Guest guest Posted February 10, 2003 Report Share Posted February 10, 2003 Sir, This group is an extremely enlightening group and members are very kind and helpful.I love to discuss every issue with our members and I am very proud to be a part of it. This time I want our group members to discuss about astrology. Although there are several controversies in this subject, It's a fact, That it's gaining fast importance around the world. Now astrology is longer an Indian issue. It's global issue. So, In this view I want to know whether our great teachers believed this? What's Swami Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekandhaa's outlook about Astrology and prophecy? I also like to know the personal views of our great members. Once again thank you very much for entertaining me in this group. And the story power of concentration from Mr.Ramaswamy is truly inspirational. I simply love the each words of it. Thanks and Om... C.V. Mahesh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 10, 2003 Report Share Posted February 10, 2003 Dear Mr Mahesh, As you said, astrology is a very ancient science and no doubt Sri Ramakrishna was aware of it. But we get very little feedback except that he believed that certain days and hours were auspicious or inauspicious. Sri Ramakrishna's horoscope very accurately predicted the trend and events in his life. The same was the case of Mathurbabu. However his immediate disciples were of the opinion that astrolgical influences did not affect the lives of those who surrendered themselves at the feet of God. Swami Sivanandaji (Mahapurush Maharaj) is known to have thrown his horoscope into the ganges when his train was passing over the river on his way to Varanasi. Swami Vivekananda used to show certain lines on his hands to his friends and say that they predicted sannayas. But whether he believed in astrology is not known. Swamiji handprint was studied by Cheiro but his findings are lost. However his handprint is available in one of Cheiros books. Personally I do not doubt the accuracy of astrology. But each has his/her own views on the subject. Regards Jagannath --- " talkto02 <talkto02 " <talkto02 wrote: > Sir, This group is an extremely enlightening group > and members are > very kind and helpful.I love to discuss every issue > with our members > and I am very proud to be a part of it. > > This time I want our group members to discuss about > astrology. > Although there are several controversies in this > subject, It's a > fact, That it's gaining fast importance around the > world. Now > astrology is longer an Indian issue. It's global > issue. > So, In this view I want to know whether our great > teachers believed > this? What's Swami Ramakrishna and Swami > Vivekandhaa's > outlook about > Astrology and prophecy? I also like to know the > personal > views of our great members. Once again thank you > very much for > entertaining me in this group. > > And the story power of concentration from > Mr.Ramaswamy is truly > inspirational. I simply love the each words of it. > > Thanks and Om... > > C.V. Mahesh. > > > > Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 10, 2003 Report Share Posted February 10, 2003 I think this is a very interesting question. Both Shri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda probably felt that a true seeker of Truth should shy away from astrology. I have posted the URL of a chapter from Swami Vivekananda's Complete Works, where his opinion on the topic is quite clear. http://www.ramakrishnavivekananda.info/vivekananda/volume~8/notes~of~c lass~talks~and~lectures/man~the~maker.htm (The URL is long, if it does not work, the chapter is enititled " Man the Maker and is under " notes of class talks and lectures " of Volume 8 of www.ramakrishnavivekananda.info.) There are other occasions in the Complete Works, where Swami Vivekananda does refer to his experiences with the supernatural, one that I can remember off-hand is his experience at Kumbakonam near Madras. It is letter number 1 under " unpublished " at the same web site. Sincerely, Partha Sinha Ramakrishna , " talkto02 <talkto02> " <talkto02> wrote: > Sir, This group is an extremely enlightening group and members are > very kind and helpful.I love to discuss every issue with our members > and I am very proud to be a part of it. > > This time I want our group members to discuss about astrology. > Although there are several controversies in this subject, It's a > fact, That it's gaining fast importance around the world. Now > astrology is longer an Indian issue. It's global issue. > So, In this view I want to know whether our great teachers believed > this? What's Swami Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekandhaa's > outlook about > Astrology and prophecy? I also like to know the personal > views of our great members. Once again thank you very much for > entertaining me in this group. > > And the story power of concentration from Mr.Ramaswamy is truly > inspirational. I simply love the each words of it. > > Thanks and Om... > > C.V. Mahesh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 11, 2003 Report Share Posted February 11, 2003 Ramakrishna , Jagannath Chatterjee <jagchat01> wrote: > Dear Mr Mahesh, > > As you said, astrology is a very ancient science Namaste, For Swamiji's views on Astrology, please see: http://www.ramakrishnavivekananda.info/vivekananda/complete~works.htm Home / Complete-Works / Volume 8 / Notes of Class Talks and Lectures / MAN THE MAKER OF HIS DESTINY For Thakur's horoscope according to Bhrigu Samhita, the reference is in Sw. Saradananda's 2- vol. Biography of Thakur. Regards, Sunder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 11, 2003 Report Share Posted February 11, 2003 Dear Mr Mahesh, I agree with Mr Jagannath that there is no doubt about the accuracy of astrology. I believe that astrology is a science and sometimes an art, which is true. The only problem is that of the interpreters i.e. the astrologers. Astrology can be interpreted, as you want, so it is the interpreters who use them for the benefits and others blame astrology as a whole. K Veni Madhavan Jagannath Chatterjee [jagchat01] 10 February 2003 17:03 Ramakrishna Re: [sri Ramakrishna] Superstition or science???? Dear Mr Mahesh, As you said, astrology is a very ancient science and no doubt Sri Ramakrishna was aware of it. But we get very little feedback except that he believed that certain days and hours were auspicious or inauspicious. Sri Ramakrishna's horoscope very accurately predicted the trend and events in his life. The same was the case of Mathurbabu. However his immediate disciples were of the opinion that astrolgical influences did not affect the lives of those who surrendered themselves at the feet of God. Swami Sivanandaji (Mahapurush Maharaj) is known to have thrown his horoscope into the ganges when his train was passing over the river on his way to Varanasi. Swami Vivekananda used to show certain lines on his hands to his friends and say that they predicted sannayas. But whether he believed in astrology is not known. Swamiji handprint was studied by Cheiro but his findings are lost. However his handprint is available in one of Cheiros books. Personally I do not doubt the accuracy of astrology. But each has his/her own views on the subject. Regards Jagannath --- " talkto02 <talkto02 " <talkto02 wrote: > Sir, This group is an extremely enlightening group > and members are > very kind and helpful.I love to discuss every issue > with our members > and I am very proud to be a part of it. > > This time I want our group members to discuss about > astrology. > Although there are several controversies in this > subject, It's a > fact, That it's gaining fast importance around the > world. Now > astrology is longer an Indian issue. It's global > issue. > So, In this view I want to know whether our great > teachers believed > this? What's Swami Ramakrishna and Swami > Vivekandhaa's > outlook about > Astrology and prophecy? I also like to know the > personal > views of our great members. Once again thank you > very much for > entertaining me in this group. > > And the story power of concentration from > Mr.Ramaswamy is truly > inspirational. I simply love the each words of it. > > Thanks and Om... > > C.V. Mahesh. > > > > Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus. Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah Vivekananda Centre London http://www.vivekananda.co.uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 12, 2003 Report Share Posted February 12, 2003 > What's Swami Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekandhaa's outlook about Astrology and prophecy? Interestingly I asked somewhat similar questions to Swami Medhasanadaji (who is currently the president of the Ramakrishna Mission in Japan). Here is part of what he said. There is enough evidence in the literature of Thakur (Sri Ramakrishna) and Ma (Sri Sarada Devi) to show that they both relied on astrological conventions, predictions. Thakur, like other great saints before him, came not to destroy but to strengthen, awaken. So, he followed the prevalent social customs as long as they were not harmful to spiritual progress. No doubt astrological calculations can sometimes predict the future events, but our mind should mainly be focussed on spiritual disciplines (Love of God etc.) There is a story about Mahapurush Maharaj (Swami Shivananda). There were two disciples staying with him. They were very good friends and very fond of each other. One of them was a sevak of Maharaj and the other had come to stay for some days. Soon the time for the departure of the friend came. The sevak wanted his friend to stay on for a few more days and entreated his friend to stay some more. But the friend had to go and so decided to go on the appointed day. By chance the appointed day of departure fell on a week day which was considered inauspicious for starting on journeys [i am sorry i have forgotten which day it was -- maybe thursday]. The sevak thought of a plan. He went to Mahapurush Maharaj and said, " Maharaj, even Thakur would not travel on such an inauspicious day, and this my friend is travelling on this day. Please ask him not to start on this day. " To his joy, Mahapurush Maharaj acceeded to his request and asked him to call his friend. And to the friend, Maharaj said, " Please do not go on this inauspicious day. " The friend had some work and so wanted to proceed according to plan. So, he said - " Maharaj, if I take the name of Thakur and then proceed, can anything bad happen to me ? " Maharaj said - " No, nothing bad can happen to you. " " So, " said the friend, " can I proceed on this day after taking Thakur's name and your blessings ? " . Maharaj said " Sure you can go " . This example shows the thinking of these great people regarding astrology. They do not deny it. And they do not depend too much on it. He told me another story regarding Ma. Once, to one of the Ramakrishna Maths came a famous astrologer. By seeing a horoscope, he could predict a few things. On being shown an absent sannyasin's horoscope, he became very angry. He said - " Why are you showing me the horoscope of a person who has already died ? " The sannyasin whose horoscope was being studied was not present in the Math. The other present sannyasins tried to convince the astrologer that the sannyasin was very much alive, he was not dead. But the astrologer would not agree. He said that according to the horoscope, the person should have died on this particular date. Later on when this was disclosed to the sannyasin, it set him thinking. And he remembered an incident which had occured a few days before the date mentioned as his death date by the astrologer. He had been staying with the Holy Mother. At that time, he had not had sannyasa. All of a sudden, one day she told him to go immediately to Belur Math and get his sannyasa. He was not too keen to leave the Mother and go. But she insisted. And so he went and had his sannyasa. Swami Medhasanandaji says that Ma had forseen that according to the astrological calculations, he would have to give up the body. But before that event, she made him take sannyasa. Thus nullifying the pre-ordained events. So, again we see that astrology can predict events. But once we have the grace of the great saints, we need not worry. If according to astrological predictions (according to your past actions), it is predicted that your leg will be cut off ; then if you depend on the grace of the Lord / if you take the name of the Lord faithfully, you will get bye by having a thorn prick your leg. You want to study and follow astrology, do it. But remember that this is neither the goal nor an important element of the path. Send Flowers for Valentine's Day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 12, 2003 Report Share Posted February 12, 2003 Dear Friends, I fully agree with the view put forward that spiritual seekers should shy away from astrology. Spiritual aspects apart, the ancient hindu treatises on vedic astrology clearly state that study of planets and their relationship to humans/nations can create trouble for the astrologer (i.e. the one who is studying them). Subtle mathematical calculations on the position of the planets is also expressly forbidden. This is quite in tandem with the scientific studies on the subatomic particles where the enquiry can affect the subject and also the object. As the microcosm is the same as the macrocosm, the rule holds good for the external universe as well. Regards Jagannath Send Flowers for Valentine's Day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 13, 2003 Report Share Posted February 13, 2003 On Tue, 11 Feb 2003 17:34:29 -0800 (PST), Ashish Gupta <asar_gupta wrote: >> What's Swami Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekandhaa's > outlook about Astrology and prophecy? > > Interestingly I asked somewhat similar questions to > Swami Medhasanadaji (who is currently the president of > the Ramakrishna Mission in Japan). > > Here is part of what he said... Dear Ashish, Thank you for this valued information. It is just what I have been hoping to find and exactly answers the questions in my mind concerning the role of astrology for the spiritual aspirant. Astrology has its place, but the main thing is to always cling to the Guru's feet. Pranaams, Shivaram -- " Ring the bells that still can ring, forget your perfect offering. There is a crack, a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in. " --Leonard Cohen, " Anthem " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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