"Fate, Karma, Destiny- call it what you may- there is a law of justice which somehow but not by chance determines our race, our physical structure and some of our mental and emotional traits. The important thing to realize is that while we may not escape our own basic pattern we can work in conformity with it. That is where free will comes in. we are free to choose and discriminate to the limits of our understanding, and as we rightly exercise our power of choice, our understanding grows. Then, once having chosen, a man has to accept the consequences of his choice and go on from there.” Does it not sound very similar to Newton’s third law of motion: “To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction."

The theory of Karma recognizes 3 kinds of Karma in our life. They are as follows:

“Sanchit Karma”- The good and bad Karma that we inherit from our past lives in this life.
“Praravdha Karma”- The net balance of good and bad Karma which we inherit from past lives in this life which we must experience in this life
“Kriyaman Karma”- The good and bad karma that we have earned from action in this life itself at any given point of time.
Out of these 3 Karmas, the a and c Karma types and their effects can be neutralized by present good and bad karmas in this life itself. But the net effect of Praravdha Karmas whether it is good or bad have to be experienced in this life itself. This theory of Karma does not accept that our life is totally predestined, our free will and the choices that we make at critical junctures in our life also play an equally important part. Hence it is not correct to say that whatever is supposed to happen is going to happen in our life and we are just hapless puppets dancing under the strings of our fate or destiny. If there was no choice and everything that happens in our life was predestined, then astrology or astrological predictions would have no relevance in human civilization.

The Horoscope: The position of planets in different signs and houses and the strengths of different planets and houses in our natal chart reflect the Praravdha Karma and the pre- destined events in our life. These are also called “Drirah” or Fixed Karma or fixed results in our life, which an astrologer will analyze from a person’s natal chart and can also predict when they are likely to happen by analyzing the Dasha system.

But there are another kind of Karma, which consists of “Sanchit Karma” and “Kriyaman Karma” These are called Adrirah Karma or probable Karma and they are not predetermined. Astrologer can make a forecast only by analyzing the divisional charts computed from natal charts as well as by analyzing the transit status of each planet and what relationship the transit planets are forming with the planets in the natal chart. This forecast can only talk about probable events and whether a particular planet is supporting or challenging. However the actual event in a person’s life will really be based on the choices that a person makes based on his/her free will.

How Name Change Brings You Luck?

What is common between Great Britain, Napoleon, Saint Paul and Mallika Sherawat (Bollywood Actress)? Yes, all of them at one time or the other changed their name knowingly or unknowingly with the change in their destiny – good or bad determined by the name change.

We know Great Britain’s name change reduced a big empire where sun never used to set to a country. Napoleon lost his kingdom and Saint Paul used name change for spiritual purposes. Also in case Mallika Sherawat we know she used a different name before getting popular in movies (We are not attributing all her success to name change- and undermining her talent, as SUCCESS - MANTRA = NUMEROLOGY + SELF EFFORT)

Suppose on a hot summer afternoon some one asks you to wear a woolen coat – what would you say to him or think about him? You may probably consider him as mad or think they are playing a prank on you.

The meaning of "Kala Sharpa": In Sanskrit Kala means "Time". Sharpa means "Snake" This Yoga signifies the time aspect of Rahu and Ketu, the serpent planets. As mentioned earlier Ketu represents past and Rahu represents future, so together, this represents the complete circle of time field in which we exist throughout eternity. This is why Rahu/Ketu is also known as Karmic triggering planet.

There are different views and controversies among Vedic astrologers on what exact combination in the chart constitutes “Kala Sharpa” Yoga in the chart. The most authentic view is the one which is mentioned by sage Parashar in Hora Shastra. This Yoga is formed when all the planets excluding the outer planets are hemmed between the axis formed by Rahu and Ketu in the chart. The outer planets are Uranus, Neptune and Pluto and we should not consider their position in the chart. This means even if there is one planet among the remaining 7 Vedic planets (Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn) is outside the axis formed by drawing a line joining the exact position of Rahu and Ketu by their degrees in the two Zodiac signs opposite to each other in the Zodiac, then Kala Sharpa yoga will not be formed. Even if that single planet is located in either of the same signs where Rahu and Ketu are located in the chart.

Similarly we have astrologers, who would not like to give the bad news to their clients; they have formulated exception to this rule given above. So, they have maintained exceptions like, the combination is not valid if the planets are hemmed between Rahu and Ketu (that is degree wise Rahu is ahead of Ketu in the zodiac), the opposite view is also there, that the combination is not valid if the planets are hemmed between Ketu and Rahu (that is degree wise Ketu is ahead of Rahu in the zodiac. Same exceptions are cited by taking the houses in consideration. But Parashar defines the combination in unambiguous terms as mentioned in the beginning.

What is the impact of this combination in our natal chart? Since by this combination one half of the chart will have all the planets and the other half will be empty, there will be mighty imbalance in a person’s life. The houses in the occupied side will get all the focus and attention in a person’s life, and the houses in the unoccupied side will get no focus or priority in the person’s life.

We cannot outright condemn Kala Sharpa Yoga as most inauspicious in every aspect of our life nor can we take the opposite view that it is most desirable in our life. Specially when many of the world famous personalities have or had this combination in their chart.

Pandit Nehru, the first prime minister of India had this combination where all his planets were hemmed between the 6th and 12th house in his chart. Ketu is in his 6th house and Rahu was in his 12th house. There were no planets between his first and 7th house in his chart. His whole life was devoted to the cause of India and to establish the rightful place for India among the league nations. This was done at the cost of stability, bliss and harmony in his personal life. This is what the imbalance was all about.

Another extreme example was Joseph Goebbles, the propaganda minister of Hitler, who had Kala Sharpa Yoga was between Ketu in Cancer in second house and Rahu in Capricorn in 8th house. He was the second most powerful person in Nazi Germany. His cruelty, insensitivity, and his lies were an essential component of Nazi atrocities and genocide of Jews during Second World War.