Srila Prabhupada: Huh?
Svarupa Damodara: Wolfe, he was telling me that, because I was telling him that I did not believe in astrology. Then one day Srila Prabhupada was talking on astrology. Then Wolfe said, "If Srila Prabhupada said, then you believe. And if it is not said by Srila Prabhupada, you don't believe."
Srila Prabhupada: No. We believe in astrology. But because it is a difficult science, people do not understand it properly. That is another thing.
In my practical life I see. In my horoscope, everything is written, what I am doing. Everything is written. So...
Svarupa Damodara: That would be called like genius. Sometimes. If somebody can predict what is going to happen in the future, can be, just like, taken...
Srila Prabhupada: No, these astrologers can give everyone exact, the history of life, what is going to happen, what happened.
Svarupa Damodara: But it is true, though Srila Prabhupada, in our family life, when we want to do something, they always go to a...
Srila Prabhupada: Astrologer. Yes.
Svarupa Damodara: And then they... (break) (end)
Srila Prabhupada: Just like the astrology. Astrology, by calculation through the shastr, astrological calculation can say what you were in your past life and what you will become in your next life. There is an astrological system. They can say like that. So through the shastra, by right calculation, we can understand.
Srila Prabhupada: Astrology is a science. Krshna consciousness has nothing to do with astrology, but it is the general custom that as soon as a child is born the astrologers come. That is the Indian system, Vedic system.
On another day an astrologer came who was supposed to know everything -- past, present and future. Thus Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu received him with all honor and put this question before him.
PURPORT
Brahmanas generally used to become astrologers, Ayur- vedic physicians, teachers and priests. Although highly learned and respectable, such brahmanas went from door to door to distribute their knowledge. A brahmana would first go to a householder's home to give information about the functions to be performed on a particular tithi, or date, but if there were sickness in the family, the family members would consult the brahmana as a physician, and the brahmana would give instruction and some medicine. Often, since the brahmanas were expert in astrology, people would also be greatly inquisitive about their past, present and future.
"Please tell Me who I was in My previous birth," the Lord said.
"Please tell Me by your astrological computations." Hearing the words of the Lord, the astrologer immediately began to calculate.
PURPORT
Through astrology one can know past, present and future. Modern Western astrologers have no knowledge of the past or future, nor can they perfectly say anything about the present. Herein we find, however, that after hearing Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's order, the astrologer immediately began his calculations. This was not a facade; he actually knew how to ascertain one's past life through astrology. A still-existing treatise called the Bhrgu- samhita describes a system by which anyone can immediately get information about what he was in the past and what he is going to be in the future. The brahmanas who went door to door as if beggars had perfect command of such vast knowledge.
Thus the highest knowledge was easily available even to the poorest man in society. The poorest man could inquire from an astrologer about his past, present and future, with no need for business agreements or exorbitant payments. The brahmana would give him all the benefit of his knowledge without asking remuneration, and the poor man, in return, would offer a handful of rice, or anything he had in his possession, to satisfy the brahmana. In a perfect human society, perfect knowledge in any science -- medical, astrological, ecclesiastical and so on -- is available even to the poorest man, with no anxiety over payment. In the present day, however, no one can get justice, medical treatment, astrological help or ecclesiastical enlightenment without money, and since people are generally poor, they are bereft of the benefits of all these great sciences.
Anyone go, and you simply give them your exact time of birth, then they will make immediately horoscope, immediately. Still there is. As I told you that in my horoscope it was declared that after seventieth year, I shall go to foreign countries and I shall establish many temples. In my horoscope that is. Now I see it is coming practically.
You see? So that is horoscope.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. This is a science. Yes. This is a science. It is a science. That science is acceptable by the human society. Medical science, legal science, engineering science. Similarly, astrology also, another science. But the astrology is simply useful so long you have got this body. But as soon as your body is finished, there is no more use of astrology.
Regarding astrology, you should not listen to any of these so-called astrologers -- strictly avoid. Don't even see them. What is the use of seeing them? Astrology is meant for the materialist, but a spiritualist does not care for the future. Everything is dependent upon Krishna. So where is the necessity of astrology? The devotees' principle is, let there happen anything as Krishna desires. Let me remain sincere devotee, that's all. Pure devotee is never interested in this astrology.
So, continue nicely with your deity worship there and read my books very carefully, and without fail chant 16 rounds on your beads daily.
I hope this meets you in good health.
I hope this meets you in good health.
HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Srila Prabhupada: No. Astrology is a science. (break) ...that I shall go to the foreign countries and throughout the whole world I will establish so many temples, so many things... this...
Svarupa Damodara: So they have some intelligence to tell that...
Srila Prabhupada: No, no. That is calculation, calculation. This astrologer, this astrologer was a very big astrologer and when I was in service, Dr. Bose's laboratory, so Dr. Bose was treating one patient. He was vomiting blood. So he was treating as tuberculosis. Then he could not cure him after giving all medicine. Then he asked the astrologer, this astrologer who made my horoscope, "What is the matter? Panditji, can you tell?" So he calculated. He said, "You are making wrong treatment.
He has got some sore in the throat. It is not heart." And he treated, he was cured.
Yasomatinandana: Vedic science is so perfect.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. He knew it.
Karandhara: He's coming Prabhupada. He just pulled up.
Srila Prabhupada: Oh.
Jayahari: Prabhupada, this morning you talked about astrology in your lecture. Is this accepted in the Vedic scripture and by the gurus?
Srila Prabhupada: Oh yes. Astrology means... That is also Vedic. Jyotir-veda. Jyotir-veda. That is also part of the Vedas. The brahmanas, they learn these three things: astrology and medicine.
These two things. A brahmana is supposed to go to every householder's place, and he will inform, "Today is such and such tithi. The such and such thing should be done." And if required, if somebody inquires about, "Now I am going to that place. What will happen? Just find out the auspicious moment," so they will give him. Still it is current. It may be wrongly done or rightly, but the system is still there.
Astrologer. The king should be always accompanied by a first-class astrologer. (break) ...there is a whole street, both sides simply astrology. (break) ...good astrologers.
Jayahari: Astrology is very popular in the western world. (break)
Srila Prabhupada: Where is our scientist?
Svarupa Damodara: Here, Srila Prabhupada.
Srila Prabhupada: Oh, how are you? Thank you very much. Come on. How are you? Feeling all right?
Dr. Wolfe: Fine, thank you.
Srila Prabhupada: Hare Krshn.
Svarupa Damodara: I brought a friend, Srila Prabhupada, from Calcutta.
He was my class friend in Calcutta. He is from St. Xavier's College.
He graduated.
Srila Prabhupada: Oh. Bengali?
Sujit: Bengali. (Bengali conversation)
Srila Prabhupada: (Bengali) ...Mahatma Gandhi Road.
Svarupa Damodara: Daniel, come here. Daniel Sardar.
Sujit: Sujit.
Srila Prabhupada: Sujit, oh. (Bengali conversation regarding his being a student of science, chemistry and plastics engineering, and Srila Prabhupada tells him that he attended Scottish Churches' College) (break) ..astrology?
Sujit: What is my opinion?
Srila Prabhupada: No. I am asking scientist.
Svarupa Damodara: First of all I did not believe astrology in the beginning. I thought it was a pseudo science.
Srila Prabhupada: No, you may think, but what is the opinion of the scientist?
Svarupa Damodara: Oh, scientists would say that there is no background.
Srila Prabhupada: So how it so happens?
Svarupa Damodara: Because they say something which cannot be proved by experimental science, that does not work, calling science.
Srila Prabhupada: So then how do you say that life is from matter? That cannot be proved by experiment.
Svarupa Damodara: That is why they are going to prove it. They are trying to prove it.
Srila Prabhupada: Then again, "going to prove." They cannot prove, they'll not not admit it.
Sujit: See, astrology, I think, what he said is half true. Astrology is a science but it is not an exact science like mathematics and chemistry.
Srila Prabhupada: No, No, it is mathematics. Astrology is simply based on mathematics. Exactly.
Svarupa Damodara: To calculate the planetary...
Srila Prabhupada: Just see. The comet...
Sujit: It is from astronomy.
Srila Prabhupada: Astronomy, yes. Astrology is part of astronomy. Yes.
Sujit: It's part of the science. It has been accepted as part of the science.
Srila Prabhupada: No, it is...
Svarupa Damodara: Astrological science is mostly speculative theory.
Srila Prabhupada: Astronomy also.
Sujit: They are proving a lot of things. They are calculating when a certain star can be in certain positions.
Svarupa Damodara: No, that can be done.
Srila Prabhupada: So our astrology is calculated by the position of the stars. By astronomy you calculate the position of the star, and they know, "If the star is in such and such position, the result will be like this." That is astrology.
Svarupa Damodara: This looks like collecting some facts from some experience.
Srila Prabhupada: No, no. It is calculated by the astral movement. It is a great science. People do not know it now.
Svarupa Damodara: So Wolfe Prabhu was telling me that "So we don't believe in astrology, but when Srila Prabhupada says, then you believe."
Srila Prabhupada: Huh?
Svarupa Damodara: Wolfe, he was telling me that, because I was telling him that I did not believe in astrology. Then one day Srila Prabhupada was talking on astrology. Then Wolfe said, "If Srila Prabhupada said, then you believe. And if it is not said by Srila Prabhupada, you don't believe."
Srila Prabhupada: No. We believe in astrology. But because it is a difficult science, people do not understand it properly. That is another thing.
In my practical life I see. In my horoscope, everything is written, what I am doing. Everything is written. So...
Svarupa Damodara: That would be called like genius. Sometimes. If somebody can predict what is going to happen in the future, can be, just like, taken...
Srila Prabhupada: No, these astrologers can give everyone exact, the history of life, what is going to happen, what happened.
Svarupa Damodara: But it is true, though Srila Prabhupada, in our family life, when we want to do something, they always go to a...
Srila Prabhupada: Astrologer. Yes.
Svarupa Damodara: And then they... (break) (end)