This is a compilation of passages from Swami Vivekananda’s lectures and correspondence in which he discusses his views on astrology.
In Southern India, there was a great dynasty. They made it a routine to take the horoscopes of all famous men alive at the time of their birth on a regular basis. In this approach, they were able to compile a list of expected leading facts, which they then matched to actual happenings. This was done for a thousand years until some agreements were discovered, which were then generalized, recorded, and compiled into a massive book. The dynasty faded extinct, but the astrologers’ family lived on and still retained the book. It’s probable that’s how astrology came to be. One of the beliefs that has greatly harmed Hindus is an excessive focus on the detail of astrology.
I believe the Greeks were the first to bring astrology to India, taking the science of astronomy from the Hindus and bringing it back to Europe. Because you can find antique altars in India that were built according to a geometrical pattern, and certain things had to be done when the stars were in specific positions, I believe the Greeks gave the Hindus astrology and the Hindus gave them astronomy.
I’ve seen some astrologers who predicted amazing things, but there’s no reason to believe they did so just based on the stars or anything like that. In a lot of cases, it’s just mind reading. Sometimes fantastic predictions are made, but most of the time they are complete nonsense.
In London, a young man would approach me and ask, “What will happen to me the next year? I inquired as to why he had approached me in this manner.” I’ve spent all of my money and am now extremely destitute. Many people’s only God is money. Weak men, when they lose everything and feel helpless, try all kinds of strange ways to make money, including astrology and other such things.” According to the Sanskrit saying, it is the coward and the ignorant who declare, “This is fate.” The strong man, on the other hand, is the one who stands up and declares, “My fate will be decided by me. People who are getting older are the ones who talk about fate. Young guys, on the whole, are not interested in astrology. We may be influenced by the planet, but it should not have a significant impact on us. According to Buddha, “Those who make a career by calculating the stars using such art and other deceptions should be avoided, as he should know as the greatest Hindu ever born. What harm can it do to let the stars in? It wouldn’t be worth a penny if a star interfered with my life. You’ll find that astrology and all of these mystical phenomena are often symptoms of a weakened mind; therefore, as soon as they start to appear in our heads, we should consult a doctor, eat well, and rest.
It’s pointless to hunt for an explanation from outside if you can acquire one from within the phenomenon’s nature. Going outside for an explanation is pointless if the world explains itself. Have you ever witnessed anything in a man’s life that you couldn’t explain with his own power? So, what good is it to travel to the stars or anywhere else in the world? My current state can be explained entirely by my own karma. In the case of Jesus, this is true. His father was a carpenter, according to what we know. We don’t need to look further for an explanation of his strength. He was the result of his own past, which had all been leading up to that Jesus. Buddha returns to animal bodies and explains how he eventually became Buddha. So, what is the point of looking to the skies for answers? They may have some sway, but it is our responsibility to ignore them rather than listen to them and become anxious. Everything I teach starts with this: anything that causes spiritual, mental, or bodily weakness should not be touched with the toes of your feet. Religion is the outward embodiment of man’s inherent strength. Inside this tiny organism lies a coiled spring of unlimited strength, and that spring is expanding itself. And as it spreads, it finds that each body is insufficient, so it casts them off and takes higher bodies. This is man’s, religion’s, civilization’s, or progress’s history. That enslaved giant Prometheus is attempting to free himself. It is always an expression of strength, and all of these concepts, such as astrology, should be shunned, even if there is a grain of truth in them.
There’s an ancient legend about an astrologer who approached a monarch and stated, “In six months, you’ll be dead. The monarch was terrified out of his mind and was on the verge of passing out from fear. His minister, on the other hand, was a wise man, and he told the king that these astrologers were fools. The king was not convinced. So the minister saw no other option except to invite the astrologer back to the palace to show the monarch that they were fools. There, he inquired as to whether his estimates were correct. The astrologer insisted that there could not be a mistake, but just to be sure, he ran over all of the calculations again and declared them to be flawless. The king’s expression grew enraged. “And when do you believe you’ll die?” the minister asked the astrologer. The response was twelve years. The minister seized his blade and immediately removed the astrologer’s head from his body, telling the monarch, “Do you have any idea who this liar is? He is currently deceased.
Stay away from all of these things if you want your country to survive. The only way to tell if something is good is if it makes us stronger. Evil is death, whereas good is life. These superstitious beliefs are sprouting like mushrooms in your country, and women who lack the ability to reason are willing to believe them. It’s because women want to be free, but they haven’t proven themselves intellectually yet. One learns a few lines of poetry at the beginning of a novel by heart and claims to know all of Browning. Another takes three lectures and then believes she knows everything there is to know about the world. The problem is that they are unable to overcome women’s inherent superstitions. They have a lot of money and some academic knowledge, but once they get over this stage of transition and onto solid ground, they will be OK. Charlatans, on the other hand, prey on them. Please accept my apologies; I do not mean to offend anyone, but I am obligated to tell the truth. Do you realize how receptive you are to these ideas? Do you not see how sincere these women are, and how the divinity that resides within all of us never dies? It’s simply knowing how to make an appeal to the Divine. Every day, the more I live, the more convinced I am that every human being is divine. That divinity does not die in any man or woman, no matter how horrible. He or she simply does not know how to get there and waits for the Truth. And evil people are attempting to trick him or her with various deceptions. You call a man a stupid and a blackguard if he defrauds another for money. How much more heinous is the sin of one who seeks to deceive people spiritually! This is a terrible situation. It is the only test; truth must strengthen you and elevate you above superstition. The philosopher’s job is to help you rise above superstition. What limitless souls you are, even this earth, this body, and this mind are superstitions! And then there’s the matter of being duped by glittering stars! It’s a deplorable situation. You are divinities, and it is because of you that the glittering stars exist.
I was once traveling in the Himalayas, and we had a long trip ahead of us. We poor monks couldn’t find anyone to transport us, so we had to walk the entire distance. We were accompanied by an elderly gentleman. The path climbs and descends for hundreds of kilometers, and when the elderly monk saw what was ahead of him, he said, “Oh, sir, how am I going to get over it; I can’t walk any more; my chest is about to break. “I told him,” I replied “Take a look at your feet. As a result, I said, “The road beneath your feet is the same road that you passed over and that you see ahead of you; it will soon be beneath your feet. Because you are Divine Stars, the highest things are beneath your feet; all of these things are beneath your feet. You have the ability to swallow the stars by the handful; such is your true nature. Be brave, overcome your fears, and live a life free of superstitions.
In This Article...
Is it true that Buddha believed in astrology?
Buddha had an unfavorable attitude on astrology. Astrology, on the other hand, was eventually incorporated into Buddhism for a variety of reasons. The habit, which had been ingrained in people’s brains for a long time, cut across geographical and cultural boundaries. Furthermore, Buddha’s own life was full of remarkable occurrences that took place on Full Moon Days. His birth, death, and first lecture are among them. Full Moon Day is known as Amitabha Buddha Day, the Day of the Celestial Limitless Buddha, in some Buddhist groups.
Initially, astrology’s significance in Buddhism was tied to the moon phases, which were used to identify auspicious periods for various rituals, such as weddings and funerals. It eventually evolved into a more comprehensive system that covered foretelling, guidance for future acts, and determining the impact of cosmic events, among other things. When Buddhism spread to other countries, such as China, kings and people there believed in astrology and utilised it in a variety of ways. As a result, Astrology gradually became incorporated into Buddhism. Many principles of Vedic astrology were adopted into Chinese astrology as Buddhism spread. There was a mash-up of numerous astrological systems in Tibet, including those of their indigenous religion, Indian astrology, and Chinese astrology. Despite the fact that Buddha himself was against astrology, Buddhism eventually embraced and adopted astrological systems.
What was Swami Vivekananda’s philosophy?
Medieval yogic influences on Advaita Vedanta influenced Vivekananda’s emphasis on nirvikalpa samadhi. Vivekananda considered samadhi as a way to liberation, in keeping with Advaita Vedanta works such as Dg-Dya-Viveka (14th century) and Vedantasara (of Sadananda) (15th century).
In addition to Darwin’s concept of evolution, Vivekananda popularized the concept of involution, a phrase he likely borrowed from western Theosophists, particularly Helena Blavatsky, and potentially relating to the Samkhya term stkarya. “Theories of the descent of God in Gnosticism, Kabbalah, and other esoteric schools” have “much in common” with “theories of the descent of God in Gnosticism, Kabbalah, and other esoteric schools.” “Vivekananda employs the word involution exactly as it appears in Theosophy: the descending, or participation, of divine consciousness into matter,” Meera Nanda writes. Vivekananda associates spirit with prana or purusha, which he derives (“with some novel twists”) from Samkhya and traditional yoga as described by Patanjali in the Yoga sutras.
Vivekananda equated morality with mental control, citing truth, purity, and selflessness as qualities that bolstered morality. He urged his disciples to be holy, selfless, and to practice shraddh (faith). Vivekananda believed that brahmacharya was the source of his physical and mental vigor as well as his eloquence.
What is Swami Vivekananda’s Rashi?
Rahu in the 12th house provided him with exceptional spirituality, as rahu lends over passion to the house where it is positioned. The 12th house represents a higher spiritual level. Even Jupiter’s and Ketu’s relationship.
What was Swami Vivekananda’s opinion on beef?
So far, the main concern has been the Ram temple. The Holy Cow, or ‘cow as mother,’ is now the most important tool. As a result, Hindu communalism has employed the ruse of “cow as mother” from the late 1800s. At the time, Muslim communalism had a motto that said, “Pig as an object of hatred.” A pig was thrown into a mosque to incite rioting in the TV series Tamas (Bhism Sanhi), a parallel to beef in the temple and other occurrences leading to communal strife.
The ‘pig in the mosque’ became less common after independence. Occasionally, Bajrang Dal elements were heard putting beef in the temple. The issue of beef has been kept alive on a subconscious level, and it has now become even more crucial in terms of communal polarization, bearing electoral arithmetic in mind. It has exacerbated the deteriorating situation in terms of communal peace.
It is surprising that a cow may be positioned as’mother’ in our country and then exploited as an instrument of communal propaganda and action. In terms of economics, cows have long been a vital part of the agricultural economy. Large portions of society have always relied on aged bullocks and cows for nourishment. Apart from Adivasis, beef was consumed by a huge number of Dalits, Muslims, Christians, and even upper caste Hindus as a cheap and nutritious source of protein. India, as a huge country with a significant cow population, is a major exporter of beef.
It’s worth noting that beef has been a part of human diet since the Vedic era. Later, the cow was converted into a symbol of motherhood and a crucial instrument of identity politics. In his famous article, Bhimrao Ambedkar “Is it true that Hindus never consume beef? exemplifies this perfectly. Swami Vivekananda, on a popular level, backs up historians like Prof D.N.Jha, who links the history of beef consumption back to Vedic times. Swamiji observes, “You’ll be surprised to learn that he isn’t a true Hindu if he doesn’t eat beef, according to ancient rituals. He is required to sacrifice and devour a bull on specified circumstances.
This is supported by other research projects funded by the Ramakrishna Mission, which Swami Vivekananda founded. The following is an example of one of these: “Fish, meat, and even beef were eaten by the Vedic Aryans, especially the Brahmans. Beef was served at a meal to honor a notable guest. Despite the fact that the Vedic Aryans ate beef, milch cows were not slaughtered. aghnya was one of the words used to describe cows (what shall not be killed). However, one of the visitors was a goghna (one for whom a cow is killed). Only bulls, barren cows, and calves were slaughtered.
It’s not that society can’t come to an amiable agreement on the matter of opposing eating habits and religious beliefs. Gandhi paves the way, and one hopes we could hear what he has to say about beef consumption “…beef isn’t their (Muslims’) everyday fare. Their everyday meal is the same as that of millions of others. True, only a small percentage of Muslims are vegetarians for religious reasons. As a result, they will accept meat, especially beef, whenever it is available. However, because of poverty, millions of Muslims go without meat for the most of the year. This is a fact. However, the theoretical question necessitates a clear response. As a Hindu, a confirmed vegetarian, and a worshipper of the cow, whom I regard with the same reverence as my mother (alas, no longer on this earth! ), I believe that Muslims should have complete freedom to slaughter cows if they so desire, subject to sanitary restrictions and in a manner that does not injure their Hindu neighbors’ susceptibilities. The fullest acknowledgment of Muslims’ right to butcher cows is essential for communal cohesion and the only way to save cows.
By now, communal groups have successfully publicized the Muslim as a “cow killer,” necessitating valiant efforts on the part of those who seek peace, tolerance, and pluralism to counter the hatred engendered by this propaganda.
Who is the astrologer’s forefather?
Alan Leo, a notable British astrologer, author, publisher, astrological data collector, and theosophist, was born William Frederick Allan (Westminster, 7 August 1860Bude, 30 August 1917). He is considered regarded as “the father of contemporary astrology” by many people.
After a period of decline at the end of the 17th century, his work sparked a renaissance of astrology in the Western world. Leo was a fervent theosophist who included many of the theosophist’s theological principles into his astrology, such as karma and rebirth. He took advantage of the Theosophical Society’s extensive international network to publish, translate, and promote his work throughout Europe and America.
What religion is the origin of astrology?
The Chinese calendar, which is related with Chinese astrology and ancient religion, is the basis for the zodiac’s history. Taoism was one of the religions that impacted the zodiac. Constellations and space are used in Taoist beliefs to identify a person’s “future.” This is relevant to the zodiac because, according to Chinese astrology, the placements of objects in space can influence a person’s future. They used the sun to determine how all of the zodiac signs would function in relation to the dates and periods.
A yin-yang symbol is frequently incorporated in the middle of various zodiacs, which reflects any two opposing principles in the cosmos and how everything works. The religion Taoism is the source of the yin-yang. It’s one of Taoism’s most well-known symbols, which holds the notion that “a man is a microcosm for the universe.” The yin-yang is linked to the zodiac because it is used in conjunction with the five components of the Zodiac to read the ten stems, which are used to tally days, months, and years. The yin-yang influences the traits of the 12 zodiac animals when they are combined.
Buddhism is another example of how religion and the zodiac are linked, with one tradition claiming that Buddha invites all the animals chosen for the zodiac. This is significant in Chinese culture since this religion, which has had the biggest religious impact on China, is practiced by the majority of the population. The influence of religion has had a significant impact on how the zodiac is structured and what it has evolved into.