Q: Swamiji, you were talking about how there is no such thing as a perfect partner. Then what is the purpose of matching horoscopes before marriage?
Now if I start speaking on this subject, I will have to pull down the whole structure of astrology! Not astrology itself, but the way we follow it today is foolish and nonsensical.
Understand that it is your life. You are living it; you should know the pros and cons. But you don't know anything about your life, and so you go around asking others! Where is your intelligence?
To surrender your life to a stranger, to let him make your life's decisions, just shows that you no longer even know how to run your own life. You have to take responsibility for your own life.
When people come to me with questions about their future, I tell them: Don't approach me to predict your future. Approach me to design your future. All these predictions are only for the weak-minded, be very clear about that.
Ancient astrology was a pure science. There was truth in it.
Let me tell you how astrology evolved.
In the past, when a child was sent to the gurukul to the master to study, astrology was used to diagnose what kind of personality, what kind of attitudes and aptitudes he possessed. Accordingly, he was trained.
The master would see what his natural tendencies were. If he had brahmin tendencies where intelligence was the prime factor, he would be initiated into Veda Vidya - studying of the vedic scriptures. If his personality was that of a kshatriya, where bravery and strength were the most dominant, he would be trained in martial arts. If he showed vaishya tendencies, wherein he exhibited many skills, he would be taught business. If he seemed to possess shudra qualities, where he was happy giving his time to routine labour work, he would be initiated into service. All four roles had equal value and earned equal respect.
This was the purpose for which astrology was used. Incidentally it also helped predict certain major milestones in a person's life. It was a science mainly used for this kind of diagnosis. Look around you today. A person who is a doctor by nature has become an engineer and an engineer has become a serviceman and what not! That is why there is a sense of total chaos in society.
Q: So ancient astrology is a proven science?
This is what I was afraid of! The moment I say, 'Yes,' you will all start running behind astrology! Tomorrow morning I will see a long queue before me with each one carrying his horoscope and saying 'Swamiji, please predict my future!'
Don't worry so much about astrology!
Vivekananda gave a befitting answer to someone who questioned him about astrology. He told him, 'Go, eat well, exercise well, sleep well. You will become strong, physically and mentally. Then you won't worry about all these things!'
Only a person who is mentally weak depends so much on astrology.
Q: Does that mean that all the people who follow astrology are weak-minded?
No, you can't say that. But the majority are weak-minded. Even people who are normally intelligent sometimes behave foolishly in these matters. They come and ask me, 'Swamiji, if I wear such and such a stone or gem, will it be lucky for me?' How can you depend on a stone! You are live consciousness. You are nothing but God! I can't imagine… I am teaching you the science by which you can harness this whole cosmic energy, and you ask me about stones!
You might have heard about Swami Yateeshwarananda. He was a great man, an enlightened person. When he traveled abroad for the first time, he started out during rahukala - an inauspicious hour of the day, calculated by using the positions of the planets.
Someone asked him, 'Swamiji, how can you start during rahukala?'
He answered, 'You fool! I am the energy that guides the planets! How can they control me?'
See the courage of the man! It is a courage that comes out of deep understanding.
I am teaching you the science by which you can control the planets! So why do you bother about where the planets are and how they will affect you? Pick up the science of meditation, that's enough. Then nothing can touch you.