Evaluation of astrological yogas as indicators of spiritual competency: A case study with Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa
Abheek Bardhan
In the system of Vedic astrology Yogas are held as the most powerful tools for denoting the various aspects of an individual’s life. However, those yogas relevant for spiritual development is a lesser attended topic. The classical texts on Vedic astrology also treated this aspect of human development with lesser weightage. The current article evaluates the efficacy and relevance of some of these yogas with the case study of the life of renowned 19th century saint, Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa (1836-1886), the great Sa ̅dhaka of Dakshineshwar. His speedy attainment of culminations of different spiritual disciplines prescribed by different religious schools in a single lifetime is a unique phenomenon in the religious history of mankind. Certain astrological yogas that are found in his chart are indicative of performance of such intense asceticism leading to spiritual enlightenment. Such yogas described mainly in Sarvarthachintamani, Jataka Parijata and BPHS are taken into consideration for the present work. A close scrutiny of these yogas in Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa’s birth chart clearly corroborates with the intense asceticism he had undergone and the rich spiritual fulfilment he attained through various disciplines prescribed by different religious scriptures.
Abheek Bardhan. Evaluation of astrological yogas as indicators of spiritual competency: A case study with Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. Int J Sanskrit Res 2020;6(5):241-249.