My book 'Ballad Divine - Bhagavad-Gita' is now available at Amazon. It took a few painstaking years to get there, but every moment was worth it. 

The printed book and Kindle editions are available at Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Ballad-Divine-Bhagavad-Gita-Dev-Bhattacharyya/dp/1495969835/
You may also review the book. Would love to hear about your reactions to the book. 

Several years back, I spoke to a child about Krishna. The child was so delighted even though she could not pronounce the name properly. I felt if just the lord's name could have such a profound effect, his ballad needed to be re-visited. I went through innumerable books spanning nearly 150 years from Annie Besant, Max Mueller, to Swami Vivekananda, Swami Parmananda, Swami Nikhilananda, S. Radhakrishnan, Srila Prabhupada and Swami Dayananda Saraswati to name a few. Of course, inspired by Chaitanya's Kirtans, I spent many-a-day on Sri Aurobindo's Essays on the Gita, Bankim Chandra's - Krishna Charitra -- and Ballad Divine is the final rendition.

Ballad Divine brings back the Bhagavad-Gita in a very easy to read composition; minus the rhetoric. It is an accurate reference of the original and observed facts and uses the same systemic method to divinity. 

Ballad-Divine is organized around the mainstays of Krishna's doctrines, those of philosophy, action, discipline, concentration, knowledge, meditation, devotion and surrender. These pillars are in turn expounded from smaller building blocks. The theme in the sentences are repeated throughout reinforcing the subject. It is styled mostly as a ballad expressing eighteen different chapters by short stanzas; of which some are metrical.

Excerpt from Chapter 4, Lines 7 and 8

When there is fading of dharma 

And increase in infamy and sloth

Then into birth, 

I loose myself going forth. 

For deliverance of good

For destruction of terror

For enthroning of rights 

I am born from one age to another.

Chapter 18, Lines 69 and 70

No mortal performs 

Service that I value more

No other on earth

Is dear to me than the one I adore.

Judge I will 

Those who study

This sacred discourse of ours

Who offer me sacrifice

By knowledge of course. 

Mithra - forgotten phenomenon

Rev. Martin Luther King wrote a paper on Mithraism in 1949. He also received an A grade on the essay on his presentation skills on an otherwise difficult concept.

The details of MLK's papers are in Stanford's website - http://mlk-kpp01.stanford.edu/index.php/kingpapers/article/volume_i_13_september_to_23_november_1949/.

I witnessed Mithraism (worship of Mitra) when I was in Rome, Italy. Mithra (AKA Mitra) is Vedic and Zoroaster's view of the powerful phenomenon that guided Sun to spring.

Yes, from winter to spring - a resurrection, a rebirth of the Sun - the procreator, the God of the yesteryears.  

The Vatican Museums and Basilica of San Clemente offered me direct insights into Mithra worship - a likely predecessor to Christianity - a long forgotten history of reconciliation of a prevailing system to the great spiritual movement that was gaining sturdy influence with its purer conception of God.

You can witness the mercy, the power of the Sol-God only in darkness of the labyrinths in the dungeons at San Clemente.

Mithra is the phenomenon that symbolizes the movement of the Sun away from a Taurus culmination of summer solstice. The slaying of the bull - "taurobolium", is so evident in the sculptures in the dungeons in Saint Clemente's basilica. The presence of Ashvins in the rock sculpture; could also be Gemini twins; Saturn giving out the weapon to destroy the bull; Sol and Luna blessing the act; Sirius the dog, the Lunar nodes shown as a serpent and Scorpion (scorpio) all active participants marked the new epoch - the birth of a new era. 

Venus, Jupiter and Saturn

A new look at Venus, Jupiter and Saturn.

Sukracharya (related to Venus), son of Brighu was vengeful of Vishnu – Vishnu having destroyed their haven and having killed his mother and the ashuras who she had given shelter to. Besides, Brihaspati was the favored one both from his earlier teacher and Brihaspati's father Angiras and the Devas who eventually elected Brihaspati as their own Guru.

Sukracharya, therefore, chose the ashuras (the dark side, if the name permits) as his disciples and being stronger and more powerfully learned than Brihaspati quickly led Ashuras to victory over the Devas.

That was quite a mouthful!

Sukracharya’s progeny became the clan of Purus – Pauravas, the family that fought in the Mahabharata and also Yadus – the dynasty that Lord Krishna belonged to.

Those of us endowed with Venus like features that Sukracharya relates to are – Highly informed and knowledgeable; much better than the competitor but are not always recognized by our managers and tribal leaders, easily capable of winning (victory),  egotist and plagued with vanity and vengeance. The Sukra endowed persons give rise to progenitors that become strong clans. 

Those that fall in line with Jupiter (Brihaspati) get recognition much beyond their worth. Status, favors and recognition come easy compared to other folks who actually deserve it. However, the shortcuts to success only create holes in security; and eventually the downtrend begins to re-instate folks aligned to Sukra (Venus) (who are more hardworking and zealous in their efforts) to take over or rule.

Some victories won by the Venus-driven may also get counteracted by Saturn who is Venus’ friend. It is not unusual to see a strong Venus-Saturn combination leading to Financial and Health problems in a person’s life. It’s a clear indication for those born with strong Venus and Saturn to witness a complete reversal of their fortunes and health two to three times in their lifetime. But, having Sukra as their Guru, these reversals are short-lived and eventually bring forth the victory they deserve.

On the other hand, without a notion of a down trend, Jupiter (Brihaspati) driven persons eventually lose out – either overconfident or too lazy to fight the battles. Jupiter gains in the beginning, the end may be okay with a good Moon combination; but not anywhere close to how it began. Obesity and laziness are Jupiterial trends that can destroy the otherwise spiritually inclined. 

Super-Moon and Summer Solstice

What a day! What a night! 

The Sun fiercely crossed the Summer Solstice or was it this planet. Never mind the relative motions; the sun was certainly fierce today. 

The moon on the seventh house rose immediately after a deep sunset - was it the moon? It was the Supermoon!

The celestial gods blessed us with quite a sight - the day and the night.

The Sun and the Moon have so many differences - so many conflicts and yet many areas of agreement. This was not their best moments; it was a mere feast for mortal eyes only.

The moon and sun are in constant tensions when they are a quadrant away. The moon in positions 1, 4,7,10 from the sun are never without tensions. Though Varaha Mihira states Full Moon (180 degrees between the sun and moon are good), I tend to differ. 

The Kendrasthans are not good between sun and moon. Neither is the 5th position. Only 3rd, 6th, 8th, 9th and 11th are good combinations between the two fast moving celestial planets. If the moon is blessed by aspects from Jupiter and Venus; the yoga combinations above and the aspects are extremely important indications for happiness and wealth.

Solar Eclipse

What an irony,
The god that illuminated the day,
Died
The mortals are alive


Wish god remained a little longer
The darkness of the night
Lesser
Evil while god was being reborn


Do gods die?
Was he not at nether-worlds?
Traveling
Perhaps to a neighboring planet


Now comes the worst,
The maiden casts her dark shadows
Sunday Eclipse
Will there be another reprise

Enjoy the Solar Eclipse. Remember - Never look at the sun-god directly; wear appropriate eye glasses and eye protection.

Why Jotiz? 

Astrology intrigued me from early 1990’s for several reasons. I was looking for a career path then. The soothsayers I came across were only interested in selling gem stones, especially precious stones on account of the huge profits they made. The astrologers would sell you anything like Ruby with Sapphire, Diamond and Emerald, Pearls that knew no upper limits – if you had most of these; then a Yantra or an encasement in 22 carat gold that you would be obliged to pay through your nose.
Incidentally, none of these popular and acclaimed astrologers had a clue around astronomy; where the stars and the celestial bodies were around at anytime around the year. They believed and swore around their misinterpreted charts, in their tantric dogmas and beliefs; none of which agreed with my thinking and rationale.
They had no clue or any idea of where astrology was headed except what they had been subjected to believe without any room for innovation. Had I not ventured to come to the US, my thoughts would have possibly been influenced negatively.
Jotiz is a modern way of looking at classical astrology whether it is Vedic or Christian. Vedic expands into Indian, Indonesian, Cambodian, Sri-Lankan, Celtic, Chinese systems as they are practiced today – I do not confine myself to any single text like Brihat Hora Sastra; but use Phaladeepika, Brihat Jataka, Saravali, Jaiminee, Jataka Tattwa and other texts that make sense into the mix. Christian Astrology owes the scriptures to Lilly and Raphael, to many Arabic and Egyptian narratives. The references to Horary in Jotiz are clearly inclined towards Christian astrology than Vedic.

Therefore Jotiz.

May 5th, 2012

Full Moon conjunct with Saturn! Saturn Retrograde in Cusp in exaltation. Opposition aspect (7th house) from both Sun and Jupiter.  Sun in deep exaltation with powerful spring blaze - it’s the time for the new generation. The old will falter for the next few days – perhaps a fortnight. Is Facebook the winner? From the young and old perspectives – it seems so easy – yes it is.