(English translation of an article of K.N.Rao in Hindi about his Jyotish guru, Yogi Bhaskarananda)
K.N. Rao

It was in 1941 that my mother had taught me astrology. But in 1969 a Yogi had explained to me that astrology was the eye of wisdom.

Passing through narrow streets of a fort like locality on the scooter of Natu Bhai I had my first darshan (glimpse) of my astrology guru, Yogi Bhaskaranand.

I neither knew that he was an astrologer nor that he wrote and spoke extremely beautiful English. I had gone to have a darshan of a Yogi about whom Natu Bhai had given an entirely description; it was as though Jesus Christ had reappeared on this earth of ours. A Christian bishop had suddenly stopped on the road once after seeing.

Natu Bhai had not told me that his locks of hairs were golden, soft like butter, and curly. I remembered the reaction of Bernard Shaw who after seeing the hair of Rabindranath Tagore had wished if only he too had such hair. My eyes instead of getting riveted on his lustrous face were invariably above it. Physical beauty has rarely attracted me. But it was a divine sight. His widow sister used to serve him. Only two souls lived in that mansion like house in which perhaps the rays of the sun could never reach. Not hot in summer, not cold in winter. Was a cave of the Himalaya lifted and placed in a narrow street of Ahmadabad?-

My name being Rao (not a name from the Hindi speaking area) it was natural that he began conversation in English. Being a Gujarati himself he spoke haltingly in Hindi. But like a torrential flow was his literary and beautiful English. Using difficult words had become natural with him for two reasons: he had done B.A.(Hons) in English literature and was so steeped in the writings of Sri Aurobindo that long sentences had become a habit with him.

What was it in him that left an impression on me ? His exquisite conversational ability or mature spiritual wisdom? For 40 years he had done sadhana, scriptural studies and astrology in the caves of the Himalayas. He hailed from a prosperous family and was a baal brahmchari (a celibate from childhood).

Once, when during the course of conversation in our small group, he started his discussion of a horoscope, I, as though, was irritated. My mother was my first jyotisha guru but when I saw other astrologers I found them dogmatic, half-educated, uncouth and fear-arousing cheats. Even today that is my impression. Descending from metaphysical heights, he came to discussing astrology, which has been described as apara vidya. I was surprised and my reaction did not remain unnoticed by him.