Interview with K.N. Rao:
Conversations
with one of the
Eminent Vedic Astrologers of our Time
reprinted with permission from
K.N. Rao & interviewer Maalok
originally published May 30, 2005 by sulekha.com
Copyright
2005. All Rights Reserved.
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Sri
K.N. Rao
Sri K.N. Rao, is widely considered to be one
of the foremost Vedic astrologers in the world today. He is the
architect of a great astrological renaissance, and founder of the
Bharatiya
Vidya Bhavan school of astrology in New Delhi, India, the largest
astrology school in the world with over 800 students and 25 teachers.
He is also the editor of the quarterly magazine, Journal of Astrology,
and author of more than twenty five books on Vedic astrology. Sri
K.N. Rao's academic and research-based approach combines both classical
and innovative methods like his PAC-DARES and Composite Approach,
which are used by students worldwide. Over the past forty years
his record of accurate predictions has earned him wide spread recognition.
Question:
Thank you so much for agreeing to do this interview. From your biography
we know that your father Sri K. Rama Rao was an illustrious journalist
and a freedom fighter. Your mother, Smt. K. Sarasvani Devi initiated
you into astrology at the age of 12. Could you please give us some
feel of your experience of being brought up in such an atmosphere?
Could you share any notable anecdotes from your childhood or formative
years?
K.N.
Rao (KNR): To help answer this question, let me recount
to you an incident from my life. At the age of 23, when I was interviewed
for the All-India Services, the first question put to me was - “What
has been your reaction as a south Indian brought up in northern
India?[1]” I replied - “I recently read a novel of a
Polish pianist who was brought up in Russia. In Poland he was called
a Russian and in Russia a Pole!”
Humor aside, I was very fortunate to be away from the extreme “Brahminical”
orthodoxy of south Indian society of those days. If I were a Brahmin
living in South India, I might have found it very difficult to mix
freely with people from different communities. On the other hand,
living in Lucknow, I had the unique enriching opportunity of bringing
home my Muslim friends for dinner.[2]
Furthermore, my father, with his Brahmo Samaj[3] background, never
allowed any male member ever to take any dowry in marriage. For
four generations no male in our family has taken any dowry. My father
was a very courageous and patriotic person. He was jailed while
working for India's freedom movement, leaving the eight of us -
his wife and children – without a breadwinner in the family.
How we survived those days is still a miracle! Since we survived,
I experientially know, without any doubt, that there is a great
God, with his scheme for all of us puny mortals. We cry and cringe
- but for what? I am a very firm believer in karma and its results.
I am more convinced in it because of my experiences with astrology,
with my astrology Guru, late Yogi Bhaskaranandji, and my mantra
Guru, Swami Paramanand Saraswati.
Question:
Given your father's association with India's freedom movement, did
you have an opportunity to meet some of the leading political figures
of that time? If so, how was that experience?
KNR:
I traveled quite a lot with my father, who was moving from
one place to another due to his job. I was the personal volunteer
of Mahatma Gandhi during my vacations in Wardha. I saw, from closest
quarters, the future famous men of India. Fellow volunteers and
I, who had come from different parts of India, got disenchanted
with almost all of them, except Mahatma Gandhi and Khan Abdul Gaffar
Khan.[4]
In working for these famous leaders of India, we young volunteers
had to be extra cautious. Many of these leaders were short tempered
and it was not unusual for them to slap us! In this matter, Jawaharlal
Nehru was the harshest, and due to this, all of us disliked him
thoroughly. Fortunately, Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan was different from
most other leaders. He always came to our defense and even said
something pleasant and sweet to help offset the unpleasant work/living
environment.
We all knew him as a genuinely guileless man and revered him second
only to Mahatma Gandhi. As regards Gandhiji – he had his own
way of noticing things and giving instructions. For example, among
all the young volunteers, two of us were recognized to be the brightest.
Both of us meticulously remembered all the work instructions given
to us, and carried these out diligently, and in a timely fashion.
The result of this was that the two of us were always overburdened
with work. Once Gandhiji looked at one of the leaders and said,
“Will you not give opportunity to the other boys to be efficient
also?” It was his diplomatic way of making sure that the workload
was shared equitably and ensuring that all of us had an opportunity
to improve ourselves.
But the favorite person I worked for during this period was Acharya
Bhansali who was a professor of mathematics at the Bombay University.
He jumped into the freedom movement and remained a Brahmachari throughout
his life, serving in Sevagram Ashram until his death. Even after
India's freedom from the British, power politics never attracted
him. I distinctly recall one encounter with him. He called the entire
group of boy volunteers and gave us some neem leaves[5] to eat.
Most of the boys in our group ate a leaf or two and slowly slipped
away. I stood there and ate all the leaves he had given me. After
that incident I became his favorite! To eat neem leaves and become
someone's favorite is quite a hilarious memory for me. Prof. Bhansali
was also adept at catching snakes with his bare hands. Even if the
snake bit him, somehow, the poison never affected him – something
that still remains a mystery to me.
We also came in touch with other famous leaders– such as Dr.
Zakir Hussain, Prof. Aryanagam[6], Sri J.C.Kumarappa[7], and Acharya
Vinoba Bhave[8].
While
these experiences with these leaders were enriching and educational,
even at that point, I knew inside of me that the real seat of greatness
lay elsewhere. As I struggled to find the truth, I got my answers
from the sacred Hindu scriptures – the Bhagavad Gita and the
Upanishads, and later, more directly, from spiritual masters. I
have written about these spiritual masters in my book, “Yogis,
Destiny and the Wheel of Time.”
Question:
Did the journalistic background of your father have any impact on
your thinking and training?
KNR:
My father, as a journalist, subscribed to eighteen newspapers every
day. I used to be his assistant and my job was to organize, by subject,
the newspaper clippings into different envelopes. Looking back,
I feel that this experience taught me a mental discipline and the
ability to catalog material on a particular subject in an index-like
fashion for any future reference.
My
father also had a rich collection of books, particularly biographies
written by Englishmen. He asked me to read these along with the
New Testament for their beautiful English style and writing.[9]
From
that age, until the age of almost forty, I was a voracious reader
of books. This changed when I met the great Urdu poet, Firaq Gorakhpuri,
during my work tenure in the city of Allahabad in North India. He
advised me to read less, and think and analyze more.
Question:
Can you provide some details on the initiation by your mother into
astrology? Also, can you please share some more details about your
mother and her astrological abilities?
KNR:
At the age of eleven I had a terrible attack of typhoid, which was
considered a deadly killer in those days. Convalescing and weak
when I lay on my bed, my mother put a painting of Goddess Saraswati
in front of me and initiated me into numerology, palmistry, graphology
and astrology.
I
grew up seeing my mother make remarkable predictions to people when
they came to her. In one case, a young boy had run away from his
family. Everyone thought that since the boy wanted to become a film
actor, he had, in all likelihood, run away to the city of Bombay[10].
Looking at the boy's horoscope, my mother predicted that the boy
would be found in a place of pilgrimage in northern India. Later,
the boy was seen and brought home from Haridwar. Having been a witness
to many such accurate predictions, I was convinced, beyond doubt,
of the greatness of astrology as a predictive science.
Many
may say that astrologers' predictions are often “wishy-washy”
and imprecise with only anecdotal accuracy – so how can a
skeptic be assured beyond doubt on the validity of astrology? My
answer would be that each one of us has to come to one's own conclusion.
While I cannot convince anybody on the validity of the science of
Jyotish, my own conviction remains firm. I also know that when my
predictions fail that it is due to my own faults and limitations,
and does not, in any way, take away the greatness of the science
of Jyotish itself.
Question:
Overall as a child and young adult, did you have some inkling that
you had some specific purpose in life? Have you been an ambitious
person?
KNR:
I had always found astrology immensely fascinating and spiritually
enlightening, but had never ventured out in the open. Most people
knew me as a high-ranking officer in the government of India and
only a very few close friends knew that I practiced astrology.
Coming to your question - No, I never felt that I had any specific
purpose or mission in my life until a great Mahatma, late Moorkhanandji
(whose actual name was Sri Vidyaranya) told me in 1980 that astrology
was getting “eclipsed” but luckily had not totally vanished
from our world. He said that the world would witness a revival of
Jyotish through my instrumentality.
Now,
twenty-four years later, I am realizing the truth of that great
prophecy. Through the teamwork of many of us, and the blessings
of my gurus and teachers, we have now produced thirty-six books
offering insightful research in the field of Indian Astrology. We
have also been running the largest school of astrology in the world
at the Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan, New Delhi, where nine hundred students
attend our weekend courses on a regular basis. All this happened
not because of my individuality or ambition. I was simply a conduit
to the divine plan as blessed by Moorkhanandji.
Yogi Moorkhanandji and Sri K.N. Rao
in 1981
Question:
Moorkhanandji's prediction was quite remarkable! Did he make any
other predictions about you?
KNR:
Yes, in fact, Moorkhanandji did make another prophecy in 1980. He
said that I would have to fight a big battle in my life for furthering
the cause of astrology. As it turned out, in the year 2000, the
Human Resources Ministry and the University Grants Commission in
India introduced astrology as a subject in the universities. The
scientist and left-wing communities in India vigorously challenged
this proposed introduction of astrology into the curriculum. There
were legal cases filled in various court systems in India. Of these,
the legal cases in Andhra Pradesh and Madras got most attention.
Both of these cases were however subsequently dismissed at the state
level. But the Andhra Pradesh case made its way to the Supreme Court
of India in the year 2001 where it was admitted for a hearing.
I intervened[11] in this case as a “Petitioner-In-Person”,
which is permissible under the Indian law. At that time, I was in
the midst of a severe health crisis and could barely walk using
a walker-support. Given my health condition, I asked the astrologers'
community in India to help but unfortunately did not get any aid
whatsoever. Anyway, despite being pitted against one of the most
famous lawyers of India – Mr. Shanti Bhushan - I was quite
successful in countering all the arguments he presented. Hearing
my arguments, the Additional Solicitor General, Mr. Rawal, told
me that I was very effective and thought that we would win the case.
On May 5th 2004, the judgement came out and we did indeed win the
case. That is what Moorkhanandji foresaw in the year 1980!
Question: Going back to your education –
where did you do your high school, undergraduate and graduate studies?
What was your field of specialization? How was your academic performance?
What about extra-curricular activities – did you have any
talents in sports, writing, speaking, acting/drama?
KNR: My father had a job that moved our family
from one place to another. Due to this my education, too, was in
different places, giving me a wide exposure to the diversity of
India. My education started in Delhi, continued in Lucknow, and
then to Nagpur where I did my matriculation. This was when I found
myself in geographical proximity to Mahatma Gandhi. In Vijaywada
I did my intermediate. Finally, my academic life completed a full
circle, bringing me back to Lucknow, where I did my B.A. and M.A.
in English.
I was a good student throughout – never failing but at the
same time rarely being at the top of the class. I did win essay-writing
competitions and was successful in securing a few scholarships.
I was also selected to participate in debating forums at an All-India
level. That reminds me – in school days I almost always won
the top-prize in the Hindi poetry recitation competition. The famous
Hindi poet Jaya Shankar Prasad, whose work I used to recite, was
unquestionably my hot favorite.
I was very good at languages – Hindi, English and Sanskrit.
Even in those days when grading was extremely stringent, and despite
doing very poorly in science and mathematics, I used to get an aggregate
score of around 75%. These high grades were primarily due to my
excellence in the language subjects. Urdu was a required third language
for us at middle level of schooling. The Maulvi Saheb, who taught
us Urdu, was more interested in getting married for a fourth time
than in teaching us! Consequently, Urdu became a hellish experience
for my fellow students and me. Since Urdu and Hindu were aggregated
together, I was lucky that my near “zero” grade in Urdu
got compensated by my securing a high score of 80% in Hindi. I would
be remiss if I did not bring up one more interesting point. All
through my life, I suffered badly because of my bad handwriting.
Perhaps hard to believe, but true nevertheless – in the nationwide
competitive examination, twenty marks were deducted from my aggregate
just for my bad handwriting!
I never had any histrionic talent. Once during my service career
I acted in a Sanskrit play as the famous character Ashwathama of
Mahabharata. A drama critic, who must have been clearly irritated
by my performance, wrote in his review that one had to learn from
K.N. Rao how not to act!
In sports, I somehow never got myself to focus enough. Even so,
I played football, hockey, cricket, badminton, tennis, billiards,
snooker and bridge. From my student days, I served as a sports reporter
for newspapers, both in English and Hindi. Twice I won brilliancy
prizes in Chess when, in different tournaments, I defeated India's
fourth and fifth ranked players. In bridge, my teammates and I won
the Uttar Pradesh and Delhi State Championships. But I lost all
my interest in games (including bridge) when I had a paranormal
experience in 1961. I had a forewarning about my father's death
two days before he actually died. I clearly remember having the
premonition on 7th March 1961, and subsequently my father died two
days later on March 9th. This served as a turning point in my life
and I decided that life was meant only for searching higher spiritual
aims, and should not be wasted in frivolous activities.
Question:
How about your spiritual instruction and initiation – can
you please provide some details on that? Have you interacted with
any other mystics or spiritual gurus?
KNR:
I got initiated into my spiritual path in April 1962. In1966 I wanted
to leave my service and become a Sanyasi. But my Guruji advised
me otherwise. He said that I still had unfulfilled karmas (or actions)
to be exhausted. He suggested that I fulfill my duties and by doing
so I would better my spiritual life as well. He warned that Sanyasa
could become an escape, in fact ruining my spiritual life instead
of bettering it. I also interacted with a fakir who had supernatural
powers. In 1963 he told me that I would have to move to Delhi and
also would travel abroad several times, which as we now know, all
came true.
In
summary, I have benefited immensely from the instructions of my
Guruji – in particular the one where he advised me not to
become a renunciate. Even though I saw some genuine saints or Mahatmas,
my lifetime experience has been that the world is overflowing with
fake spiritual leaders who pretend to be Sanyasis. Having seen this
rampant fraudulence first hand, I am saddened to say that, nowadays,
Ashrams are hotbeds of intrigues and corruption which remains hidden
from the public eye due to the glamour of the Guru who heads the
organization. One consequence is that after the death of the founding
Gurus, the disciples are involved in legal proceedings in courts
of law for successor rights etc. In short there is no silver bullet
that brings spiritual wisdom - my own spiritual learning has come
from my own personal experiences and through the grace of my Guruji.
It takes time, faith, perseverance and lots of grace.
Question:
Can you provide us some overview of your professional career?
Were there any problems or crisis that you faced in the course of
your career? Were you practicing astrology while you worked at your
regular job?
KNR:
I started my career as a lecturer of English in a college at Lucknow.
Subsequently, I was selected for the Indian Audit and Accounts Services
through a competitive exam and interview. In this job I rose in
rank and retired at the high level of Director General. Twice during
my service career I was also sent on deputation to the division
of Commercial Taxes in Patna, Bihar and the Delhi Municipal Corporation,
Delhi. As destiny would have it, in these roles as the Chief Accountant,
I was able to create surplus budgets four times – a feat that
had never been achieved before. This became a famous case study
leading me to lecture on financial controls of a civic body for
the next six years at the Indian Institute of Public Administration.
Despite
these successes, I was not a distinguished bureaucrat. The life
of a bureaucrat never suited my personality – I have strong,
independent views on so many subjects that, more often than not,
conflicted with the “straitjacket” approach of “going-with-the-grain”
expected of me. While a bureaucrat, I did however make many notable/successful
astrological predictions to famous politicians of India, and also
failed miserably sometimes! During my service career I was better
known as a journalist, a public speaker (both in Hindi and English),
a top-class bridge player, and of course, as an astrologer who provided
free consultation to a wide array of people – from the lower-middle
class to top politicians of India.
However,
these astrological predictions got me into trouble on some occasions.
For example, in December of 1988, in an interview I gave to a magazine,
I stated that in the following year (1989) the central government
of India (federal government) would undergo a big change. This statement
got me into a really sticky situation with the ruling party. Luckily,
I wriggled out of this mess by saying I was merely espousing untested
academic research and that I had no political motivation whatsoever
for making this statement. As events showed later, in 1989 the Congress
government of Rajiv Gandhi lost the general elections and the central
government did indeed change, proving my prediction accurate.
Question:
What about your personal life? Have you ever been married or come
close to getting married? If not, were you not pressured by your
parents to get married?
KNR:
I have never been married. In 1960 I did come close to getting married
but it never materialized. Given my prestigious high-ranking position
in the government, a stable job/salary, and the fact that I came
from an Andhra Niyogi Brahmin[12] family, marriage proposals used
to come in plenty especially from prosperous families. Among these
were marriage proposals from the families of two former presidents
of India, Sri S.Radhakrishnan and Sri V.V.Giri.
However,
I was quite clear that I did not want to get married. I told my
father that since I was very sure of not getting married, it was
pointless for me to go to “see” prospective brides.
My argument was that if I were forced to go to see the prospective
brides, I would reject them anyway (as I was not interested in marrying)
causing a feeling of hurt to the girls. Thankfully, my father understood
the validity of my argument and did not pressurize me any further
for getting married. As for my mother, she did say that as a mother
she wanted me to get married but as an astrologer she saw it would
be disastrous.
When
I started my spiritual life, I decided that marriage would be a
big burden. I felt that I would be deceiving the girl I would marry,
since I knew in my heart that I would not be able to devote attention
to the demands of a conventional married life. So I felt quite certain
of my decision.
That
reminds me of a strange incident. In 1993, when I visited USA for
the first time in my life, a sixty-year old American woman (I may
add that she was good looking and well-to-do) approached me to marry
her. Amused, I explained to her that at this age we should be concentrating
on a spiritual life rather than get distracted by marriage and worldly
matters!
Question:
Did you feel lonely or lacked companionship at some times in your
life? Saying this in another way, did you delve deeper into writing
and astrology partly because you found these activities to be your
companions?
KNR:
I never felt lonely and in fact relished the time to myself –
exploring and writing about interests that captured me from within.
All through my life, I have lived simply without too much attraction
for material things. For thirty years I ate only once a day, eating
three chappatis at night. However, I did indulge in one vice; I
drank lots of tea. All this continued until, due to diabetes, I
was forced to change my old habits and I switched to a two-light-meals
routine. Fundamentally, however, my attitude and living hasn't changed
much at all. I have always enjoyed and relished the joy of living
life simply and by myself.
K.N. Rao teaching at Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan
Question:
Coming back to your spiritual guru – Swami Parmananda Saraswati
– Can you please tell more details on who he was and what
he taught you? What is the spiritual path you practice?
KNR:
He was a Vaishnava guru and initiated me into Krishna mantra. On
receiving the Shakti Paath (transmission of spiritual energy) and
within six months of my initiation, I was blessed with numerous
extraordinary experiences. For example, I got many clairvoyant dreams
from April to September of 1962.
One
such dream in April of 1962 showed me of a Chinese attack on the
northeastern state of Assam where I was then posted. As we all now
know, subsequently a war broke out between India and China on 20th
October 1962. My guru started his spiritual journey initially on
the path of Tantra[13] under the tutelage of an extraordinary Tantric
guru. As you may know, Tantriks outnumber Vaishanavas in the states
of Bengal and Assam. But during the course of his sadhana when he
was in a very advanced state, he had to switch over to Vaishnavism.
How this happened is an interesting story by itself. A famous Vaishnava
saint, Prabhu Bejoy Krishna Goswami[14] was initiated in Gaya by
a Nanak panthi[15] guru, Swami Brahmananda. This initiation took
place by an astral vision of Swami Brahmananda to Prabhu Goswami.
Similarly, Prabhu Bejoy Goswami appeared astrally to my Guruji,
Swami Parmananda, and asked him to spread Krishna Bhakti (or devotion).
Thereafter, my Guruji became a Vaishanava and always kept a photograph
of Guru Nanak in his place of worship. Also, in our sadhana or practice,
Sri Guru Nanak and Guru Grantha Saheb, Sikhism's sacred religious
text, have a very high place of respect and veneration.
Our
spiritual tradition also traces our lineage to the Vaishnava tradition
of Madhvacharya[16] of Karnataka. However, at the core, we strictly
follow the Bhakti Marg (path of devotion) as taught by Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu – the famous Bengali saint whose love and surrender
to Lord Krishna is still considered as one of the most exemplary
cases of liberation through the path of devotion.
My
Guruji had very extraordinary supernormal powers and I was a first-hand
witness to many of his prophecies. He was known to say things that
often startled all of us. Let me give you an example. Once, while
coming down from the sacred Kamakhya[17] hill, he saw Sanjay Gandhi
lead his Youth Congress Brigade. Guruji suddenly remarked - “This
fellow does not have raja-lakshana (the signs of kingship) at all”.
This statement came true, when five years after this prediction
Sanjay Gandhi died in an unfortunate plane crash, without ever becoming
even a minister in the government of India.
Question:
Your mother and Yogi Bhaskarandji were your astrological Gurus.
Can you give us a glimpse into your interaction with them and the
learning you derived? Also, can you share some details of their
lives?
KNR:
Their method of teaching astrology was the classical ancient Hindu
method. As they analyzed a horoscope, I was never allowed to keep
the horoscope in front of me. I had to see it once and have a clear
visual memory of it. Further when the analysis proceeded, I was
trained to dynamically visualize the various planets, their aspects,
positions etc. In fact as the training progressed, the verbal analysis
would unfold itself as a visual dance-drama inside of me. Further
I was required to do many of the intricate calculations mentally.
I can unequivocally say that this method of training, more than
any skill per se, has helped me immensely in practicing astrology.
Based on this method of instruction, I later wrote the book, “Learn
Hindu Astrology Easily”, in which I evolved a mnemonic memory
tablet PACDARES. This is an eight-step analysis scheme that I recommend
for every astrologer to follow before they get into the arena of
making predictions.
My
mother, perhaps because of her feminine instincts, was simply superb
in predicting about marriage and children. In these areas of marriage
and progeny, even until today, I have not seen anyone make such
remarkably accurate predictions as she did. Despite her success
in working with these areas, she discouraged me from getting too
involved in these two domains of astrology. She felt that if I got
caught in the sphere of marriage and children, people would not
leave me alone and I would have no time whatsoever to do original
research in other areas of astrology. I found this advice very valuable.
However, using her old papers and working notes on these topics,
I did write the book “Planets and Children”[18]. In
this book I provide unique techniques for analysis and prediction
that are tested with thousands of horoscopes from all over the world.
My
mother developed some supernormal powers in the last twelve years
of her life from 1972 to 1984. Let me give you some examples. In
1972 my youngest brother and his wife were expecting a child. They
were living in Baroda, a town in the western state of Gujarat. At
that time, I was with my mother and my (late) eldest sister in Patna,
Bihar. Due to an age-old Hindu household custom, my sister wanted
to go to Baroda to be with the pregnant wife of our brother. Unfortunately
her vacation from work was granted 2-3 days late. As soon as her
vacation was sanctioned she showed up home with a railway ticket
for her journey to Baroda. Seeing my sister's imminent travel plans,
my mother announced that it was already too late. As we looked quizzically
at her, she explained that a girl child had already been born. Being
physically present with my mother all the time, I can personally
testify that we had no communication with my brother via phone or
telegram. Astonished at her statement, I asked her how she made
this statement. She did not answer my question in the presence of
my sister. But later when I was alone, she told me that she had
a vision of her mother (my maternal grandmother) informing her that
she was re-born as a daughter to my brother. My mother further predicted
that this newborn girl would make a successful career with the government
of India. Two days later, we got formal intimation that a daughter
was indeed born to my brother and his wife. That daughter, who was
later named as Vineeta, is now an engineer in the Indian Railways.
Let
me narrate another episode of my mother's paranormal powers. I,
along with two of my friends, had gone to Vrindavan for our usual
weekend visit to see the famous saint, Nagaridas Baba. We were late
in returning from our trip. Given the late hour of our return, I
thought that my mother would be already asleep. I expected the door
to be opened by my youngest brother Subhas. But reaching home I
found both my brother and mother standing outside the house waiting
for me with obvious anxiety. On inquiring, Subhas told that mother
had woken up suddenly and told him that my friends and I had met
with an accident on the way. Her statement was absolutely correct!
The three of us were indeed involved in a car accident but fortunately
no one was hurt.
My mother had also told me ten days before her death that she would
go into samadhi or deep trance (which doctors called coma) and leave
her body soon thereafter. She also said that she would die in the
presence of my brother and that I would not be with her at the moment
of her death. As it turned out, when she did go into the state of
coma, my brother took her to a nursing home in an ambulance and
I was following them in a car. By the time I reached, she was already
pronounced dead and in the presence of her youngest son, as she
had predicted.
My jyotish guru, Yogi Bhaskarananda, who had a B.A. in English from
Bombay University, had spent forty years in the Himalayas. A dedicated
Brahmachari who devoted his life for service of others, Bhaskaranandaji
developed supernormal powers towards the end of his life and did
not need any horoscope to foretell people's future. In my opinion
his discussion on the philosophy of Karma and Rebirth was par excellence
in its intricacies, lucidity and rigor. The learning I derived from
him on this topic inspired me to write the book, “Karma
and Rebirth in Hindu Astrology.”
Question:
Just for the record I want to get a small but perhaps important
clarification. The term Vedic Astrology is often used to refer to
Jyotish. This term is more in usage now than ever before as far
as I can recall. Are we correct in calling Indian Astrology as Vedic
Astrology – in other words is Jyotish quoted in the Vedas
directly?
KNR:
That is a good question. Technically, Jyotish should not be called
Vedic Astrology. For Yagnas[19] and Karmakanda[20]
the Vedas are the authentic source. For the householders it is the
Smritis[21]. But both the Vedas and Smritis are
in the Puranas[22]. Just as the entire Creation has emerged
from Him, so too the entire literature of the world is an offshoot
of the Puranas. There is no iota of doubt about it. In
the Vedas, there is no methodology provided to determine Tithi[23],
Vaar[24], Nakshatra[25], or planetary Sanchara
(transits). Even the methodology for determining timing of Parvas
(festivals), or Eclipses is not mentioned in the Vedas. What is
not in the Vedas is in the Smritis. And whatever is not found in
these two is to be known from the Puranas.
Through someone's fertile imagination it was decided to call Hindu
astrology as Vedic astrology. I too fell into this trap and I never
verified or clarified this with a competent Vedic scholar. But now
I stand corrected. It is either Indian astrology or Hindu astrology.
Vedic astrology does not exist at all. Having said that, the term
“Vedic” is a great marketing tool especially in the
new age movement. So whether it is true or not, I suspect Vedic
astrology will continue to be the preferred name for Indian Astrology
especially in the west. (Note - I asked K.N. Rao if I should
stop using the term "Vedic astrology." He said, "It
is all right in USA. Do as you have been doing." - - Vaughn
Paul Manley 7/5/05)
Question: Having practiced
astrology for so many years and now teaching this subject successfully,
in your opinion, how much of mathematical skills does one require
to learn/practice astrology? In this context, what has been the
impact of computers on the practice of astrology?
KNR: Fundamentally, the calculations
required to do most of the basic astrological predictions are of
simple arithmetic nature. Most people in India are very good at
simple arithmetic regardless of their level of education. This is
generally enough to learn some of the basic calculations for casting
a horoscope etc. In fact most students of astrology here in India
can do these calculations mentally. A little bit of knowledge of
basic astronomy is also helpful in practicing astrology, and more
so if one wants to pursue advanced research in the subject.
At Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan[26], we insist that every student should
have hands-on experience of doing astrological calculations. I am
a strong believer in the fact that manual/mental calculations help
you better visualize and develop instincts for practicing astrology.
I am generally wary of depending exclusively on Jyotish software
programs in the market. A faulty component for an intricate calculation
in a software program can have disastrous consequences on the correctness
and quality of the prediction. These faults in the software are
a common occurrence even to this date. The bottom line is that the
responsibility for the prediction lies squarely on the shoulders
of the astrologer and I feel every astrologer should take that duty
very seriously. Further, a total dependency on computers is never
advisable. Unfortunately, astrology software programs have helped
mushroom a new breed of “half-baked” astrologers.
Despite my reservations regarding use of astrology software programs,
the availability of computers is very helpful and a great time-saver
for a serious astrologer. If I have access to a Jyotish program
that I have verified as dependable, I use it right away. If not,
I do some manual calculations to check its accuracy repeatedly and
on an ongoing basis. Mostly the basic horoscopes generated by these
software programs are accurate, but the supplementary features,
such as less-used Dasha[27] systems or Ashtakavargas etc.,
are often faulty or simply wrong. So we should keep these limitations
always at the back of our mind when using Jyotish software programs.
That is one of the reasons, as I said earlier, complete dependence
on computers is very dangerous!
Question: Could you please give
us some brief idea on how you go about making predictions from a
horoscope? Also, there are two contrary viewpoints that you have
presented in this interview – on the one hand you have said
that Jyotish is a science, and on the other you have cited numerous
examples of astrologers who made predictions intuitively without
using a scientific/analytical approach. Could you also please provide
some clarity on this conundrum?
KNR: A horoscope analysis can be
split into two types – (a) intra-horoscope, (b) inter-horoscope.
The first one involves looking at various dimensions within a particular
horoscope such as Rasi, divisional charts, Ashtavarga etc. to synthesize
a holistic view of the individual. Here we have to contend with
opposing and supporting factors that need to be considered simultaneously.
This requires experience and practice, obtained by looking at lots
of horoscopes. Most importantly it needs constant learning from
your own mistakes.
Inter-horoscopes become necessary when for example a pregnant woman
or parents of a newly born child come to you (as is very common
in India), asking about the health, abnormalities or future of the
child. In such a case looking at the horoscope of the father, mother
and child simultaneously makes the picture much clearer. This type
of analysis, as you would understand, requires a lot of work and
takes time/patience.
Well-prepared data is the womb from which prediction is born. One
has to balance analysis with synthesis. Some charts are simpler
than others; the difficulty comes when multi-dimensional analysis
has to be followed by synthesis. The synthesis leads to inference
from which emerges a conclusion. Science of astrology is, in many
ways, similar to medical diagnosis where blood tests, urine test,
x-rays, cardiograms etc. are all used to arrive at a proper diagnosis.
In this part of astrology where multi-dimensional analysis is involved,
deep familiarity and experience with vast array of predictive techniques
is the key to success.
As an astrologer advances, almost magically, more of intuition starts
coming into play. Let me give you some examples. In 1973, a mother
came to me to ask about her missing son. I looked at her face and
something within told me that her son was coming home. I still made
calculations and found that her son was safe and on his way back
home, which is what happened. In another case, someone asked about
his missing son. Before I even calculated, I got a strong intuition
from within that the boy was killed. I made calculations and found
some details that, later, turned out to be useful for police investigations.
Through calculations, I also found that the dead body of the boy
was in a water body and the killer was wearing red clothes. Later
police investigations caught the criminal in red clothes and the
dead body was recovered from under a stone in the Ganges River.
Therefore, sometimes the prediction comes in a flash of intuition.
A formal analysis-synthesis exercise is done later only to confirm
the intuitive prediction. Patanjali's Yoga Sutras[28] tell
us that there exists a Jyotishmati Nadi (or a predictive
intuitive channel) within us, which when activated one can see past,
present and future. Here one needs no horoscope or knowledge of
astrology. I know of a person – Sivananda Murthy in Hyderabad.
He did a lot of astrology in his youth. At present, he can tell
you something about your future without a horoscope. Among the persons
known to me, he is the only one alive with a fully activated Nadi
(or channel) of this type.
Even if the Nadi is not fully active, in the case of every
honest astrologer, he experiences this channel of intuition in some
spells inspired by divinity. These experiences border on the mystical
and lead the astrologer into the higher realms of existence –
to find out our real purpose in being here. Such experiences take
an astrologer towards God making him stop practicing astrology and
devoting his life to spiritual activities only.
Question: Can intuitive wisdom
help further the field of astrology?
KNR: Yes, that is exactly how most
good research is done in any field. Research ideas are born in the
stillness of intuition. Once the intuitive idea is born, you have
to work extremely diligently with technical competence to show its
validity and then present it in a systematic fashion for others
to understand. This requires discipline, hard work and perseverance.
My research in Jaimini Astrology, a field that remained dormant
for almost 3000 years, is an example of that.
Question: You have mentioned that
astrology is very useful in facilitating our spiritual journey.
Could you please elaborate on this more clearly? Can you please
provide some examples of how astrology has helped people in their
spiritual progress?
KNR: An astrologer (and their clients)
can be categorized via the four-tier system described in the Bhagavad
Gita – (a) Arta, one in agony, has a disturbed
mind and such an astrologer cannot predict properly; (b) Artharthi
- greedy and he will dupe his clients and make money; this
is generally what you see quite commonly among astrologers everywhere;
(c) Jignasu - who has a scientific curiosity and wants
to know more deeply on how planets affect the universe and its life.
This is what took me into astro-meteorology and occasional predictions
about earthquakes – an area that still continues to be enigma
for me; (d) Gyani - At one stage the astrologer feels that
he has been wasting his time predicting for others. When there is
a God controlling everything why not devote time only to realize
HIM. If circumstances help him, he gives up astrology (or at least
reduces it substantially) and contemplates on the higher Self alone.
Let me now come back to your question on astrological advice for
spiritual improvement. In my experience, mostly people from the
west who are into the New Age Movement or those initiated by Indian,
Sufi or Buddhist gurus, seek astrological advice on their spiritual
life. Indians typically don't do that – they go to their spiritual
gurus for spiritual guidance and come to the astrologer for guidance
in their worldly matters. So the sample of people seeking astrological
advice on spiritual matters is definitely biased towards westerners.
Generally speaking, most people we come across in today's world,
almost always, have their share of worldly distractions. These distractions
can be discerned very clearly from their horoscope charts. This
is known as Yoga Vighna or Antaraya[29] or you
can also call it Maya[30]. We have to give advice based on these
factors. But in the case of a person who is a full time devotee
– with no job or worldly worries – you have to merely
tell them not to worry when good periods are seen and caution when
the Dasha (time) is not favorable.
In the context of spirituality, the type of advice given depends
on the question asked and the horoscope of the individual. Let me
illustrate this via some examples of how I was able to help people
in their spiritual path using astrology (in all these cases the
advice was given after looking at the astrological charts of the
people):
Twenty years back, a German woman asked me about her meditation.
I told her that there was a disturbance caused by some matter related
to property/land, which was affecting her. As it turned out, she
did indeed have a lot of trouble with her neighbor who was objecting
to her building a temple somewhere in Germany. This bothered her
repeatedly while she tried to meditate. I asked her to solve this
land problem first and then concentrate on her meditative practice;
A man from Australia asked me and I told him about his sexual torments
and how to manage them so as to not have an effect on his meditation;
Another man asked me on how to get deeper into meditation. Looking
at his horoscope, I could see that he had the inherent ability to
sit long in Asanas (or Yogic postures). I told him that he should
practice Yogic Asanas and it would accelerate his spiritual progress.
He followed up on my advice and it did indeed helped him;
In one case, I had to tell a man that he was faking and being untruthful
which was a gross violation of the basic tenets of being a sadhaka
or spiritual seeker. His question about spiritual life was simply
fanciful and not sincere;Based on some extraordinary indicators
I saw in a girl's chart, I told her that she would progress rapidly
in her spiritual life. It was one of the most joyful experiences
for me to see her fulfill the spiritual promise that was vividly
“inscribed” in her horoscope;
Question: Do you believe in Free
Will for us “puny mortals” (as you describe all of us
in an earlier part of the interview)? To what degree is everything
pre-destined and what, if at all, is our own choice/free-will?
KNR: Actually, my honest answer
to this question is that God alone can answer this question fully
and satisfactorily. When I see my prediction coming out correct,
I clearly see the role of pre-determination. For example, in 1995,
while teaching a course in the U.S., I predicted that Clinton would
win a second term, but would get involved in land and sex scandals.
That prediction came out to be true. However, I also predicted that
Clinton would not be able to complete his second term – that
prediction did not come true. This is how sometimes pre-determination
and free-will interplay with each other to determine the final outcome.
We all enjoy some amount of free will within the orbit of predetermination;
not outside it. If free-will was non-existent, the great sage Parashara
whose magnum opus on astrology, Brihat Parashara Hora
Shastra, we depend on, would not have prescribed remedial measures
like doing Vishnu Sahasranamam or doing charities etc.
You have seen my own example. I could not walk in the years 2000-2001
without a support walker. No doctor could diagnose my disease and
therefore no treatment was possible. I did Vishnu Sahasranamam
regularly and with God's grace, I can now walk without the walker
(even though I still use a walking stick for safety).
There are three words in Hindi – Mitana, Ghatana
and Uthana that provide a comprehensive picture of the
fate of Karma itself. In very rare cases you will find
Mitana or complete eradication of Karmas –
generally speaking destiny does not spare us. Ghatana or
reduction in intensity is what most of us hope and work for. This
category covers most of us. Uthana or transcending is again
rare. To give an analogy of this - there is blazing heat outside
but one is sitting in an air-conditioned room unaffected by what
is happening outside. This happens only to true seekers of God.
He alone is a true Gyani who knows that Karmas need to be “worked-out”.
As the Gita says “Gahano Karmana Gatih[31]”
or as the great saint Surdas[32] says “Udho Karman Gi
Gati Nyari Re” - Karma is itself mysterious.
Astrology is linked to the theory of karma and the cycle
of rebirths. Therefore an astrologer does see the role of predestination
and also of free will. However, as the astrologer goes deeper, he
sees a greater role of predetermination and less of free will. But
what can an astrologer do? If he tells the truth bluntly, he disappoints
his clients. If he does not, he bluffs them!
Question: Besides your astrology
Guru and your mother, are there any astrologers from the recent
era (living or dead) who have impressed and influenced you? If so,
how?
KNR: In my experience, (Late) Hardeo
Sharma Trivedi, who was the editor of the Vishwa Vijay Panchanga[33]
in Hindi was one of the best astrologers in the field of mundane
Jyotish. He came from the Varahamihira[34] tradition of
astrology known for its strength in the area of predictive mundane
astrology. He was technically very sound, morally impeccable, and
had an impressive prediction success rate of 80% in a career spanning
66 years (from 1933 to 1989). He did not know English so he was
not well versed in international affairs. Despite this limitation,
he made simply remarkable predictions on international matters.
Using the concept of eclipses, Trivedi-ji predicted the impending
catastrophe of the Second World War in a Hindi pamphlet in the year
1933 many years before the World War broke out. In 1963, based on
the Hindu New Year horoscope, he predicted a “terrible tragedy
to the head of state of USA” (which turned out to be the fatal
attack on JFK). He also predicted the U.S. stock market crash of
1987 and also the severe communal tension of 1992 in India. You
can gauge the consistency of his predictions from the fact that
he made these predictions in February-March (before the beginning
of the Hindu New Year in April) of every year when the Panchanga
was released. Despite his obvious brilliant track-record he
never attained international fame because (a) he wrote in Hindi,
limiting the audience that read his work, and (b) he lived in Solan,
Himachal Pradesh away from the power center of Delhi. I respected
him so much that I used to visit him at least twice a year.
The second person who impressed me greatly was (Late) Dr. B.V.Raman.
As you know, Dr. Raman popularized Hindu Astrology to an English-speaking
audience, like no one else did in twentieth century. It was he who
created a platform on which good astrologers could communicate,
discuss, share their findings and collaborate. He had his spells
of brilliant predictions particularly from 1938 to 1960. His service
to the field of Indian astrology has been truly remarkable and precious.
Then there was Vemuri Ram Murthy Shastri in a village in Andhra
Pradesh whom I never met personally. I read his predictions along
with accompanying calculations and logic, brought to me by some
friends. He was a true genius and I was his uninitiated disciple,
much like Eklavya[35]. Even though I never met him, I have paid
my tributes to him in my book “Predicting through Jaimini's
Chara Dasha.”
There may be a few others but, unfortunately, most of the so-called
“famous” astrologers are people who have made one or
two good predictions and then get catapulted to fame via inflated
or unverifiable claims through their friends in the press. I don't
care for all the hype and media attention. I personally value commitment,
consistency, and the test of time. Very very few astrologers pass
per this criterion in today's day and age.
Question: That brings us to the
question of the quality of today's astrologers. What is your opinion
of the new and upcoming astrologers?
KNR: The new young breed of rising
astrologers is in a hurry to pluck stars and collect dollars. I
had hoped that their work would help us address the deficiencies
in many areas of predictive astrology. But, unfortunately, I found
most of them greedy and boastful in the infancy of their careers
and becoming gurus before even doing any original research of provable
value. They are often in the habit of floating some wild theories
without any empirical support. For example, one such astrologer
claimed that he could trace the past life of a person from their
horoscope. Another person claimed to predict the exact date of an
event very successfully every single time. In my view these are
nothing but fanciful exaggerations to fool the public that is clamoring
for miraculous stuff.
The New Age movement in USA has created a demand for such astrology
gurus and opened opportunities for earning quick money. In these
days of websites and email, it is easy to self-promote. I know I
am not being polite but this is the truth in majority of cases.
Maybe a few of them have done some good research. But unless
an astrologer has maintained a good record (sixty to eighty percent)
of sound, clear, unambiguous and accurate predictions over a period
of fifteen years, he cannot be categorized as good. But in
these days of advertising and marketing, who cares for such a rigorous
evaluation criterion?
Question: That is a pretty negative
“report card” on the upcoming astrologers! Like everybody,
they too have to make money and survive. Can you blame them for
trying to make a living?
KNR: What you are saying is true.
What you are suggesting is that there are reasons for the reality
to be as it is. However, I am merely observing the situation as
it exists. To understand this better, let me give you a categorization
of people who are involved in astrology –
(1) You will be surprised to see that many astrologers were in some
petty job and through astrology, they found a way to get some recognition
among colleagues and their bosses. Some may have taken astrology
as a profession because they had trouble at work and were dismissed
or forced to resign from their jobs. Then these people aggressively
promote themselves as astrology-gurus capitalizing on the opportunity
offered by the New Age movement.
(2) There are many bright and intelligent, professional people who
have been attracted to astrology. These people have very good educational
career and have the intellect to pick up astrology rapidly. But
how long can they continue practicing astrology when they have the
twin burdens of a full-time job and families? In today's modern
professions of medicine, engineering, chartered accountancy, law
etc. equal attention to both profession and astrology is very difficult
if not impossible. In their competitive professions these people
have to keep updating their knowledge and skills for the sake of
bettering their careers. I have seen scores of such people who started
well but tapered off achieving nothing due to the demands of their
professional and personal lives.
(3) In the case of bureaucrats (like myself) who hold secure (but
dull and routine) jobs, both the job and astrology can flourish
without one affecting the other. I fall into this category.
Therefore, the intention with which people get into and
practice astrology is very important. Further, in learning any Vidya
or knowledge, it is the attitude that matters. My observation
is that after learning for some months or years, these young upcoming
astrologers become argumentative, arrogant and conceited. As I said
before, they would be well advised to concentrate on their predictions
for a period of at least fifteen years to see their real grasp of
knowledge.
I have always felt that the best way to conduct astrology is via
established research centers with regular/well-paying jobs for trained
astrologers. If that happens there will be sound and dependable
astrologers who have the environment to get engrossed in uncovering
the deeper secrets of life. Another hope is that family traditions
of astrology can be revived so that the young and bright in the
family can preserve the oral/written traditions of ages without
having to worry about earning wages.
But remember one axiom of life – “Nature will never
reveal its full secrets”. At any stage of the human race there
will be some good astrologers and very very few excellent astrologers.
Only one or two Tapasvi astrologer among them would reach levels
of greatness. Fundamentally, true astrology begins only when one
feels reasonably secure both inside and outside. Then only is one
able to imbibe an attitude of service – which is the crucial
key to unlocking the treasure of any Vidya such as astrology.
Question: Your practice involves
Parashara's[36] system of astrology and also the Jaimini[37] system.
Could you tell us a bit about these systems and the research work
you have done?
KNR: There can be four or more
routes to reach a place in a city. So it is with the field of astrology.
The Parashari system is the most popular, the best understood, and
most widely practiced system. When I write books or discuss case
studies, I invariably first explain a prediction or a technique
through the Parashari system because of its wider acceptance and
understanding. Parashara uses Nakshatra Dashas[38] for
timing events and among them the Vimshottari Dasha[39]
is regarded as the king of these Dasha systems.
The Jaimini system is totally different; even the method of timing
of events is different. In this system there are Rashi[40]
and Navamsha[41] Dashas. According to Late Dr. Raman, in
the Jaimini system, the Chara Dasha is the emperor of Rashi
Dasha systems. In Parashara's Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra,
three Dashas have been discussed elaborately – Vimshottari,
Chara and Kalachakra[42] Dasha. This also is indicative
of the importance of the Chara Dasha for predictive astrology.
Then there is the Mandook Dasha in the Jaimini system –
commentators of this system explained it only theoretically without
giving any illustrative example. I saw in some examples of Vemuri
Ramamurthy Shastri (he is discussed earlier in the interview) that
he used Mandook Dasha differently. Empirical results showed
that his understanding was correct. I first tested this method on
my own horoscope where it worked well. Thereafter, on testing this
method on many more horoscopes I became quite convinced of the validity
of this Dasha system that even inspired me to write a book on this
subject.
I did a fair amount of original research on Kalachakra Dasha
after getting some hints from a Pandit of Rewari (a town in the
North Indian state of Haryana). Using this Dasha system,
I predicted the death of Rajiv Gandhi in my published research in
August 1990. As it turned out, Rajiv Gandhi was subsequently killed
on 21st May 1991. However, this Dasha system is very sensitive to
birth time and unless the moon position is absolutely accurate (to
within seconds), the prediction of life event timings become very
erratic. Therefore, given that birth times are rarely so accurate,
I felt that it was waste of time to work on it any further.
I also did a lot of work on the conditional Dashas of Parashara
and other Dasha systems of Jaimini. I taught some of this
work to my students who have written excellent books that are now
available in the market. For instance, Yogini Dasha system
has a short cycle of 36 years. As longevity of humans is increasing,
this Dasha system needs to be now used in 2 or even 3 cycles of
72 and 108 years respectively. All this requires a new level of
understanding that was not necessary in times when people did not
live that long. In one of my advanced Astrology classes, I discussed
the possibilities of new research areas and methods of investigation.
Taking up some of these ideas, Mr. V.P.Goel (who is now a faculty
member at the Institute of Astrology, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan) wrote
an excellent book that gives very promising predictive results.
Many of the new faculty members at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan have
done pioneering work in furthering the field of Indian Astrology
– e.g., Mr Manoj Pathak on Dwisaptati Sama Dasha,
Mr. Naval Singh on Chatursheeti Sama Dasha, Mr. V.P.Goel
on Shodashottari Dasha, and Mrs. Akhila Kumar on Jaimini's
Sthira Dasha. It is most gratifying for me to see my former
students enhancing the understanding of Indian Astrology through
their diligent and insightful research.
K.N. Rao teaching an advanced research class
at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
Scoffing at my enthusiasm for new research, some people argue against
spending effort/time in developing newer or lesser-known systems.
But one of my biggest realizations in the field of astrology has
been that a Jyotishi (astrologer) has to learn to look
at many different viewpoints (through the eyes of different systems)
and then use them concurrently to reach a conclusion. This “Composite
System of Astrological Predictions” is one of the fundamental
cornerstones of Indian Astrology. The great Parashara Rishi
taught us so many Dashas, Divisional Charts, and a myriad of techniques
not merely for decorative display but for actually using them!
Question: There are other parallel
systems of Indian Astrology – such as the Nadi Jyotish.
This particular Nadi system, as you know, takes a thumbprint
and identifies a leaf, written centuries ago, that tells about your
life to an amazing level of detail. If the correct leaf is identified,
the past is so amazingly accurate including your name, date of birth,
place of residence, job, family (including name of family members)
etc. These Nadi Astrologers also use the leaf to tell about
your future. However, many people question the accuracy of these
future predictions. What is your opinion on this system of astrology?
KNR: What is called Nadi
system in south India is known as the Bhrigu system in
north India. For both these systems, we don't know much about the
underlying methods at all.
Most of these readings are done from the books or palm leaves or
palmyra leaves. As far as I know, the people doing these readings
do not know astrology themselves. They have leaves in their possession
and they read out from these after finding the correct leaf that
pertains to you. These leaves are generally known to reveal some
past facts that are substantially correct. But the future predictions
tend to be spurious and far less reliable. People who tested this
system have gone to the extent of saying that revealing the names
of parents, wife, husband etc. is the result of Bhoota siddhi[43]
and that nothing is really written on those leaves. It is my experience
that a few Nadi readers sometimes do come out with startling
readings which I have verified myself and I am truly amazed by their
accuracy. But more often than not they flounder and come out with
preposterous predictions too! It has convinced me that Nadi readings,
sometimes quite remarkable, are mostly undependable especially for
future predictions.
Let me however give you an anecdote of an amazing prediction through
Nadi reading that I have myself verified. A reading was
given to a person (whom I know very well) when he had three children.
The prediction said that he would have two more children and that
the last one would be a male who would become a doctor. This doctor
would marry a woman who would also be a doctor by profession. Then
this (doctor) son would be arrested and sent to jail after a terrible
quarrel with his wife. The reading further said that all this would
happen because this (doctor) son was a medical man in his previous
life and was aborting the children of pregnant women. In one case,
a girl wanted to be born but she was killed in the womb of the mother.
She laid a curse on him and promised to be born as his wife in his
present life and take revenge. As events unfolded, all the events
predicted happened exactly per the reading. Please remember the
reading was given in 1950, the doctor son was born in 1958 and he
was arrested in the year 2000. All this is most fantastic and I
know every detail of this and I have verified it completely.
We “regular” astrologers can never give such amazing
predictions. However, such cases of phenomenal predictions based
on Nadi are few and there is a lot more fraud in the name
of Nadi readings. I therefore prefer to use the more tested
and systematic approach of Parashara and Jaimini methods.
Question: What is your opinion
of Western astrology especially vis-à-vis the Indian astrological
system that you practice? Is a cross-pollination of ideas between
the two systems possible?
KNR: Let me begin by saying that
I haven't delved into Western Astrology much at all. My knowledge
therefore is very limited. Furthermore, I have been very satisfied
at the immensity and depth of the Indian Astrological system that
has kept me away from exploring other astrological systems. Therefore,
it would be really unfair for me to pass any sort of judgement on
Western Astrology. Having said that, I did find Western system of
astrology limited by a lack of Dasha systems, absence of divisional
charts and Yogas.
Using extra-Saturnine planets like Pluto, Uranus and Neptune makes
the astrological canvas too crowded without any great research on
the effects of these newly discovered planets. If someone could
establish and show their predictive uses (not mere post-mortem studies)
it will be helpful. It is said that in mundane astrology these planets
have great use. As far as I know, there are very few, if any, examples
of confirmed predictions of notable events using these planets.
In one's limited lifetime it is difficult to dabble in too many
systems of astrology. It causes clutter, confusion and makes your
judgement clouded. So I prefer to stick to the system I am familiar
with and leave it to others to use the system they prefer. In my
biased opinion, the Indian Astrological system is deep, comprehensive
and capable of “delivering the goods” to whomsoever
who chooses to dive into it. That is the only truth I can attest
to without any hesitation.
Question: What is the viewpoint
you favor on the following issues – (a) Is there a particular
Ayanamsha[44] that is the correct one? (b) Do Rahu and
Ketu[45] have own sign, exaltation/debilitation signs, strengths,
aspects etc.? (c) Do astrological principles apply in full for a
planned C-section birth?
KNR: (a) Yes I have delved on
the topic of Ayanamsha in great detail and I have also
shown in my books why Lahiri Ayanamsha (actually it should
be called Chitrapaksha Ayanamsha) alone is the accurate
one. To ascertain this fact, one has to look carefully at Vargas
or divisional charts. Based on a scientific investigation, I have
rejected all other Ayanamshas. Unfortunately, my work on
Ayanamsha annoyed late Dr. B.V.Raman, who used his own
Ayanamsha. Therefore, this controversy even affected my
excellent friendship with Dr.Raman.
As an historical note, readers should know that Chitrapaksha
ayanamsha got its official seal from the Calendar Reforms Committee
in 1956. It also got an official endorsement from the best astronomers
of India and also from the notable scientist Meghnad Saha.
(b) This is an old controversy. I do not use the exaltation/debilitation
signs for Rahu/Ketu at all. On the other hand the condition of Rahu
and Ketu and their dispositors[46] gives us good results. My favorite
case is that of John F. Kennedy, the ex-president of USA, who achieved
all his political eminence and glories in the Mahadasha
of Rahu in Dhanu (where it is supposed to be debilitated).
In the next Dasha of Jupiter, he was killed.
(c) Yes most definitely – 100%. I have given one instance
in my book, “Karma and Rebirth in Hindu Astrology”,
the case of a doctor who wanted me to give a birth time for the
C-section delivery for his wife. I provided the time and made several
predictions about the child before its birth. Twenty years later
these predictions were shown to come true. Upcoming astrologers
should do more research on this area by giving a time for C-Section,
make predictions, watch the life of the child for fifteen or twenty
years, and see whether the predicted events match up with reality
or not.
Let me give you another anecdote. More than sixteen years ago I
provided a birth time to the wife (who is like my niece) of an army
officer. She and her husband wanted me to give a birth time so that
the child would be a male scientist. I gave the time per their wishes.
But nature had the last say in this matter. She went into labor
a little earlier than the chosen date. After the birth of a son,
they asked me for prediction and I told them jocularly that the
boy would study commerce and classical music. They came to me from
Calcutta in 2003 with the grown-up boy. The boy is now doing graduate
studies in commerce and has finished the fifth year in Hindustani
classical music.
Question: Being a well-known and
highly reputed astrologer, does it not put an added burden on you
for being scrutinized and repeatedly tested on the accuracy of your
predictions? Does protecting your image and stature sometimes stand
in the way of you practicing astrology in a free and unfettered
fashion?
KNR: One of the reasons why an
astrologer often feels burdened is because of lack of practical
understanding of astrology among the clients. That is a real problem.
For example, there is no acceptance or understanding of (1) variability
brought out by inherent uncontrollable uncertainties such as inaccurate
birth times or (2) acceptable error limits. Everybody wants perfect
answers every single time. That is never going to happen
no matter how good the astrologer is! Does the world abandon the
science of aeronautics and space exploration if the space shuttle
crashes due to errors by the world's best scientists at NASA? The
answer is no – they learn from their mistakes and improve.
But astrology is thought to be something “out of the world”
which is simply not true. Everybody is subject to laws of nature
including the astrologer, and each of us works under the gamut of
Maya. Why then forget the Will of God? As the great Tulsidas has
said, “Haani-Laabh, Jeevan-Maran, Yash-Apyash, Vidhi Haath”
(Profit and loss, life and death, fame and infamy are in His hands).
My experience is that, often times, it is the unnoticed and unquoted
individual predictions which are truly inspired. They give great
internal satisfaction to an astrologer. Sometimes such predictions
get great publicity through informal channels and grapevine. After
hearing about these predictions people come to the astrologer with
great expectations. These expectations (or for that matter any expectations)
create a preconditioned mind to “hear” a very highly
favorable or certain type of predictions that would alter the course
of people's lives. For instance, I predicted in one case that the
boy would become an engineer, go to a foreign country, marry a foreigner
but would remain afflicted with an incurable ailment. Fifteen years
later when events took place exactly as I had predicted other people
came running to me to hear a similar prediction. If you do not give
them a similar prediction they feel disappointed and sore. Why should
I put a strain on myself and try to live up to their expectations?
From my personal experience I have learnt that being true and honest
to myself is the only way to live one's life harmoniously. This
brings you peace and a palpable proximity to God. Isn't that the
true purpose of why Jyotish was revealed to us in the first
place?
Question: On a final note, would
you like to give any advice to aspiring astrologers?
KNR: My advice to aspiring astrologers
is to do their astrology quietly. They should not seek publicity
or promote themselves, and let their good predictions earn them
a good name. It is how so many, including me, started. It is only
in 1983, after more than forty years of practicing astrology, that
I was dragged into the limelight, much against my wishes. And if
an astrologer can practice as a service without charging any money
- it is the best. Or leave it to the client to donate what they
wish. Never demand or put a price on your service. I know I am old-fashioned
in this matter - but for a good reason. (Note
- I asked K.N. Rao about charging money in the West for astrology
services. He said, "It is all right in USA. Do as you have
been doing." - Vaughn Paul Manley 7/5/05).
Astrology is a revelatory science and it is revealed, not
by aggression but by faith and surrender to the divine. Always remember
the four “Mahavakyas”[47] of astrology – Have
Faith; Be Diligent and Practice Patience; Humbly learn from your
mistakes, and Live a Life of Service. Then the divine lotus of astrology
will open within you.
Footnotes
1 Mr. Rao's family is originally from South India but lived, for
the most part, in Northern India
2 At that time this would have been, almost certainly, looked down
upon in a traditional Brahmin household in south India
3 A Renaissance religious movement that, among other things, did
not believe in the caste system. Many believe that this movement
was one of the foundation stones of modern thinking in India
4 A Pashtun or Pathan, he was a participant in the freedom struggle
against the British. He was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi
and came to be known as the “Frontier Gandhi”
5 Notorious for its bitter taste but considered a great medicinal
herb
6 A world famous expert and scholar in the field of rural industries
7 Noted for his contributions in the field of Gandhian economics
8 A scholar-saint regarded by many as the spiritual successor of
Mahatma Gandhi
9 In those times, it was very unusual, if not heretical, for a Brahmin
kid to be asked by his father to study texts of other religions
10 India's film industry is located here. Also known nowadays as
“Bollywood”
11 Mr. Rao had prior experience of appearing before the Supreme
Court in the famous “Mandal” Case. The Mandal Commission's
aim was to come up with criteria for determining social and educational
backwardness that became very controversial. Mr. Rao also wrote
a book on this entitled “Mandal Report X-Rayed”
12 Considered an elite family in South India partly because of their
accomplishments. Historically members from this family held high-level
positions in the courts of the kings from the days of the famous
Golconda empire in south India
13 A spiritual path that aims to activate one's internal spiritual
energy or Kundalini from the base of the spine to the top of the
head via the 7 psychic centers
14 He is mentioned with reverence in the literature on Ramakrishna
Paramhamsa (the famous saint and devotee of the mother goddess who
lived in the state of Bengal)
15 A guru from the lineage of Guru Nanak (the first Guru of the
Sikh religion)
16 A saint who lived in the 13th century and propounded the Dualistic
school of worship
17 An extremely sacred hill in the state of Assam. It is revered
as one of the most potent and powerful spiritual centers for the
procreative goddess, Kamakhya
18 This book was translated into the Russian language in 2003
19 A Hindu ritual sacrificial external worship often accompanied
by a fire ceremony
20 Dealing with work and actions
21 These are Hindu mythological texts like the epics Ramayana and
Mahabharata
22 These contain mythological and allegorical stories of Gods and
Goddesses. Scholars and mystics believe that these texts impart
philosophy and knowledge at multiple levels depending on the stage
of development of the reader/student
23 Phases or days of a lunar month
24 Weekday
25 27 constellations which form an important pillar-stone of Jyotish
26 As mentioned earlier in the interview, one of the biggest astrology
schools is housed at this institution. Mr. Rao is the founder and
prime-mover of this astrology school
27 Planetary periods. There are 32 such systems expounded in the
classical text Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra
28 A classic axiomatic text written in Sanskrit on the complete
path of Yoga
29 Obstructive energies that take you away from finding your spiritual
center
30 Maya is a Hindu term that is used to represent one's illusory
perception to life. It is also the dynamic force or power that manifests
physical and relative reality
31 It is impossible for one to know or analyze one's karmas (actions)
and their impact
32 A blind saint known for his supreme devotion to Lord Krishna.
He is very well known, especially in Northern India, for his devotional
hymns and songs that are still sung commonly in festivals and religious
gatherings
33 Panchanga is a Hindu/Indian calendar/almanac that provides a
plethora of information on astrological factors, auspicious/inauspicious
times etc. In other words it is a comprehensive planning information
resource for Hindus
34 Indian philosopher, astronomer, and mathematician, author of
the Pañca-siddhantika (“Five Treatises”), a compendium
of Greek, Egyptian, Roman, and Indian astronomy
35 From the epic Mahabharata, where a young boy becomes an unrivaled
archer by drawing inspiration from the statue of the great Guru,
Dronacharya. Eklavya learnt archery by practicing in front of the
Guru's statue without ever getting any initiation or direct instruction
from the Guru
36 A system or tradition enunciated by the Rishi or seer, Parashara,
mainly through his famous astrological treatise Brihat Parashara
Hora Shastra. This work is one of the main foundations for Jyotish
37 Another seer who developed additional tools and techniques to
complement the Jyotish knowledge base developed through Parashara
38 Timing system that distributes the time (not equally) to 9 Nakshatras
within the 120 degree zodiac space
39 Has a cycle time of 120 years. This 120 year period is sub-divided
into 9 unequal parts which are ruled by each of the nine planets
40 These are the 12 constellations – Aries etc.
41 Parashara developed 16 sub-charts of the main Rashi chart. Navamsha
is the ninth division chart and one of the most important sub-charts
to be studied in conjunction with the Rashi chart
42 Means the wheel of time. It is a timing system that, like Chara
Dasha, is also a Rashi-based system for timing of events
43 Possessing control of a ghost/spirit and using this spirit to
get the requisite information
44 The distance between the starting points of the sidereal and
tropical zodiacs at any given time
45 The two nodal planets. Also called as “Chaya Grahas”
or shadowy planets
46 The lord of the Rashi in which these planets are placed
47 Great Sentences or axioms
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