40 Astrology and other divinations

In the book Omens and Superstitions of Southern India, Thurston has mentioned astrology and other predictions techniques. He has generally taken a non-judgemental stance.

He mentions of people going to professional astrologers for almost everything including that of knowing about the rain and climate.

He has even displayed a more than average information about the various tools and procedures of the local astrologers. Astrology has been practised everywhere, I think. Continental Europe has had it. Great Britain also has had it. Even though I am not quite sure of its status in England, there are the writings of Cheiro, to substantiate the point that people did try to get some professional consultation at least at a minor level.

Yet, the terrors of destiny is always quite less in a pristine-English-only social system. This is due to the absence of the fear of going down in indicant words codes. Moreover, there is no terror in another person going up in the social or professional system. In a feudal language system, the indicant words of that person can elevate along with this. This would lead to the sinking of the other person. So, generally human stature and social self-confidence is more high in pristine-English. At the same time, people are terrified by the swinging and swaying antics of destiny in feudal language systems. There is no way for me to convey a comparative graph of this terror. Yet, it is a fact.

Due to this reason, a native pristine-Englishman’s dependence on religion, spirituality, priests, church etc. would not be as powerful as it is in a feudal language society. It might seem curious there was a very high level of honesty, rectitude, sense of commitment, dependability etc. in an English nation, than was there in a feudal language nation. This is in spite of feudal language nations being more inclined to depend upon spirits and other supernatural beings.

Here, the explanation is that, dependence on spirits and other spiritual entities has nothing to do with honesty, rectitude, sense of commitment, dependability &c. The reason why native-English people have various refined qualities has been explained by me in my books: March of the Evil Empires; English versus the feudal languages! and in Shrouded Satanism in feudal languages.

Let me now mention something about astrology. The descriptions in the book by Thurston about astrologers and its believers give an impression of a very low-quality population, just arriving at semi-barbarianism from a state of total barbarianism. This impression is mostly true. In fact, the definition of society as ‘semi-barbarian’ is seen in Travancore State Manual, written by a native of the same subcontinent.

The low quality of the population is directly connected to the feudal codes in the language. Each person, and each layers of populations try desperately to outdo, undo, restrain, shackle, overpower, to disparage and to sneer at others in the family, caste and society. This is the way the codes of South Asian feudal languages work. There is no escape from its working procedure, when one speaks and understands these languages.

That part of human quality is true. However, the exact systems, codes and procedures of astrology were not created by this low-quality, mutually discouraging and disheartening populations. They were just the practioners of the art, they had learnt by various means. It is similar to the compounders in pharmacies over here. They learn the healing art without the real depth in the subject. Even many modern doctors in India, suffer from this same malady.

Even though technically anyone can learn and practise astrology, in the subcontinent, in the various locations, there were specific castes who by tradition and family vocation practised it. Son following father. Or a disciple learning from a practitioner.

If they looked crude and semi-literate, the blame is on the social and languages system. At a personal level, at least some of the practioners could be quite erudite in the themes of the vagaries of human destiny.

I do not know astrology. I have not practised it. However, over the years, I have consulted professional astrologers many times. I am quite happy to look back at all these quirky experiences. I can write from a location of proximity. I can understand the observation that Thurston has mentioned with regard to the astrologers of the southern parts of the subcontinent.

As a part of a vocation, there are problems in how the art is practised. It is like practising medicine. It is a livelihood of the doctor. Whatever, greatness, limits and possible problems are there, the practitioner would bear in mind that it is his art of livelihood. So, to this end, he would be constrained to compromise on the exact quality of the art.

This has to be borne when trying to understand astrology. Astrology cannot be judged by judging its practitioners.

In my younger days, I was part of a rationalist organisation. At that time, I was a proclaimed atheist. I ‘clearly’ ‘understood’ that all these ridiculous arts including astrology were mere gift of the gab.

The professional astrologer would evaluate the visitor, ask a few questions and thus understand the various predicaments of the person. Being quite experienced in dealing with various persons, he would quite easily understand the various issues connected to that man. Or he may have received many inputs from various other sources about this person.

Then he would perform a very protracted procedure of rolling cowry shells. He would pretend to chant some mantra, along with that. At the end of it all, he would answer the visitor’s questions using his ingenuity. It is quackery similar to what is practised by professional psychologists and psychiatrists. However, these two professionals do have some professional degrees to show off. The astrologer has none.

As to comparing the astrologer with the quacks known as psychologists and psychiatrists, it must be mentioned that there are many similarities. Both use terminologies that are meant to impress the others. However, in the case of the mental science professional, without these terminologies, their ‘science’ more or less falls flat.

At the same time, even though a professional astrologer does move along all the mentioned procedures, he is in fact, basing his actions on a very profound subject known as astrology.

It has its own complex and powerful whereabouts. There are parameters, definitions, procedures and much else mentioned in the astrology books. I am not alluding to the astrology books meant for amateur reading.

After a long period of observing astrology from a distance, and connecting my observations with my comprehensive ideas, I do get the feeling that astrology might have some connection to the codes of reality, at the location where it connects to human destiny.

Even the astrology chart has the look of some software codes, that can be deciphered inside some supernatural software application.

Look at my own horoscope chart I have given below.

The above chart I made from an online site (www.alabe.com). Only the time of birth might not be exact, but would be in the thereabouts.

From my various years of viewing various kinds of software designs, I feel that it is a software code or codes arranged in some particular manner. Or even a software application. I do not really have a clear idea.

However, the there is always the troublesome question of how the planets and the stars, and the Sun and the moon, and also two other non-existent, hypothetical entities (Rahu & Ketu) affect or influence human life and destiny.

That was the question that was being asked in my days of rationalism. The supporters of astrology used to pick up the theme of gravitation and such things. Even the theme of moon influencing the tides in the oceans was mentioned. Then there was the attempt to connect the word ‘lunatic’ to full-moon. These physical issues were twisted, pulled and pushed to accommodate the correctness of astrology.

Then there was the contentions connected to astrology taking earth as the centre of the universe, with even the sun revolving around it. The astrology supporters could quite easily refute this with the counter point that actually the position of the sun as the centre is just a matter of frame of reference as understood in the theory of relativity.

However all these arguments and counter arguments do not connect at all to the actual machinery of astrology. My personal experience is that there is indeed some powerful software at work in astrology. More, I do not know.

I will mention the very brief information that I do know of the astrology as practised in the southern parts of the subcontinent. I am sure that many of the points I mention would have some corresponding points in all other genuine astrological practises elsewhere.

The astrology as understood in the southern parts of the subcontinent does have a lot of elements. I will mention some of them, without describing what they stand for. I cannot guarantee that the information I am providing is totally correct. For, I write from the knowledge of a casual observer.

First of all there are the nakshatras or the Stars. The word nakshatra means Star. However, I understand that in astrology, the word nakshatra does not mean Star. It more or less refers to Constellation. That is what I understand.

Look at the names of the Nakshatras. There are twenty-seven of them (I write their names in the local language): Ashwathi, Bharani, Karthika, Rohini, Makayiram, Thiruvathira, Punartham, Pooyam, Aayilyam, Makam, Pooram, Uthram, Atham, Chithira, Chothi, Vishagam, Anizham, Thrikketta, Moolam, Pooraadam, Uthraadam, Thiruvonam, Avitam, Chathayam, Pooruruttathi, Uthrattathi and Revathi.

The names look quite formidable. This is the main astrological categorisation of a birth time.

The next item for mentioning would be something called Thithi. Look at them in the local language: Pradhama, Dwitheeya, Thretheeya, Chathurthi, Panchami, Shashti, Sapthami, Asthami, Navami, Dasami, Ekadasi, Dwadashi, Tharyodhashi, Chathurdhasi and Paurnami (Full moon) / Amaavaasi (New moon)

There is another item called Karanam:

Look that their names in the local language: Vishti, Simham (lion), Puli (leopard), Panni (swine), Kazhutha (donkey), Aana (elephant), Pashu (cow), Pullu, Nalkkali (four-legged), Pamb (snake) and Puzhu (worm).

After this, there is something called Yogam. Look at their names in the local language: Shubha, Shukla, Brahma, Indra, Vaidrithi, Vishkabham, Prithi, Aayushman, Saubhagya, Shobana, Athigandha, Sukarma, Dhrithi, Shulam, Gandha, Vridhi, Dhruva, Vyaghatha, Harshana, Vajru, Sidhi, Vyathipaatha, Variyaan, Parigha, Shiva, Sidha and Sadhya.

Then there is what is known as Dasha. The life of an individual is divided into certain different epochs, each linked directly to the main control or influence of one particular planet or graham.

Inside each such dasha, there would be minor periods (apahaaram) extending from a few months to a few years, connected to the different planets. So that, it seems, inside the period in which the main planet decides many things, there are minor effects of other planets. This would affect the main planet’s influence to some extent, either enhancing it or reducing it. Or even taking the influence to some angular component.

Each of these items is connected to various kinds of timings and angles, in which the Sun is a major point of reference. I do not know much about any of these things. I am just mentioning the expanse of the theme.

I remember an item known as Ganam. It, I think, connects to personal attributes. I think that there are three of them. Asura, Deva and Manushya.

Beyond all this, there are other items like Rahukalam, Gulikakalam and Yamagaandham, each day.

These three are basically connected to the sunrise and sunset timings on earth, at the specific location in context.

There are simple to complicated calculations that can be done using all the above items. I think that the whole software application known as astrology available to the human beings is practical on the earth only. I cannot conceive what would be its status on a different planet.

Even the Romans, the Mayans, the Incas etc. had practised astrology. There is no indication as to who created this application.

However, the content mentioned above makes me reconsider my position when I was a rationalist, that the whole practise of astrology was based on gift of gab. If I had mentioned such a thing, it was from a location of severe ignorance. However, I do not remember saying such a thing, even though that was the platform on which I stood along with others.

The wider issue here is that once human and animal intelligence arrive at the location that reality indeed has a software design and maintenance location, all material sciences including physics, chemistry, biology as well as mathematics diminish into mere entities inside the software application. All laws and rules in physics become items that can be changed at this location. Mathematics also becomes a mere creation inside this application. This application would decide the laws and rules of addition and multiplication.

However, from inside the application, there might be limits to human contemplations on this line of thoughts. For human beings are also mere entities inside this supernatural software application.

During my various interactions with astrology, I came to know of another item. That is, there are certain packages of life-experiences. These are called Yogam in the local language. This is different from the earlier list of Yogams I have mentioned.

Each individual would have particular kinds of Yogams. The person would live a life in sync and tune that rhyme with these Yogams. Some of these are Anabha Yogam, Gaja Kesari Yogam, Raja Yogam, Hamsa Yogam &c.

I would not have believed in this ‘nonsense’, if I myself had not experienced it personally. Throughout my life, I had experienced a sort of going down and then going up, as if in a periodic cycle. In the early years of my youthful days, I was quite perturbed by the more or less quite certitude of the cycle. As if there was no stable level of platform for me to function. The moment I feel the terrors of the depths, the next moment, there would be the effect of emerging to the top.

Later I learnt to take it in my stride, and not to aim for any heights at all. Another thing, I picked up was to feel at ease when things were at the depths, hitting rock-bottom. For, that was the location from which the wheel would go up.

Once I was with an astrologer around the year 1990. He simply mentioned a formidable list of great Yogams in my horoscope. However, on the negative side he said that I had Shakata yogam, which more or less seemed to negate all the goodness ushered in by the others. Since I did not know anything about Yogams, I simply asked him what it meant. He simply said that there will always be a cycle of moving down and up in my life. I noticed that what he had mentioned was a correct picture of my life. At that moment, I was petrified. To understand that one cannot achieve anything stable was a terribly disappointing thought.

Shakata Yogam literally means Cartwheel destiny. That is, a destiny of going down and up, as if fixed on to the rim of a cartwheel. Actually there might be more to this particular Yogam, than is generally mentioned or understood.

Over the years, I found that there is indeed something making me go down. In fact, I have written more than 20 books on various themes big and small. Almost all are of original content, taken right from my head.

How would I have been able to write so many things unless, life had not taken me from one defeat to another?

If even the most insignificant business venture of mine had succeeded, I would never have written any of my books.

I will leave my experiences at this location.

Now, thinking of the various items I had mentioned, including Nakshatras, the planets, the sun, the moon, the hypothetical planets Rahu & Kethu, the various Thithis, the Yogams, the Karanams, the other Yogams which I mentioned as life-experience packages, it is seen that various names have been given to the items inside each heading. From my perspective, I feel that each of these names actually define some kind of location or code package in the supernatural software application called astrology (not the astrology softwares that are man-made).

They might not relate to the Sun, the Moon, the planets, the constellations etc. in their physical form. Quite obviously, this supernatural software package would work at the code view level. At the code view location, all planets, constellations, stars, the Sun, the Moon, the hypothetical planets, human body, human destiny and much else are mere software codes. Even a major planet might be just the physical visualisation of a very brief number of code lines.

In the South Asian subcontinent, astrology is believed to be connected to the Brahmanical religion (currently called Hindu religion). However, I understand that some variation of this art was practiced by some lower castes also, who had bare antique links to Brahmanical religion.

Brahmanical religion is said to belong to Sanskrit antiquity. As such it is not part of the majority peoples of the subcontinent, even though currently many people of India feel that they are part of some great antiquity dating back some 7000 years back.

Vedas are considered to be some of the most ancient Sanskrit books available. They contain the textual descriptions of some very ancient religious practices. There are four of them, mentioned as written in different periods of the past. The last of them is called the Adharva Veda. I have been told that this contains the text of an art quite near to black magic and tantra. Since I do not know Sanskrit, I cannot say anything more.

Sanskrit is also a feudal language. That is, Sanskrit words and usages might be able to create a 3-diamensional design view in the virtual area. It might be utterly foolish to interpret and dissertate on Sanskrit scriptures without this understanding.

Being a feudal language, with the ability to create 3-dimensional sensations in the physical view, it is very much possible that it would be able to perform social actions which are quite akin to black magic.

Antique astrology books of the subcontinent are said to be in Sanskrit. Whether they were available in other ancient language of the location including those like Tamil, Prakrit, Magadhi, Aradhamagadhi, Pali etc. is not known to me. I get the information that there are Jainism scriptures in Prakrit. On doing an online search, I see a mention of Suryaprajnaptisutra, an astronomical work done in Prakrit.

I do not know if these mentioned languages are as ancient as Sanskrit. It is also possible that Sanskrit was an immigrant language to the subcontinent. Nothing more can be mentioned by me about things dating back to at least 2000 and more years back.

There are other languages in the southern parts of the subcontinent. The main is Tamil. I do not know if there are ancient text books of astrology in Tamil. I do see a mention of one such on an online search. I do not know much about it. However, a cursory examination gives the feeling that everything is more or less similar. Pointing to single focal point from where all the ideas spread out to the different regions of the world.

Apart from all this, a majority of the current-day populations of the South Asian subcontinent do not really belong to an antiquity dating back to thousands of years. Many populations have entered the various small locations in the subcontinent from elsewhere. They got connected over the centuries, with most of them trying to imbibe the Brahmanical traditions, in the hope of improving their social and intellectual levels.

Now, going back on the astrology path, it might be right to mention that none of the above-mentioned language-speakers are the actual creators of astrology or of any other occult art. For these arts including Shamanism are found in various other locations in the world, including in the Mayan, Inca and other long-lost cultures.

For instance, if the Vedic Aryans were of such technical superiority as to create such a fabulous supernatural software application as Astrology, then the next perturbing question would be as to why they could not make a very indelible computer print-out of the Vedic texts or bring out printed books on the same. Or at least preserve them in a better medium than dry palm-leaves.

For it is a fact that the officials of the English East Indian Company had to do a lot of search and preserve work to find and protect these Sanskrit textbooks from various locations in the subcontinent.

It might be possible that some of the Vedic people were aware of the mechanism of mantra and tantra, and of the black arts. However, their knowledge would be only at the level of using them, and not at the level of creating or designing them. Something like: I know to use a computer, but I do not have even the least bit of information on how to create a computer.