Portrait of An Ideal Astrologer

Seshadri Sundara Raghavan

Swamiji was in dhyana when we visited. Duly received by Swamiji's sister, and seated in the vicinity of the Pooja room, we were informed that on Saturdays, Swamiji observed Mowna Vratha; (vow of silence.) He had however consented to seeing us. After a few minutes, we were ushered in to the room where Swamiji was sitting on a chair, dressed in simple saffron cotton dhoti. Normally, Swamiji would not have uttered any word but he decided to talk to us. The glow on the countenance of Swamiji, which we know to be the reflection of inner purity, the benign look and guileless smile filled our hearts with reverence. After paying respects we squatted on the mat, a traditional south Indian custom which is alive even in these decades.

We introduced ourselves. Swamiji was quite happy when I presented our Journal. His immediate response was that She, Goddess Ambal, had already indicated to him that two persons were coming and that he should talk to them. He had come out of his Mowna Vratha. We conveyed the regards and respect from Shri K.N. Rao, the Advisor of Institute of Astrology, Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan, and the Editor of the Journal of Astrology.

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Sharing of Knowledge Swamiji started narrating his childhood experiences. His maternal-grand-father used to ask him climb the banyan tree and pluck only the matured leaf, about to fall from the tree; in turn, his grandfather himself would collect all the leaves fallen on the ground, not leaving a single leaf and would start stitching them neatly and carefully to make leafy bowls and leafy plates customary in all orthodox and traditional families for eating food. Having done that, he would expect Swamiji to distribute them to the near relatives and to others.

Swamiji says, doing this over and over again was an immense joy and satisfaction for him, which he continued. Symbolically it suggested that garnering true knowledge of astrology, synthesizing it and offering it, as though, through a contamination-free bowl, was a good objective.

Swamiji always had liking for books. Once, during his school days he purchased two books, one was on astrology. He gave the astrology book to an astrologer who predicted that he would become an iron merchant. After going through the book the astrologer threw the book telling that the book was not worth reading. Swamiji picked up the book and kept it carefully for a long time. When he was with his maternal grandfather at Tiruvanaikoil, near Srirangam, Tamil Nadu, he attempted to read the same book on astrology which he had preserved. He was able to grasp the gist within two hours. This he did after his school education at the age of 15/16. Since then he has been devoting more and more to astrology, astrological calculations, and has mastered the subject.

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Swamiji spoke with the conviction that seem to have been born of a lifetime spent meditating on astrology. For instance, he quoted a Tamil stanza and remarked: "Rahu is Rahu", "Saturn is Saturn"; never confuse combining both. Remember Rahu, a "King Maker"!

Astrology Swamiji feels that a lot of research has to be undertaken as for the Ashtakavarga is concerned. Careful scrutiny of Ashtakavarga, specially when a planet in transit is within one degree orb of a birth planet, its strong and weak points in anyone's horoscope, combined with Jaimini's applications, becomes an excellent predictive tool for an astrologer. It is more useful in critical muhurtha elections and sensitive predictions. As an example of the use of the Ashtakavarga, the following were cited.

According to Swamiji, Shri Dewe Gowda had been in contact with him for over many years. He had visited him to find out his political future in the state of Karnataka. Swamiji told him that he was seeing something bigger for him in the then future. We now know, and it is history, now. Deve Gowda had no expectation of becoming the Prime Minister of India nor had he ever aspired for it, perhaps. The timing of the muhurtha for oath taking of Shri Dewe Gowda sustained him as a Prime Minister only for 10 months and 20 days.

This is the best that any astrologer could do to choose a muhurtha, based on Ashtakavarga.

Another example, he quoted was of Late Shri M.G. Ramachandran, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, who had been visiting him quite frequently for consultations. Even after his illness, paralytic attack, he had been a successful Chief Minister, for more than four and a half years. The spiritual, and ritualistic remedial measures suggested, from time to time astrologically had been effective. His death had also been predicted exactly.

Swamiji has clear cut and strong opinions about the observance of the rules of dharma. For any one, highly well-placed person to a lowly one, even slight deviation from the path of dharma must lead to his downfall. There is no excuse and escape. One has to face and bear the consequences.

His Diet Routine Swamiji has been on liquid diet for many years. He observes Mowna Vratha on all Saturdays, Amasvasya, and one more day. He performs special poojas for Goddess Raja Rajeswari and Lord Ganesha on Friday evenings. During this period people pour in to have Swamiji's darshan and receive his blessings.

Astrological counseling is undertaken by him as and when he is free, on all days, except the days of Mowna Vratha. Sattwick food is the mainstay of all great spiritual practices, as is known to all and finds mentioned in the Gita and Chandogya Upanishad. Ganga Nagar.

In his concluding remarks, Swamiji mentioned that the local residents of the village, where he lives, had always experienced difficulty obtaining potable water. Once, during his prayer he could clearly see the Ganga flowing under the ground and informed the people around about the presence of perennial underground water resource in that area. People were amazed and started digging wells . Now there is no water scarcity in the village anymore. This is the divine flow of Her Grace in the place where Swamiji lives. In Patanjali Yoga Sutras, the ability to see divine water through yogic powers is a well-known high state of spiritual development.

I became conscious of the fact that I was in the presence of a yogi for whom astrology was only part of a divine and great tradition of India. About the Journal Swamiji was quite happy when I presented our Journal. His immediate response was that SHE, Goddess Ambal, had already indicated to him that two persons were coming and that he should talk to them. It is why he had come out of his Mowna Vrutha. Glancing through the Journal, he commented happily, "sharing knowledge and wisdom based on research is very much needed for the budding as well as advanced astrologers of the present day" and this Journal meets with such requirement.

He had his own reservation over the widespread commercialization of astrology. He shunned astrologers taking money for consultations. Such astrologers and their families suffer from the consequences of the karmic effects and disservice to dharma sometime or the other. Swamiji advises that astrology should be practiced as a service to mankind and not as a part of one's earning for their livelihood.

Blessings Swamiji took one copy of the Journal of Astrology, prayed for a few minutes, and said it will become a very prominent and successful Journal in the field of astrological flow of knowledge and wisdom. Goddess Raja Rajeswari, and Lord Ganesa bless it.

He told us that he had been named Shankaranandam by his maternal grandfather, which may be why Swamiji recited ecstatically the following mantra for many years. He then took out his visiting card and recited a hymn to Lord Shiva. The recitation and sadhana, by Sri Swamiji, of the mantra

(This was popularized by Mahatma Gandhi and Acharya Vinoba Bhave)

Surely there is a clear promise of positive growth for the Journal of Astrology and the continuing selfless effort of Shri K.N. Rao for the propagation of astrology would help him achieve his goal." Convey this to Mr. K.N. Rao was his final blessings.