THE WAY OF THE STARS

K.N Rao understands the meaning and purpose of life through astrology, thus reinstating the honour, recognition and dignity of this science. His decision never to become a professional astrologer was inspired by the traditional definition of astrology as Vedanga—a source and guide of wisdom and understanding. One of the most reputed astrologers of the modern world, he is considered the architect of the astrological renaissance of the 1990s. 

K.N.Rao is the son of the famous pre-Independence journalist K.Rama Rao who founded the reputed newspaper, the National Herald. He was initiated into astrology at the young age of twelve by his mother whom he regarded as the best astrologer in the areas of marriage and children. After a short stint as an English lecturer, he joined the government service in 1957, retiring as director general of audit and accounts in 1990. Throughout his lifelong tenure with the government, he continued his research in astrology, collecting over 50,000 horoscopes—possibly the largest collection in the world. But it was only in 1981, when he was forced to speak at a seminar in Delhi, that the world was first exposed to his groundbreaking ideas and research. In the 1990s he was invited by the US to speak at the conference of the American Council of Vedic Astrology. 

As the founder member of the world’s largest school of astrology at the Bharatiya Vidhya Bhavan, New Delhi, he has inspired thousands of students and faculty members to bring an academic and research-based approach to the study of this ancient science. His classical and innovative methods, like the mnemonic memory tablet PAC-DARES and the composite approach, are used by aspiring astrologer and students in India and the world. 

A rational and scientific astrologer, he believes firmly in research that yields proven results. K.N. Rao is also a prolific writer who has published over thirty-eight boks on astrology that have been translated into languages like Japanese and Russian. On his first visit to the US, and American delegate aptly summed up the impact of his ideas and work: ‘Vedic Astrology before Rao an after Rao.’ 

For you astrology has been a sadhana and not just a predictive science. How do you use astrology as a sadhana? Astrology originated in the ashrams of the rishis, and traditionally eighteen rishis are said to be the founders of the system we follow. So, astrology became a part of the curriculum in gurukuls where shishyas went to do their sadhana. Astrology is known as apara vidya, which means it is not a spiritual subject or para vidya. It acts as a bridge between para and apara. 

What is the meaning of Para and Apara vidya? 

Apara vidya includes subjects like economics and politics that are studied in the universities, while the holy texts like the Upanishads, the Gita, etc., studied for spiritual knowledge, are para vidya. Astrology is a bridge. If you take the apara route, you become like any other astrologer who makes predictions. If you take the para route, it becomes a part of your spiritual sadhana. 

In what ways do you use aspects of astrology in your personal spiritual growth? 

It is very well expalined in a couplet of Kabridas, ‘Ramjharokee baithke, jag ka mujra dekh’, this means, ‘while sitting in the window of God’s word, observe the dance of the world where people are motivated by their greed and selfishness’. When we practise astrology honestly, we seek answers to the true meaning of life. When you see that people are completely steeped in maya—worldlydesires and greed—you begin to take a detached view and ask, ‘Is there no higher purpose in life?’Once that becomes your goal, you know what to discard and what to pursue.

You have been very emphatic about the role and uses of astrology. That it is not just predictive, to find out if I can win an election, make more money or finalize a contract. It has a higher purpose—to discover the deeper meaning of life. Historically, astrology was also used as an adjunct to Ayurveda, especially in those universities that teach Ayurveda, such as the Banaras Hindu University. You have done a lot of research exploring the medical dimension. Can you tell us about it? 

The medical aspect of astrology is a very complex subject that only some doctors can understand properly. I have spoke to many doctors who have learnt astrology, but they could not provide a good astro-medical diagnosis. Using astrology, we are able to warn a person about a coming period of sickness and also predict the outcome of the disease; but it is difficult to predict the events in between, during the period of treatment and when the person is in depression. In many instances I have cautioned people to be careful, not to make important plans at a certain time, because it could be a period of sickness for them. 

Historically, the astrologer was always more than someone who predicted, he was a counsellor to the community. 

I will put it in sequence of importance. Astrology is guidance, it is used as a preventive, as counselling, and it has a remedial aspect. These days the remedial aspect is overemphasized as there is a lot of money that can be made from it. So, when astrologers become mercenaries, they want to make more and more through its remedial aspects. There are more aparacharyas than jyotiracharyas in society now. 

You personally don't charge anything or make any money from the practice of astrology. You teach at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, a very prestigious institution recognized as the largest astrological school in the world. None of the teachers get paid. Obviously the motivation of the astrologer is extremely important? 

In the Gita, Lord Krishna describes the categories of a bhakta: arta, artharthi, jigyasu and gyani, and says that every subject should be studied as an art. 

Those in the arta category want to make money out of it—and this is a very large cateogry today. Jigyasu had predicted something like this about Delhi many years ago. Some people join the classes only to learn how to make various predictions—this is jigyasu, the curiosity of a scientist. Gyani is part of my spiritual sadhana. So those who are born to astrology have to belong to one of these categories arta, artharthi, jigyasu, gyani. 

You have been working for the scientific empirical validation of astrology. At a personal level you are known to have a collection of more than 50,000 horoscopes—the largest single collection. There is a concern that astrology hasn't been exposed to the rigour of sientific analysis. 

First of all, when you decide to keep any knowledge secret you cannot subject it to rigorous scientific discipline. 

Is that desirable? 

It is not desirable. I have done it openly when I proved that childbirth, for example, cannot take place unless Saturn, Jupiter, Mars and the moon help to make it happen. Planets and children have been tested through thousands and thousands of horoscopes in India, the US and Russia. By giving it a statistical empirical base, testing it and showing a percentage of resistance, we are able to establish the scientific validity of the subject, and I am a pioneer in this area. 

As a practitioner you have done this with the motivation of helping other people, but wouldn't it help the cause if astrology were researched independently as a subject of study and investigation by those without an obvious stake in the results, like any other science is? 

It is happening slowly. The first step was to break the tradition of too much secrecy, which was a major drawback. Now we are involved in research and our students are doing brilliant work; empirically, statistically, it is bound to follow. After tne to twelve years no one will question it. 

So what application does this kind of research have in terms of public good? 

These days I am concentrating mainly on education. I have been openly saying that a hundred educational psycologists cannot assess a child's educational aptitude in one month, compared to an astrologer who can assess it within ten mintues of looking at the child's horoscope. We will never go wrong, Eighty per cent o fthe time we will be 100 per cent sure, while 20 per ent of the time there may be a little confusion because new subjects are constantly being introduced in the curricula. 

But is it necessary to be an astrologer to be able to provide this kind of guidance? Is it possible to evolve a model, a computerized checklist, that can be widely used by any layperson? 

No, you have to be an astrologer and you have to have the courage to modernize the concepts. For example, if I apply 500 or 1000 year old principles, I will look at the horoscope and say you are studying Vedanta or Nyaya. But since these subjects are outdated now, the same reasons that made you study Vedanta 400 years ago are now urging you into an MBA, those that made yous tudy Nyaya are prompting yout to study journalism, mass media, etc. Only an educated man can consider all the variations necessary in the modern context. I have the advantage of teaching highly educated people who are not like the pundits of the past. 

You were in the Supreme COurt two years ago and, in a sense, led to lone battle for astrology to be introduce in academic curricula. There was a debate on whether it should be classified as a science or a humanities subject. While I would have thought few woul argue that it is indeed a part of our heritage and needs to be studied, there was great controversy. That was a piognant victory for you, a kind of validation by the establishment of your position. Now astrology is being taught in institutions and the Supreme Sourt has endorsed your views. You had two strands to your argument. Tell us about them.