Bangalore Venkata Raman

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B.V. Raman (8 August 1912 – 20 December 1998) was a world renowned astrologer & author. He was a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, London, and a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society. He also held a string of titles such as Abhinava Varahamihira, Jyotisha Bhanu, Jyotisha Vignana Marthanda, Jyotisha Ratna, Abhinava Bhaskara, Jyotisha Bhooshana, etc. conferred on him by various organisations. His special fields of research were Hindu astronomy, astro-psychology, weather and political forecasts, disease diagnosis, natural calamities, management, and other areas in relation to celestial phenomena.

Dr. Raman spent his whole life in the study of relations between cosmic and terrestrial phenomena. He attempted to demonstrate by his writings and predictions made through The Astrological Magazine and other media that the astrological theory of cosmic influences affecting human life is essentially correct. Through a number of books, lectures, and research papers, Dr. Raman influenced the educated public and made them astrology-conscious.

Personal life and background

Dr. B.V. Raman was born in a village near Bangalore in 1912 and had his early education in a village school. He completed his collegiate studies in Science at Central College, Bangalore. During the period of his studies in the University, he also specialised in homeopathy and obtained a diploma. His grandfather B. Suryanarain Rao was a key influence in his early life who was learned in the subject of astrology himself. It was under his inspirational guidance that he picked up the rudiments of astrology and started making predictions of his own.

Dr. Raman was never a professional astrologer but yet was consulted and his guidance sought by scientists, political leaders, saints, medical doctors, industrialists, and heads of governments and people from all strata of life. His visitors were drawn from all walks of life.

Dr. Raman's recreations included lawn tennis and gardening. A teetotaller of the strictest order, his daily routine until the last day included Sandhyavandana and Gayatri Japa both in the morning and the evening, Yoga and Pranayama and a long walk in the evening. He followed the teachings of Lord Krishna as given in the Srimad Bhagavad Gita and tried to apply them in his own life. He was considered an institution unto himself. A man of great simplicity and sincerity, he had a kind word for everyone he came across, no matter who it was. He was a classic example of simple living and high thinking in the modern world exemplifying the best of the Indian values.

He was assisted in his activities by his devoted wife Mrs. Rajeswari Raman, who took keen interest not only in astrology but also in the study of Yoga, especially in its application to women. Mrs. Rajeswari Raman was a practical exponent of Hatha Yoga and also served as the Director of Sri Surya Prakash Institute of Yoga for Women. She visited Europe and America, in 1970, in 1981, and 1992 and delivered talks on Yoga, Indian womanhood, etc., before various women's associations and cultural organisations.

With the help of his son Niranjan Babu, he also started the Raman & Rajeswari Research Foundation to promote the knowledge of Astrology and Vastu Shastra.^[1]

Career

Dr. Raman restarted The Astrological Magazine in 1936, which was earlier ran by his grandfather, and remained its editor for over 62 years. After his death, the magazine was run till December 2007 by his son, Niranjan Babu Bangalore and his daughter, Gayatri Devi Vasudev, when it was shut down citing no reasons. It is now relaunched as The Astrological eMagazine by his son Niranjan Babu.^[2]

The Astrological Magazine, held to be the only journal of its type in Asia, earned an international reputation as a great exponent of Indian culture in general and astrology in particular. Its views were held in esteem by the educated public.

He represented India at the Astrological Congress held at Cambridge, England, and the International Astrology Conference at New York. Travelling around the world, he delivered innumerable lectures in Germany, England, France, Italy, Austria, Holland, Canada, Japan, and the United States of America, addressing universities, medical associations, and educational and cultural institutions on different aspects of astrology, Hindu astronomy, philosophy, and Indian culture.

In 1947, Raman took memberships of the Royal Astronomical Society, London, and the Royal Asiatic Society. In 1968, the Akhila Bharateeya Samskrita Sammelana awarded him the Doctor of Literature degree, and in June 1976 the Kumaon University (U.P.) awarded him the honorary Doctor of Letters degree.

He was the first to deliver a lecture, Relevance of Astrology in Modern Times, in 1970 at the United Nations, New York, which evoked much interest in diplomatic circles. He asserted that astrology was a science and not mere mumbo jumbo.

Dr. Raman also founded an all India body, the Indian Council Of Astrological Sciences (Regd.) in 1984 to regulate the study and practice of astrology in the country with Chapters in Bangalore, Madras, Delhi, Kanpur, Trivandrum, Patna, and other cities. As Founder and President, he enthused and inspired the intelligentsia to take up the study of astrology as a serious pursuit.

Dr. Raman presided over several important conferences at both national and international levels. In October 1992, Dr. Raman, on a visit to the United States of America to deliver the keynote address at the First International Symposium on Vedic Astrology, held at Dominican College in San Rafael, California,^[3] mooted the idea of a national body to organise the study of Indian astrology in the States. The American Council of Vedic Astrology was founded under Dr. Raman's guidance by a group of Americans to help popularize the study of Indian astrology in USA.

In February 1996, the Centenarian Trust, Madras, conferred on him its Man of the Year (1995) award, formed in the memory of the Kanchi Paramacharya. He was the inaugural speaker and chief guest at the National Conference on Disaster and Technology held at Manipal on 25-9-1998.

Dr. Raman also attempted a rational exposition of astrology in his book Planetary Influences on Human Affairs, defending his claim by statistical data to refute the arguments of its critics. Some of his astrological prognostications in this work are reproduced below: "At the moment, the equinox is in 7 degrees and 57 minutes of Pisces in the second quarter of Uttarabhadra ruled by Saturn but the Navamsa being Virgo. The equinox entered the Nadi Amsa of maitri in 1956. It passes through mandira (1974) and varuna (1984) getting into jalaplava in 1998. This will be just about the time of anticipated population explosion. When it enters madira, the world is in for a lot of carnage by wars, pestilences and plagues. The equinoxial movement in jalaplava (Navamsa of Mercury ruling the nervous system, etc). produces immense stress on human beings. Stress makes for enlarged adrenals and adrenal glands have been cited as a population saftey-valve. Thus there is absolutely no indication of the earth facing the calamity the scientist think it does. By A.D. 2000, when Jupiter and Saturn will again be conjoined in Aries, the world's equilibrium will have been considerably restored by the outbreaks of wars, earthquakes, famine, etc., and the falling down of birth-rates."^[4]

He also wrote a book titled 300 important combinations which describes different planetary combinations along with the classical yogas formed out of it in a horoscope.

References and footnotes