Where is my real self and can my credit card buy a new me?

Are we being watched and judged? Can we escape our immoral deeds? Will retribution come in this life? These are some of the questions that haunt the conscientious in kaliyuga and cause stress. We are assessed by our neighbors on the façade of our house, the behavior of our children, the car we drive and the visitors we receive. Similar assessments are made wherever we may be- in office, in the club or the neighborhood park. This prompts a tendency to project ourselves as larger than we actually are. We go for beauty aids and expensive clothes, swiping credit cards; and borrow funds for the car we can ill afford. We are encouraged to do this even more when our posture gets a positive feedback from society. It improves our reputation and goodwill. We do this with rooms in our workplace, our business, our possessions, and in fact with everything that impacts our image. It is the interface between us and society that matters. It takes us to places we envy and gives us in excess of our wants. But not without stress and tension.

Worse is when we are required to measure are smiles and words while talking to our bosses. Not only us, but our family also has to undergo a similar torture when they come across the boss or his family. Even our dog is not spared as he too has to measure his bark while facing the dog of the boss. Such mindsets can make parties for many a punishment; and celebration become a calibration of loyalties and alignments. All this leads to more and more tension.

Engrossed in artificiality with stress and tension overpowering us from all directions, we tend to forget who we are! We are separating from our family, our spouse and even with our own self. We trust outsiders more for advice rather than our near and dear ones. We run to psychiatrists. We go for our aura readings and we check with friends and acquaintances who are equally egotistical and lost like us with displaced identities and therefore are in no position to advise us but they do. This too adds to the stress. Extreme cases get psychologically imbalanced and become criminals, kidnappers maniacs, perverts or psychopaths whose notion of reality is in complete variance with the real world.

What causes stress- worry, curry or Mercury?

Children are sensitive and so are many grown-ups. Some are more prone to mental deviations causing stress. Sometimes stress comes from physical causes like your terrible diet in the wedding season. Your stress levels can however be determined through the analysis of Moon and Mercury in your horoscope. Moon-Mercury dasha periods can give mental aberrations causing addiction or diversion towards destructive tendencies like overindulgence or drug and alcohol abuse. This has been found more where Mercury is in conjunct with Moon. In case, with the conjunction, they are also associated with one or more malefic, it could even get medical. Mercury represents intellect. The intellect is that faculty of the mind which analyses and produces a decision logically.

Mythology and astrology has it that Mercury is the child of Moon; but Mercury does not like Moon though Moon considers it a friend. Intellect signified by Mercury, is part of the mind, signified by the Moon. The Moon –Mercury equation is compared to the father-son equation in our shastras where the father likes his child always and the child resists dominance.

Astrology done honestly can get to a much better understanding of human psyche than psychology.

Two Eyes Always Watching
A story of a Gurukul often narrated is that, in a class of small children, the Guru, while giving a moral lesson, said that two eyes are always watching us. As a follow-up of this lesson, the Guru gave a banana, the next day to each of his students and asked them to eat where no one would see them. Some hid beneath the desk, some behind the door and some hid behind racks from where they could not be seen by the teacher. Only one child remained where he was and did not eat the banana. He explained he could not think of a place where no one could watch him. He was convinced that there is no place on this earth where we can hide and remain unseen and unaccounted by the Almighty. He had indeed understood the lesson. But for how long? The society where he has to earn a living trains him to be pretentious and to exaggerate for becoming an achiever. The cost of achievements through cut throat competition in today’s world further causes stress.

How Does The Radar of God Operate?
Though we are always high on the radar of God and monitored perpetually, yet for some time, God needs to sleep, relax and have time for himself. The attention spans of God also therefore logically vary. Hindus believe Uttarayana, the six month period from around 14^th January to around 15^th July every year is the day of devtas and the balance six months of an year, called Dakshinayana, their night. What is one year to us earthlings is in fact a day and a night of the devtas (Gods). Harishyana,the four month period from Asadha Shukla ekadashi (Devashyani to Kartika Shukla ekadashi, duringDakshinayana every year is the time when, Lord Vishnu, the preserver goes to sleep.

Our shastras do not recommend marriage, beginnings to projects of importance, and other auspicious beginnings during this period for, perhaps direct blessings of the preserver do not come. For similar reasons our shastras advocate limited activities of importance during the period that approaches the dusk of Gods and for the approach to the dawn as well. Muhurta Parijat, a recognized classics for Muhurta (electional astrology) declares that Uttarayana is auspicious for entry to a new house, diksha graham (initiation), devta udhyan, kuan (well) bavdi (pond) aadi ki pratishtha (installation and their commencement idol worship, digging of well, construction of house, pond, etc)

These are to be extended for today’s context.

For Dakshinayana, also known as Pitrayana- the night time of Gods, Muhurta Parijat recommends pitra(ancestors) related and shodas samskar (16 important ceremonies) besides acts of necessity. It is a generally unfavorable period for starting auspicious acts as against Uttarayan which is generally favorable for all auspicious muhurta.

A story goes that Jayant, the son of Indra ,the king of devtas was assigned the task of leaving the battlefield with amritkalash (vessel containing nectar)churned out of the ocean duringsamudramanthan . It was the most important task as the battle between the devtas and asuras was all about getting the churned out amrit to attain immortality and other boons. It lasted for 12 days ofdevtas which are equivalent to 12 years of us earthlings. During this war on being chased by the asuras, Jayant with the kalash ran to Prayag, Ujjain , Haridwar and Nashik and hid the kalash on river banks. The amrit did fall at these places and therefore once in twelve years kumbh mela is celebrated in these four towns.

The story has that the Sun saved the kalash from breaking and Jupiter protected it therefore when these two planets move to their compatible zodiac signs the celebration takes place. This year Jupiter has already moved to Aquarius (the sign symbolized with a kalash like pot ) and Sun would move to Aries at 6:57 a.m. on 14^th April 2010 . This is time when kumbh parv in Haridwar would be observed. It is believed that bathing during these selected moments can rid one of rebirths and grant moksha(salvation). In astrology Jupiter in Aquarius is considered as good as in its exalted sign Cancer.

As per the drik siddhanta , uttarayana starts when tropical Sun enters (without ayanamsha) sayana Makara which is on December 21. The difference in the two systems is due to 24degrees of ayanamsha . December, 21 is also the day of winter solstice when the apparent longitude of Sun is 270 degrees and summer solstice is on 21^st June, when its longitude is 90 degrees This method is followed by some regional calendars. uttarayana or surya uttarayana, as per traditional hindu astrology and calendar is the beginning of the Sun’s northern transit.

Faith too needs fertility
You need an attitude to appreciate. One has to have a mind set to experience. Faith cannot be imposed it comes on its own. Be it the congregation of devotees during kumbh melas, holy baths on auspicious days, parikramas around Kailash mansrovar, Vrindavan or Goverdhan; or be it celebration of Ganesh chaurthi, Durga pooja or other Hindu festivals like Holi, Diwali, Onam one finds devotees deeply absorbed and focused. Their ecstasy and passion, seen in revelry and rituals indicate the unflinching faith and belief in their devotion. They come from far away places and stake their limited resources to milk the auspicious moments on auspicious days for all its worth. They do this for there is an unquestionable belief in what their fathers and forefathers practiced. This can be seen nowhere in the world. In the recent past, one cannot forget that Lord Ganesh drinking milk had put the whole nation into a frenzy

To Hindus a specific period of time is important as the moment of start decides the destiny of ventures undertaken like Rajya abhishek (oath taking of the present time). The appropriate selection of time is also used for taking medicines and engagement in prayers for effective healing and rectification The auspiciousness is narrowed down to 48 minutes (one muhurta) to derive the best from holy baths, launching of new projects, marriage, entry to a new house, travel and many other acts of importance. Our rishis discovered through their divya drishti (supernatural power) the qualitative changes in time and our shastras explain them after time tested observance.

The time changes with respect to general auspiciousness based on planetary configuration, on a daily basis for all and for the individual, this auspiciousness is co related with the static position as existed at the time of his birth.

This does not show a nation bogged down in superstitions. It shows a strong cultural heritage. An astrologer, who interprets planetary movements and acquires an understanding of human behavior and of the ever changing wheel of destiny that not only apply to the individual but to mundane affairs also can only appreciate the signals of nature. Not the closed scientist who needs to be fertile to understand or criticize.

Today pranic healers and reiki practioners all over the globe are harvesting energy from the atmosphere and channeling them. Scientists have to work hard now to dig out reasons to criticize as astrology and other holistic sciences are getting more and more demonstrable and convincing.

Meteorologists need to learn from time tested Astrology

A samkranti brings in major changes in weather, so much so that if it is graphically presented for the years gone by, astrology would be found way ahead of meteorology. It is established, after deep research and testing that Sun’s entry in different nakshatras and rashis impact the weather. As per ourshastras the change in weather is predicted from movement of Sun, Mercury, Venus and Moon and other planets in different rashis and nakshatras and the positional relationship among them. “aage mangal peechay bhan varsha howe aus samaan “ (Mars ahead of Sun brings meagre rains).

Such poetic verse were created as memory tablets from the classical and the observed. Sapt nadi chakra, a configuration of planets used to forecast weather have seven classification of the 28 nakshatras :- The prachand group is ruled by Saturn . It is fierce and have Kritika ,Vaishakha, Anuradha and Bharniin in its fold; pawan , windy, ruled by Sun has Rohini,Swati, Jyestha andAshwini;dhan , hot, ruled by Mars has Mrigshira, Chitra,Mula and Revati; Soumaya, ruled by Jupiter, signifying weather changes has Ardra, Hasta Purashdha and U.Bhadra; neer , Venus , good rains hasPunarvasu, U. Phalguni, Uttarashdha and P.Bhadra; jala, Mercury, better rain has Pushya,P.Phlaguni, Abhijit and Satabhisha and amrit, Moon , best rain has Ashlesha, Magha, Sharavan, Dhanishta Even the acharya pass out of Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan can give better weather forecast than the scientists in the meterological department.

On the basis of planetary movements, ardra pravesh horoscope and sapt nadi chakra Mr. Rao insisted that around 22nd July, 2009 when there will eclipse in Karka (Cancer) rashi with Sun , Moon Ketu and Mercury there in neer and amrit nadis, there will be a lot of relief from the drought like situation. This prediction of Mr.Rao was uploaded in the Newsletter of July,2009. As predicted there was widespread rain on the eclipse day and before and after also.

As Predicted, in the dasha of Sun India accelerates

If we accelerate to the projected ten percent and China decelerates we can be number . But we have miles to travel at a high speed to catch China . It requires up gradation of technology, efficiency and most importantly a cohesive and collective work culture.

The Chinese built in six months, a suspension bridge, twice the length of Mumbai’s Bandra-worli sea link, India’s architectural flagship which took fifteen years to complete. We have come out of our slowness causing factors, be it political interference, corruption, lethargy, regionalism, casteism or any other and learn from others. If not now in a favorable planetary configuration than when else.

Superpower horoscopes- do they tell us a story?

With American investment in Chinese business ventures and vice versa the inter dependence of the two economies and their relation impact everyone in the world. How this year will be for US and China therefore would be of interest to many.

The varsha pravesh kundali of China indicates concentration of four planets in the third, of India in the fourth and of U.S. in the eighth. Clearly, US has to go a long way to come out from the present melt down situation and Chinese strategists would keep their dominance as was demonstrated in the climate change Copenhagan summit and more recently, in the Dalai Lama episode. Surely it will not be this year. China will have an upper hand but will certainly be nervous. India will be able to consolidate by adopting the traditional mixed economy policies but their will be a lot of internal burnings and rage with four planets in the fourth house .

Will Mars guide India’s future?

It will be shobhan samvatsar beginning on Tuesday, the March 16, 2010 Mars becomes the king of the year and Mercury the minister. Our shastras describe the samvatsar as the one where people would suffer. But the agricultural production will go up. There will not be cohesion among political rulers and they will be out to show each other down is another indication in shobhan samvatsar.

Extending the meaning to the present context the Gross domestic product will go up. There will be focus on power projects – nuclear, solar, thermal and hydro as Mars is the king of the year and it is the dasha of Sun in Indian Independence horoscope. The industrial production would also reach all time high. Extraction of oil, gas and minerals from earth, represented by Mars, would increase. Mining and geological activity would increase.

With Mercury as the minister the time would be opportune for policy makers, high fliers, global finance experts to plan strategies for taking them up along with the Indian economy. The sensex will reach its peak during the middle of the year. The finance ministry is already giving final touches to a comprehensive calendar that would detail the timeline of divesting government-equity in public sector companies.

No doubt, the public sector banks conservative approach proved to be our saviour during the global economic meltdown , but it needs to be balanced now. Banks will become more liberal during the year. Movies and actors will play an important role this year due to the ministership of Mercury n this year’ssamvatsar.

Media will become powerful and prominent.

Mars will bring aggression. The mind set would be of do or die; perform or perish. India will become more assertive in international affairs and we can expect tough talking and hard negotiations. Mars being the significator and Mercury the lord of the third house of the natural zodiac, the Mercury –Mars combination will bring sports sporting events in focus.

Water shortage fire, thefts, terrorist activities scandals, illegal mining, police brutality and brazen attacks will be the negative results of Mars.

It will be a swords drawn aggression all the way during the year whether within the ruling Congress, with the opposition or even internationally. There will be infighting, intrigues and factionalism There will difference of opinion on many matters among the rulers. There will be hardliners who would be further hardened under the influence of Mars.

The New Year Chart for the year, with the lagna lord Jupiter in the 3^rd show a lot of efforts would be made but the aspect of debilitated Mars from the 8^th show pre-emptive and secret agendas of enemies that could frustrate such efforts.

The division of states is already a burning issue. The focus would be on militants and their ruthless murderous designs and to counter them. There will emphasis on security, safety, counter terrorism, counter strikes to pre-empt them.

The fast pace of Jupiter would bring the reforms in the education faster. Jupiter is sure to bring many more positive changes for India with Mars and Sun kick starting.

Who’s behind 26/11- Al Qaeda or Anuradha Nakshatra?

The centre point of Koorma chakra should be taken as Ujjain to understand the direction of happenings.Let us take example of the audacious Mumbai terrorist attack of 26^th November, 2008 that caused a major scar on the history of our nation. It took place when Mars, Mercury and Sun were dangerously close in anuradha nakshatra representing the south west direction where Mumbai is from Ujjain and the Moon entered Scorpio at 11 pm when the situation was intense and the worst massacre took place.

Moon , Mercury and Mars came to the same degree on 27th November, 2008 ,the amavasya day and Sun was within 2to 3 degrees from them in anuradha nakshatra .

Scorpio happens to be the seventh sign of the Indian Independence horoscope and as per the brilliant book `Time Tested Techniques of mundane Astrology by M.S. Mehta and A. Radhika govern wars, battles, open warfare, enemies, dacoits, robbers, foreign secret agents, thieves and pickpockets, international affairs, international disputes, relation with other countries, foreign affairs. Death of secret enemies, agreement, alliances . People who either violate the laws of the land like anti social elements or the person who cooperate with the government, Immorality in the country, treaties. Foreign trade and relation.

Based on the direction from Koorma chakra we had predicted tension on the eastern border in July, 2009 Newsletter. It was after 45 years that firing was reported from the Chinese border in Nathula –La which was followed by incursion in Leh area.

The Chinese intrusions were reported till Mars and Venus were weak transiting Gemini the rashi with low ashtakvarga points in the Indian Independence horoscope .

Based on the direction from koorma chakra and Venus transit in Gemini from 15th May to the 1^st week of June 2010 there is likelihood problems in the eastern region. The Maoists problem or the Chinese border problem is likely to flare up. As per the Sanghatta chakra also, Saturn aspects Gemini during this period , indicating similar results.

Daal (lentils) being chased by Developments

Can inflation be only checked by controlling development. Dal prices have sky rocketed along with prices of other essential commodities. It is certainly a wake up call for the Government as well.

Current Flashpoints

As predicted in the dasha of Sun India’s prestige is being retrieved .

After the Judges it is the Ministers who may have to display their possessions online. Ministers cannot be businessmen is the writing on the wall. Rightly so as propriety demands it. The nation has come out with a clean up code for the Ministers also. They have now to declare their business links.

The PM’s new clean-up formula would certainly work in the dasha of Sun. The impact is being felt on bureaucracy and the judiciary as well. The views of an upright police officer published recently are : “There is a need to expose the wrongdoers, as they too are part of the larger social set-up. It was unfortunate that senior officials were involved in criminal cases. The media was playing a pivotal role in nailing guilty officers “

Earlier, the environment in the services was such that all kinds of corrupt practices could be brushed under the carpet. But now with media playing a powerful role, the crooked have no place to hide”

The published views of a former Chief Justice are “There are about 16000 judges in the subordinate judiciary and around 688 High court judges. It (the judiciary) is a huge institution The vast number of courts in the country is manned by human beings. It there are some allegations here and there, we cannot say that the whole system has broken down, or is useless or corrupt. We are not justified in saying so”.

Let us remember, justice delayed is justice denied .When justice is delayed one has to wake the culprits from their old age slumber or find evidence from their grave or punish their children or grandchildren. Judicial reforms on a fast track are required otherwise the purpose of the judicial system is defeated. The judgments have to exemplary and disposed off quickly so that the trust in institution is maintained and the populace keep in mind, both the crime and the punishment together.

Justice is balance and should be without a bias of any type . Judgments should not be influenced by political muscles or media muscles The panch parmeshwar stature of the judiciary has to come back.

Who isn’t a racist.

Who does not align with his family, his community, his caste, his race and his nation. To say you do not would be hypocrisy. Racism can be traced everywhere and in newspapers and media reporting also. To discriminate is understandable but to exploit and promote such feelings is criminal.

Critcised for a lifestyle that includes wearing thousand – dollar Armeni suits Rajendra Pichaurispontaneous response was that he is a victim of racism and imperialism. Later the IPCC chief Pachauri whose IPCC was recently adorned with the Nobel prize has admitted that the panel was at fault. But everyone associated have clarified that his integrity cannot be questioned.

Jaspreet Singh of Melbourne allegedly staged a racist attack to claim insurance. Australian media and the Government did not let go this opportunity to legitimise hate attacks spontaneously.

Nobel laureate Venkatraman Ramkrishnan alleges racism by a mobile company. Ball tampering episodes and faulty umpiring in cricket are other examples of misuse of racism.

Maha Shivratri: Friday, the 12^th February,2010

According to one of the legends, during the samudra manthan, a pot of poison emerged from the ocean. This terrified the Gods and demons as the poison was capable of destroying the entire world, and they ran to Shiva for help. To protect the world from its evil effects, Shiva drank the deathly poison but held it in his throat instead of swallowing it. This made his throat turn blue, and he was given the name Neelakantha, the blue-throated one. Shivaratri is the celebration of this event by which Shiva saved the world.

Dil ek Mandir Hai

Remedial Measures
Why look around when the temple is within. The first impropriety we do to visit a holy place is when we combine work with worship. Official trips are diverted. We manipulate the tickets, the car the hotel stay and use our influence to jump the Queue. Will the manipulated visit to a holy place manned by mostly money focused managers then do any good. In the ultimate analysis it is the karmas that matter and they come from within. Cleanse your body and the mind . A healthy body gives a healthy mind. Look after the body. Improve your food intake and lifestyle. It will automatically improve your mind and noble thoughts would start coming from all sides. It will be revealed from your body language. You will be rekindled and rejuvenated.