Chancellor Message

Dr. B.V.Venkatakrishna Sastry

My heartfelt congratulations to the entire team of Jyotishya VishwaVidyalaya , in making this wonderful education effort: To rejuvenate and restore the great tradition of Vedanga JytoishainIndia. Thisisacriticalneedandtimelyaction.

Why is the qualifying term Vedanga –Jyotisha so prominent in this endeavor? Why study JyotishainrelationtoVeda?‘ Jyoti’, is a special wordin Vedictraditions. It is used as a pointer to meditate internally to realize the ‘Brahman’ in ‘Jyoti’ form in the ‘Hrudaya’ –inner heart space. Jyoti is also a word used to point the many ‘lights in cosmos’ as manifest expressions of Brahman, tangible to the naked eye. Jyotisha is the spiritual science which provides the technologiesandtools,usingwhich, onec an attain the benefits of inner spirituality (Atma Jyoti) and worldly prosperity (Adhi Jyotisham). Knowledge of the Right Time to execute desired action for (a) achieving success in all actions and (b) overcome failures – is the key to decide the muhurtha. Providing guidance on muhurtha is the expertise of a Vedanga Jyotisha professional. Thus, we have an education guidance system to train an alltime relevant professional from the Vedictraditions. .

The traditional technical Samskrutham words – Mauhoortika, Siddhanti, Kaalajna, kaala vedi, are different ways of expressing this idea of a professional harbinger of welfare in upcoming times. This is the technical meaning of the word ‘Agni’ used in Rigveda (1 1 1) described as Purohita = One who can see through the veil of time into the past and future, ratna – dhatamam = Guide the actions for wealth welfare balance, yajnasyadevamritivijam = the protector of us through the generation of protective shield by performance of yajna. Therefore, there is a traditional rule which says that a King (or CEO / Leader / Family /Business Enterprise) must have a ‘Diviner of Time’ as a part of planning and governance. History shows that this guidance has been followed all over the world.

It is saddening to note that great tradition of Vedanga Jyotisha study has suffered a serious degeneration primarily in India and following that, all over the world. Jyotisha studies somewhere lost its connection with Yoga and Samskrutham! So did the other traditions of Ayurveda, ParashariKrushi schools kept Jyotisha out of their domain. Even Vedic teams leaned to Aagama and Vedanta, paying lip sympathy to Vedanga Jyotisha study model. The dangerous consequences of this slippage from a Spiritual Science (Vedanga – JyotishaShastra) to a social status of sooth sayers, prediction makers and quackery are the following: (a) Actions are done at the inauspicious time when negative energy influences are high; leading to failures /partial success in endeavors (dur muhurtha) (b) Guidance on corrective actions are lost (Shanti – pariharapaddhati) (c) Guidance to tap the full human potential is not available; leading to incompatible marriages, employment, team formation and sterile engagements (asahaja, asadhya, asaphala karma ). The most serious loss is in the right understanding of Veda Dharma and practical’s of Upa Veda guidance, especially Ayurveda, Vastu and Krishi:: to deliver benefits of Health, Living establishments and Agriculture. The beautiful world Sundarm is becoming a horrible place with dangers to human life and endeavors.

It is here that Vedanga Jyotisha professionalism raises the bar over all other models of studies covered under current nomenclature of Astrology. Vedas are the primary seeds of Jyotisha. And practice of Jyotisha must yield the benefit of Veda, which is ‘Dharma’. The benefit of Dharma practice is Healthy Spirituality. This is the common concurrent value that runs across Sanatana Veda Dharma following communities, Buddhism, Jainism and/or any practicing systems of Astrology anywhere in the world. Healthy Spirituality (Swashtya) is the counseling guidance expectation from Vedanga Jyotisha practitioner, beyond the other needs like muhurtha and shati parihara. The practitioner of Vedanga Jyotisha is a Professional of Health care and Wellness counselor, standing on par with other professionals like Medical doctors and Psychological counselors and Spiritual advisors. The education part detailed in the syllabus has good coverage to train the students towards this end.

The most satisfying that a Vedanga Jyotisha professional would derive in the practice, apart from fame and fees is a spiritual realization, a vision of the Divine expressed as lights of the cosmos. Working day in and day out with the Graha –jyoti’s for working on the Karma Vipaka, the inner urge to raise and go beyond the Kaala Chakra Bandhana will slowly sprout. This is the maturity to realize the inner truth presented in Vedas. This is the unique benefit of becoming a ‘Jyotir Yogi’ to realize the inner ‘Yoga jyoti’; alight which may be realized at any time as ‘Kaala Ratri (Durgaa) or Shiva– Ratri(Bhairva) or Nava Ratri(SriVidya)!

Once again, I would like to place on record my heartfelt appreciation for the good work initiated, invoke the blessings of the‘Divine’, and assureall co-operation and support in this endeavor