Practicing, preserving and transmitting an ancient tradition into the 21st century. http://shyamasundaradasa.com http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Wed, 24 Jul 2019 16:16:33 +0530 Wed, 24 Jul 2019 16:15:40 +0530 FeedForAll Mac v2.1 (2.1.0.1); http://www.FeedForAll.com/ A client contacted me after almost five years and tells me: “We were in contact in 2012 when I asked for a Prasna consultation. 4.5 years [2017] later I looked back at your response and was absolutely stunned with the accuracy of your prediction! I took your advice and cancelled the move. The situation there unfolded tragically involving a death.” This naturally caught my attention. “What could have transpired that ended so tragically?” I thought. I had to find out. She goes on to tell a fascinating but chilling story about what happened in the aftermath of her decision. You can’t make this stuff up. https://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/articles/formal_articles/crazy_story.html?utm_source=Shyamasundara+Dasa%27s+Vedic+Astrology+and+Culture+Newsletter&utm_campaign=c77733930c-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_06_30_05_05&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ae2f9ff1ba-c77733930c-177100161 32548551-53CF-48D1-ABCD-6B626D760953-29617-0000D5473084CC91-FFA Wed, 24 Jul 2019 16:16:33 +0530 Based on supplementary information from Padma Purana 2.28-40 which explain the lives of the parents of King Vena giving much understanding about this Lila. Also discussion of Vedic world view of Time and cosmology. https://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/lectures.html 10BBB2A3-43F5-4AD9-9CAF-EABFC7BF4AC5-7229-00006BCBB475D13D-FFA Sun, 09 Jun 2019 14:47:18 +0530 I spoke on how Sri Prahlada became a great devotee of the Lord and other details about him. https://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/lectures.html 179E8AE7-5B1E-4C5D-9D3C-2DC06006E5D8-7229-00006B8D04A282FB-FFA Sun, 19 May 2019 14:41:22 +0530 This is the internet version of a monograph (book length) I wrote in regards to Srila Prabhupada’s 1996 centenial celebrations. https://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/articles/formal_articles/prabhupada/thsp-01.html 6008DEFB-7AAF-4C36-AFEA-63750FC1E5B9-7229-00006B64DE563316-FFA Tue, 30 Apr 2019 14:38:37 +0530 I gave a seminar on the Ramayana ranging on different topics including Ramayana from a previous Kalpa, and different Ramalilas described in Padma Purana including how Lord Siva teaches Rama how to use sastra for divination to find Vibhishana. https://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/lectures.html B9CE1743-CB67-4DDB-B573-65A7B709498A-7229-00006B45342B56FE-FFA Sun, 21 Apr 2019 14:36:18 +0530 A study on how we are inspired with unexpected knowledge leading to tighten creativity https://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/articles/guest_articles/inspiration/inspiration.html E6798DEE-0780-4FE8-ACBA-9D1ED1BDC30D-7374-00006956C0BA2504-FFA Tue, 25 Dec 2018 17:05:52 +0530 Given on last day of Purusottama Masa https://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/lectures.html AE972639-065F-4590-B9DC-0774FA1D72CC-3461-00000C62616C296D-FFA Wed, 13 Jun 2018 17:48:55 +0530 We respond to the silly notion that Bhaktisiddhanta used the tropical zodiac. https://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/articles/formal_articles/bsst_trop/bsst_trop.html E744595C-899C-4665-ABBD-FF0EEE08E7A8-7488-0000207DE3A2E5E7-FFA Sun, 18 Feb 2018 07:48:53 +0530 This article was originally published in two parts in May 2012 on different websites. Because I am often asked about this topic I decided to move the articles to my own site and merge them into one article for easier reference. At some point I may write a more formal article taking into account the developments over the years since this was first published. My objective was never to change the minds of the apostles of this system, an impossible task, but rather to give a different narrative showing the other side of the story. To provide credible information and counter arguments for those who oppose these views but do not have the time or resources to do the necessary research. https://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/articles/formal_articles/response_to_tropical.html 2D81630C-7157-48F8-8ACD-F873B5C91DBB-10176-0000285EA3FF5938-FFA Sat, 09 Dec 2017 22:30:10 +0530 An article about the Arabian astrologer Al-Biruni and his dealings with king Mahmud of Ghazni. https://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/articles/informal_articles/Al-Biruni_and_Mahmud.html D5884E7F-4735-4209-821F-71DE01E7521C-33716-0000A674AF74A635-FFA Mon, 18 Sep 2017 00:57:39 +0530 https://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/lectures.html CFB7F1A4-D018-4775-B8A3-B1FFDCE5AF9C-17475-000152FAAD55FEBF-FFA Wed, 30 Aug 2017 12:19:40 +0530 This section of the Hari-bhakti-vilasa 14.418-441, quoting from the Narasimha Purana, describes who Prahlada Maharaja was in his previous life and how he became a Narasimha Bhakta. http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/articles/non-jyotish_articles/prahlada.html 51C6E3F7-A1F9-4F9A-A7D1-BA73A2333CCA-21596-00006B0E044E54A3-FFA Wed, 03 May 2017 12:38:39 +0530 The following short article on the life of Talakkulatur Govinda Bhattathiri gives more insight into the dedication and lifestyle of a Vedic astrologer. http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/articles/informal_articles/bhattathiri.html 2E4E61E1-759E-4CF0-8854-D0C5B7FC0B20-7950-00002444229A114A-FFA Fri, 21 Apr 2017 17:50:40 +0530 Several articles have been translated into Spanish and Russian and can be found on the Whats New page? http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/whats_new.html CB870F73-CD66-440C-9F25-E972781BFA01-7950-00002412EBE832B8-FFA Fri, 21 Apr 2017 17:48:05 +0530 A talk given on August 26, 2016 during SP vyasapuja celebrations. http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/lectures.html 09A9D6CA-5E4C-4DC1-A7EA-63EA6ED0EC82-9499-000225CDD3BCBD0F-FFA Wed, 31 Aug 2016 17:18:25 +0530 With information revealed in the Padma Purana it explained why Sita was exiled by Rama. http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/articles/non-jyotish_articles/sita_exiled.html 1209032E-FDA9-489E-AF8D-0FDA8DDAEB1B-1685-000006623D4A1542-FFA Thu, 14 Apr 2016 00:46:45 +0530 The Ramayana is one of the two main itihasa - historical epics – of India, along with the Mahabharata. It describes the activities of Krsna’s incarnation Lord Rama, including the kidnapping of His consort Sita by Ravana, King of Lanka, and the subsequent military campaign to release her. Since a substantial amount of the history takes place in Lanka the actual real identity of Lanka is important to Vaisnavas and devotees of Lord Rama in general. For hundreds, perhaps thousands of years the island that is currently known as “Sri Lanka” has traditionally been identified as the “Lanka” of the Ramayana. But is this really the case? Does the Ramayana support this tradition? This short article explores other possibilities that are consistent with the text of the Ramayana. Using textual analysis of the Ramayana and the Surya Siddhanta; bathymetric maps of the ocean floor along with data of changing sea levels relative to glaciation cycles we are able to locate the true position of Lanka as “proof of concept” that what is now called “Sri Lanka” is not the “Lanka” of the Ramayana. http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/articles/non-jyotish_articles/lanka.html A0828EC3-474F-4D4E-81D6-994007A1947D-60081-0002733359421F73-FFA Thu, 14 Apr 2016 00:08:47 +0530 The exoteric reasons for Lord Caitanya's appearance. http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/lectures.html 9A4490CE-53FF-4BC2-ADD0-C16A0D953584-52555-0001D965CD655C06-FFA Mon, 28 Mar 2016 07:20:08 +0530 In response to numerous requests I added an extensive “reading list.” I also added a “scroll to top” widget for navigational ease. http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/study/books.html 05406A00-ED11-405A-8BB2-0F0104BFFE2C-14164-00003E3C8766F6CC-FFA Fri, 21 Aug 2015 20:35:35 +0530 An analysis of the death chart of Kurmarupa Prabhu with some interesting conclusions. http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/articles/informal_articles/kurmarupa.html 5A659E08-FA09-471A-9AFA-E14CAE19F338-3789-00001451210C054B-FFA Thu, 09 Jul 2015 17:16:34 +0530 A eulogy to Brahmananda Prabhu including a discussion of ISKCON's horoscope, his chart and how it matches with Prabhupada's chart and finally a discussion of his death chart. http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/articles/informal_articles/brahmananda.html A5E99C43-CD62-4950-B331-6CE9E4A174DD-3789-000013FB30F194DF-FFA Tue, 30 Jun 2015 17:11:04 +0530 Was Alexander the Great actually a contemporary of Canakya Pandit? Was Lord Buddha from the 6th century BC or actually from the 18th century BC? Did the British purposely change India history? What is the traditional view of India’s history? http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/articles/non-jyotish_articles/alexander_candragupta_puranas.html B608E2F4-C3AC-4ADB-85EE-85E9FC834800-3127-00000CF4EEB5E9BC-FFA Sun, 12 Apr 2015 00:40:42 +0530 This question was asked of me by an author's research assistant. The answer to this question answers a whole range of similar questions. It is based on an understanding of the nadis in the body. It will definitely answer some things that may have puzzled you about why certain things are done in Vedic culture. http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/q&a/men_right_women_left.html D110E418-D7AB-4D3A-A4C5-53B16B43354C-35289-0000D5C8E22A2E14-FFA Thu, 11 Dec 2014 23:01:54 +0530 A short essay that discusses the paradoxical statement in the Purusha Sukta that the spiritual creation is three times bigger than the material creation yet both are infinite. How then can both be infinite? To answer this paradox we borrow some ideas from Georg Cantor’s theory of transfinite numbers. http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/articles/non-jyotish_articles/sizes_of_infinity.html 7E5CF58E-14FF-49B6-A76D-CB4A0E476981-3530-00000F23231EFD54-FFA Fri, 14 Nov 2014 20:16:11 +0530 We have included an important quote from Bhaskaracarya's Siddhanta Siromani that shines a lot of light on the topic. http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/articles/how_long_year/how_long_year_5.html B8DCCF97-2890-4C13-902F-CB8B3B53BAD6-2644-00000E31B6EEBBA2-FFA Sun, 14 Sep 2014 04:57:32 +0530 16 new lectures from my trip to UK and Canada http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/lectures.html AA90DAB6-EF89-45B7-AFC0-D45F2068F17B-39929-0000EF8C5692075C-FFA Wed, 10 Sep 2014 18:55:54 +0530 A German PDF version of the article is now available. http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/articles/bphs.html D978D466-2AAF-4E85-8550-0CF7845672C1-3543-00008A4C77BD3967-FFA Fri, 21 Mar 2014 12:24:18 +0530 How to understand the difference between the spiritual and material body using Godel's theorem and Virtual Reality as models. http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/lectures.html 047FBDED-F855-4EE0-9198-9DF80940D064-1318-0000159ADE9E4CDF-FFA Tue, 18 Mar 2014 09:05:03 +0530 http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/lectures.html 5591FF6C-9F47-4A56-BC5C-6AD5138B46E4-1318-0000158F79CD38AA-FFA Tue, 18 Mar 2014 09:04:54 +0530 Jada Bharata meets Maharaja Rahugana, discussion on the difference between the nature of a Brahmana and a Kshatriya, and the nature of a Jivanmukta. http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/lectures.html D6B95D7D-E3AB-4975-99CE-D2D634AE930C-1318-000015627D278999-FFA Tue, 18 Mar 2014 09:04:49 +0530 A class about the first few years of the life of Sripad Ramanuja Acarya. Newer classes at the bottom of the page. http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/lectures.html 963ED3B7-86E0-4563-B04B-57A36A3D4299-3450-0000BEA25A573B4F-FFA Tue, 04 Mar 2014 19:53:17 +0530 Discusses how the modern Brhat Parasara Hora Sastra became "the Gospel" of Vedic Astrology, why it is not authentic, that it contains many interpolations not found in the original and hence can not be trusted. http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/articles/bphs.html AA38CD85-6228-4616-BB70-46E76069E66E-21058-000083D60CC4225A-FFA Fri, 21 Mar 2014 12:32:25 +0530 A consumer's guide to Vedic Astrology, that explains the origins of Vedic astrology, the difference between Vedic astrology and Western Astrology, Law of Karma, how astrology works, what you can do with astrology and how to choose an astrologer.PDF versions available in various languages. http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/what_is_jyotish/what_is_vedic_astrology/what_is_vedic_astrology_1.html 182B9E32-FDD8-47E6-8E4C-4501BD5C8C45-21058-00007FD6F6BBDA99-FFA Mon, 30 Sep 2013 15:18:37 +0530 A detailed analysis as to why trans-Saturnian planets should not be used in Vedic Astrology. PDF versions available in various languages. http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/articles/fallacy_trans_saturnians/fallacy_trans-saturnians_1.html 3EB4AB40-B583-40D8-B2E0-CB8E91A73763-21058-0000831F0FA9D712-FFA Mon, 30 Sep 2013 15:18:06 +0530 An in depth discussion on whether we should use 360 or 365 days per year in Vimshottari Mahadasha. PDF versions available in various languages. http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/articles/how_long_year/how_long_year_1.html 9E209B9A-E41A-4A06-BB2A-0981C612E39F-21058-0000835758BB81FB-FFA Mon, 30 Sep 2013 15:22:38 +0530 The author's experience as a student of jyotish in the early 1980s in Kerala studying prasna. In this article he describes in detail how prasna is used for finding out the cause of problems in temples and how to find the solutions. PDF versions available in various languages. http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/articles/adp/ashtamangala_deva_prasna_1.html D0017F68-14B7-416D-B6A4-9E4644F6A630-2623-00000E564FFCE422-FFA Mon, 30 Sep 2013 15:50:47 +0530 An introduction into the philosphy of Jyotish http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/what_is_jyotish/philosophy_of_jyotish_1.html DDDE2E9A-A1D3-404B-9607-109CBA4CCAF5-21058-00007F90A93E84F3-FFA Mon, 30 Sep 2013 14:13:50 +0530 Discusses what constitutes the actual time of birth to be used in drawing up a horoscope. http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/q&a/birth_time.html A29C6AC0-C577-416C-A0EE-EF3BCDF136E7-21058-000084BA77493A55-FFA Mon, 30 Sep 2013 15:47:57 +0530 A short article answering the question: I was wondering whether you could clarify whether one should use True or Mean Rahu? http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/q&a/true_rahu.html D3830DCE-4489-4348-BFF9-6D54185507E0-21058-000084A712C10941-FFA Mon, 30 Sep 2013 15:44:46 +0530 This short article answer the question "How relevant is Numerology? http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/q&a/numerology.html C4A40692-423E-488F-ACCB-51E225B4762F-21058-00008490503880AF-FFA Mon, 30 Sep 2013 15:42:54 +0530 A short article defining what these yogas are and when they are applicable and debunking modern claims about them. http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/q&a/kala_sarpa_yoga.html A19A47AE-A734-4A57-837B-1464EC3EDADE-21058-000084755718C5A3-FFA Mon, 30 Sep 2013 15:42:05 +0530 A detailed reply to this question http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/q&a/muhurta.html D6500050-A29B-47F4-9B47-AB2DAB42AF41-21058-0000845C759ABA08-FFA Mon, 30 Sep 2013 15:40:09 +0530 A historical look at how astrologers were tested; and how the Romas used chickens to determine if they would go to war. http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/articles/informal_articles/testing_astrologers.html 3DD01423-2E1F-49EF-880A-1668A0267220-21058-0000843B2A109802-FFA Mon, 30 Sep 2013 15:38:23 +0530 This article appeared in the September and October, 2007, editions of the Astrological Magazine. It explores the use of Chaturtamsa in conjunction with other Varga charts for determining prospects of wealth in a chart. http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/articles/wealth/wealth_study_1.html 202C2943-D462-4B93-9F19-BA9167A452AC-21058-000083A5FABC2663-FFA Mon, 30 Sep 2013 15:27:05 +0530 I recently read a very mangled version of how Varaha Mihira got his title "Varaha" or hog/boar so I thought I would post an official version. A biography of Varaha Mihira from traditional sources. http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/articles/varaha_mihira.html 3D6C966D-EC95-4537-9961-56768E802C46-21058-0000838F39753CF7-FFA Mon, 30 Sep 2013 15:27:31 +0530 These images poke a little fun at how scientists view astrology. http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/articles/cartoons.html 10CBF6CF-946C-4440-9ABC-6BB34A059BAB-21058-0000838090180FA8-FFA Mon, 30 Sep 2013 15:23:10 +0530 A Brief History of Jyotish http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/what_is_jyotish/jyotish_history.html D3A8472A-7F7C-4E1F-8916-C7A610727F89-21058-00007FC22FAB5146-FFA Mon, 30 Sep 2013 14:15:31 +0530