The Nakshatras: The Lunar Mansions
of Vedic Astrology
by Dennis Harnessennis M Harness, P.D.
Review by Marjie Neal

Dr Dennis Harness has compiled a lucid, informative and very readable text on the all important subject of the Nakshatras - not my words, but those of the eminent and wise Chakrapani Ullal in his Foreword to this comprehensive work on the Lunar Mansions of Vedic Astrology. This summation hardly needs improving upon, for I couldn’t agree more. From the moment this book was placed in my hands, its purple colour gave an immediate sense of both relaxation and anticipation.

The cover design is a very beautiful depiction of the head of Ganesha and one is irresistibly drawn to the beguiling eyes, which entice one to open the book and turn the pages. All that and one hasn’t even started to read the content! However, once inside, the promise holds well. Dennis has produced a book, which will undoubtedly become an intrinsic part of the library of every student of Hindu Astrology. The text is clear-cut and coherent - rather like the author, a generous teacher who enjoys sharing his knowledge with all who desire to find a path leading to spiritual growth, or merely wish to delve into the mysteries of this fascinating subject.

I am sure readers of Gochara will be conversant with the principles of the Nakshatra system, the Moon’s movement against the stars, but all is explained in this presentation and one moves through the lunar mansions on a voyage of discovery. The interpretations of each Nakshatra are interesting and informative, delineating the different qualities as represented by the Ascendant, Moon or Sun in your chart. In fact, I found the descriptions very apt - I rather liked my Moon in Hasta suggesting a pleasant humorous temperament, and since I do have a strong sense of the ridiculous, was not surprised to find that I share this placement with Burt Reynolds and Bob Newhart!

Dr Harness also shows how one can choose an auspicious Lunar Nakshatra for different activities or events, enabling us from the cradle to the grave to circumnavigate possible restrictions to our aspirations. Help is at hand to guide us on the success of that oft debated institution, marriage, the planting of your potatoes, right through to the final making of your Will. Advice is also given on the delicate subject of relationship compatibility - all written to cater for novices as myself.

There is also a potted description of each Ascendant and surprise; there I am up there with Burt Reynolds again!
I can strongly recommend this publication on this subject. I believe Nakshatra means "a star", and this book shines forth in a similar manner with the exalted Mercury of the author much in evidence.

Dennis M Harness, Ph.D., The Nakshatras: The Lunar Mansions of Vedic Astrology, 1999 - Lotus Press, PO Box 325, Twin Lakes, Wisconsin 53181.
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The Autobiography of a Vedic Astrologer
by B.V. Raman
Review by Michael Bryant

B.V. Raman’s death in December 1998 was a tragic loss for the international astrological community as he made innumerable, unique contributions to Jyotish. In his lifetime he was an ambassador of Vedic astrology to the west, not only through the strength of his predictions, but via his definitive book series on Jyotish techniques and his long-standing editorship of the "Astrological Magazine" which was started by his grandfather in 1895.

Raman’s 360-page autobiography reads like a combination of an intimate diary and a Jyotish masterclass.

The book covers not only detailed aspects of his life, but also weaves his narrative, which is frequently humorous and always educational, with examples of advanced astrological techniques. The book provides many Rasi / Navamsa charts in which Raman described his own encounters with individuals, prasna (horary) questions and political issues.

Born into a family of Bangalore Brahmins, he lost his mother prior to his second birthday, and was raised by his father and grandfather, who was himself a published and revered astrologer.

Raman wrote of his introduction to Jyotish:

"My first formal initiation into Astrology was in my 8th year, when on an auspicious day my grandfather (B. Suryanarin Rao) taught me 2 slokas - achinthyavyaktarupaya and muritwe parikalpitaha from Surya Siddhanta and Brihat Jataka respectively. Then there was practically a complete halt until 1924 or so when I was asked to commit to memory Jataka Chandrica which according to grandfather was the best book on the subject for learning Astrology."

He continues:

"Before I was 13 or 14, I knew by heart 50 slokas in Jataka Chandrica and a few chapters in Brihat Jataka. I had also digested the Kannada book Jyotsha Sarvasvishayamruta. I had a very high opinion of my knowledge of Astrology and this egoism prompted me to make forecasts about the longevity of all the members of the household."

Indeed, the young B.V. Raman was frequently scolded by his grandfather for his "impertinence and pretensions" that resulted from his youthful zeal for astrological learnings.

By age 18 he had swollen with further pride in his astrological prowress, until he met a stranger on a train, "a Bengali gentleman, suave and friendly" who made some adverse comments to him on astrology. This provoked the young Raman. The stranger pulled out a horoscope from his pocket and asked Raman to interpret. In his reading of the chart, Raman misinterpreted a specific point and was quickly corrected by the stranger, who turned out to be more astrologically knowledgeable than Raman had realised. The stranger then admonished him "Look here, your spirit of adventure in making snap-shot predictions is alright, but it will land you in much trouble. Cultivate humility. Study Parasara Hora. It is due to astrologers like you who interpret charts as you have done that astrology has fallen into dark days."

Raman felt the rebuke and wrote, "That was not only a shock but dealt a death blow to my arrogance and the feeling of being infallible."

This type of honesty and self-disclosure runs throughout his book and endears the reader to his writing as he frequently demonstrates combinations of personal pride for his abilities and reverence for Jyotish.

Raman also described many mystical occurrences in his life, both from his own spiritual devotion and knowledge of mantra sastras, as well as through encounters with both illustrious and nefarious palmists, Nadi readers, saddhus and ordinary people, some seeking his help, others seeking to test his abilities.

Some of the most exciting moments in the book occur when in his descriptions of how he would mentally calculate prasna charts upon encountering people whose motives or virtues he suspected.

There are several passages in the book where he displays a very sharp tongue in his chastisements!

Two other areas of his book which will interest readers is his correspondence with historical figures such as the Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie and psychoanalyst Carl Jung, the latter who disclosed to Raman how he found astrology useful in "elucidating certain points (of the personality) which I would otherwise would have been unable to understand."

There are also several chapters devoted to Raman’s published predictions of the outbreak of war in Europe. Raman wrote initially in the July 1938 edition of the "Astrological Magazine" an article entitled "Europe’s Fatal Year". In that article he wrote: "it is highly significant that the months of August and September 1939 are fatal months for the peace of Europe."

He continues: "On September 1, 1939, Poland was attacked by Germany. On the same day a British ultimatum was given to Germany followed by a second and final ultimatum on 3rd September. And the world received with astonishment the declaration of war upon Germans of Britain and France."

Dr. Raman was reminding the world of both his earlier prediction and the power of Jyotish.

He later published "World Prospects in 1939 and 1940", giving a kaleidoscopic outline of the world as to the prediction of Hitler’s manoeuvres and the reactions that different nations would experience. His accuracy won him world-wide fame on a level he had not previously known.

The "Autobiography of a Vedic Astrologer" is a unique book as it is both a compelling narrative and a treasure full of encyclopaedic overview of Jyotish from both a technical and cultural view. At times the density of information in the book can become slightly dry and challenging, particularly to the beginner, but it is a book that is well worth continuing with as it cannot help but enrich the reader’s understanding that the world lost one its greatest astrologers only last year.

B.V. Raman, The Autobiography of a Vedic Astrologer, 1992 - UBS Publishers, New Delhi

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