I find pleasure in introducing the book written by Vic DiCara. Kishore is the name adopted by the author after receiving initiation from his Guru Sri Srimad Dhanurdhara Swami.
He owns two websites namely vicdicara.com and vrajakishor.com. Both the sites are substantiated with WordPress blogs.
I bought the book when I was reading the Autobiography of a Yogi by Yogananda. It was at Chapter 16, "Outwitting the Stars" that I read the views of Swami Yukteshwar on astrology as told by his disciple Paramahansa Yogananda. I leave it to the readers to experience what is written there.
As for me, I have a vacillating and wavering faith in astrology. I know a little bit of astrology. I have improved my understanding of the chart reading by going through Parashar Hora and Brihad Samhita by Vara Mahir as explained by some scholar from a university in Rajasthan. I have also taken help from pulp literature which is readily available in the market. Now, I generally look into Devidayal Jantri, published from Jalandhar, Punjab, India. I religiously buy the fresh edition every year for the last seven years now. But, I was never convinced by this science. I developed numerous questions about their algorithms.
One other tradition, Lal Kitab, was an important influential factor in my formative years. I do not have a book on it. But, since my childhood, I had listened so much about different combinations and Upayas that I had some glimpse of this science. No doubt, later I bought some general books on the so-called Lal Kitab. But, Lal Kitab made me more confused. One utterance of my father had virtually turned me away from it. He had said that it was wrong to perform the Upayas of Lal Kitab as they were of some doubtful origin. Thus, it was the cause of my wavering faith in this science.
But after reading chapter 16, I remember, that I had browsed the web and without knowing and understanding much I bought this book in Kindle format. It is the costliest book which I had bought online. The paperback edition is costlier. I bought it because somewhere, I had concluded that whatsoever I had tried to learn from self-study on astrology, was not any organised study. I found that many of the conclusions and rationales, given by different writers were not sustainable. I learned that stars were taken as fixed points. Sun is fixed. The twelve houses are assumed geometrical construct. Everything was being based on nine planets, their location in relation to each other and multiple charts combination was required to answer different queries. But there was no sequence. I do not know how I have reached the conclusion that in order to fully understand the reasons and logic behind this astrological talks, one must have a full understanding of 27 Nakshatras. But I never came across any account on Nakshatras. As I was not much impressed by astrology, I did not pursue my quest for clearing my doubts. But, when I read the chapter 16, I browsed and because Nakshatra query was at that the back of my mind, I had a question about the actual natures of the Nakshatras, so I picked this title and bought it.
The book begins with two major assertions. They were the arguments which attracted me and had driven me to punch the 'buy it' button. The first argument was that you had to unlearn some of the prevalent perceptions and laws of the astrology.
Vid Dicara suggests that first, you have to unlearn that the Nakshatras are associated with Zodiac Signs. You have to drop the perception or suspend the perception that House dominates the stars or Nakshatra.
The second notion which you have to suspend is that the Nakshatras are associated with the Planet. I believe that you have not to follow the sequence of Ketu, Shukra, Surya, Chandra, Mangal, Rahu, Guru, Shani and Budhha in order to interpret the result of each Nakshatra.
Then, he emphasises that you have to learn the nature of each Nakshatra and its god. The book then tries to explain the nature of each Nakshatra and its God.
In order to explain each Nakshatra, he had written 27 chapters. It is followed by three more chapters.
While undertaking the task of building his chapters, he had taken references from Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas and Mahabharata. He has given references to the hymns and authorities while explaining the nature. How far they are true, I can not authenticate at present.
Apart from that, he had given his own interpretation as per the understanding which he had developed on the basis of his learning of the Sanskrit literature that he had mentioned. One may like it or reject it but for me, it is allowed. This is why you write a book. You give your view and understanding. You are not there to assert. Let the readers and the world of scholars comment on your inferences and conclusions. He has done it boldly and without any complex or bias.
I have found his work a well researched, scholarly work, guided and directed by objectivity and scientific temper. He had not given details of any experiment or collection of data. The experiment is not the only criteria for being scientific. It is the interpretation which you do while using the data which you refer to, that decide the scientific temper. He has demonstrated it well.
He has not gone into any wild explanation. He has not gone in elaborate theories. He has not gone into any philosophy. He created a premise. He created the limits. He dismantled some of the preconceived perceptions He picked his topic and substantiated it with proof from the scriptures. In between, he gave his own interpretation based on his own understanding developed on his study of the contents which he had used.
Those who believe that they would learn astrology from this book, kindly, do not buy it. Those who want to undertake a mature and serious study of Indian Culture and Astrology, they should definitely consult this book in order to refine their questions and queries.
However, the paperback is too costly. I have read it on the Kindle version. It costs ₹400. Kindly keep in mind
Thus I read this book.
Later Edit
My review of this book appears at Quora. Check Here.
Do me a favour by visiting the author page on Amazon HERE -AUTHOR AMAZON PAGE.
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