Thoughts on Sri Rama Navami. (open letter to Sri Rama)

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Given below are my earlier write ups in a yahoo group on certain issues in Ramayana.

The sufferings that Sita experienced and the so-called cold shouldering by Rama after he secured her release are some of the issues debated for ever. I have attempted to find answers to them by a 3-part write up,

the first one in the form of a letter addressed to Sri Rama asking Him why he scripted the Ramavataara in such a way that Sita was made to suffer,

the second one on an analysis of the different issues which culminate in the understanding of Sita as Sri or Lakshmi who is the Inner Will of God Himself and

the third one as a reply letter from Sri Rama to my letter.

*************

An open letter to Sri Rama.

Sri:

Poojya Sri Rama,

Please accept my pranams.

You know me very well as one among your countless
creations and I know very well that I am one of those
lowly creatures who is not even qualified to be known
as your devotee. You are Greatness unparalleled, but I
am a manda-buddhin who knows not what to think about,
how to talk and what to talk. It is my fervent wish
that this confession of mine would absolve me of any
apachaaram that I will commit during the course of this
letter.

I am apprehensive of committing apachaaram because in
this letter I am going to question the way you have
fashioned Rama avataaram. Don't think that I am going
to raise the same old bogey of accusation on agni
pariksha. I for one am totally convinced that you
didn't mean to demean or hurt your priya-bhAryaL in
having allowed her to undergo agni-pariksha. I do
understand, just as you, that agni can do no harm to
Sita. This was well indicated twice in Sundara
Kaandam, when Sita invoked Agni deva not to harm
Hanuman when his tail was set on fire and when the
fire spread by Hanuman in Lanka did not touch her. You
know very well, as we too came to know after reading
this kaandam that Sita is one who can burn Agni
Himself. Knowing this very well, you
allowed agni-pariksha for Sita.

So the cause of my vichanam is not this. It is
something else. It is about why Sita had to suffer at
all – suffer the pangs of separation from you.
Remember she is one who we believe is inseparable from
you and lives forever in your heart which is her
permanent abode.
You too suffered, but we have been told of a previous
incident in which you as Vishnu incurred a curse from
a Rishi when you killed his wife with your Chakrayudha

for having given abhayam to the one

who was the target of your chakrayudha.

As one untouched by curses and such other
things, you decided to use it as an alibi during Rama
avataara.

Tell me, in what way your dear better –half was drawn
into this? You may say that as your patni, she is also
bound to share the good and bad or whatever of that
avataara. But did it stop with just separation from
you? Didn't she suffer more than you? What previous
karma (though unbinding) of hers can you quote to
account for the humiliation and danger she suffered to
her integrity and modesty, for the fear, for the
helplessness and for all those terrible emotions she
experienced in Ashoka vana?

I am asking the same questions that Sita asked.

What was the pApam she did in her previous births?

What was the dhosham she had as to suffer like that?

O, is it right to leave her among the demons, threatened by
Ravana?

Is it right to leave her untended, unclean and
without AbhushaN – the one who is ever willing to
shower on us all the bounties?

If you had willed you could have immediately released her

from her plight.
Is it because, as Sita herself had said, she committed
an apacharam to you?

It is true that in order to take a dig at you,

when you refused to take her along
during vana vaasam, she lamented that her father had her
married to you without knowing that you are a woman in
man's garb(!)

Hey Rama, did you take this accusation
seriously?

Don't you know that this is the last astra
that we, the womenfolk use whenever the husband
refuses to see our point of view. I have said like
this to my husband and he has done no harm to me
in retribution. I am sure you too didn't mind Sita's
accusation at that time.

Then, why did you allow her to suffer?

I know you would come out with reasons

such as making mankind understand certain values of living,

the lofty ideal of sharanagati,

highlighting the Purushakara of Piratti (Sita) and the like.

Let me remind you that

You succeeded in teaching these in other avatars too, but
without having to put your wife in such distress. In
fact you came to the world without your wife on 8 out
of 10 occasions (avatars). Even in Krishna avataara,
you didn't make your wives suffer humiliation in the
hands of a demon like Ravana.

My question is why you made a script in the first
place that held your wife, our mother, in such a sorry
state of affairs. You have all the power to make a
story as you wish and a script as you like. You could
have made the story line for Sita differently.
Certainly if I were in your place and enjoyed
all the freedom to create a story line of my choice, I
would not have even in my dreams thought of the
terrible incidents to happen to my mother Sita. Hey
Rama, why couldn't you think differently?

You have disappointed us in another way also. Rama
avataar is the only avataar in which you came to earth
with your dear wife and were all set to live a human
life like us throughout the period you were here. Why
did you spoil it by your own design, Rama? Why did you
rob us of the joy of thinking about you and Sita as
wonderful couple who came to live like us and lived
happily ever through your stay here?

I always compare you with the Sun and Sita with the
Moon and am fascinated to watch these celestial
objects in the sky. When Shukra came too close to the
Moon about one and a half months ago and the crescent moon
seemed to greet Shukra who was in his brightest
splendor then, I imagined how our mother Sita is
benevolent, calm, cool and has a broad mind to allow
shukra to steal the show even while she was sailing in
all dignity.

But a fortnight later I was witness to your fury when
you seemed not to let shukra posses any glory as he
traveled across (the disc of Sun) you.

The sparkling shukra looked like a
mere dot on your face, so small and unimportant. At
that time I was really awe-struck by your power to
vanquish the ego of the asura-guru. But now thinking
about the deplorable incidents you assigned for Sita
to undergo, hey Rama, I am sorry to say that the dot
(of asura-guru) indeed looked like a blot on your
face. You could have handled the asura in Ramayana
differently, not necessarily by making your beloved
wife, our Jagan-mAta a scapegoat! I don't find fault
with you for any of the popularly known debatable
issues such as Valai vadam and agni-pariksha. But I do
fault you for having made our mother suffer ignominy
and indescribable distress. If you can conceive
such worst scenario for your wife herself, where will
we all go? What difficulties have you decided for us?
Are you right in having scripted a tough scenario for
Sita? Tell me Rama, tell me.

Truly yours,
Jayasree Saranathan




********

Now some thoughts and analyses on the issues in the letter:-

The emotion that one picks up while reading
Sita's dhukkham and 'kadaral' –

"what dhosham do I have

that Rama had not yet come to save me?
What paapam did I do in my previous birth

that I have to suffer like this?

Why Rama has not yet come to relieve me?" etc

–        have some effect on the reader.

(1) It prepares the chetana at the lowest level of
understanding to empathise with Piratti (Sita)  and console
himself that his ordeal is not as bad as what Sita
underwent and trains him to look at good and bad in
life with equanimity. (when Piratti Herself has
underwent so much suffering, my suffering is not
something big. I can certainly manage –this is the
message directed at a majority of us who are finding
it difficult to cope with sufferings of life. "van
siraiyil van vaikkil" –NDP)

(2) It reveals to those chetanas having a higher level
of grasp of Bhagawan's leela that He will wait and
watch ONLY TILL we reach the breaking point, but
before that happens he would certainly do the right
thing for us - as how rushed to save Draupadi though
He waited till the moment she stopped believing
herself, how He had Hanuman interfere when Janaki lost
all hopes and prepared to commit suicide. Let me
borrow the idea from Paapanasam Shivan who says why
God does like this.
"Sodhanai theeyil sphutahmiduvAn;
irangi thooki eduthu Anandam aLitthiduvaan".
(சோதனைத் தீயில் ஸ்புடமிடுவான், இரங்கித்
தூக்கி எடுத்தானந்தம் அளித்திடுவான் )

He does subject each one of us to agni pravesham –just to make
us glow with virtues. In spite of all this suffering,
if we stand the ordeal, then comes the third level.

(3) The chetana thinks of nothing but Him and His
arrival to release the chetana from suffering.
(refer Acharya Hridhayam – 125 &126, P.B.
Annagraracharyar vyakhyanam). When like Sita, the
chetana is completely immersed in thoughts of Him
waiting for him as a savior, He too thinks about the
chetana like how Rama was completely immersed in
thoughts of Sita. The perfect 'chemistry' works then
and the chetana is at the verge of attaining
'release'. Even then the Lord holds out the Final test
for everyone to see that this chetana is indeed the
perfect candidate to live with Him in Parama padam.

The above reading based on interpretations of elders
in the form of Swapadesam does not answer the doubts
that we at the present juncture have.
The problem with us is that we read / interpret the
words as they are. If Sita laments what dhosham she
has, we take it in the literal sense and try to figure
out what dhosham she has!! If she wonders what
apacharam she has done, we immediately look for
apacharams – both bhagavad and bhaagavatha. If one
thinks that there indeed exists instances in Ramayana
that denote dhosham or apacharam on the part of Sita,
it is said that any inquiry such as this must based on
the stipulated rules and assumptions (like in science)
laid down by none other than Ramanuja.

Ramanuja's methodology employs  6
pramanas namely,

Prathyaksha (perception),

Anumana (inference / reasoning),

Shabda (testimony),

Upamana (comparison),

Arthabdhi (assumptions) and

Anupalabdhi (non- apprehension).

He recognises 2 steps in Prathyaksha (perception), the
first one based on perception of form and structure
(herein the outward meaning of Sita's lamentation) and
the second, the kind of perception which is the
product of discriminative activity (vikalpa) based on
the other pramanas. (Eg – understanding the expression
'village on the Ganga' in V.S –verse 179)

The shabda –based inference has it that Sri is
"ishwarIm sarva bhoothanaam" (SrI sookhtam) and that
"She is all-pervading even as Vishnu is all-pervading'
(Vi.Pu) and puts her on equal footing with Him (v.s.
217) Whatever attributes that He has, She also has is
what we have as Testimony. When He is born as a Deva,
She too is born as a Deva. If He is born as a human
being, She too is born as a human being. If He is all
righteousness personified, She too is all
righteousness personified. If He can not be otherwise,
she too can not be otherwise. Therefore to proceed
with the assumption that Sita is culpable of dhosham
or committing apacharam itself is fallacious.

Elsewhere Sita wonders whether it is vidhi (destiny)
that is making her suffer. We find Hanuman also making
such statements in Sundara kaandam. But we take this
reference to destiny as being the cause of Sita's
suffering with a pinch of salt because of our
conviction (supported by scriptures) that destiny and
karma do not bind the divine couple.

The question then comes how to explain the so-called
'dhosham and apacharam', the evidence for which is
found in Ramayana itself.
To explain this we base our understanding by combining
the two steps of perception.
The only kind of apacharam that Sita herself speaks of
is what she tells Hanuman about her goading of Rama
before going on vana vaasa in a bid to make Rama take
her along with Him. It is to be noted that she doesn't
think about this when she was lamenting in isolation
in the Ashoka vana but only when she sends the message
through Hanuman. It is to be interpreted as a scuffle
between the divine couple where we have no place to
sit on judgement. It happens in our life too and we
know that the children in no way interfere in the kind
of altercation such as this taking place between the
parents.

If it be said that Sita in the mortal form
has committed this Bhagavad apacharam, it is to be
noted that Bhagvan is one (from Sita's refrain in
kaakasura vriddhantham, sarga 38, sundara kaandam) who
believes 'en adiyaar kuttram cheyyaar. Appadi
chaithaalum adu kuttramaai iraadu' and accepts the
adiyaar. Sita as one will be seen as devoid of any
'kuttram' (offence) by Rama. Therefore the question of bhagavad
apacharam is simply non-existent.

The other sin according to some is the bhaagavatha
apacharam supposedly done by Sita to Lakshmana.
Whatever altercation that has happened between the
two when Rama went after Mareecha and when Sita
commanded Lakshmana to make agni, it is something like
what happens between the mother and the son. Sita's
very first query about Lakshmana proves this. As
mother in her capacity as 'manni' (elder brother's wife) ,

Sita's actions do not attract any apacharam.

To make a better understanding that the idea of
dhosham or apacharam on the part of Sita is just non
–existent, we resort to another tool namely,
anupalabdhi or non-apprehension. Non-apprehension of
something (in this context, non-apprehension of
Piratti's Nir-dhosha qualities) is subject to error
in perception, wherein the first level of perception
alone is taken into consideration without taking into
account the second level which is necessary to arrive
at the correct judgement of perception. This must be
read along with Arthabdhi (assumption) based on
Shabda.

For example when we say that stars are not found in
the day, it is anupalabdhi based on the arthabdhi
that it is due to the luminosity of the sun. But if we
say that stars do not exist in the day we will be
committing an error. Non-apprehension of something,
according to Ramanuja must be analysed along with the
knowledge whether the non-apprehended thing existed in
the past (just before non-apprehension) and in the
future. Non-apprehension of Piratti's 'pure' qualities
without taking reference from what She was before and
after the given instance will lead us to arrive at a
fallacious statement which is what has happened in the
various altercations on this subject.

In a similar vein Rama can not be attributed with
being un-righteous to Sita while being righteous as a
ruler etc, when he asked for agni-parIksha. Simply
because Rama can not be wrong as how Sita can not be!
To understand this, let us employ the first pramana,
Perception.

Just a reading of Sita's very first enquiry about
kshEma-lAbham of Rama and others is sufficient.
(sargam 36) It is here a wonderful tattva of
sthreethwa is at its glowing best. After making
enquiries about Rama and others (in just 10 verses),
Sita's main concern is about how Rama is braving the
loss of Sita (which runs into many verses)
She asks,
Does he still think about me?
Does he pray to God to get me back soon?
Does he make all steps at his disposal to reach to me?
Does he still remember me, the one who is in a far away land?
Has the purva snEham between us undergone any change?
Is he worried about me, sad and
afraid about the conditions I am in? ..
(After all her queries about whether Rama thinks only about her and
nothing else, she concludes )
Can anyone,
be his mother whose love for him has no bounds or
his father who died due to separation from him or
the other relatives be a match to me in HIS HEART?
न च अस्य माता न पिता न च अन्यः न |
स्नेहात् विशिष्टो अस्ति मया समो वा |
To Rama, in the matter of affection, neither his mother 
nor his father nor any body else is 
equal to or more than me.

I consider this as the clue to unravel the truth
behind the issue under discussion. This is streethwa
at its best which only a stree can understand. The
love for her husband is so intense that it is the
basis of pathi vradha dharma. Just prior to the entry
of Hanuman we find her despairing that Rama would
complete his vana vaasam without finding her out and go
back to Ayodhya, have Rajyabhishekam and be happy with
other 'women'.
This worry about whether the husband
has forgotten the wife or still thinks about her with
unwavering and unbroken love
is the core part of streethwa and
 the complete faith that the wife gets
to hold by virtue of experiencing the unalloyed love
of the husband
(samsleshatthil dharikkai,
vislEshatthil dhariaamai)
makes her a pathi-vradhai
whereby she would be ready to undergo sufferings of
any kind and to any extent just to uphold the honour
of the husband which in fact is a shared
responsibility of the two. 
Sita would have undergone
agni-pravesham with absolutely no qualms or regrets or
even without Rama having to tell her because
if it is by that she can uphold Rama's honour,
she would be happy to do!
There is no question of one commanding
the other to do a specific act for the sake of a
shared responsibility of the two.

If we accept this line of thinking,

even the banishment in Uttara kaandam

will not be seen objectionable. That this line
of reasoning is the most plausible one can be proved
by the fact that of all the different dharmas that
Rama came to establish, the one as Eka patni vradhan
is the foremost. Whenever we think of the purpose of
Rama avataara, we don't even think of Ravana vadam or
pitru-vakhya paripalanam etc but about Rama as
Eka-patni vradhan. Throughout Ramayana, Rama stands
as an embodiment of this virtue even as Sita stands as
a purushakara bhoothai with qualities such as ananyarha
seshatwam. Rama is the Eka-patni vradhan for the
chetanas too who think of Him and nobody else and who
wait for union with Him with the life-long 'kadaral'
-'koovikkoLLum kaalam innum kurugaadO'.
கூவிக்கொள்ளும் காலம் இன்னும் குறுகாதோ

God also
undergoes the pangs of separation from the chetanas
and longs to join this chetana – a fact that can be
cross-checked with Gitacharyan's longing,
"Bahoonaam janmaanade gyanavaanmaam prapathyathe/
Vasudeva: sarvam ithi sa mahathma sudhurlabha//"
(7-19)

Let me now move on to my prime vichanam that I
expressed in the Open letter to Rama – why God
conceived a script such as the one in Ramavataara.
Since both are possessed of same kind of divine
qualities, it is worthwhile to know who among the two
decided the script. To know this we must understand
the 'relationship' or 'equation' between the two.
(How words are inadequate to express this idea!! Or is it
to do with my inadequacy by way of lack of command of
language? (sigh))

Taking Ramanuja's words as pramana (V.S. 217), Sita
or Sri is the mother of the Universe, is eternal and
knows no separation from Vishnu. (Jhanardhan and
Vishnu are synonyms, says 159, V.S. whereby we assume
that Vishnu as mentioned here is Supreme.) If it be
said that She is one with Him, how does one understand
the injunction, "Being alone, all this was in the
beginning, one only, without a second." (Chandogya –VI –
II).

To clarify this, it is said that Sita as Sri, though
said to have originated during the churning of the
milky ocean, must have existed even before that, from
the Beginning in or as part of the 'one only without a
second'. The 'one only' does not negate Her union in
Him at that time, as the 'one only' speaks of causal
condition of the Supreme, so says Ramanuja in B.S.

But then how to substantiate that She existed in Him
at that Time? We refer to the injunctions, which speak
about 'will' as in 'It willed that It may become many'
and 'Thought' as in 'It thought – May I become
manyfold and be born' (chandogya) are of the nature of Sri
without whose existence / insistence, the Supreme does
not contemplate to do anything.

The Will or the Thought are part of Him which for
simpler understanding are said to be seated in His
manas. Ramanuja acknowledges this in his dhyaana sloka
to Sri Bhashyam to Vedanta sutras thus :- " May my
understanding assume the form of loving devotion to
the Highest Brahman who is the Home of Lakshmi." The
implication that He will not do anything without being
told by Lakshmi is further authenticated by
Purvacharyas. (EvaL purushakaaramaanaalalathu,
Ishwaran kaaryam cheyyaan ) (samsleshatthil Ishwaranai
thirutthum … iruvaraiyum upadesatthaal thirutthum …
Ishwaranai azhagaalE thirutthum)

It is therefore concluded that Piratti as the Will or
Thought-force of the lord is the one who actually aids
Him in His actions. Connecting this to my vichanam why
Rama made a script such as the one He used in
Ramavataara, it is said that it She, not He who is
responsible for such a script. Imagining a samvAdam
between the two in pAr-kadal  (Milky ocean)

before they finalised the story line,

it can be said with cent percent certainty
that Piratti as the Will of Lord dominated the writing
of the story.

If it be said that Sita has been at the receiving end
of Rama's unjust treatment (?), it can not be so
because it is she who decided to have such treatment!!
Can a 'victim' who voluntarily wants to look like a
victim, be a victim?

If it be said that Sita is culpable of dhoshams of
sorts (?), it can not be so. Because can any one
deciding to take a role that seems (note- 'seems') to
have dhosham be attributed with that dhosham? Based on
this derivation, let me attempt to see how SriRama
could have written His reply to my open letter.
Here it is :-)

REPLY FROM SRIRAMA TO MY OPEN LETTER.

Dear Sow Jayasree,
AsIrvAdam.

I have forwarded your mail to your thaayaar (mother)  Sita
Piratti.
Everyone of you think that I am a Swathanthran (independent).

But I only know how much swathanthram I enjoy with your
thaayaar beside me.

Lokatthil sthreegaL purushargaLAi
aatti vaippadu patri unakku solla thevai illai. 

(லோகத்தில் ஸ்த்ரீகள் புருஷர்களை ஆட்டிப் படைப்பது பற்றி உனக்குச் சொல்லத் தேவையில்லை)

(You know how the woman controls her man)

It is something like what you mean when you say, 'It is not
enough that justice is done, but justice is seen to be
done'. Your thaayaar makes it appear that I do my
functions as a swathanthran whereas it is she who is
behind all that I do. I have many astras which are
capable of piercing through 14 lokas. But your thaayar
has just one astra called 'kaN asaippu' (sight)

with which she binds me effectively.

You don't know the power of kaNNasaippu.

Un thaayaar kaNNasaippil kaariyatthai sadhitthu-k-koLvaL.

(உன் தாயார் கண்ணசைப்பில் காரியத்தை சாதித்துக் கொள்வாள்)

(your mother Sita gets things done by just looking at me)

Whether it is about gifting her jewels to sage Sooyajyar
before we set out for the forest or about gifting her
hAram to Hanuman at the time of Pattaabhishekam,

it is her kaNNasaippu that makes me
look as though I am a swathanthran or the deciding
authority.

Even now she has given me a long list of
recommendations and if I don't take action
immediately, she would be there before me to get her
wish fulfilled. She would go to any extent to prove
her point, even to the extent of hardships that she
planned for herself in Ramavataara.

Unakku theriyaadu kuzhandhe, Jayasree, (you don't know Jayasree)

how I felt when I had to mouth those words for agni-parIksha.

My heart was screaming,

'Hey, Sithe, ennai indha ikkattil maatti viittaayE'.

(ஹே சீதே, என்னை இக்கட்டில் மாட்டி விட்டயே)

(Hey Sita, you put me in a spot)

I also felt that the script for her
was a bit exaggerated.

I suggested that she tone down her dialogue,

with the apprehension that some of our
children at some point of time may take them in their
face value and start thinking of mis-demeanors on her
part. But instead of accepting my suggestion, your
thaayaar suggested that I take up some blame on my
part to compensate for it and scripted the
vaali-vadam in the way that it was finally enacted.
What can I do about it?

Actually I have no time to write more. I have to rush
to take action on her recommendations before she hands
me over another list. InimEl un paadu, un thaayaar
paadu. Ennai aaLAi vidu.

(இனிமேல் உன்பாடு, உன் தாயார் பாடு, என்னை ஆளை விடு)

(Hereafter it is between you and your mother Sita,

I have no role in the story, Leave me)

KshEmam.
Your loving father,
Sri(Sita)Raman.

Will Karunanidhi come back? (astrological analysis)

{Update on Karunanidhi's electoral prospects in elections May 2016 is added at the end of the article}

The life of Mr M. Karunanidhi presents a rare case study for the astrological enthusiast. He has been the Chief Minister of Tamilnadu for 5 times and is preparing himself to face the electorate in April, 2011, for a record 6^th term. 

Mr Karunanidhi’s horoscope evinces interest for many reasons. He rose to power from humble beginnings. He entered public life at his 14^th year and is continuing for 7 decades. He has survived for long in a democratic set-up. But he is more popular for wrong reasons. He is perhaps the first and the only politician who has been indicted for corruption done on scientific ways, way back in the 1970s. He also came under critical scrutiny in the death of the former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi. The recently revealed mega-corruption in the allotment of 2G licenses also has him in the back drop. It will be interesting to know what kind of planetary combination made him powerful and whether the planets would help him this time also.

Karunanidhi birth time details are June 3, 1924, 10-40 am, Thiruvarur.

Planets that gave him power.

Three planets are exalted in his horoscope. It is a general perception that this feature has made him the chief Minister for many terms. 

Exalted planets do not confer royalty of an exemplary nature. I wish to point out what Varahamihira says with regard to exalted planets. In the chapter on Rajayoga in Brihat Jataka, he quotes Yavanas as saying that exalted cruel planets make one a cruel king. He also quotes Jeevasarma who does not think that such planets give kingly powers at all.

This becomes applicable in Karunanidhi’s horoscope in which cruel planets such as Mars and Saturn have exalted. The Yavanas’ perception is worth considering here. Saturn in retrogression has greatly reduced the people’s support and an exalted Mars has made him capable of silencing his adversaries.

The combinations that gave him power can be traced to a number of yogas he enjoys.  Sasa, Ruchak, Gajakesari, Duradhara, Ubhayachara and Trilochana have helped him in getting power and wealth. Mercury has played a crucial role as lord of 3^rd in the 10^th. He attracted the masses with his writing skills.

His political success follows the pattern of the planets and their periods. 

(A cursory look at this table shows that he has lost power whenever Moon antar dasa was running. At present he is running Moon antardasa!!)

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First tenure

At first he got the Chief Minister’s chair by default on Annadurai's death.
He became CM on 10-02 1969.
The period was Saturn dasa- Mercury bhukthi.

Here Sasa yoga did not work. Vipareeta Raja yoga worked as he got the post by default. . 8th lord Saturn and 12th lord mercury aspecting each other from kendras (4th and 10th) made this happen.

From then onwards until 31-01-1976 he was the CM. The favorable Saturn made this happen.

However he lost in Saturn – Moon in 1976.
Once the moon antardasa started, he started getting worries due to MGR.

For the behavior of dasa- antardasa lords, we have to first see the angle between the lords. It must be favorable.  Saturn and Mercury are in mutual aspect.

In contrast Saturn- Moon they are in 8-6 axis. Such an axis strains the relationship between the planets in their periods.

Moreover, though Moon is the lagna lord, it is weak in shad bala strength. One of the important determinants for a person to rise to power is to have three or four planets in dig bala (‘300 important Combinations’– 247^th yoga). Shadbala strength can not be ignored in assessing how much a planet can do. Moon is the weakest in Dig bala and very less in sthana bala and kala bala.


The weak kaala bala and sthana bala of moon will work adversely in adverse dasa lords. He lost to MGR in Saturn dasa and Moon antardasa. Saturn is 8th lord from Cancer and is in 6th from moon.

The lesson is that whatever be the planet that causes Raja yoga, if the antardasa lord is adverse to it and is weak on its own, there will be a dent in the Raja yoga.

Major comeback 


Karunanidhi  got back to power  in 27-01- 1989 after 14 years, when Mercury - Venus was set in.  These 2 planets are on both sides of Sun and moon thereby causing Ubhaya chara and Duradhara yogas.

He lost in 30-01-1991 when Mercury - Moon was on. Throughout moon antardasa he was having trouble. This time the weak dig bala of Moon brought bad relationship with the North (Central Government) He lost power due to the death of Rajiv Gandhi.

His next rise was in 13-05-1996 in Mer - Jup period.  Mercury has been too kind to him. As lord of the 3rd and positioned in 10th in rasi and navamsa in association with Saturn, it has helped him a lot in amassing wealth and power.

Though the angle between Mercury and Jupiter is not good, the asterisms in which they are placed are Venus and Mercury - a repeat of the best of solar and lunar yogas as mentioned above. (Duradhara and Ubhaya chara)

He lost in 13-05-2001.
The period was Ketu- Venus. This was the time most astrologers thought that he would take political sanyas. The strong reason is that Ketu, Venus and Saturn share the Tapaswi yoga in his horoscope.


Though Ketu and Venus as dasa and antardasa lords shared a good angle in rasi, they are in 6-8 angle in bhava. Ketu is in the asterism of Mars and Venus is in Jovian asterism.. Jupiter as 6th lord has 1 bindu in martian ashtaka varga. The fall was inevitable. If we see the previous periods he had been to the jail for most times in Jupiter maha dasa. This combination almost seemed to seal his return to power.

But that was not to be so because the exalted planets also must give their contribution. He came back to power in Ketu - Saturn on 13-05- 2006 . Both these planets are in the star of Mars, the yogakaraka and the 10th lord who enjoys Ruchak yoga.

His entire family grew in wealth more than ever before during this period.  His courage found no bounds as he even questioned who Lord Rama was. Without any inhibition he went about his ways only during this tenure.

The current trend.

This can be arrested only when moon sets in.
The antardasa of  moon in the current Venus mahadasa begins on April 7^th this year and will last until 09-12-2012.

Venus – moon angle is such that moon is 2nd lord in the 12th to Venus.
The weak dig bala of Moon has caused him to lose support from the North. Though he has firmed up an electoral deal with his Northern partner, he is still in fear of indictment from the Supreme Court on the Spectrum scam.

His most unfortunate anatar dasa of Moon will be there at the time of Assembly elections. Moreover Venus is the bhaadak lord for his horoscope. The presence of bhaadak lord in the 12^th indicates harm done to a deity and also misuse of property of the deity in a previous birth (Prasna Marga). The lagna lord Moon placed in the 12^th to such a bhaadak lord intensifies the wrath of Moon. The Moon antardasa has never been kind to him. There is no reason to believe why it will not be so this time also. The planets in gochara also are not helpful on the day of election and announcement of results. His fall is inevitable.

Updated on 13-04-2016:-

Since 2007, Karunanidhi has been running Venus Maha dasa which will last for 20 years. Venus being a Baadhaka for his horoscope, this dasa will not be a fortunate one.

That the horoscope produced in the above article is an authentic one can be proved from the fact that Karnanishi has a trouble in his left eye for more than 60 years. Venus in the 12th house signifies trouble to the left eye.

Recently he wrote in a letter that his trouble with his left eye started in the year 1953 due to an accident. At that time transit Saturn was in retrogression in Virgo and Venus in retrogression in Pisces. Saturn, the 8th lord on his natal chart was aspecting Venus in transit in the Pisces and the 12th house (Gemini) which signifies left eye. The period was Jupiter dasa - Mercury Bhukthi. Jupiter is the 6th lord and Mercury, the 12th lord. Thus this left eye problem is a confirmation of this birth chart and the events that had happened.

Now he is running the dasa of Venus which is a Baadhaka and also an occupant of the 12th house.
So it is not possible to expect positive results in this dasa. This was earlier confirmed in the loss in 2011 assembly elections and 2014 Lok sabha elections. The same will be repeated in May 2016 elections too.

Presently (at the time of elections in May 2016) he is running Venus Maha dasa - Rahu Bhukthi. Venus is a Baadhaka and is in the star of 6th lord Jupiter. So its malevolence with reference to loss of health & money and gain of enemies besides misfortunes is a forgone conclusion.

The Bhukthi lord Rahu is in the 2nd house which is a Maraka (marana) sthana. It is in the star of Ketu which occupies the 8th house. Both signify attrition and maraka like happenings. At present, transit Saturn is in Scorpio joined with Mars which is a malefic combination. At the time of writing this, Saturn is regressing in the natal degree of Jupiter, the 6th lord in his natal horoscope. At this time his candidature has been announced. From Scorpio Saturn is aspecting transit Rahu by 10th aspect and Moon, the lagna lord and Sun, the sign dispositor of Rahu by 7th aspect.

This greatly affects his success and also increases attrition in health. At the time of elections he will be running Venus dasa - Rahu Bhukthi and Venus Antharam. This is a baadhaka combination.

From November 1st 2016 to January 19th 2017 Mars and Saturn are going to aspect Rahu and his 2nd house. That would be a very bad time for him. More misfortunes await him in the 2nd half of this year.

If there is power-cut at night, call up the Election Commission! .

As per EC's order, there should be no power cut for the last 5 days before the polls in Tamilnadu. This came into operation from Friday onwards and is valid till Tuesday tomorrow. It is a known secret that cash-for-votes are effectively distributed under the cover of darkness. The people must be vigilant and report to the EC if power goes off in their locality today or tomorrow night.

For the benefit of readers, I am giving here the toll free numbers of the EC complaint cell; 

1800 4256669.

1800 4252010

Also store EB complaint numbers of your locality in your phone book.

If power goes off, call up the EB and remind them of the EC's order. A vigilant public asking the EB officials why they cut power would go a long way in making them behave properly. Call up the EC to inform them of the power cut in your locality. This is not going to cost you anything great. But you would have contributed towards this country, in saving democracy at least to a small extent.

Related post:-

Corruption is eating Tamilnadu even as Anna is fasting!

Rajinikanth, speak out against corruption.

Just a month ago, when a small country like Egypt rose in unison to get liberation from a totalitarian regime, we were all wondering whether a similar revolution would also break in India. India with a large population of youth is fed up with the way the current political class is running the country as a fiefdom. It was expressed very well by Chetan Bhagat in a discussion board yesterday that we do not have an elected democracy, but we have an elected monarchy! Political observers were of the opinion that the situation is ripe for a sudden outburst against corruption in this country. And it did happen. 

There is an opinion that Anna Hazare’s crusade will fade out as a tamasha and the Govt is perhaps banking on this opinion to gain momentum. Some doubting Thomases have started articulating their reservations. But what they are questioning is the nitty gritty of the issue and not the issue itself. The issue is fight against corruption. Corruption is the basic mantra now that instantly brings people together to voice their opposition. This must be used now to bring sense to the political establishment. The people are waiting for a leader to take up the cause of corruption. And now they find Anna as a selfless and flawless one who can lead them in the fight against corruption.

Expectedly, no political leader of the ruling party had come out in support for this movement. Narendra Modi and Jayalalithaa have expressed support. Infact Jayalalithaa is shouldering the massive burden of taking on the most corrupt outfit of the country, the DMK. Our intellectuals would instantly jump into the fray to say that Jayalalithaa also is corrupt. No, there is a difference. All the corruption charges against her were foisted by Karunanidhi out of political malaise whereas the charges against Karunanidhi & co were slapped by Central agencies and the charges were related to looting nation’s wealth.

My contention is that we as citizens of Tamilnadu also have a responsibility towards stopping this highly corrupt MK from coming back to power. He is banking on the ‘Thirumangalam Formula’ of “cash for vote” which is the worst ever assault on democracy. As popular icons of the State with a good following among people, I expect   Rajinikanth, Kamal hasan and other popular personalities to back up the Fight against corruption. Tamilnadu is the breeding ground for corruption which is now spread to New Delhi also. If we do not eradicate it here, it will not be easy to eradicate it at the National level. A complete wipe out of MK and DMK would be the fitting blow to corruption and would send a strong signal to the corrupt people at other places.

The least I expect Rajinikanth to do is to come out in support of Anna Hazare and

tell the people that corruption starts at the ballot box and 

that they must not sell their votes.  

Our brave Super star need not worry about retribution from MK, for it would amount to admission of guilt 

if MK finds fault with Rajinikanth for his fight against cash for votes. 

Rajinikanth must do this as a responsible citizen and 

also for being one adored by millions of Tamils. 

He must rise to the occasion to show them the way.

Related posts:-

India too is ripe for a revolution..

War against corruption rally, Ramlila ground, Feb. 27, 2011

Primer for a revolution in India: lessons from Tunisia, Egypt

Any possibility of an Egypt-Effect in India?

Corruption is eating Tamilnadu even as Anna is fasting!

If the swelling support to Anna Hazare' fast is an indication of people's anger against corruption, the absence of even a whimper in Tamilnadu shows how deep the roots of corruption are in Tamilnadu. It has been openly told in today's Thuglak ( a magazine edited by Cho Ramasamy) by way of a question raised by a reader. The reader has said that the DMK has given to the voters of Thiruvarur constituency from where Karunanidhi is contesting, a cooker, a set of silver anklets and cash of 1000 rupees per vote to all the houses. This is not an imagination. He has said that his relative residing in Thiruvarur has received all this.

The DMK's  distribution spree is happening in unimaginable ways. A news report says that the DMK men are approaching the shops that sell provisions, dress materials and utensils etc besides the pawn brokers and are settling the dues held by the people. Ask any milk distributing boy or the paper boy of any locality in Tamilnadu. They know what is happening at the grass root level. Even in my locality which has many middle class and educated people, money has gone to lower income households. They have finished most of distribution by now. That is why we are suddenly hearing MK and others claiming today that their victory is certain. A couple of days ago PMK Ramadoss claimed that a wave in favour of DMK is going to come. He has apparently meant this.

A few days ago, Justice Elipe Dharma Rao of Madras High Court took suo motu cognizance of the news paper reports of Karunanidhi's outbursts on strict ways of the Election Commission and questioned the EC on its ways.

Where is he now?

Why is he not taking suo motu cognizance of this allegation reported in Thuglak?

Not only Thuglak,

one of the leaders of the ADMK partners made an open allegation of how the villagers in his constituency have been given money.

Dr Sethuraman of Muventhar munnetar kazakam told this in the open meeting of the AIADMK Front in Coimbatore yesterday.

Why can't the judge take note of this and initiate case against Karunanidhi and the DMK?

The EC has ample evidence as early as Thirumangalam bye elections on the way the very basis of democracy is being stripped by the DMK through cash for votes. Though the EC is doing its job well, DMK has excelled in ways of distributing money to the voters.

I wonder why we should have an election in TN at all?

We can as well ask DMK how much money it is ready to shell off and allow it to rule.

At least we can save the election - expenses by that.

The disgusting fact is that all these are happening with the knowledge and support of Manmohan Singh, Sonia and her coterie. They deserve to be sent to hell for assisting and abetting the crime of the DMK.

No National TV is taking interest to peep into Tamilnadu, except Burka Dutt. We know her level of integrity; Expectedly she did an interview with Karunanidhi without any hard hitting questions. If the National televisions expose Karuna's election tactics, perhaps there will be some go –slow, for, Karuna has never shown guts to take on the National TVs.

Another entity who can arrest the deteriorating situation in TN is the Supreme Court. If only it asks why Kalaignar TV was not seized, it would dramatically change the perceptions at the grass root level.

Updated on 09-04-2011


The Election Commission has said that starting from yesterday there must be no current cut at night time until the day before the poll. This order is aimed at discouraging  money distribution under the cover of darkness. 
But the current-cut has happened yesterday in places where there used to be no current-cut at those times.
The cash for vote has started in full swing from yesterday onwards. 
In the Mofusil areas the amount is as less as Rs 100/= by the Congress and Rs 200/= by the DMK. In star constituencies it is Rs 500/= 
In VIP constituencies it is 1000/= plus some gifts. 


Updated on 11-04-2011.

In Kulaththur where MK Stalin is contesting, his offer rate is Rs 2,000/=
People are waiting for the power cut tonight!! 

'Awake Hindus' - advice by Francois Gautier

AWAKE, HINDUS!

BY  

FRANCOIS GAUTIER

Awake and arise!!.You sleeping Hindus

I am a westerner and a born Christian. I was mainly brought up in catholic schools, my uncle, Father Guy Gautier, a gem of a man, was the parish head of the beautiful Saint Jean de Montmartre church in Paris ; my father, Jacques Gautier, a famous artist in France, and a truly good person if there ever was one, was a fervent catholic all his life, went to church nearly every day and lived by his Christian values. There are certain concepts in Christianity I am proud of : charity for others, the equality of system in many western countries, Christ's message of love and compassion…. Yet, I am a little uneasy when I see how much Christianity is taking over India under the reign of Sonia Gandhi : according to a 2001 census, there are about 2.34 million Christians in India ; not even 2,5% of the nation, a negligible amount. Yet there are today five Christian chief ministers in Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh.

One should add that the majority of politicians in Sonia Gandhi's closed circle are either Christians or Muslims. She seems to have no confidence in Hindus.Ambika Soni, a Christian, is General Secretary of the Congress and a very powerful person, with close access to Sonia Gandhi. Oscar Fernandes is Union Programme Implementation Minister. Margaret Alwa is the eminence grise of Maharasthra. Karnataka is virtually controlled by AK Anthony, whose secretaries are all from the Southern Christian association. Valson Thampu, a Hindu hater, is Chairman NCERT curriculum Review Committee, John Dayal, another known Hindu baiter, has been named by Sonia Gandhi in the National Integration Council ; and Kancha Ilaya, who hates Hindus, is being allowed by the Indian Government to lobby with the UN and US Congress so that caste discrimination in India is taken-up by these bodies. ( One can also add to list Ajit jogi, and Digvijay Singh both christian converts & also Pranoy Roy, his niece Arundhati 'suzanna' roy )

I have nothing personnally against Sonia Gandhi, in fact she probably is a good person to win the alliegance of so many and certainly a loving mother . I share with her a love for India, like her I have lived in this country for over 30 years and like her I have married an Indian. But nevertheless, since she is at the top, Christian conversions in India seem to have gone in overdrive.

More than 4,000 foreign Christian missionaries are involved in conversion activities across different states.

In Tripura, there were no Christians at independence, there are 120.000 today, a 90% increase since 1991.

The figures are even more striking in Arunachal Pradesh, where there were only 1710 Christians in 1961, but 1,2 million today, as well as 780 churches! In Andhra Pradesh, churches are coming-up every day in far flung villages and there was even an attempt to set-up one near Tirupati.

Many of the North-East separatist movements, such as the Mizo or the Bodos, are not only Christian dominated, but also sometimes function with the covert backing of the missionaries.

In Kerala, particularly in the poor coastal districts, you find "miracle boxes" put in local churches: the gullible villager writes out a paper mentionning his wish: a fising boat, a loan for a pukka house, fees for the son's schooling… And lo, a few weeks later, the miracle happens ! And of course the whole family converts, making others in the village follow suit. During the Tsunami, entire dalit villages in Tamil Nadu were converted to Christianity with the lure of money.

It is true that there have been a few backlashes against missionnaries and nuns, particularly the gruesome muder of Staines and his two sons. But Belgium historian Konenraad Elst laments that  When over a thousand Hindus are killed and a quarter million Hindus ethnically cleansed in Kashmir, the world media doesn't even notice, but watch the worldwide hue and cry when a few local riots take place and a few missionaries are killed by unidentified tribal miscreants.

Christian Naga terrorists have been killing non-Christians for decades on end, and this has never been an issue with the world media, except to bewail the "oppression" of the Nagas by "Hindu India" .

More than 20,000 people have lost their lives to insurgency in Assam and Manipur in the past two decades. As recently as last week, four paramilitary Assam Rifles soldiers were killed in an ambush yesterday by the outlawed United National Liberation Front (UNLF).

The other day I was at the Madras Medical center, the foremost heart hospital in Madras. Right when you enter the lobby, you find a chapel, inviting everybody to pray, there are pictures and quotations of Christ everywhere and a priest visits all the patients, without being invited at all. Educational institutes and orphanages run by Christian organisations have become big business in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and other states. In Pondichery, where I am often, schools run by Adventists force their pupils, mostly Hindus, to say Christian prayers every day and attend mass. They are constantly fed anti Hindu slogans and biases under different forms, whether it is in history books, or discourses by priests during religious classes. Even in the elite schools or colleges, such as Saint Stephen in Delhi, Saint Xavier in Calcutta or Loyola college in Madras, where no direct proletization is attempted, Hindu pupils are subtly encouraged towards skepticism of their own religion, and admiration of whatever is Western. One should also say that it's a one way traffic : remember the furor when MM Joshi wanted the Saraswati hymn to be sung at a Chief Ministers' meet on education ? And imagine the uproar in secular India if portions of the Bhagavad Gita, this Bible for all humanity, were read at the beginning of the day in public schools ?

Sonia Gandhi said during the last National Integration Council meeting :  "We are committed to ideological battle against communal forces which seek to destroy our diversity and polarise us. Certain parties promote polarisation and confrontation. And there are certain regimes in India which promote communalism ". But is not actually the Congress under Mrs Gandhi, which is promoting communalism, by insidiously installing Christians and Muslims (and Marxists) everywhere, propping up Christian states, allowing a free hand too missionnaries and pressing for reservations for Christian Dalits and Muslims, as recently done in AP, in a nation of 850 million Hindus ?

In my country, France, a Christian majority nation , it would be unthinkable to have Hindus – or even Indian born French for that matter – in so many positions of power. Impossible also to find a non-elected, non French, non-Christian person being the absolute ruler of the country behind the scene as Sonia Gandhi is in India. Indians like to say that the greatness of India is that it accepts a foreigner and a Christian like Sonia Gandhi. But is'nt it rather a weakness, and an aberration ? Can't we find a worthy leader amongst one billion Indians ? This is an India where you see today Swami Avimukteshwarananda Saraswati of Dwarka Peeth, made to disembark from an Indian Airlines flight for carrying his holy dand, a thin bamboo stick which is a symbol of their spiritual designation, inside the aircraft cabin.

Are we heading then towards a Christian India under Sonia Gandhi's helm? It would be a tremendous loss not only to India, but also to the world. For in India, you find the only living spirituality left on this planet.

Fast unto death against corruption by Anna Hazare from April 5, 2011

Disillusioned with the lack of response from the Prime Minister to fight against corruption, noted social activist Anna Hazare is going to fast unto death from tomorrow onwards. What an irony that Sonia who spoke about fight against corruption as the main plank in the recent Congress plenary session, is going to appear along with the DMK patriarch, Karunanidhi in Chennai tomorrow!! While Anna is fighting at New Delhi, the real fight is at Tamilnadu. Will the people of Tamilnadu realize the responsibility on their shoulders?  

http://www.indiaagainstcorruption.org/

FORWARDED

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Indranil Banerjie

Dear Friends,

The count-down has begun! Anna has put his life on the line for the nation. He has struck down the nonsensical response of our PM, who gave a very distressing response that corruption was not important enough to be dealt with immediately! The indefinite fast will happen!

This is a do or die moment – let us make it happen!

What can you do?

• SPREAD THIS MESSAGE! INVITE ALL TO THIS EVENT, (POST TO YOUR WALLS on Facebook) [Join Anna at Jantar Mantar Event Link- http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=156227681104211]

• Join the "India Against Corruption" movement, by giving a missed call to 022 61550789! - We will sms you a msg from Anna and others, on what you can do today, and every day. Much needs to be done, to shake up our government and wake them up.

• Stay in touch with minute-by-minute progress, join www.facebook.com/IndiaCor

• Do anything and everything in your capacity! Our nation needs tens of thousands to join Anna at Jantar Mantar

If each one of us does this, and reaches out to all our friends, and ask everyone on our contact list to do the same, we will have a million supporters in the next few days! This can have a tremendous impact. Nationwide, awareness campaigns for the Jan Lokpal Bill and Anna's Fast announcement are being spread. Thousands are finding innovative ways to spread the word, by running, or biking. Children have pledged to fast on April 5th. Young and old alike are with Anna.

We need to stand united at this historic moment in the journey of our nation!

At the New Delhi Action Center (and across over 100 cities across India), to support Anna and push for the Jan Lokpal Bill, action is shifting into high gear as every volunteer drives himself or herself to the limit to reach out to all!

Leaders, organizations and the common man from across India will be with him.

Across India, join Swami Ramdev, Sri Sri Ravishankar, Swami Agnivesh, Arch Bishop of Delhi Vincent Concessao, Mahmood A Madani, Kiran Bedi, J M Lyngdoh, Shanti Bhushan, Prashant Bhushan, Arvind Kejriwal, Mufti Shamoom Qasmi, Mallika Sarabhai, Arun Bhatia, Sunita Godara, All India Bank Employees Federation, PAN IIT Alumni Association, Common Cause, Federation for Restoration of National Values and many other prominent organizations and leaders, as India comes out on the streets! 100+ CITIES WILL RALLY BEHIND ANNA!

Learn more at www.IndiaAgainstCorruption.org

(This movement is neither affiliated nor aligned to any political party)

Vande Mataram!

India Against Corruption

Email: indiaagainstcorruption.2010@gmail.com

Athirathram , the Vedic ritual begins in Kerala.

The Vedic homa called Athirathram begins today at Panjal in Kerala. Those wishing to know about this ritual and keep track of the events may be hooked to these sites :-

http://athirathram2011.com/home.html

http://www.athirathram.org/

Any Vedic homa is aimed at ‘sukha’ – happiness for all entities of the world. The timing now coincides with peculiar planetary combinations in Pisces. I am of the opinion that starting from tomorrow until 17^th April, the planetary combinations are not good. However the movement of Jupiter in northern declination and Sun taking lead among the congregation by asthang (combustion) are my hopes. 

Just before starting to write this post, I read the news that Libya is thinking of ushering in democracy. That is great news as I was not enthused by the US and others arming the Libyan rebels. Usually when Saturn and Jupiter come in opposition, rebellious instincts will rise high. In the past, radical outfits such as Taliban came into being only during Jupiter – Saturn opposition. So I was wary of how the US support for armed struggle would transform in future.  However in the current opposition of Sat – Jup, my assessment is that any such rebellion will pave way for establishment of justice for the masses. So with the news of some cheers in Libya, I wish that my other worries on natural calamities will go off,  thanks to the Vedic ritual spreading some vibrations for peace and happiness in our part of the globe. An earthquake of 7-1 magnitude was reported in Java this morning and a sudden hot water spring erupted in a field in Kumbakonam. Let us pray that Mother Earth remains calm.

Related posts:-

Homa to be monitored by scientists!

Homa for rains

Pithru yajna – Yajna is to restore equilibrium!

 

Given below is a report which says that an experiment on Kayakalpa rahasya is also being tried at Kerala now.

From

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/kochi/kerala-will-revisit-its-vedic-past-745

Kerala will revisit its Vedic past

                                        The venue at Panjal.




Vedic history will revisit Kerala this week. Two hamlets in Thrissur and Palakkad districts will witness rare rituals that showcase the glorious tradition that once existed in Kerala.

In the sleepy hamlet of Panjal, some 30 km from Thrissur, a 3,000-year-old tradition called 'Athirathram' begins on Monday. While, in Ottappalam, bordering the district, a 92-year-old man is ready to make an epic bid to regain his youth using the ancient Vedic practice of ‘kayakalpa rasayana’.

Monday morning the sprawling fields of Panjal will reverbrate with chants of Vedic mantras from the scriptures — Rigveda, Yajurveda and Samaveda — in front of a ‘homa kundam’. Panjal was the venue for such a ritual 35 years ago. 'Athirathram' is aimed at promoting universal harmony, peace, solidarity, prosperity and spiritual enlightenment. The fire will cleanse the atmosphere too, organisers of the ritual said.
It is a tradition with a history dating back to the 10th century BC that is now practised by select Namboodiri families, the organisers said.

Under the treatment as part of kayakalpa rasayana, Yugal Saran Maharaj, from Mount Abu in Rajasthan, will live in a three-chambered room or trigarbha graham from Monday morning and will be confined to solitude for the next 45 days, cut off completely from the outside world.

His diet will comprise a combination of herbal medicines and a glass of milk. Maharaj witnessed freedom fighter Madan Mohan Malaviya undergo this treatment in 1932. But, unlike the freedom fighter, the ascetic is hale and hearty at 92 and has volunteered to undergo the treatment as an experiment.


****************

From

http://www.hindu.com/2011/04/04/stories/2011040456350400.htm

                                       Readying implements for the Homa.

THRISSUR: Athirathram, an ancient 12-day Vedic ritual involving ‘homas' and chanting, will begin at Panjal, near here, on Monday. The rites will begin at 9 a.m.
Puthillathu Ramanujan Somayajippadu (Yajamanan) and Dhanyapathanadi (Yajamanapathni) will lead Athirathram.

‘Somalatha,' a herb which is an important ingredient for the rites, was brought from Kollengode Desam to the venue on Saturday.

The altar (Chithi) of the ‘yagashala' for Athirathram has been made of 1,110 specially designed bricks. A research wing has been constituted as part of the Athirathram.

It will be led by V.P.N. Nampoori, Emeritus Scientist at the Council for Industrial and Scientific Research and former Director of International School of Photonics, Cochin University of Science and Technology.
Athirathram is considered the ultimate invocation of Vedic scriptures for universal harmony. It is being conducted at Panjal after 35 years. Its objective is to promote universal harmony, peace, solidarity, prosperity and spiritual enlightenment. Athirathram is believed to have originated in the 10th century BC and practised until the 6th century BC.


In 1975, Frits Staal, Indologist and Emeritus Professor of Philosophy and South/Southeast Asian Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, organised and recorded the ritual through grants and donations from institutions such as Harvard University, Smithsonian Institution and the Rock Foundation.
He also studied the application of mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and astronomy in this complex ritual.

Tamilnadu polls – a test for democracy.

 

Given below is a well articulated article by Mr Indranil Banerji, on how India is waiting to see who is going to win in Tamilnadu – corruption or democracy.

The fight is not between the coalitions of DMK and AIADMK.

It is between corruption and the will to say 'no' to corruption.

Nowhere in India, has democracy been vitiated as was done in TN.

Karunanidhi has choked the very lifeline of democracy – which is nothing but allowing free and fair expression of people's will.

If he wins, that is a defeat for Democracy.

That will signal that the rot is too deep.

It will also embolden the Congress party to spread this culture to other parts of the country.

The future of Indian democracy will be in peril.

Let the people of Tamilnadu know that future of Indian democracy lies in the way they are going to vote in this election – in the way they muster strength to say 'no' to the money that is offered to them.  

They must not fail in this election.

 

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http://epaper.asianage.com/Asian/AAge/2011/04/04/ArticleHtmls/04_04_2011_006_009.shtml

 

Say No to corruption

 

By

 

Indranil Banerji

 

(Defence and security analyst based in New Delhi)

 

 

THE RESULTS of the Tamil Nadu state elections are destined to have a lasting impact on national politics. Unlike in the past, this poll is not merely a contest between two state-level political stalwarts; this time, it is a contest between two competing issues of vital national concern: corruption versus power politics.

 

Can electorates be managed?
Can they be seduced by poll gifts and populist promises? Or is corruption an issue? A section of the political elite in India has taken the position that corruption is not a core issue in this country of malnourished millions. The insinuation is that the voting public's concern is not corruption at high levels but mundane issues like the price of cooking gas and rice.

 

This sadly might actually be the case. The common woman might feel so removed from the portals of power that she could care little about who is robbing the public exchequer as long as she continues to get many of her daily needs at hugely subsidised rates.

 

This is the issue that is going to be decided in the forthcoming state elections, and most of all in Tamil Nadu, where a coterie is alleged to have robbed the country of countless millions. It is in this state that the corruption issue has come into the sharpest focus.

 

The state's two principal political protagonists -M.Karunanidhi and J. Jayalalithaa -have been forced to adopt opposing positions as a matter of compulsion rather than ideology. Mr Karunanidhi's Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and its ally, the Congress Party, have tacitly come to represent the view that corruption even at a massive national scale is not an electoral issue.

 

Ms Jayalalithaa, leader of the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and successor to the legacy of the late MGR, herself embroiled in corruption cases, has perforce gravitated to the opposite side of the spectrum where national theft, bribery and fraud have become the core issues, along with price rise and power cuts. But as one survey reported, this time corruption is the big emotive issue in her campaign.

 

The usual political equations have been worked out by both alliances, and on paper, at least, both sides are evenly poised. It is clear that the essential contest in Tamil Nadu, as in the past, will be between the two alliances. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), unable to form an alliance with either of the two fronts, is not expected to make any impression at all. Mr (Vaiko) Gopalaswami's Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), having failed at seat adjustment with Ms Jayalalithaa, has decided to boycott the polls, a move that will only help Mr Karunanidhi's party.

 

Perhaps the biggest boost to Ms Jayalalithaa's alliance will be provided by the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK), launched in 2005 by the charismatic Tamil actor Vijayakanth. Ever since its appearance on the Tamil political stage, the DMDK has been stealing huge chunks of state votes. In 2006, the first time it contested state elections, the party grabbed 8.38 per cent of the total votes even though it won only a solitary seat. In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, it got 10.1 per cent of the votes, making it the fourth largest political party in terms of votes after the DMK (25.04 per cent), AIADMK (22.8 per cent) and the Congress (13.9 per cent). In the past, Vijayakanth had declined to ally with any other party but after two polls, where his party could not translate its voteshare to seats, he now clearly appreciates the importance of partnerships.

 

Likewise, the Congress, with its ever-increasing voteshare, has been providing a similar thrust to the DMK-led alliance.
The Congress has steadily been improving its tally because either one of the two dominant state parties has been giving it electoral space. In the last Lok Sabha polls, the DMK-Congress combine alone secured about 39 per cent of the total votes. This is an unbeatable figure and Mr Karunanidhi is hoping it will be repeated.

 

To drown out criticism of corruption, his party continues to bank on distributing freebies and sharing some of his party's immense good fortune with the electorate. The voting button is, of course, with the Tamil Nadu voter and how s/he thinks will greatly shape policies at the national level in the years to come.

For corruption, unlike what some politicians would like us to believe, does affect growth, development and the equitable distribution of wealth. It shifts the focus away from good governance and developmental issues, it breeds a culture of cynicism and irresponsibility, and worst of all, it degrades institutions vital for proper state functioning.

 

The recent findings of the noted management consultants, McKinsey & Co, that the southern states are witnessing a decline in economic performance comes as no great surprise. The worst performers between 2005 and 2010 were the states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, which recorded an average real gross domestic product growth rate of just 7.4 per cent each as compared to the national average of 8.7 per cent. Gujarat and even Bihar, two states where there is a political will to focus on development and growth issues, have done better.

 

The question today is whether Tamil Nadu, a state that has been the epitome of good governance in the past, will once again show the way for the rest of India. To do so, it will first have to forcefully reject the culture of brazen corruption.