remedial measures(parihAra s'As'trA)--Now, this implies he/she must also have implicit faith in the Divine and in the system of astrology.

5. parAs'arA also gives a list of sAmudhrikA lakshanAs(body signs like well proportioned limbs,beautiful deep and sonorous voice,countenance and other auspicious features.(Virtues and foibles of anyone can be easily discernable by an adept by a mere look of a face.)

6. In the Brihat Samhita Varamihira gives credit to the Greeks who gave India its horoscopic astrological roots, and also gives his recommendations for those who are qualified to learn Jyotish: "He must be pure, skillful, bold, eloquent, possessed of a ready wit, a knower of time and place, filled with equanimity, not timid in assembly, victorious in debate with other astrologers, expert, free from vices, well-versed in palliative, preventative magic(parihAra manthrAs) and medicinal bathing rituals(graha snAnA), ever engaged in worshipping deities, vows and penances, possessed of great and unusual power as a result of his achievements, and capable of answering questions and prescribing remedies.

7. kshudhra manthrAs and AbhichAra thAnthrIkA if employed shows the degraded nature of the astrologer.

8.Harihara further adds that this recondite science must be studied only by really spiritual people and this leads to the purusachathus'tayA.

How many astrologers these days fit the bill for these 8 minimum pointers? Pray tell me!

Among all these virtues mentioned,I value humility to be the gem which every astrologer should possess(else risk giving out wayward predicitons).Many astrologers feel they are omniscient and omnipotent.They take the help or themselves learn some AbhichArA(mostly karnapisAchini and other notorious sAdhanAs) and do not depend on any mahAmanthrA like gayathrI or medhA dakshinAmurthI manthrA (with 2 bIjAs meant for astrologers),they wear ostentatious dresses,wear all sorts of beads and frighten people with their stature.

These astrologers who wear different ves'As cheat themselves and others in the name of astrology and spirituality.They have egos till their necks and get angry at the slightest provocation.

A leaf from my own life:

I had met one such astrologer who claimed he was an expert in manthras'AstrA.It was this claim that led me to him more than his professed knowledge in jyOtishA.He asked for my horoscope and I wrote it down on a piece of paper.He then said things,as anticipated, in the negative.I countered each of it with a samskrutha s'lOkA from the various texts,I had learnt and asked him to explain.He considered me really "insolent" and warned me that since he knew my horoscope,He could wreak damage on me.

I said to him that I too knew his horoscope(How I knew,I would keep mum.Seeing the features of the body,one can guess many things easily.Maybe Im a good guesser!) and narrated his horoscope to him,much to his flabbergastment.He then took some kumkumA and sprinkled it on my head.

I felt a bit queasy for a few seconds but then I recovered and said,"Look here, your BhagalAmukhI would not hurt me! Im Her child."

He looked dazed that I discovered his manthrA beneath his lips.

I then wiped the kumkumA and said,"I take your leave for now.I will cleanse myself for having come in contact with such a horrendous man.I will not retort with a manthrA or two and make the science of thanthrA cheap.Control your ego,leave your contact with women of easy virtue and other men's wives,pray Mother and count your days...they are numbered now."

He was furious and vowed to wreak destruction on me.I had nothing to fear as long as my devotion towards ambA was strong.

I left that place.This person was arrested 3 weeks after that incident in connection with 3 rapes and 2 murder charges.He was also charged on multiple counts of embezzlement.

Finally, karmA tok over him.

What saddened me was that He had a substantial following who believed He was God-incarnate and many still believe he was set-up!

If one is meshed in problems,one must seek recourse with one's chosen deity.ambA in all Her karunA has given so many mArgAs for us to follow.

We will follow these and depend on our Athmas'akthi more than these horrible astrologers!

Whatyaallsay?

Shreeram Balijepalli

«·´`·.(*·.¸(`·.¸ ¸.·´)¸.·*).·´`·» «....Hreem Rajarajeshwari!....» «·´`·.(¸.·*(¸.·´ `·.¸)*·.¸).·´`·»