CHANDULAL SARKARLAL PATELTHE JYOTISHA OF THE TWENTIETH AND TWENTY FIRST CENTRIES THE JYOTISHA OF THE TWENTIETH AND TWENTY FIRST CENTURIES At the outset, I have to admit that it is rather very difficult to give full justice in a write-up of my guru and teacher, Shri Chandulal Sarkarlal Patel, who stands as a towering personality amongst the astrologers propagating the Nirayana System of prediction in India and all over the world. It is my personal opinion that lesser mortals like us are fortunate to have such luminaries like him in our midst only once in a millennium. It is at the request of my learned friend. Sunil John, also a shishya of Shri Patel that I am writing this article, which I strongly feel is only a leaf in the great volumes written about our Guru, whose yogic feat and tapasya has made him the “Uncrowned King” to many. Apart from this title, I am of the firm opinion that he should also be known as “The Jyotisha of the Twentieth and Twenty First Centruries”. A SCHOLAR OF SANSKRIT, THE CLASSICAL TEXTS AND NADI GRANTHAS Apart from having a thorough knowledge of the the classical texts he had a mastery in the Nadi Granthas, such as Deva Keralam: Chandrakala Nadi, Dhruva Nadi, Bhrigu Nadi, etc. With scholars of the Nirayana System, who found it difficult to express in English, Hindi or Gujarathi, he would converse in Sanskrit, a language in which he had fluency to the extent that he could point out the mistakes made in the translations of Deva Keralam and other texts. He could translate the Nadi literature written in Sanskrit on the sport and have a discourse on each shloka, explaining the meaning of each word along with its synonyms, as this ancient language, the root of all languages in India is highly constructive. Prof. Anthony Writer, Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai 1 CHANDULAL SARKARLAL PATEL THE JYOTISHA OF THE TWENTIETH AND TWENTY FIRST CENTRIES MY GOOD FORTUNE TO KNOW THIS NOBLE SOUL I was introduced to him in 1993 and to the good fortune of the student of Jyotisha Bharati of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, very soon, he was kind enough to conduct a two-day seminar-cum- workshop at the SNDT college, at Ghatkopar, held on 2nd and 3rd May 1993. Many enthusiastic students of Jyotisha Bharati, who considered him as their guru, under the leadership of Prof. D.V. Thakur, who has been teaching Kundali Ganit, Sarvananda Laghav, Pre-natal Astrology, took a lot of pains to organize this workshopcum- seminar. There was a very good response to it and leading personalities of Jyotisha Bharati, like the late Prof. Gopalkrishna Modi, syanacharya and the then Principal, Prof. Jinabhai Lad, past Principal and present Principal Emeritus, Prof. Gustasph B. Forbes, Sayanacharya and the Principal of Jyotisha Bharati, and other faculty members attended this programme which will be cherished forever for the scholastic value given to us by this noble teacher. Prof. Anthony Writer, Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai 2 CHANDULAL SARKARLAL PATEL THE JYOTISHA OF THE TWENTIETH AND TWENTY FIRST CENTRIES Pof. D.V. Tha rkur M r. C h a n d u l a l S a r k a r l a l P a t e l b e i n g h o n o u r e d w i t h t h e t r a d i t i o n a l s h a w l b y P r o f. D . V. T h a k u r a n d t h e s t u d e n t s . Prof. Gopalkrishna Modi Prof. G.B. Forbes Prof. Gopalkrishan Modi on the dias along with Mr. C.S. Patel Prof. Gustasph B. Forbes participating in the seminar - cum workshop. Prof. Anthony Writer, Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai 3 CHANDULAL SARKARLAL PATEL THE JYOTISHA OF THE TWENTIETH AND TWENTY FIRST CENTRIES AN ASTROLOGER OF GOOD MORAL CHARACTER He used to advise us to cross our hands while taking blessings of our Guru, that is, the right hand should touch the right feet of the guru and the left hand in the same manner would touch the left feet. Shri Patel used to advise his pupils to do the following and also practised them, so that one could be a better astrologer with good moral character: - pray to your ‘Ishta Devta’ - worship the Nine Planets “Nava Graha” before predicting - have devotion of Lord Subramanya HIS BELIEF IN THREE KINDS OF KNOWLEDGE He believed that there are three kinds of knowledge: 1. “Gyana” meaning knowledge 2. “Vignyana” meaning scientific knowledge 3. “Pragyana” meaning intuitive knowledge With “Pragyana” one would be in a position to give more accurate predictions. REVELATION OF CHANDRA KALA NADI BY HIS YOGA AND TAPASYA One will not be surprised that by maintaining a very good moral character and continuous tapasya to acquire “Pragyana” , this great astrologer and yogi was in a position to reveal the secrets of Chandra Kala Nadi. A GREAT COLLECTOR OF BOOKS On entering his apartment situated in Gandhi Market, Ghatkopar, Mumbai, his collection of books - a library of books written by eminent astrologers and old classics written in Sanskrit, on palm leaves, drew everyone’s attention. They were preserved with great care. While learning at his feet, he would Prof. Anthony Writer, Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai 4 CHANDULAL SARKARLAL PATEL THE JYOTISHA OF THE TWENTIETH AND TWENTY FIRST CENTRIES suddenly ask his students to fetch a particular book from his library and he would find the required material there. ANADVISOR, GREAT RESEARCH SCHOLAR AND WRITER He used to tell me that he was an employee of the Mafatlal Company and at the same time an advisor to the Mafatlal family. Humourously, he would often say that he was known as an astrologer of tragedies due to the fact that, many a times, he had to give adverse and tragic predictions. This was done with a noble intention to warn the clients and be prepared to face realities. For him, this science was not for the “chicken hearted” and gullibles. One should read the meassage of the heavens and take precaution and be prepared to face reality. When I asked him his secret of mastering so many shlokas and acquiring such a vast “gyana” and “Vignyana”, he replied in these words: “Everyday, I get up at four o’clock and start reading the shlokas, even while shaving”. This would go on throughout the day in his free time from duty hours till he retired to bed. I feel that in other words “while waking or sleeping, he walked, worked, ate and slept with astrology”. In modern parlance, it was Astrology 24 x 7. His writings are nothing but research of the great Indian Classics and full of shlokas and their interpretations of practical examples. He did not walk on the beaten path. His mind was very clear about what he wanted to write. His books are only for serious students of Astrology, who will not find any excuse for not studying or understanding. One has to burn his midnight oil to understand his writings. His writings are the messages of the great yogis and rishis. They break the limited frontiers and open up new vistas to understand the symphony of the heavens. Prof. Anthony Writer, Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai 5 CHANDULAL SARKARLAL PATEL THE JYOTISHA OF THE TWENTIETH AND TWENTY FIRST CENTRIES Following are the books written by Shri Patel: 1. ASHATAKAVARGA: An an outstanding system of prediction among the several systems advocated in the standard works on astrology. The present work consisting of about 950 verses from various authorities in a logical format exclusively on ashtakavarga and its practical application. - While expalining the practical cases, he showed me the magic of the “Chanchar” chakra. He demonstrated that a planet would give its result in a particlar sign when it transited its own “kaksha” and had more than five bindus of its own and also the sign should have a strength of more than 28 bindus. - Is it possible to tell a client if he could have a permanent settlement abroad through Ashatakavarga? The answer is “yes”. A friend of mine had secured a job with a very lucrative salary in Saudi Arabia. One day, after coming from a session with my guru, I was amazed to find the father and wife of my friend sitting patiently in my house. They were in a dilemma – my friend’s father wanted to know whether his son could get a permanent settlement in the U.S.A. If this answer was a positive one, should be leave his present job and come back to India. I used the “Chanchar” chakra and found out that the bindus of 3, 9 and 12 houses were the least and my guru taught me that in such cases there are sure shot chances of settling abroad. I gave them a time period according the planetary positions, transits and the directions of mahadash and anthar dasha prevailing at that time. It did come true and my friend is a green card holder in the U.S.A. 2. PREDICTING THROUGH NAVAMSA AND NADI ASTROLOGY: - This is a compilation of chosen articles written by Mr C.S.Patel over the last four decades on his researches on the predictive use of Navamsa and related principles found only in Nadi astrology. Prof. Anthony Writer, Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai 6 CHANDULAL SARKARLAL PATEL THE JYOTISHA OF THE TWENTIETH AND TWENTY FIRST CENTRIES 3. NAVAMSA IN ASTROLOGY: - It dealing with the subject in detail and drawing from nadi and other classical texts along with practical illustrations to enable the reader grasp the subject without ambiguity. Many instances deal with his life and also his family members. During the seminar-cum-workshop, Shri Patel did give and example as to how he was sure that he would get back his rented bungalow in Ahmedabad through the Navamsa method. He has given a lot of emphasis on Rasi-tulya Navamsa and Tulya-Rasi Navamsa. Further, he has mentions many technical terms such as, Nidhanamsa, Ashtamamsa, Pushkaranavamsa, Bhava-suchakanavamsa, the 64th Navamsa, Vikatamsa, Bhava-madhya-navamsa, etc. and are explained bu quoting shlokas and giving case studies. 4. NADI ASTROLOGY: - A unique system of astrology.Nadi Granthas, the master pieces are systematically and scientifically completed treatises based on minutest parts (known as Nadiamsas) of the zodiac and permutations and combinations of planets posied in them. 5. ARUDHA SYSTEM OF PREDICTION : - Arudha defined: Jaimini has paid special attention to the aspect of planets - especially to the way in which they aspect their own sign. Apparently, there was a peculiar belief that the reflection was as good as the original, the reflecting medium being furnished by a planet as in the case of Pada or Upapada, or by a sign, as in the case of 'Bahya Rasi' Aside from Jaimini, the Arudha system can also be found in Parasara, chapter 4, verses 23-24-25-26, in the Prasna Marga, chapters 8 & 16, in the Uttara Kalamrita, chapter 4, verses 34-40, and the Deva Keralam.The predictions promised by lagna Arudha, Bhava Arudha and Graha Arudha take place during the currency of periods of those planets in their dasas. Prof. Anthony Writer, Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai 7 CHANDULAL SARKARLAL PATEL THE JYOTISHA OF THE TWENTIETH AND TWENTY FIRST CENTRIES - The predictions promised by Lagna Arudha, Bhava Arudha and Graha Arudha take place during the currency of periods of those planets in their Dasas. This predictive system is freely used in Nadi texts, as against its absence in standard texts. Some novel uses of Lagna pada and the Padas of the remaining eleven houses as mentioned in Deva Keralam (Chandra Kala Nadi) and Bhrigu Nadi are given in this book for the study and further research. A HUMBLE AND NOBLE SOUL From my personal experience, I found him to be a very humble person. Despite travelling all over the country and abroad, he was a thorough Indian and treated all those who approached him with great respect. He imparted his knowledge to everyone and encouraged them to aim high in life with “simple living and higher thinking”. He was a true yogi and teacher, like any of our Maharishis. Our world has become poorer without him. Despite the great void created in our lives, life has to go one. We have the wonderful canvas of his life sketch before us woven at the roaring cosmic looms of Time. The best we could do is to tread the path he had paved and thereby soar to those luminous heights rejuvenate ourselves with the enlightenment from the cosmic waters of eternity. Prof. Anthony Writer, Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai 8