Gratitude towards Sri Adi Shankaracharya Lord Parameshwara incarnated as Sri Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada to expound the tenets of Sanatana Dharma and the philosophy of Advaita. As with the other Avataras, Sri Adi Shankaracharya’s was to protect Dharma. The uniqueness of Sri Adi Shankaracharya’s Avatara is that there was no vanquishing of evil forces. The essential achievement of the Avatara is known by one of the names in His Ashtottara Shatanamavali – efÜmeHleeflecelees®ísÊee – one who uprooted 72 different schools of thoughts. The opposing schools would quote some Vedic verse and state that even their school of philosophy was accepted by the Vedas. They would argue that the Vedas also propounded divergent views, including dualism. Proponents of such schools even went on to state that by lending to multiple interpretations, the greatness and uniqueness of the Vedas gets highlighted. However, by this argument, the Vedas can be said to accept even atheistic ideas. For instance, there is a statement in the Vedas – Demeod Jee Foceûe Deemeerled – that can be literally understood as, “In the beginning was non-existence, and from non-existence, everything came into existence” – This idea of Asad-vaada is essentially atheistic, postulating all existence as springing from non-existence. Sri Adi Shankaracharya in His commentaries gave the right interpretations to statements such as the above. He uses a term in His Bhashya – Jeeke̳eeYeeme³egkeÌl³eeYeemeeJeäcYee: – to describe such schools that hold on to improper interpretations of a few verses of the Vedas and propound their own theories. He also made it clear that no statement in the Vedas can be said to be false – ve efn JesoJeeke̳es<eg keÀm³eef®eled ÒeeceeC³eb keÀm³eef®eled DeÒeeceeC³eefceefle mebYeJeefle ÒeceeCelJeeefJeMes<eeled – for if even one statement were to be called false, the Vedas would no more be valid means to knowledge. Hence every statement in the Vedas has to be true – meJeexefHe Jeso: ÒeceeCecesJe. One Vedic statement cannot contradict another. Hence the Acharya expounded the Upanishadic philosophy of Advaita without Purva Apara Virodha – without contradictions between Vedic statements. To ensure the continued instruction of Dharma to the masses, Sri Adi Shankaracharya established the four Amnaya Peethams at Sringeri, Dwaraka, Puri and Badri. May everyone realize the immensity of the contribution of Sri Adi Shankaracharya towards the sustenance and propagation of Sanatana Dharma, and observe Sri Shankara Jayanti (falling on 15th May 2013) with a deep sense of reverence and gratitude.
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PANCHANGA
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This Month for You
The astrological emagazine
for May 2015
29 32 May 2015
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& Predictive Astrology PROF. P. S. SASTRI, M.A. (Quad.), M. Litt., Dip. in German
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HE four directions that we find in our universe are also felt and seen in the Horoscope too. These directions are of fundamental importance in prediction, and very few astrologers seem to pay any attention to them, They learn them by rote as a part of the routine and then forget them as quite useless, since they do not come across any significant data about them in any book. This essay is intended to throw some light on this topic, and thereby to stimulate further enquiry. There are twelve parts or houses in the Zodiac. Of these the rising sign is always in the East, whence the seventh marks the West. The fourth represents the North and the tenth the South. Thus we can divide the Zodiac into four sectors. We can also speak of the southern hemisphere comprising of the houses 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12; while the other six will go to make up the northern hemisphere. Once again we can speak of the Eastern hemisphere from the tenth to the fourth house while the other part will be the western hemisphere. East Let us take a concrete illustration and follow these directions Budha Rahu clearly, Chart I is that Chart 1 of a resourceful lady, Ketu Sani Her husband was a Uran. Chandra renowned man; but Guru Kuja Lagna the left her with four children in a state of poverty. And mainly through her own efforts and initiative, she succeeded, Ravi Sukra Nep. Pluto
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became famous throughout the country. All the planets are between the tenth and the fourth houses, or in the Eastern hemisphere. The planets are 'East', and hence she was able to shape her own career independently. She utilised all her energy and resourcefulness. She opened a shop, though a small one. Yet she used it to help struggling authors and artists. Thus when the planets are East, we have to state that there will be 'the self-direction of the destiny'; for in the east, rises everything and has its start. West Woodrow Wilson's horoscope has the quite reverse design. Almost all the planets are between the fourth and the tenth, or in the western hemisphere. It is a well-known common place that Wilson was a product of his times, that he was not the author of his own destiny ; for the political developments in New Jersey pushed him up, along with the nature of the Contest in the Democratic National Convention. The split in the Republican party facilitated his coming for the first time to the Presidential Gadi. His reelection was brought about by the surprise vote of California. He became famous because of the First World War. And his own child, the League of Nations, is a great failure. Such people who have the emphasis on the Western Hemisphere, enter the world when the stage is set ready for them. Thus the Eastern Hemisphere people select their own and carve their own future; on the other hand the Western Hemisphere people take whatever is served to them. May 2015
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Review by Veeskay
The Astrological eMagazine
Panchanga (2015 - 2016) in English
Manmata Nama Samvatsara
March 21, 2015 to April 08 2016 The Astrological eMagazine’s effort in bringing out its English Panchanga for the Manmata Year 2015-2016 for the fourth year in succession is indeed laudable. This effort when it was conceived and executed for the first time received a volley of appreciations from India and abroad. Dedicating the effort to the memory of Dr. Raman, Mr. Niranjan Babu has brought out a very useful, attractive, handy and user-friendly Panchanga. With an attractive format, handy in size feasible to carry it over anywhere, with ease, the Panchanga is packed with a plethora of valuable information and hints useful for the reader for his or her daily use. The Panchanga opens up with general predictions for the year, etched on traditional norms and an information packed ‘Introduction’. It dwells further on ‘Evolution of Panchanga’ and its ‘Five Constituents’. There is a very useful guide to select days www.astrologicalmagazine.com for a variety of muhurthas followed by very useful and practicable hints www.niranjanbabu.com for such selections.
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The Panchanga itself is exhaustive, and as usual, provides information regarding the ending moments of Nakshatra, Tithi, Yoga and Karana, in eye-catching boxes for each day, with the Gregorian and lunar month dates and Amritadiyoga. The details of festivals pertaining to each month follows the Panchanga for that particular month. The pages of the Panchanga have a header note (that indicates the month to which the page relates) in red ink, and this makes the reference simple and easy. An additional and useful aid is the highlighting of the inauspicious yogas, karanas, and amritadiyogas in red ink. A chart showing the planetary positions for the first day of the month, opens up for each month. The opening page for each month provides the detailed transit details of the Sun into the nakshatras and rasis and of the Moon and other planets. A list of muhurthas (auspicious dates) for the year have also been provided. The sunrise and sunset and Rahukala timings for Bangalore are provided in the boxes of the respective dates. Brief notes on Vastu and the addition of the Vaishnava Calendar enhances its utility. With all such essential and educative inputs, attractive layout and printing on good paper, it is surprising how the publisher could offer the panchanga for literally a throw-away price of Rs. Sixty only. Being in short, a vademecum for the student and researcher of astrology alike, this priceless book will be a boon to all lovers of astrology and even every Hindu home for whom the panchanga is an essential and integral part. No amount of accolades or appreciations would suffice to congratulate the publisher Mr. Niranjan Babu and the erudite and senior contributor and compiler Yajnavalkya for their precious efforts. 14 May 2015
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