JOURNAL OF ASTROLOGY NEWSLETTER JUNE 2011

The Sun is life and Moon the life’s force. With this astrological hypothesis, we take you on a long journey starting with the creation of the Moon billions of years ago. This bright object, with waning and waxing phases, has fascinated all, perhaps every living creature from ancient times. Humankind could visit it only now- 42 years ago, after billions of years of evaluation from the earth. It was described by the first visitors as a desert land with nothing to greet them. The discovery of ice on the Moon by an Indian mission long after, last year, was termed as the biggest discovery of the century. 

The Dream Moon is more endearing. The beauty and the changing size of the Moon have been awe-inspiring, passionately captured by poets and painters on earth from times immemorial. Every child has perhaps played hide and seek with the Moon. It has been associated with changing moods of young maidens, sensuousness and sensuality. Astrological classic Phaldeepika, too, mentions Moon as the significator of beauty. The poetic description of moonlit nights that feast the senses has brought joy for many moons. Perhaps, the better utilized is the astrological Moon: it represents the gushing blood that causes turbulence inside you and makes you lively - churning life’s force. It also represents the mind. In a man’s journey from birth to death it is the Moon (mind) which eclipses the Sun (atma) and rules life. It is the mind – heart combo (thinking and emotion) that dominates with immortal atma taking the back seat.  
 
Moon is movement. Moon, as the fastest moving 'planet' represents rapid change in astrology.  It moves from a charan (3 degrees 20 minutes portion of the 360 degree zodiac circle) to another in hours, a nakshatra (13 degree 20 minutes portion) to the next in a day and from one Rashi (30 degrees) to the other. It covers the whole zodiac circle comprising of 12 rashis, 27  nakshatras and 108 charans in just 27 days.

In the Yaksha Prashna of Mahabharata, the Yaksha asks Yudhishter ‘What is faster than wind? And what is more numerous than grass?' The answer was that the mind is faster than wind and thoughts are more numerous than grass. An afflicted Moon could mean faster changing moods and instability and an exalted Moon or unafflicted Moon some amount of stability, determination and an appreciation of the beauty of life. Irrespective of its positioning, it is difficult to control it. Moon exalts in the fixed sign of Venus, Taurus and is said to be weaker in its own sign Cancer for Cancer is a moveable sign.

The mythological Moon. Sage Atri, one of 7 manas putras (children of mind) of the creator Lord Brahma wished to have Moon as his son. So he prayed for a long time to get his wish fulfilled. So intensely did sage Atri concentrate on the Moon God that his body became Moon like. Moon like creations flowed out of his eyes. These were accepted by the ten dishas (directions) to be nurtured in their wombs and give birth on completion of the conception period. The Moon like creation could, however, not be retained by them and it fell on the Earth. This was the cool and lustrous Moon. Lord Brahma picked up the fallen Moon. The Moon, a premature baby was weak. Brahma put this weak child on his chariot and directed the manas putras to strengthen the ten directions (dishas) by chanting Vedic hymns. Moon was thus given a lease of life. The Moon while orbiting the Earth, dropped seeds for the herb and medicinal plants. These seeds were to sprout and become preserving plants for all types of living beings. Brahma conferred on Moon the lordship of the seeds, herbs, water and the Brahmins. In astrology this legend is used to understand some intriguing facets of the behavior of the Moon. Moon, when weak in a horoscope, can be strengthened by the chanting of proper mantras.
 
Moon was married to the daughters of Daksha Prajapati. They are 27 in number in our mythology. They are named after the 27 nakshatras of the zodiac. Moon committed two major indiscretions. He showed Rohini, one of the 27 wives, undue favour. He ran away with the wife of Brihaspathi (Jupiter).These indiscretions were handled in divine ays. Daksha the father-in- law cursed Moon to suffer from consumption, a gradual decay. The Hindi name clarifies it better “Kshaya”. The Moon wanes gradually, decaying each day till it is totally helpless on the amavasya (moonless) day.  

Moon abducted the wife of the Devguru Brihaspathi (Jupiter). Her name was Tara. This deed was perpetrated by the Moon on a Chaturthi day (4th thithi) of Bhadra month on the shukla paksha. This is ‘chaturth ka chaand’ which is to be avoided for acts of importance. The legend, for the generations to come, says that on this day Moon must not be looked at. Looking at the Moon on this day is likely to induce improper thoughts and cause the mind to get into a fallen state. The legend very pithily and correctly points out that in a fallen state the mind is capable of committing misdeeds. Moon, the significator of mind was cleaned by lord Shiva and lord Brahma by pushing it into the sea. Lord Shiva is said to have bisected the Moon. The mind that was conjuring bad and evil thoughts was one portion and the pure good side was the other. Shiva took the pure half and gave it the pride of the place, his head. He is called Chandra Shekhra. The fallen state of mind part was left to wallow in shame and humiliation amongst the fellow Gods. Sufficiently chastened and enlightened the Moon decided to give up his body. His body was immersed in the sea once again. Brahma purified the fallen mind and Sage Atri strengthened it. And so the chastened, purified and strengthened Moon took its designated place in the brotherhood of the Gods. 

Our legends are so deeply profound that it takes brilliant minds to unravel their layers of meaning. They operate allegorically at different levels. They have meanings embedded in layers. A story like that of Ramayana or Mahabharata from our Puranas was devised for common folk. Beneath the surface, however, there are messages of incredible complexity for the spiritually evolved. 

Patanjali Yoga Sutra is the Ultimate. Mr.K.N.Rao calls it a super scientific treatise. He says it is a great tribute to our ancestors who could think at such levels and reach super consciousness state by the conquest of `Chitta', the physical, emotional and mental state. It is to be done through abhyaas (practice) Vairagya (detachment) and the grace of God. There cannot be a more scientific book on Sadhana. It is in four parts - Samadhi, Sadhana, Vibhuti (Super normal powers) and Kaival (Salvation).

The Soul and the human Goal. Your mind has the potential to take you to great heights to experience the unknown. The same mind could be made pedestrian by exclusively eating, drinking and watching TV. Give the mind freedom to ponder over the unknown, beyond the mundane.  Encourage it to think over and above the routine. Do not block the wanderings of the mind. It can take you to places, to new ideas and ultimately to the human final goal. A confused mind is a part human condition. Do not get perturbed if it goes out of control. Knowing some facts about your mind boosts your confidence like nothing else.  How to channel your energies in the limited time that life offers can be only learnt by elevating the self spiritually. This can be done by periodically reflecting on your mind and the atma.  

The Moon has many names suggesting playfulness. Soma, Indu, Vidhu, Nishapati, Kalanidhi, Sudhanshu, Shubhanshu, Sheetrashmi, Nakshatranemi, Shashi, Chand, Chandrama, Amrit, Rakesh, Himanshu, Sarang, Mayank, Nishakar, Rajnikant, Rajneesh, Kaladhar, Himkiran. 

Lord Krishna is the mischievous Moon’s Avatar. The God incarnated came in human form with a playful naughty disposition.  Our shastras have numerous naughty Moon like anecdotes of Lord Krishna. 

Osho’s Moon
According to Osho the mind is not your reality; it is a false interpretation. You are not the mind, you have never been a mind, and you can never be the mind. That is your problem- you have become identified with something which is not. You are like a beggar who believes that he has a kingdom. He is so worried about the kingdom -- how to manage it, how to govern it, how to prevent anarchy. There is no kingdom, but he is worried. The mind is just like a crowd; thoughts are the individuals. And because thoughts are there continuously you think the process is substantial. Drop each individual thought and finally nothing is left. There is no mind as such, only thinking. Between two thoughts try to be alert; look into the interval, the space in between. You will see no mind; that is your nature. For thoughts come and go -- they are accidental -- but that inner space always remains. Clouds gather and go, disappear -- they are accidental -- but the sky remains. You are the sky.  
 
Moon in Astrological Classics
Phaldeepika: The Moon is the significator of the welfare of the mother, tranquility of the mind, bathing in the sea, white chamar, umbrella, good fan, fruits, flowers, tender objects, farming grains, fame, pearls, silver, bell metal, beauty. 

Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra: Mind, water, royal, female, satwik, windy and phlegmatic, learned, round body, auspicious looks and sweet speech, fickle-minded and lustful. Watery places, Muhurta. Strong in north in 4th house, milky trees (rubber yielding plants). 

Moon in Mundane
People in general, common man and women in particular. Welfare of the nation, matters of public interest, public opinion,  business, agriculture, liquid, milk, groceries, fishing industry and navigation, pearls, water transport, nursing profession, air hostesses, merchants, textile industry, travel agencies and salesmen. Innkeepers, places of eating and taking rest (hospitality sector) sailing yachting. Seaports, ships, oceans, rivers, plant life and dairy farms social service NGO 

Moon, the Super computer.There are millions of nerves and blood vessels in the human body, each with a complex function. But only in, one in a million cases is, the mind optimally utilized. The planetary influence prompts thoughts and action at times to elevate the self but one has to get away from basic instincts, perhaps through free will allotted by God to appreciate the refined gifts of God. Ayurveda mentions 72.000 different nadis. It is believed there is a nadi for astrology as well. The yogi- astrologer of ancient times could perhaps identify and activate specific nadis. Western writers have written something similar about the inspiring muse and its activation in writers. 

Astrology and Psychology. An astrologer- psychologist can read the psyche better than a psychologist alone as he is able to regress to past births. The Moon and the 5th house of a horoscope reveal a lot, much more than a psychologist can draw after a number of sessions with a patient. The realm of working of the human psyche that prompts you to act is governed by the Moon. 

We now look at how the psyche is constructed and how it is structured. How to judge whether the psyche is blessed with more freedom or less? Or whether our thoughts surge towards being positive, negative, constructive, destructive, creative, aesthetic, morose, lethal or mostly happy? This and much more can be traced to the5^th house and the Moon in a horoscope. The raw-material for construction of your psyche are your karmas. This is the reason why the psyche has that subtle difference of shade at the individual level. A psychologist cannot read your karma but an astrologer can. Astrology when developed can give an insightful and interpretative analysis of the psyche by reading the  Moon and 5^th house that holds the key to the current  life’s destiny and of many more lives that are still to come can be explained in absolute terms. 

Sanchit Karmas are a record of all actions and deeds in perhaps a disk of sorts that the soul carries with it after death to another life.  The destiny of yet another life is carved from this record with debits and credits to it on a daily basis.

An action that becomes karma of consequence could be in just a gesture, a spoken word showing some amount of decisiveness or simply a routine act from motivational forces that tune the psyche. The psyche is constructed both from the karmas of earlier births which the soul records along with the actions of the　current birth. Your conscience too has developed from such karmas of yours . Be it a tendency to shower snide remarks, self-praise, ridicule or to criticize others.in fact, for every idea that comes to your mind and for every action, there is a reason and logic that lurks behind. The samskaras (psyhco mental tendencies) imbibed from actions (karmas) of past and current births get built in your psyche. How much of tamasic, rajasik or satwik elements (gunas) are there in your psyche and your conscience can be assessed from an analysis of the Moon. Tamasic (laziness, irresponsibility, cheating maliciousness), Rajasik are the undecided qualities between Tamasic and Satwik. Satwik Guna or innate quality would mean fearlessness, pure heartedness, charity, self-restraint, austerity, non-violence, truthfulness, modesty and the like. A domination of Satwik planets in the trinity of 1-5-9 houses and Moon well-disposed, therefore makes you a Satwik, concentration of Rajasik makes you a Rajasik and so forth. 

Moon (Mind) Processes the Human Action 
The 5^th house prompts, the 9^th filters and the first house acts. A process that takes a fraction of a second in some of your actions still follows this route. Your reaction to unwanted situations that you are forced into also goes through the same process. Therefore don’t judge people by how they disappoint you but judge them by their reaction when you disappoint them. 

Every action is not Karma. An action of consequence only goes to the account and not the routine ones.If this screening and elimination was not there the account perhaps would become unmanageable. 

Sanchita Karmas are the accumulated karmas of past lives. Prarabdha: that portion of the accumulated karma which is allotted for the present birth Kriyamana are the karma we do in the present life. Aagami are the karmas that reflect in our future births.

Akarma and Vikarma:The Good(Akarma) and the Bad (Vikarma).
Vikarma are a)Anti-parental karma b) Anti-family karma and c)Anti-society karma.
Results of these Karmas: 
a) Akarma leads to salvation. 
b) Vikarma leads to divine punishment and bondage

Like the changing shades of Moon in a Horoscope, every Psyche is peculiar. The reward of the same Karma will differ based on age, desh, Kaal and paatra considerations. Marrying 2-3 times in the permissive west will not amount to a serious anti society Karma as it would be in India. Not caring for parents will be lesser evil in the developed west, where children have not seen their parents respect their grandparents, than in India where the society trains you to look after your parents. And culturally and morally it is considered a duty. 

Could History be different if free will was exercised judiciously? Are we puppets in the hand of destiny? History has in its record many major upheavals caused from routine reactions out of mistaken perceptions of those in power. Were these pre-willed by the destiny of the earth, nations and the individuals or did free will play a role in these actions. Can free will, postpone, minimize or maximize.  

This will remain an eternal debate. Bhagavad Gita answers it eighty percent. Lord Krishna tried his best to avert the Mahabharat. It was both the destiny of the nation as well the karmas of the high and mighty who did not agree to budge that led to the Mahabharat. The action inspired by the beauty of Helen of Troy led to the sinking of a thousand ships and the destruction of the great Roman empire. The insult of Draupadi, by a spoken word led to the Mahabharat war and as a consequence　the eternal Gita was created. A line drawn by an Englishman on a map dividing India and Pakistan led to killing and uprooting of millions.

Spot the reason for being in a tight situation. Do not miss the bus every time. That the Almighty God has given us ample an opportunity to improve is quite clear. One is thrown into a typical situation and tested time and again. A　challenging situation may be an opportunity to liquidate your bad karmas.

Vedic Astrology can Read your Psyche from the Moon and the 5th house. The 5^th house controls that crucial channel that connects Heart- Brain- Soul. The 4^th house governs the heart as Moon is the lord of the 4^th house of the natural zodiac. The lordship of the 5^th house of the natural zodiac is of Sun, the significator of the soul. The planets in the 4^th and 5^th house and their lords indicate the promptings that go for every action and it is finally the culturally moulded mind- set (Moon)that processes and gives command. The Sun and Moon are planets of royalty. The 4th represents the simhasan (throne) and the fifth royalty and sovereign. In our research on 15　Indian prime ministers we have found a dominating role of the 4th (Moon)and the 5th house (Sun) at the time when they became prime ministers.

Moon and Medicine 
A study of horoscopes of doctors have shown Sun, Moon, the 6th and 12th house domination. As per the classical text and the observations of medical Astrologers, Moon is connected to liquid component of the body ii) Blood iii) Left eye iv)Mental disease v)state of intoxication vi) breasts vii) diseases pertaining to phlegm.  

Ayurveda and Astrology 
Astrology is inseparable from Ayurveda.  Ayurvedic medicines were created  and administered in favourable planetary configurations, guided by astrology. A holistic lifestyle, with Ayurveda to aid, meant handling the ailments by being selective in what you eat and in following a disciplined routine that included meditation,  and  yoga asanas. Natural exercises like walking and simple yogic kriyas kept a body and its mind healthy.

The first stage Ayurvedic cure involved getting more selective in eating and doing yogic asanas, and pranayam with greater intensity. The complex asanas were meant to cure specific diseases. Ayurvedic medicines made from plants and herbs were prescribed for ailments and had to be taken during favorable planetary configurations only. In ancient times Ayurveda perhaps was a comprehensive healthcare system. Sushruth Samhita, the oldest text on surgery had even techniques of head transplant. Another forgotten science- Marma chikitsa as practiced and taught in Gurukul Kangri University in Haridwar is a part of Ayurveda and has been developed from Sushrutha Samhita.

NATURE CURE

Nature is a force that reacts to our actions, emotions and thoughts. The reason could be that matter and energy that is found in each individual is what is in the universe.  As per Ayurveda and other holistic sciences the human being is made of the five elements that constitute the physical universe. Human mind and action is nothing but a part of the supreme energy (Paramatma). We can communicate with nature and through it with our atma and the paramatma. The revival of holistic therapies like Reiki, Pranic healing  and harnessing of cosmic energy through their practice, gives enough  evidence of the potential that nature holds in solving our day to day problems  and of  the immense healing powers of a natural process. 

Can we can unfold the numerous forms and substance of nature?  How much is revealed by nature depends on how deep is your imagination and how strong your determination.  It depends on the degree of curiosity in seekers of truth. What leads you to understand the secret of physics of nature is a collection of your own observations. The evolutionary process of life starts with birth, it develops and then decays. Every experience of life is perhaps absorbed by nature and is carried to decide the next life. Physical features, mental attitude and spiritual leanings (samskaras) for the next life are based on your karmas. Mr.K.N. Rao says if you are doing your sadhana intensely and advancing in astrology honestly and sincerely it will not go waste for your rebirth will be in such a family where you will get the opportunity to develop from where it was left by you. Ayurveda and medical astrology are grounded on the stable theory of karma siddhanta. 

Medical Astrology did not develop like other branches of astrology. The industrial revolution and the developments in science and technology, some decades ago brought sophisticated diagnostic scanners. Anesthesia revolutionized surgical procedure. The precision tools and discoveries of instant relief giving medicines threw holistic medical sciences into oblivion.  On the other hand the taint on medical astrology got deeper due to an  extortionist atttude of astrologers who became upayacharis ( an astrologer who stresses much on remedial measures) more and predictors less  by quoting upayas liberally from  Prasan Marga and other astrological texts. These classics mention the reason for cause for health troubles as curses of devas, family deity, Rahu,Brahmins who have become ghosts, impact of  evil eyes,  possessing the abhichara done by enemies and the evil effects caused by them. The remedy to those ills is also mentioned.  

Astrology can render much help in diagnosis of ailments when a comprehensive system is developed through research. There is no way one can suggest lifestyle changes and eating habits twenty years or more before the onset of ailments other than through astrology. When the disease is caught in the initial stages without becoming symptomatic or a tendency to catch the disease is detected, it can be cured by a natural process. But when in desperation, people resort to surgical intervention and heavy medication, with damaging effect.   Indian astrology distanced itself from medical astrology but now interest in holistic sciences is reviving as aam admi is losing trust in modern medicine. No more is there blind faith in modern allopathic doctors, their diagnoses and their medicine. Things also started shifting in favour of alternative medicines and therapies when, in recent years many aberration were reported by the media like exploitation by commercial medical centers, neglect by  government   medical centers, existence of spurious drugs, withdrawal of drugs which were prescribed and termed great inventions and later termed more harmful than good, scams and scandals.  

Lifting Medical Astrology. Medical Astrology is one of the subjects taught in the Jyotish Acharya course in Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. There has been no remarkable breakthrough in research in the area of medical astrology so far.  The institute of astrology has  upgraded the subject of medical astrology by incorporating the ancient tradition of Marma Chikitsa. 

Upgrading Medical Astrology Syllabus in Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Tracking the environment is an essential discipline both for an individual and for institutions. It is a must for any progressive institution to absorb developments rapidly taking place outside in its own or related spheres. Knowledge is expanding by leaps and bounds. One has to watch carefully to catch these movements.  

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, New Delhi, as an institution is committed to revival, nurturing and instilling of the traditional Indian knowledge of everlasting values from its inception. One of its gigantic steps has been the Institute of Astrology which started in 1987 and today it is the largest Astrology Institute in the world with over 1100 students in Jyotish Alankar and Jyotish Acharya courses and over 300 research scholars. Mr K N Rao has been a beacon light for reviving not only the ancient and traditional systems and techniques of astrology but also in undertaking path-breaking original researches, upgrading and carrying the tradition forward to gel with the modern technology and advancements. 

Mr.K.N.Rao had heard from Mr. Sanjiv Chauhan of a television channel about marma therapy and its magical possibilities.  He had already heard that many had been cured of serious ailments.  

Mr. K N Rao, advisor, a few members of the faculty and some students were introduced to Marma Chikitsa, as practiced and taught by Dr. S K Joshi of Mrityunjaya  Mission, Kankhal (Haridwar) on 20th April 2010 in a workshop organized by Institute of Astrology at Gandh Darshan, Rajghat, New Delhi.  Dr. S K Joshi is a highly respected Ayurvedic surgeon and department head at Govt. Ayurvedic College, Gurukul, Kangri University Haridwar.

The experience of all those who have participated in the workshops has been exhilarating. Dr.Joshi demonstrated that fighting both common and grave diseases required simple straightforward postures. The process of detecting the disease through self-assessment of one’s behavioral pattern and self-cure through simple postures appealed to all. The science of touch convinced all. It can be termed as the science of Vedic Healing Touch. 

Marma Chikitsa is based on Sushruta Samhita, the oldest available text on surgery in the world and it is being taught at Gurukul Kangri University. Marma points are an important element of Ayurveda's healing power. This is a healing art from the ancient Ayurveda that works on sensitive energy points of the body profoundly affecting the body, mind and spirit to facilitate the deepest levels of healing. 

Ayurveda mentions 107 specific energy points. A Marma Point is defined as an anatomical area where veins, arteries, tendons, bones and joints meet to form the seats of life. These places have significant value to support good health because they store concentrated life-force energy.  

By stimulating the marmas, blocks due to stress and improper diet can be dissolved, making the mind and body connection more intimate. This therapy promotes subtle energy cleansing and re-balancing which stores the memory of wholeness. Marmas are fixed anatomical locations on the human body. The teaching of the subject shall make the student aware of these vital points. These points are sensitive, therefore teaching by trained and qualified persons, initially is necessary. When stimulated in a proper manner, they can cure chronic disease and even repair damaged and torn body parts. But they have to be delicately handled! 

Due to the effectiveness of the therapy and miraculous cures witnessed by members of the Institute of Astrology, 7 workshops were organized from April, 2010 to June 2011 in New Delhi and in Haridwar. The last being on 19th June, 2011 in the Auditorium of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in which Professor N.N. Pillai, Principal, vocational studies also participated. Professor Pillai agreed with the views of most of the participants that this ancient science should be encouraged, preserved and developed. 

With the objective to reach and benefit the laymen, this upgrading of the syllabus has been carried out.  

This marma therapy is being taught only in Gurukul Kangri University at the moment and nowhere else in the world Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan, New Delhi, will be the first center other than Gurukul Kangri University to run, teach and train people in Marma Chikitsa as part of medical astrology. 

Sun Dasha not willing to spare the Self-Styled Exploiting Astrologer.
Exploitation in the name of astrology is on the increase. Numerous websites and channels which survive only by sensationalizing distorted remedial measures in the name of astrology are growing. Mr.K.N.Rao had sensed this menace a few years back and had branded such Astrologers as ponga pandits. He made us circulate in the classes and asked us to paste on the attendance register firm guidelines to deal with the exploitative upayas. An instruction was given to exclude remedial measures except a select few given in Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra for teaching in Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.

Dream Store. To Americans, the departmental store is  a place to acquire everything- from a pin to a plane. A Dream Store, found in the bye-lanes of bazaars in India has much more.  You get health, happiness, prosperity, riches, promotion, foreign travel, acquisition of children and enhancement of their education, marriage and happiness from it, instant relief from ailments, remote like yantras with mute button for anger, back button for mistakes, fast forward for hard times and pause button for good times; the list is endless. The services include destruction of enemies and fulfillment of a host of wishes that include bringing a change in your personality and looks. All you need to do is to select your  favorite  ‘Nazar Suraksha Kavach’or  Yantra or, Rudraksha or Gemstone and carryit  in a designer bag. Many such stores offer free Astrological consultation to rope you in. You do not have to hunt for such a store as numerous websites and TV channels lead you to them. Even if you do not visit them, you have e-commerce where you pay through the net.  TV channels are promoting such dreams, reinforcing superstition, as they help their TRP. Tall claims are made by Astrologers in hypnotizing attires to promote sales.  It has become an industry. There are designers, manufacturers, exporters and Astrologer-sellers exploiting a gullible public. Reportedly, the Government has advised the Advertising Standards Council of India to disallow such advertisements under the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act.  

Is it a play with the trust that most of us develop in our traditions, culture and our rich heritage. We believe in them because our parents had faith in them. The mothers lovingly puts a costless dot (tika) to avoid the effect of evil eyes on her child or burns a chilly in the house as she believes it will crush the evil eyes. But to market expensive  Nazar Kavach is certainly a commercial play with our delicately woven beliefs in our traditions.  Snap shot methods and short cuts in anything and everything define today's life. Anglakshan, face reading, body reading, house reading Yantra, Rudraksha,  Gems that guarantee huge wealth are in vogue. It mayb not be superstition for those who practice as perhaps they believe in them. The experience which I have had through interacting with many such believers and dealers is that most of them have faith in these short cuts. But when it comes to effectiveness, the experience of customers and testing, the sellers become liars. Most of us go for them as our faith in our shastras is stronger than our doubts. Anything in the name of religion and cultural beliefs and practices is blindly followed. Another reason could be that they are the only route to fulfill dreams. The probability of benefitting is as low as getting a bumper prize in a lottery. How much is the claim and how much is the effect cannot be measured quantitatively. We have to force a stop as their misuse has crossed all safety limits.  

NEWS ZONE 

India is talking corruption in its unrelenting dasha of Sun 
In the dasha of Venus we walked and wallowed in corruption. In the dasha of Sun of the Indian Independence horoscope that began in September, 2009, we have at least started to talk corruption. The Times of India reported that PM Manmohan Singh on 29^th June, 2011 acknowledged that his government is being described as the most corrupt, adding that “corruption has become a big issue and has caught the popular imagination”. However he was quick to add that instances of corruption were just aberrations”. If they were just aberrations then why Raja, Kalmadi and Kanimozi are are in jail? Subramaniam Swamy has claimed that he has evidence against the high and mighty which can get India’s money stashed in foreign tax havens back. It appears a section of people in authority feel that by abdicating its own authority the government has yielded space to-non-political voices.  

Recovery of the Eclipsed-Baba Ramdev, who had drawn much media attention, had a steep slide into oblivion. No more the prefix Baba or postfix ji is found with Ramdev. If he had stayed on the dais on eventful night of the 4^th June, soon after 1^st eclipse of the 3 eclipses month of June, 2011 he would probably become a stronger mass leader. Even if he would have escaped in the attire of woman, he would have achieved a still better mileage and would have perhaps been called a miracle Baba-one who could hoodwink the government with his yogic powers. It was perhaps a panic button pressed by destiny under the influence of the eclipse that brought the downfall of Ramdev. 

The people riding high before the eclipse were suddenly pruned. Ramdev’s fall from glory  can be astrologically attributed to the eclipse of June shrouding with him  the other Sun, Anna Hazare ; though  Sibal and  many other shining Suns of the eclipse time also came under the shadow of Rahu and are thrown into controversies. Sun in Mundane astrology signifies the high, mighty and powerful leaders both religious and  political Ramdev is no more seen as a powerful member of the civil society.  

Are our representatives one among the average folk?  As per one assessment, today, out of 543 MPs in Lok Sabha, 315 are crorepatis. That's 60%. 43 out of the 54 newly elected Rajya Sabha MPs are also millionaires. Their average declared assets are over Rs 25 Crore each. That's an awfully wealthy lot of people in whose hands we have vested our destiny. The assets of the average Lok Sabha MP have grown from Rs 1.86 Crore in the last house to Rs 5.33 crore. That's 200% more. And, as we all know, not all our MPs are known to always declare all their assets. Much of these exist in a colour not recognised by our tax laws.  7 out of 10 MPs from the Congress are crorepatis. The BJP have 5. MPs from some of the smaller parties like SAD, TRS and JD (Secular) are all crorepatis while the NCP, DMK, RLD, BSP, Shiv Sena, National Conference and Samajwadi Party have more crorepatis than the 60% average. Only the CPM and the Trinamool, the two Bengal based parties, don't field crorepatis. The CPM has 1 correlate out of 16 MPs; the Trinamool has 7 out of 19. This shows in the state-wise average. West Bengal and Kerala have few crorepati MPs while Punjab and Delhi have only crorepati MPs and Haryana narrowly misses out on this distinction with one MP.  Statistics show that the average assets of 304 MPs who contested in 2004 and then re-contested last year grew 300%. And, yes, we're only talking about declared assets here. But then, we can't complain. We are the ones who vote for the rich. Over 33% of those with assets above Rs 5 Crore won the last elections while 99.5% of those with assets below Rs 10 lakhs lost! Apart from West Bengal and the North East, every other state voted for crorepati MPs. Haryana grabbed first place with its average MP worth Rs 18 Crore. Andhra is not far behind at 16. Now they want 500% pay hike and perquisites Quadrupled. The Government, to buy peace, has already agreed to a 300% raise but that’s not good enough for our MPs. They want more, much more.150 MPs elected last year have criminal cases against them, with 73 serious, very serious cases ranging from rape to murder Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev at least have the guts to challenge the high and mighty at the peril of their life and property. The spotlight on Ramdev has dragged him into controversies. There is one version which says he is 46 years old. Sunday, June 12, 2011 in the Hindustan Times, Lucknow reported that he was born in 1975. Which makes him just 35.There is no mention of his date of birth or his early life on the net.  

Rahu-Ketu and the 2G Scam. It is noteworthy that the mother of scams, connected to communication began when Saturn transited over the 3rd house of the Indian Independence horoscope and Rahu and Ketu were approaching it. Rahu- Ketu- Saturn were in the adjoining house when the scam took roots. Rahu and Ketu were in the 3rd house when it peaked and it fully surfaced when Rahu -Ketu left the 3rd and its adjoining houses. The dasha during the scam was of Venus - Mercury and Venus-Ketu. It got exposed in the dasha of Sun 

Mumbai Blasts on Wednesday the 13th July, 2011: The question that is being asked how could US prevent another attack after 9/11 and India could'nt. The ease and frequency with which terrorists attack and get away is worrisome. This attack happened in the dasha of Sun-Rahu-Venus of the Indian Independence. With five planets in the 6th house of the Varsh Pravesh Chart (Chaitra Shukla Pratipada Kundli) of 3rd April, 2011 and five planets of the Indian Independence horoscope of 1947 such attacks were expected. 

The Koorma Chakra which has been consistently giving fairly accurate direction has Rahu- Moon and Ascendant in Jyestha, Moola and Poorvaashadha nakshatra representing the western direction of the Koorma Chakra. Mars and Ketu are in center and in Rohini and Mrigshira Nakshatras. Whereas Sun and Venus are in Punarvasu and Adra nakshatras.Sun Venus, Mars, Ketu and Rahu are in a straight line of the and Saturn cuts at a right angle the center of this line. Except for the benefic Jupiter all 9 including the ascendant are connected. The South West corridor of the chakra has Rahu-Ketu-Saturn-Mars- Ascendant and the Moon. In the major terrrist attack on 26th/27th November 2008  Mumbai it was the dasha of Venus Ketu Moon in the Indian Independence. The Koorma chakra indicated the direction clearly as Mars, Mercury Sun and Moon were in Anuradha Nakshatra  representing  Mumbai if the chakra is place in the center of India. We need to study the Chakra in depth to get better interpretations from it. 

Osama’s Pak link. The New York Times reported on 25-6-2011 that a cell phone found in the raid that killed Osama Bin laden in Pakistan contained contacts to a militant group with ties to Pakistan’s intelligence agency. It gives clues to Bin Laden’s Pakistan link. The cell phone belonged to Bin Laden's courier, who was killed along with him. In the dasha of Venus of the Indian Independence horoscope a virtual campaign by India to establish this link failed. In the dasha of Sun it happened without India doing anything...

How rainy it would be? Ardra Pravesh chart of 22^nd June, 2011, 16:06 Delhi. This pravesh chart of the month of 3 eclipses and with 3 planets in the 8^th house Does not pro mise a balanced monsoon. It would be an uneven distribution of life giving water in this year. The yearly Chaitra Shukla Pratipadac hart, which has five planets in the 6^th house, supports this negative view. The western part is likely have excess rainfall but the central part comprising Delhi and surrounding areas will be deprived as the eclipses damaged the nakshtras that represent the central part as per the Koorma chakra.

Research in Astrology. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan can claim to be the best,  both in terms of quality and quantity in Astrological Research. We have six sections of Research.  With Mr.K.N. Rao to guide us, the Research activity by far, is the most organized. We do have loud protests and suggestions of restructuring within the Institute of Astrology. We also have civilized feedback including, both from within and outside. But we also get hate mail in response to our  uploads on the net. All this is democratic and helps us in correcting ourselves.  

Business and Economy. The world economy is dependent on the American economy. The American economy witnessed a downslide from 2001 with the onset of the dasha of Moon which is the 12th lord of the American Independence horoscope of 4th July, 1776 with Leo Lagna. The US will fully get out of the declining phase, with the onset of the dasha of Mars in 2011. President Barack Obama will be able to cut a "significant deal" to trim the U.S. deficit of $1.4 trillion and increase its borrowing limit of $14.3 trillion to avoid a damaging default. India and China, where debt is fuelling huge gains in property prices and consumption, are running the risk of "building up the imbalances", FDI inflows to India saw a whopping 111% increase in May, 2011 at $4.66 billion, the second highest monthly inflows in 11 years, marking the revival of investor confidence in the Indian economy. Indian economy will do well till April, 2012 but after that for at least 2 years India will have struggle in the dasha of Sun to hold its achievements.       

Outlining a series of reforms underway for bringing greater clarity and predictability to foreign direct investment regulations, banking, insurance and pension funds, the Finance Minister, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee was hopeful that the planned measures would get parliamentary approval with talks on to bring about a consensus. Financial system reforms are key to India's future growth.

India was certainly Richer than many put together. Reports of treasure of  Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple continue. The total value of all assets recovered from the shrine's vault could be worth Rs 100,000 crore.

Among the notable discoveries was an ancient gold idol of Lord Vishnu studded with precious diamonds and emeralds. The temple has six vaults marked A to F. Acting on a petition, the Kerala high court had in January asked the state government to take over the administration of the temple and also prepare an inventory of its assets. The shrine is run by a trust constituted by the royal family. On appeal, the SC stayed the takeover part but gave nod to stock-taking. 

History has it that the shrine is inextricably linked to the Travancore royal family. The erstwhile ruler of Travancore Marthanda Varma had dedicated the state and all his wealth to the deity and ruled as 'Padmanabha Dasa (servant of Padmanabha).  

We were fortunate to have darshan of the deity with Mr.K.N.Rao on 10th June, 2011, and could recite with him, in the temple premises, Vishnu Saharsnaama. The recitation was with only the deity and not the treasure in mind as till then there was no clue of this huge treasure we were sitting on. It is not the case that our sincere recitation of theVishnu Sahaarsnaama unravelled the treasure but it may have contributed to the positive vibes that changed the fortune of the temple.  

Remedial Measures. No book, no scripture, no science has so far reached the hidden glory of the mind. None could perhaps open all vaults of the knowledge treasure stored in mind. The mind too needs care and cultivation. Most of us experience only a part of it. Explore it dispassionately. It will take you to places you could have never imagined. It can bring reformation. Reach the superconciousness through it.