ETERNAL INDIA 29 - SUPPRESSION OF BIRTH DATA

The debate among astrologers about the correct birth data or the suppression of the correct birth details of celebrities and historical figures will be unending. Let me quote what I wrote in the preface to LEARN SUCCESSFUL PREDICTIVE TECHNIQUES OF HINDU ASTROLOGY.

"Birth-Time: Hearsay Evidence — We in India have three historical instances of famous men being discussed in astrological articles, including what they call their ‘research’. The late D.P. Misra, a well-known politician of Madhya Pradesh, wrote in his book, "Living an Era", that India’s super Bismark, Sardar Vallabh Patel, did not know his birth day, year and time. When asked by astrologers, he decided, being an Iron Man, known for decisiveness, that he was born on October 30, of some year in the nineteenth century and at a particular time. Using that data, astrologers have discussed his horoscope too often and too nauseatingly.

A more interesting case is that of the former Indian President, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, who according to a biography written by his son, S. Gopal, was born on a different day of September (in the 4th week of the month, perhaps) one year before the year used by astrologers and, the Government of India celebrates the Teacher’s Day on September 5 every year. India's astrological journals and books contain the horoscope of Dr.Radhakrishnan explaining Saraswati Yoga. But his own son has called his father an illegitimate child with an entirely different date and year of birth.

More amusing is the gimmick of India celebrating the birth anniversary of the former Indian Prime Minister, Lal Bahadur Shastri, on October 2 every year when according to his well known family horoscope it should be 9 October. "

Birth-Time: Chaitanya Mahaprabhu — The worst mistake committed by Dr. Raman in Notable Horoscopes is in his discussion of the horoscope of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ignoring all traditional evidence.

(a)As a contrast see what N. C. Lahiri gives in Advanced Ephemeris (p112) the birth detail of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as 17-30 I.S.T. with Simha Lagna

(b)Dr. Raman takes the time as 8-56 p.m. which gives him Tula lagna.

(c)I have used the time given to me by some Bengali friends which gives me 4-42-10 p.m. giving me Simha Lagna, though there is a difference of 48 minutes shown by N. C. Lahiri, who, as he had once told me, that he not being an astrologer, could never correct a horoscope.

Birth Lagna and Dogma: Prabhupad — Prabhupad — There is in this book a long portrait of Prabhupad A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami which took considerable scrutiny because while the famous and distinguished astrologer, Gopesh Kumar Ojha, gave him Makar lagna, an American astrologer insisted that it had to be Dhanu lagna, giving not any astrological logic but, on the basis of a pure dogma. It is pernicious not to follow astrological basics. First of all, there must be sound approach through the verification of life events.

See for instance the results attributed to Jupiter in the 8th house- "Gurur etc. ....Which means that after death, those who have Jupiter in the 8th house go to the highest world.

What blindfolded the American astrologer, was a prejudice. He saw concentration of five planets in the 8th house of Rajneesh (Osho) and concluded, not on the basis of any astrological logic, "the person is walking on the path to hell" . This is not astrology but dogma, not a scientific approach and is not in harmony with the Mahaprabhu’s spirit (Taror-api-sahishnu more tolerant than the tree.)

Lal Bahadur Shastri
Very early in my astrological career I came across a horoscope of Lal Bahadur Shastri with Moon in Kanya and Dhanu lagna with the date of birth not given by as many as three famous and established astrologers of India, Sri Suryanarain Vyas, Sri Hardeo Trivedi and Dr,B.V.Raman.

I cast the horoscope and found that the date of birth was October 9 not 2nd on which his birthday is celebrated. I asked Dr.Raman and also Hardeoji about it and they said that out of their respect for Shastriji they decided not to give the date of birth but made successful prediction about his short term as prime minister and tragic death.

Then in course of time an aunt of my younger brother’s wife married someone in the family of Lal Bahadur Shastri and I got the Memorial Volume in which the family horoscope given was the same as used by the three astrologers referred to above with Dhanu lagna and Moon in Kanya.

Tendulkar
In early nineties of the last century a television anchor from Bombay who specialised in sports used meet me in Delhi and promised that he would get the birth details of both Tendulkar and Kambli. In his next visit he told me that he would not be able to get it as the families of both Tendulkar and Kambli were advised not to give their birth details to anyone. This may have led to the creation of 24 April as the birthday of Sachin Tendulkar.

Then when I got the birth details from Karveji and his daughter Pinky, I gave it to Manoj Pathak who has produced a brilliant article which is there displayed on the website.

I told many that the birth details of Virendra Sehwag were different in earlier year with his month of birth shown as May or April not 20 October of 1978. But then an article in an issue of the Journal of Astrology, later in a book made it difficult for the wrong date to continue since it was well known that I had got the details from a sister of the man who married the elder sister of Virendra Sehwag. She is high ranking officer in the Indian railways and knows astrology. Suppression of correct birth details were not possible in this case. There has been no such compulsion in the case of Tendulkar.

Like fools astrologers have always quarrelled without realising that they are fooled by politicians and celebrities. They keep burning their fingers and never learn any lesson. But the age old Hindu or even Muslim tradition of giving wrong birth data will continue for some reasons which will be discussed in the next piece.

( 3 March 2010)