Sri A AB Shuklaji, Honourary President of ICAS took us through a fascinating journey through the fundamentals of astrology. His lectures led us to the immense depths of knowledge and tremendous heights of spirituality.

Sri Shuklaji started off, on 18th April 2014, with a scintillating explanation of why the Kundali is ordered as Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha and in that order only, instead of the more commonly preferred order of Artha, Kama, Dharma and Moksha? Based on the very first mantra/Richa of the Rig Veda: ????????? ?????????. (Agnimeele Purohitam). The concept was explained for nearly two hours and the audience were spell bound with the commentary. He very succinctly explained the basis of classifying the scriptures as Shruti and Smriti by quoting the Shvetashvatara Upanishat. The importance of learning the Vedas through a Guru was emphasised as he provides the key to unlock the chest of knowledge. The whole concept was linked to the importance of Lagna Lord and the need to strengthen the Lagnesh while prescribing/practising remedies.

Sri Shuklaji moved on to explain the importance of understanding and aligning with nature for giving right predictions. The teachings of Lord Krishna once again helps us to understand this, he said. This was followed by how the Indians defined the number system and not just invented! The exposition was based on the famous ????????? ????????? mantra of Shukla Yajurveda, and also the first mantra of the Atharva Veda and the combination of trigunas (Sattva, Raja, Tama) in various planets.

Sri Shuklaji devoted the rest of the day to teach the manifest and unmanifest parts of life through the Kundali. This was based on the 28th shloka of 2nd Adhyaya: ???????????? ??????…. And the day ended with an introduction to the ETP technique developed by him. Event Time Prediction (ETP) provides and proves the importance of nature’s indication to man and also the necessity of practice (abhyaasa) an astrologer has to put to make right predictions. As noted, Sri Krishna once again teaches us and he quoted two shlokas from the Gita: ?????????? ? ??????? ????????? ????/?? ???????????????? ??????????????? (1:31) and ?????????? ?????? ?????? ????????/????? ?? ?????????? ????????? ?????? ??(7:14). In 1.31 Arjuna tells Shri Krishna that “I am seeing all bad events around and I fear the war may not lead to good.” Shri Krishna explains to Arjuna in shloka 7.14 the technique of event watching. He tells him about different types of events like nimit which happen on ground then shakun which occur in air. He further explains that every event is engulfed in veil of maya and the real event can only be visible to those who surrender to Him and can see the event in its right perspective. This ETP technique helps when there is no horoscope but the beauty is that when the predictions are cross verified with horoscope, the same inferences can be drawn!

On 19th April, Guruvar Shuklaji continued to demonstrate the ETP technique through some remarkable cases studies that defy common sense. He also explained in detail why the outer planets have special aspects with the shloka 2:28 of Srimadbhagavadgita. He then taught us the lessons that the movement of Jupiter teaches. His researches show that the retrogression of Jupiter in two set of rashis demonstrate different things which can be fruitfully utilised in reading a horoscope.

On both the days his spiritual instructions were always laced with astronomy, Physics and ultimately its relation to astrology and remedies.  It was indeed a journey to the core of knowledge!

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