By Manju Gupta
One Hundred Horoscopes and Biographies of Great Persons by Dandapani Panda, D.P. Publishers, 344 pp, Rs 250.00
Horoscopes are prepared in different forms in different regions of India. However, the 12 rashis of the horoscope are same except that in south India, the rashis and houses are counted clockwise whereas in the east, west and north India, it is anti-clockwise.
The book written by Dandapani Panda, who has won many awards from astrological and cultural organisations, carries horoscopes of different well-known personalities, including that of Lord Rama and Lord Krishna. According to him, Rama'shoroscope indicated havoc in life. Just as ordinary human beings, even Lord Rama had to face good as well as bad in his life. ?His character was to reconcile the apparently conflicting trends of destiny and free will?He was the embodiment of righteousness.?
The author pays rich tributes to Adi Sankaracharya, born at Kaladi in Kerala and who propagated Vedic religion, visited places of pilgrimage, culture and learning. ?He preached the fundamental spirit of the Vedas?.At the same time, he warned the people not to be away from unethical and agnostic influences of Buddhism and Jainism.?
Panda has predicted the horoscopes of popular figures of India and described the major events in their life. He has drawn unseen connections determining human events in the world and future events whether done on the lines of astrology or Cheiromancy. After dealing with the influences of stars and planets on human lives with reference to the Puranas and other accounts about the origin of universe, Panda gives details of astrological treatises and their authors. He admits that in the beginning, astrology was the result of intuitive perceptions rather than that of scientific studies.
Panda believes that mere knowledge of astrology is not enough; the astrologer needs to have God'sgrace if his predictions are to come true. Echoing the views of Sri Aurobindo, he says that astrologers, like poets, are born and not made. He continues that astrology is the gift of ancient sages, who realised the application of cosmic laws to terrestrial phenomena in general and man in particular. The planets as representatives of God produce good or bad results to an individual according to the work done or karma. He continues that we have the tendency to forget the favours bestowed on us and without asking we do not thank anybody for good weather but feel the discomfort of bad weather. We also do not recognise the existence of God since we do not consider it necessary even though we can see the bounty of flora and fauna and the wonderful universe which we take as our birthright just as we do the benefits that planets and stars give to us.
(D.P. Publishers, 95 Madhusudan Nagar, Bhubaneswar-751001.)
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