Indra and Vrtra

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

On Wed, 30 Oct 2002, Subrahmanian, Sundararaman V [IT] wrote:

> One more thing to be noted is that even among competent astrologers, there
> is a difference of opinion about the current yuga, the length of the yuga
> etc.  Please note that Sri Yukteswar (Guru of Sri Paramahansa Yogananda) has
> a totally different calculation about yugas.  Even his ayanaamsha does not
> match with others like Lahiri etc.
>

But the question is was Swami Yukteshwar a competant astrologer?  (I don't
know I'm asking you.)  From what I know he was an accomplished Yogi but
does expertise in one area necessarily translate to expertise in another?

> The cycle of yugas as we think are :
> satya - tretaa - dvaapara - kali - satya - dvaapara - ...
>
> If I remember right, Sri Yukteswar postulates:
> satya - tretaa - dvaapara - kali - dvaapara - tretaa - satya ...
>
> Unless, we are experts in the area ourselves we will never reach a sound
> conclusion on such matters, since even experts disagree.

But experts at least explain why they hold the views they do.  Did swami
Yukteshwar say why he thought the way he did?  If so do you understand it?
Do you agree?

> Now comes the
> individual choice (free will as we may call it) - should we research the
> matter to the extent we are able to ascertain the veracity of the statement
> or not.  There is no common answer to this.  [I am going to get a big
> lecture on this from Sri Jaladhar -:)]
>

If the lecture has to be repeated then it obviously failed so I shan't
bother to repeat myself.  If people refuse to think I can't force them.

What I am trying to convey is a sense of enthusiasm.  This is a
fascinating subject both from a dharmic and scientific point of view.
(jyotish includes astronomy proper as well as astrology.)  To people who
willingly choose to remain ignorant, all I can say is you are missing out.

> One thing I know after a brief foray into astrology, that it will take a
> better part of a decade to be an expert on such matters.
>

One of the longtime wishes for our website is an online panchanga.  It's a
project I've been working on when time permits which is not very often but
in recent weeks I've been making progress.  Yes it's hard. Jyotish like
any discipline has its own methods and technical jargon which is hard for
the layman to penetrate.  Luckily my father knows a good deal about such
things and has been able to help me out.

--
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>
It's a girl! See the pictures - http://www.braincells.com/shailaja/