Astrology A Quest Towards Unknown (Sanskrit Text with Transliteration and English Translation)

The universe is an ocean of mysteries and surprises. Why and from where we have come? What is our role and aim in this life? What is death and what happens after death? Who controls or regulate our actions? What are destiny and Karma principles? Is there anything as soul and rebirth? What is the origin and power of our thoughts? Saints, philosophers and scientists have all tried to answer these queries but no universally accepted views have emerged so far. In the last two centuries, great strides have been centuries, great strides have been emerged so far. In the last two centuries, great strides have been made in various fields of knowledge. But what is the use of this knowledge if it does not bring liberation from sufferings and peace of mind. Consciousness and universe are inter-woven. Time is a great cosmic force with four dimensional approach. Philosophy and religion are in depth study of man. To know the human beings is to know the universe and mind/intellect play a great role in it. Sri Ramkrishna said, “A man attains everything when he discovers his true self in himself.” One should strive to attain the state of satchit-anand in this very life. Astrology is a divine science which helps one understand himself better and answer various what, why, how and when in a systematic way.

The author is a mining engineer from “Indian School of Mines” now known as IIT Dhanbad. He has put in 28 years of service in the Army as an Engineers’ officer. He is a Jyotish Acharya from Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan. For a long time, he has been pursuing astrological studies as a keen student. His researches reflect his analytical approach to go into the details as an engineer and then he put them across frankly as an Army officer.

The author has earlier written many books (list on front inner cover page) which have been received well by the astrological fraternity.

Life is a mystery. It is difficult to describe rules and reasons of happenings in life. It is further almost impossible to talk about what happens after death. However such complexities in life keep attracting the astrologers. They burn the midnight oil to find out the root cause of beginning, end of life and beyond. The strange uncontrolled phenomenon leading to various ups and downs of life do not allow astrologers to sit idle with the satisfaction that they have learnt all the principles of astrology. Exploring becomes a habit for them.

The uncertainty and the mystery lead to a perpetual debate on the subject of fate and freewill. The arguments in favour and against goes on if the fate is more powerful than karma or otherwise. All do not agree and feel that karma is more important. This dilemma often confuses a man and makes life further difficult.

Gautam Buddha said - 1. Sansar hai; 2. Dukh hai; 3. Dukh ka karan hai; 4. Dukh ka nivaran hai. Futher we hear “Nanak kukhiya sab sansaar”. Astrologers understand this and keep endeavouring to find out dukh/sukh in future and reasons thereof.

The efforts made by Lt. Col. Rajkumar are commendable. Exploring the cosmic phenomena and understanding their effects on living being is a difficult task but he has taken up this task beautifully and presented that in a lucid form. He has also compiled the views of different religions on the issue of karma and freewill. The illustrations from Gita have been presented as undischarged debts of previous life and are the cause, as an effect of which we are born in a family, become relations, friends/ enemies and even have other intimate relations with all those with whom we interact in our life.

Lord Krishna in Gita, Chapter-IV, verse 17 says that “Gahana Karmano Gatih” i.e. the nature of karma is very complex and impenetrable. Still a splendid dffort has been made to explain the concept of Karma theory which is the basis of astrology. The horoscopes of renowned people have been used aptly to explain the concepts.

I appreciate the effort made by Lt. Col. Raj Kumar and congratulate him for having assimilated the concepts of Karma and presenting them in the form of a book. This book will benefit the students of astrology and help them in understanding the balance between fate and freewill.

The determination of the nature of the real (truth) has been the quest of all religions and philosophies. Lord Krishna in the above verse states that a thing which never remains the same for any given period is unreal (false) and the real on the other hand is always the same. The whole of the phenomenal world, therefore, must be unreal because in tit no one state endures for even an infinitesimal division of time. And that which takes note of this incessant change is itself changeless –the consciousness.

The subject matter of the book is a serious one forcing one to ponder over questions like “Who am I? Whence and where I have come and go to? Whither am I? Who and what controls me and my actions and results thereof? What is life? What is death? What remains after death? What is then on the other side of death? When the body dies what conditions shall man pall into; in which world shall he find himself?” the subject has interested many and is a matter of various religions, mythologies, philosophies sciences, emta-physics and thinkers of all ages. Yet no satisfactory agreement could be reached so far on these issues; since it is not possible to give any visible proof in favour of any theory. Various thinkers and scholars have given their opinion on it. It is basically a matter of perception, faith, belief, religion and Samskaars.

The question of destiny, karma, intellect, death, life after death, and rebirth has remained an enigma through the ages. Human knowledge is hardly capable of answering all the problems that life foreshadows. Today we have a perpetual demand for concrete evidence en masse, not of solitary prodigies. But if such be the attitude on a profound mystery like these, the obvious answer has to be, “Better wait until you die, and then you can conclusively know.” There arises, therefore, the necessity of a cool, rational, dispassionate and impersonal consideration. Lord Krishna in Srimad Bhagvad Geeta, chapter II, verse 28 says;

i.e. All beings (in their relations as friends and relatives, who are correlated as ‘causes and effects’) are unmanifested in their beginning (of life), O Bharata, gets manifested in their middles state (merely as illusionary in the interim), and again are unmanifested in their end. Therefore these should not be allowed to have any influence upon the mind.

During the last century, Vedic astrology has gained universal importance and popularity. The fundamental of Vedic astrology is Karma and Rebirth. The aim of astrology is to make us a better human being and to realize our true potential or self-realization. Astrology is a Divine science based on thorough knowledge, intuition and divine grace. It is the first step to understand the realm of unknown frontiers that have baffled the mankind to some concrete conclusions. Even modern scientists agree that the energy is indestructible; it can only change form with Time. Every action is bound to create a reaction at the appropriate Time and that thoughts and belief are capable to cause wanders. The Pran in every living being is part of the Divine energy. Our consciousness is a mysteriously vast store of energy and we have no conclusively apprehended so far as to why its level of evolution is different in different human beings, or how it operates within a life time or what happens to it after death or how the phenomenon of child-prodigies in various fields occur?

Man is a far more complex being than is generally thought of. He has not only a body and a soul but he has a spirit possessing the soul. The soul has for expression several vehicles of different degree of density-the body being its lowest and the real self/spirit as its highest form. However there are numerous materialists who believe the physical body and the present is all that should matter. The Charvakas/ materialists are atheists who deny the existence of the soul after the death of the body. They worship the body as the soul and who deny the existence of a soul independent of the body. They also believe that the soul dies when the body dies. They will no admit the existence of anything which lies beyond the reach of their senses. The charvakas and materialists hold that the combination of matter or body produces thought, intelligence, consciousness, mind soul, and the consciousness etc. last so long as the body lasts. They believe that thought or intelligence or consciousness is a function or secretion of the brain, just as bile is a secretion of the liver. However, no scientist can prove that matter or force has ever produced consciousness or intelligence. Motion cannot produce sensation, ideas and thoughts, consciousness or intelligence. The Charvakas have lost heir power of discrimination on account of sensual indulgence. They have not got the subtle pure intellect to discern things in their proper light. They do not bother about reincarnation or transmigration of souls, and about philosophical question related to them.

Vedic or Hindu philosophy is based on universal law of Karma or of ‘cause and effect’. Our Karma alone forms our destiny and character in births after birth. Gita and other classics lays stress on inevitability of Karma and that man has right only of dong Karma, but not to its fruits. They advocate one to be a ‘Niskam yogi’ and total surrender before the Lord. However we are living in a world full of ironies and paradoxes. The moment one is born, he is destined to die and death is but a prelude to rebirth. in modern society, the rich are forced to restrict to a simple diet, while the poor cannot afford anything but simple diet. The poor are afflicted by physical disorders due to malnutrition, while the rich have similar sufferings due to over-eating or indulgence. The poor has to compulsorily walk long distances as they cannot afford personal vehicles, while the rich are medically advised to go for long walk or workouts regularly. The poor live away from their families due to financial constrains, while the rich are unable to live together under the same roof due to ego clashes and moral degradation. The only way to get over these ironies is to be a true ‘Karma-yogi’, who is a perfect combination of action and detachment. He is not perturbed or loses his sleep over the results or untoward expectations. His actions are guided more by the voice of his soul or inner consciousness to get peaceful healthy life.

I have been looking for a book which brings out the simple basic facts of life. I am glad that finally the lord has been great and kind enough to let me wander through the ideas/thoughts of great saints as given in various classics and of great spiritual and religious soul of modern times in the form of this book. In our mythology great importance is attached to the figure of ‘9’. Human body is conceived as a temple of God where our soul/true consciousness reside. There are nine ways to obtain ‘the Divine Grace’ through ‘Navadha Bhakti’. There are nine gateways or physical systems of our body through which nine planets hurl down various aspects of life. We are constantly subjected to electro-magnetic impulses/vibrations from 27 (which can be brought to single digit of 9 and also form three triads of nine constellation each) constellations. There are nine aspects of life (Nava Rasa) in literature. There are nine colours-seven primary colours (VIBGYOUR) and infra-red & ultra-violet. In Vedic/ Hindu culture, 108(12x9) also has a great importance as beads in a rosary or for reciting a hymn/ mantra or to indicate respect to a great person. I thought it appropriate to compile the book in nine chapters-nine each for the Destiny, the Karma, Cause and effects, Mind and intellect, thought dynamics, Death and beyond, Soul and rebirth, Time the great cosmic force, and Astrology-science of karma and destiny with relevant inputs from classics and views of some great savants of yore and present.

In preparation of this book, I do not claim originality; in fact it is basically a compilation of views of great persons of eminence. I have extensively borrowed thoughts, sermons and explanations given in many classics and works of great scholars of your and present. I have been hearing and reading views of great people and taking inspirations from their lives and thoughts. I, an insignificant mortal, am venturing into this effort. If there had been a shortcoming, it has been due to may lack of comprehension of the difficult subject. I may have erred in my understanding, comprehension and reproduction of the subject matter for which I alone am responsible and seek unconditional apology from one and all (including their followers and sympathizers). The subject matter is unending, but I have tried to maintain brevity for various reasons. I am open to and rather welcome any suggestion for the improvement of the content. However, it has basically been to give me self-satisfaction than anything else.

I am especially thankful to Mr. Bushan and Shri AB Shukla, IAS, who have initiated and inspired me into this venture. I am also thankful to Mr. Narinder and Saurabh Sagar, my friend and publishers, for their suggestions and efforts to get the book published on Priority. I can never forget the contribution of my ever enthusiastic granddaughters Monil & Ishita Singhal, who have always been a great source of inspiration, peace and pleasure to me and have helped me in computer/ internet related works for my pursuits. I hope this effort of mine would be of interest to all those who find the subject engrossing.

Lastly I pray to almighty i.e. O Lord please lead us from ignorance to truth and from darkness to light.