Kamal Ghorui
We concluded in Part 7 that astrology can predict spiritual progress, not merely material events. In Part 8, we argued that the cumulative effect of past lives (D60) decisively shapes the present life, including spirituality. It is therefore important to understand astrology as a predictive science rather than dismissing it as a money-making profession after repeated disappointments. We shall examine this through a scientific lens, however incomplete present scientific understanding may be.
Most scientific studies on astrology conclude that it lacks scientific basis and functions merely by chance. But the assumption itself is flawed. Astrology originated through repeated observation over vast periods of time, and time remains central to its understanding.
Horoscope astrology is based on two factors: the exact time and location of birth. This combination is unique to every individual and may be compared to a PASSWORD. Astrologers claim this password unlocks the past, present, and future of a person.
Like many others, I too once believed astrology worked largely by chance. Yet certain experiences forced me to reconsider. While studying in a boarding school, I was falsely accused of theft because I happened to be the last person leaving the hostel. A local Baba later identified the actual culprit without investigation, and the stolen items were recovered.
Later in college, a student from Patna examined my palm and predicted my mother’s death, along with a relationship that would not culminate in marriage. Both predictions eventually came true. Disturbed by these incidents, I began studying palmistry, numerology, handwriting analysis, natal charts, and astrology. Surprisingly, many of my own predictions also proved accurate, though my scientific temperament continued to dismiss them as “chance” or tukkabazi.
A major turning point came when a friend challenged me to interpret an unknown horoscope. After studying it nervously, I declared that the person would meet a violent death. My friend then revealed that the horoscope belonged to Mahatma Gandhi. Even then, I remained sceptical.
Years later, after my teaching stint in Arunachal Pradesh, I met an astrologer who identified my planetary positions and even my Amavasya birth without seeing my horoscope. He advised me to stop practicing astrology without Sadhana and concentrate on meditation. That statement deeply affected me.
Astrology has both physical and subtle dimensions. Just as planets move in predictable patterns governed by forces, living beings too move according to certain patterns, though we may not fully understand them. Human movement is not merely physical but also mental and emotional. Astrology attempts to study this interplay through time, space, and consciousness.
A horoscope records the exact time and place of birth, while the Moon represents the mental aspect. The positions of planets, including Rahu and Ketu, function like an identity card, while planetary transits indicate changing conditions over time. Through centuries of observation, astrologers correlated planetary positions with behavioural tendencies. Astrology does not claim that planets themselves create emotions; rather, certain planetary configurations consistently coincide with specific psychological and physical patterns.
Thus, astrology rests upon the interplay of time, place, and occupied space. Proper interpretation of physical, mental, and emotional movement allows prediction at different intervals of time. But for accurate interpretation, the inner energy points within the body must also be understood. This, according to traditional astrology, is the true task of the astrologer.
The body physically wishes to move everywhere, but it is restricted by forces, just as planets are confined to their orbits by centripetal and centrifugal forces. Present science assumes planets do not possess a mind. Humans, however, are limited not only by physical laws but also by the mind. Two bodies cannot occupy the same space simultaneously, and the moment we consider space, shape and movement, time inevitably enters the discussion. Wherever there is movement, there must be time.
My argument is simple: just as advanced chemistry requires rigorous discipline, astrology too demands its own rigor — Sadhana first, followed by study and practice. This is a science of a different nature. One may call it parascience, though through meditation it increasingly reveals itself as a deeper form of science.
If physical, mental, and emotional movement is a pattern that we are unable to study, and the planetary combination at birth can predict the future accurately, is everything predestined? If it is, what is the value of our efforts, intentions that often don’t get noticed, decisions we make, etc.? Does something like free will exist or not? This gives us all the more reason to say that astrology is incorrect and based on probability.
Let’s take three examples from my experience:
- My aunt casually showed me her hand and asked for a prediction. She was 42 years old. I predicted that she would soon get a job and undergo a medical surgery almost immediately. She laughed and said, “Not possible.” She was completely healthy and had never considered working at that age. The year was 1989. This was a short-range prediction.
- My cousin sister, who was very thin and belonged to a humble family, showed me her hand. I said, “You will become fat later in life and marry a very wealthy person.” Again, it was dismissed immediately, as both predictions seemed impossible. This was a long-range prediction.
- During our postgraduate course, my friend asked about her marriage. I said, “You will get married within three months, and to someone living outside India.” This was an immediate prediction.
All the predictions came true. How? If life is not destined, how could such predictions eventually prove correct?
Either this is impossible, or I am lying.
No, this is real. My aunt is dead, but my cousin and the friend who gave me Gandhiji’s horoscope are still around to confirm it. The lady friend too can still be contacted.
But this raises a deeper question. If everything is destined, what is the efficacy of astrological remedies? Where does free will stand? Any rational mind will instantly resist the idea that “everything is predestined.”
However, ancient scriptures say this.
Katha Upanishad 2.2.3
भयादस्याग्निस्तपति भयात्तपति सूर्यः ।
भयादिन्द्रश्च वायुश्च मृत्युर्धावति पञ्चमः ॥
Meaning:
“Out of fear/reverence for Him, fire burns, the sun shines, Indra and Vayu function, and death itself runs.”
This expresses that cosmic forces operate under a supreme governing principle.
Further,
Bhagavad Gita 10.39:
न तदस्ति विना यत्स्यान्मया भूतं चराचरम् ॥
Meaning:
“Nothing moving or unmoving can exist without Me.”
From Bhagavad Gita 18.61:
ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानां हृद्देशेऽर्जुन तिष्ठति ।
भ्रामयन्सर्वभूतानि यन्त्रारूढानि मायया ॥
Meaning:
“The Lord dwells in the hearts of all beings and causes them to move as if mounted on a machine.”
This directly connects all movement to divine governance.
The later Bhakti tradition opines:
ईश्वरस्य इच्छां विना पत्रमपि न चलति ।
Meaning:
“Without the will of God, not even a leaf moves.”
One has to carefully understand the distinction between the scriptures and the later Bhakti tradition. The scriptures generally speak of a force, divine governance, or the “I” — the God within. The later Bhakti tradition, however, brings in a personal God and His direct will more explicitly.
According to the Bhakti tradition, God decides and events unfold accordingly, leaving little scope for free will. The scriptures, on the other hand, speak of a supreme governing principle where no movement is possible without God, yet they still leave a subtle, though limited, space for free will.
Because of this distinction, the scriptures provide some scope for astrological remedies and a certain relaxation from destiny, whereas the Bhakti tradition largely does not. We shall explore this further subsequently.
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