B.V. Raman's autobiographical journey through 60 years of Vedic astrology practice.
Part 11 · Series: Foundational & Learning Topics
The Grandfather's Ultimate Prediction
After years of questioning, study, and debate about Kuja Dosha , Raman finally received a prophecy from his grandfather that would define his entire life. This prediction was remarkable not just for its content but for the confidence with which it was delivered and the conditions the grandfather attached to it.
"Long after I pass away you will recall my prediction with gratitude. Rajeswari's horoscope is highly fortunate and she brings in luck. Your marriage will be celebrated as soon as you complete your 18th year."
The grandfather's words carried the weight of finality. He was making a pronouncement that extended beyond Raman's life—he was saying that even after his own death, Raman would understand the full truth of this prediction. This is the language of a master who has seen far and wide through countless charts and knows the reliability of his reading.
The Continuing Questions: Professional Success and Mars
But Raman was not fully satisfied even with this assurance. He still had lingering doubts about how Jupiter's aspect on Mars could nullify Kuja Dosha , especially since his grandfather's own chart showed Mars with Jupiter's aspect yet he had experienced two marriages.
"I paused for a while and recollecting that grandfather's first wife had died when he was about 46 years old, I asked him why Jupiter's aspect on Mars (occupying the 7th from the Moon) did not nullify the Kuja Dosha in his own case. This was too much for him."
The grandfather's reaction—"This was too much for him"—suggests the question caught him off guard. Raman was essentially challenging his own teaching using the grandfather's chart as evidence. This took courage, but it also shows the level of intimacy and intellectual equality that had developed between grandfather and grandson.
Nevertheless, the grandfather responded with a detailed explanation that revealed deeper layers of interpretation:
"In his own case, Mars was no doubt aspected by Jupiter. But Mars as lord of the 7th was in the 6th (12th from the 7th) with Ketu and the lord of the 6th Venus was in a common sign aspected by Saturn. In the Navamsa, the 7th and Venus were all considerably afflicted. Hence he had two marriages."
The Professional Question
Raman then posed another critical question about his own future:
"'Would Jupiter in the 10th in a Kendra from the lord of the 10th, Mars, promote my progress professionally, educationally and financially?' I put this question firmly."
This was not a casual question. Raman was about to be married, and the family was already deeply skeptical about his prospects in astrology. He needed assurance from his grandfather that he would be able to support his wife and eventually achieve success.
"He was good enough to allay my fears and assured me 'with all the emphasis at my command' that I would outshine him in name, fame, finance and reputation and that if 'You have any regard for your grandfather, you must believe me and agree to the marriage.' I respectfully gave in and he felt happy."
The grandfather's response was extraordinary: not only would Raman achieve success, but he would "outshine" his grandfather. And the emotional appeal—"if you have any regard for your grandfather, you must believe me"—was designed to override Raman's lingering doubts and fears.
The Skeptical Family
Raman's marriage to Rajeswari faced significant opposition from her family. They saw a young man with no formal education, no income, and no prospects:
"I was only an S.S.L.C. I had discontinued my studies and had no means of livelihood. My earnings in future if at all I was 'capable of earning' could only be by manipulating a Panchanga (almanac). Who would care for Astrology, a degrading profession?"
The harsh assessment was not unreasonable. In 1930s India, astrology was indeed not widely respected, and a young man without formal qualifications had little to offer. Yet Rajeswari's father, Dr. M.C. Srikanta Pandit, accepted the marriage based entirely on the grandfather's prediction and reputation.
"But Dr. Pandit appeared to have had implicit faith in grandfather's prediction of a good future for me and rejected the objections of his close relatives."
Sixty Years of Fulfillment
When Raman writes his memoir, more than sixty years have passed since that marriage on October 30, 1930:
"My marriage was celebrated grandly at Mysore on 30-10-1930 and as I write these lines 60 years of married life have passed over which I have no regrets. Rajeswari has shared with me with equanimity and remarkable resignation my misfortunes, financial difficulties and all the troubles which were thrust upon me by Destiny."
The fact that Raman explicitly states he has "no regrets" after six decades is perhaps the most powerful validation of his grandfather's prediction. The marriage was not just successful—it was so foundational to his life that he cannot imagine his achievements without it.
Rajeswari's Chart: A Unique Personality
The grandfather had also analyzed Rajeswari's chart, seeing combinations that would make her "a unique personality":
"Grandfather had said that her own horoscope had several notable points which would make her a unique personality. Mercury lord of the 9th causing Dharma-Kannadhipati Yoga. Venus is a Yogakaraka for Makara [Capricorn]."
These technical observations point to combinations that suggest wisdom, ethical strength, and the ability to support and uplift others—qualities she would indeed need to sustain a marriage with an astrologer struggling to build his career and establish respect for his profession.
Key Takeaways: The Astrologer as Client
What This Part Teaches Us:
- Master predictions carry certainty: The grandfather's prediction was not tentative but absolute, backed by decades of observing charts and outcomes. This certainty gave Raman the confidence to commit to marriage despite family skepticism.
- Personal doubts must be answered: Raman did not blindly accept the grandfather's teaching. He questioned, challenged, and demanded explanations. The grandfather respected this approach and provided detailed responses, deepening Raman's understanding.
- Chart complexity requires wisdom: The explanation of why Jupiter's aspect didn't negate the grandfather's own Kuja Dosha showed that reading charts requires looking at multiple factors simultaneously, not applying single rules mechanically.
- Predictions shape decisions: Rajeswari's father accepted the marriage entirely based on the grandfather's astrological prediction. This shows how powerful and life-changing astrological guidance can be when it comes from a trusted source.
- Validation comes through living: The most powerful validation of a prediction is when a life lived fully confirms it. Raman's sixty years of marriage without regret is the ultimate proof of his grandfather's vision.
- The right partner matters: The grandfather understood not just what would happen but who could make it happen. Rajeswari's chart showed the qualities necessary to support Raman's ambitious vision and turbulent life path.
This Part reveals the highest function of astrology: not fortune-telling or entertainment, but the vision to see the full arc of a life and guide a young person toward their destiny with the right partner, the right timing, and the right understanding. Raman's marriage to Rajeswari, predicted decades in advance, became the foundation upon which all his other achievements were built.