Contents of Book 2: The remainder of chapter 4, plus chapters 5 - 16, slokas 426 - 1845. Pages 377 - 835 (458 pages).

Comment: There are no tables of contents, nor chapter headings, nor indexes in these books. In the first volume, there is a page heading over the left-hand pages, in the second volume, there is a page heading over the right hand pages. So I am left with the publisher's own blurb, which reads (in part):

Astrological principles dealt with in this book provide the most reliable information on marriage, nuptials, delivery, yogas, interpretation of dasas, analysis of bhavas, generally scattered here & there in other volumes are brought together in a simple, yet appealing style both by the original author Venkatesha & the translator, Prof. Suryanarain Rao.... This translation covers the entire portion of the predictive section of Sarwarthachintamani.

Prof. Rao lived from 1856 to 1937. According to notes by B.V. Raman, he completed Part I in 1899, with Parts II & III following in 1920. The division of the existing books into the various "parts" is not evident to me. Raman's comment, in his foreword, that "Parts II & III remained out of print" would lead one to expect there is more, but Rao's remarks, both in the introduction, and at the very end of the second volume, clearly state that all the slokas of interest to him were translated & are here published. Original Sanskrit slokas are not given, only translations of them, with Rao's copious notes. There are chart examples, but not many. Rao's comments are quite literate, showing an excellent grasp of the English language.

Motilal Banarsidas, hardcovers with dust jackets.

11. Other kinds of yogas; 12. Puberty & menses; 13. Results to be predicted from the direction of the questioner; 14. Results of planetary positions at the time of first menses; 15. Special rules.

Appendix 1: Essentials to understand my works; Appendix 2: A short sketch of the life of B. Suryanarain Rao.

Comment: Rao compiled his book from various classical sources, some of which he names. In the Indian culture, women are held to be the source of life & therefore command an elevated position. As they are life-givers, their comfort & sexuality is held of paramount importance. Central to the sexual part is the initial onset of menstruation. This moment constitutes a chart second in importance only to the natal. To a great extent it determines the woman's adult life. As presented, this is a male view of female mysteries, but can & perhaps should be recast with women's empowerment in mind. As the book stands, it is an illuminating work.

UBSPD, 125 pages.

Contents:

Preface
Introduction

Royal Horoscopes: Sree Rama; Harischandra; Ravana; Sri Krishna; Sudraka Maharaja; Adi Senkaracharya; Mahomed; Hyder Ali, Sultan of Mysore; Tippu, Sultan of Mysore; Peshwa Baji Row of Poona; Saraboji, Maharaja of Tanjore; Krishna Raja Wodeyar III, Maharaja of Mysore; Queen Victoria; Rama Varma, Maharaja of Travancore

Edward VIII, King of England; Francis Joseph, Emperor of Austria; Mutsu Hitto Micado, Emperor of Japan; Carman Sylva, Queen of Romania; The Raja of Coorg; Queen Alexandra, wife of Edward VII; Nrisimha Bharati Swami, Jagdad Guru of Sringeri; ;King George V of England

Kaiser Wilhelm, Emperor of Germany; Mahaboob Khan, Nizam of Hyderabad; Chamaraja Wodeyar, Maharaja of Mysore; Maharaja of Travancore; King of Denmark; Nicholas II, Czar of Russia; Queen Mary, wife of George V; Victor Emanuel, King of Italy; King Haakon of Norway; King of Sweden

Edward, Prince of Wales; Maharani, Regent of Mysore; King George of Greece; Alphonso XIII, King of Spain; Krishna Wodeyar IV, Maharaja of Mysore; King of Portugal; Queen Wilhelmina of Holland; Maharani of Indore; Chandrasekara Bharati, Jagdad Guru of Sringeri; Maharaja of Benarese

Sivaganga Swami; Sriranga Devarayalu, Raja of Anagondi; Raja of Pedda Kimidi; Raja of Pittapur; Eliya Raja of Travancore; Raja Pratep Singh of Pratapaghar; Mir Ghulam Ali Khan, Nawab of Banganpalli; Maharaja of Dharbhanga, Lord Cuzon, Viceroy of India; Jaya Chamaraja Wodeyar, son of Yuvaraja of Mysore; B. Suryanarain Row, the author

Concluding remarks; Horoscope for the time this work was completed

[Appendix:] Prophet Mahamud; Jesus Christ; Sri Thyagaraja; Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa; Sri Gautam Buddha; Alexander the Great; Rabindranath Tagore; Bangalore Suryanarain Rao; Subhash Chandra Bose

Prayer to God

Comment: This book was originally published in 1921 & looks to be a comprehensive survey of the world's royal houses as of that date, with particular emphasis on Indian royalty. Of note, the author's own horoscope is given twice, once on pgs. 90-92, where he is known as B. Suryanarain Row & the planets are given in their English names, and again on pgs 109-110, where his name is given as Bangalore Suryanarain Rao, and where the same chart is printed, using Hindi names for the planets.

On pgs. 101-103 is the horoscope of Jesus Christ, for December 25, 7 BC, data as found in the 1937 American Journal of Astrology, as supplied by Cyril Fagan. As this was the same year in which B.S. Rao died, we may assign the 1937 edition - of which this is a copy - to the work of his son, B.S. Chandran. Chandran is presumably B.V. Raman's father or uncle. Does anybody know?

The Astrological Office, 118 pages. First printed 1921, this copy from the mid 1980's.

Comment: When marriages are arranged between families (eg, by the parents), when the bride & groom involved trust daddy's judgment more than their own feelings, when divorce can degenerate into multi-family warfare, the matching of wedding horoscopes by a competent astrologer assumes paramount importance. The Indian system of arranged marriages is fabulous when it works, an unimaginable disaster when it doesn't. This is an excellent book, with all the many details needed to make sound judgment, including chapters on avoiding the dowry trap (not unknown with western marriages, just with a different name) and premature widowhood. The most fascinating to me is how one chart can be used to "correct" or balance unfavorable factors in the other, thus resulting in better marital relationships.

Of course whatever is said about matching charts for marriage applies equally to finding a life companion of any sort. This is excellent synastry.

Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 186 pages.

7. Health & disease (Diagnosis of disease & surgery, Asthma & consumption, detecting heart problems, The scourge of AIDS, What causes mental sickness?); 8. Marriage (Marriage timing, Happy & unhappy marriages, Blighting factors in marriages, The tragedy of divorce, Is matching of charts necessary?); 9. Locating foreign travel; 10. Careers (Mars & working women, Medical profession, Lawyers & judges, Art & artists).

Comment: A series of essays, with astrological commentary.

UBSPD, 273 pages.

Contents:

Preface

Section 1: Individual horoscopy:
1. Hamsa-gajakesari yogas & lasting reputation
2. Tenth house Saturn & blazing renunciation
3. Ramana Maharishi's death esperience - astrologically analyzed
4. Saddam Hussein - a study in paisacha yoga
5. Eclipses in astrology
6. Treating eclipses as transits - I
7. Treating eclipses as transits - II
8. The astrological dissection of a sniper killer
9. The yamaganda - yamakantaka conundrum
10. Rasi or bhava?
11. Rasi & bhava, not rasi or bhava
12. Moon & human psychology & behavior
13. Sri Jayendra Saraswati's sanyasa yogas
14. Astrological saga of a saint
15. Schizophrenic tendencies & lunar node - I
16. Schizophrenic tendencies & lunar node - II

Section II: Meteorology & seismology:
17. Sun & agricultural activity
18. Solar movements & mundane events
19. Varahamihira's law of sunspot activity & events on earth
20. Planets & summer crops
21. Tsunami prediction - an astrological model - I
22. Tsunami prediction - an astrological model - II

Section III: Political predictions:
23. Lagna lord's bhukti & return to power
24. Longevity of the NDA government & muhurta principles
25. Muhurta factors & Narendra Modi's chief ministership
26. Planets & dynamic ambitions
27. Martian movements & Jehad against America

Comment:

The book is a collection of essays. The author says that some of them were collected from The Astrological Magazine (founded by B.V. Raman), it is probable that all of them are.

There is a brief, effective, summation at the start of each article. Examples: Chapter 2: Tenth House Saturn: 1. Saturn in the 10th raises one to great heights. 2. Saturn in the 10th makes for blazing spirituality. 3. Saturn in the 10th brings about abysmal fall in materialistic careers. The second chapter concerns the prearranged death of Swami Vivekananda, in 1902. Chapter 10, Rasi or Bhava, has this introductory summation: 1. Rasi & bhava charts are quite different in concept. 2. Bhava positions can differ from rasi positions. 3. A planet shifting in bhava chart retains the characteristics of its sign of occupation. I wish more books were summed up like this, it makes it easier to find what you're looking for.

Inside the front & back covers, there are these notes:

The Art of Prediction in Astrology is a simple guide to the techniques of interpretation of the horoscope. This book teaches how to apply & interpret some important planetary combinations & dicta found in classical works to practical cases. This shows further how to analyze & understand:

Yogas for fame & lasting reputation, renunciation, spiritual realization, tyranny & homicidal tendencies.

Difficult concepts such as the difference between rasi & bhave, Yamaganda & Yamakantaka, the Moon's role in understanding human psychology & behavior & the nexus between Rahu-Ketu & schizophrenic tendencies.

Eclipses & how they influence the timing of events.

Solar activity & planetary movements in relation to weather, agricultural crops & tsunamis.

Principles of muhurta & natal horoscopy in making forecasts on the fall & continuance of governments & how Martian movements can trigger terrorist attacks such as that of September 11, 2001.
Simplifies the intricate art of chart delineation with illustrations of important personalities.

Motilal Banarsidass, 267 pages.

Contents:

Introduction

1. The Badhaka as a supplementary tool
2. Kendradhipati dosha - a selective affirmation
3. A critical examination of dustanaas
4. Enemies from the sixth house
5. The eighth house & calamities
6. Miscellaneous matters from dustahas
7. Good & bad results from dusthanas
8. Understanding Rahu & Ketu
9. Planets & palliatives
10. Notes on Gulika & Mandi
11. More notes on Gulika & Mandi
12. Combining different dasa systems - right or wrong? 13. The fallacy of combining different dasa systems
14. Muhurtha, prasna & political predictions
15. Planets & underground water sources
16. Judging Ayurdaya - some broad guidelines
17. Judging Ayurdaya - more guidelines
18. Ayurdaya & crucial decisions

Comment:

There is always something new to learn about Vedic astrology. Badhaka is defined as,

In the case of moveable, immoveable & dual signs, planets occupying respectively the 11th, 9th or 7th from them or their lords will prove exceedingly troublesome if they happen to own at the same time the houses occupied by the lord of Khara or Mandi. (pg. 3)

Vasudev declares Mandi to be commonly known. (Not to me.) Kahara is defined as, the 22nd drekanna from the ascendant. Its ruler is the Kharesha (pg. 4).

The book occasionally quotes ancient texts in Hindu or Sanskrit, I regret it is not specified which. Sometimes these are translated immediately, but sometimes they are merely commented upon. This is not a serious flaw.

Chapters 12 & 13 deal with using more than one dasha at a time. This technique has been promoted by K.N. Rao, so I was curious what Vasudev would say. In chapter 12, she says that Vimshottari dasa is to be used above all others, as all the others can only be used in limited circumstances. She also says that dasas are very complicated things that we will never really understand anyway. (But trying to understand even one single Dasa in all its completeness and ramifications may take more than a lifetime. Pg. 154) In chapter 13 she makes an example of Yogini dasa, a 36 year cycle. If Yogini says you will be married at 25 years, then what happens in the 25th year of the 2nd Yogini cycle (36 + 25 = 61) (pg. 158) - ? This seems churlish to me.

Overall, a fine book.

UBSPD, 232 pages.

Comment: For the most part, this is western-based horary. There are hardly any Hindu terms in the book. The Vedic astrology in the book is based largely around the Ithasala yoga & its variants (Easarapha, Kamboola, Nakta, Radda, etc.). This book dates from 1979.

UBSPD, 132 pages.

Section 1: Vastu & Its Relevance to Modern Times:

• Relevance of Vastu - Dr. B.V. Raman
• Vastu Vidya - Prof. S.K. Ramachandra Rao
• The Status & Relevance of Vastu in the Contemporary Context - V. Ganapathi Sthapati
• The Concept of Vastu Purusa Mandala - H.A. Savarkar
• The Vastu Purusa - M.S. Thirumalachar
• Vastu for Multi-storyed Residential Buildings - Dr. S.P. Sabharathnam
• Vastu & Modern Engineering - Dr. Bangalore Sureshwara
• Importance of Vastu - Madhura Krishnamurty Sastry
• Vastu for Revival of Sick Industries - B.N. Reddy
• Vastu Sastra: Its Importance - K.V.R. Anjaneyulu
• Vastu & Town Planning - K. Marimuthu
• Relevance of Ancient Vastu Technology to Modern Town Planning - K.V. Raja Rao
• Hospitals & Consulting Chambers - Dr. Bhargava C. Babu
• Vastu: Yesterday & Day Before - Prof. S.A. Deshpande
• General Vastu Guidelines - C.H. Gopinath Rao

Section 2: Vastu & Jyotisa (Astrology):

• Astrological Configurations for Vastu - S.K. Kelkar
• Vastu in Astrology - Dr. T.S. Vasan
• Vastu & Jyotisa - A. Narasima Alse
• Relevance of Muhurta of Vastu Sastra - S. Krishna Kumar
• The Efficacy of Vastu Sastra - Kowtha Lalith Manohar
• Vastu: A Result-Oriented Science - Arvind Pandurang Vaze
• Vastu or the Heavenly Planets in Human Houses - R.G. Rao
• Hindu Geomancy - U.S. Pulippani
• Rectification Through Vastu Principles - K.S. Ananda Kumar
• Vastu & Remedial Measures - K.R. Dasa Setty

Section 3: Vastu & Temple Architecture:

• References to Vastu in the Scriptures - M.V. Janardana
• The Vastu of Temples - V. Bala Naidu
• The Sabda-Dosas in Aarseya Vastu Grantha - Sri Ramakavacham Venkateswara Sarma
• Indian Architecture - Dr. S.R.N. Murthy
• Vastu Principles in the Construction of Theatres - Dr. B.V. Venkatakrishna
• Vastu Sastra& Ancient Temples (with special reference to temples in Karnataka) - M.N. Prabhakar
• Basics of Temple Interiors - Ganapathi Kadirappa
• Some Research Notes on Vastu - Brahma Ganapathi Kadirappa

Comment: These papers were presented at the First All India Symposium on Vastu, Bangalore, June 3-4, 1995. While the papers tend to be short, the variety of topics covered makes this an excellent Vastu reference.

Motilal Banarsidass, 238 pages.

5. The hoax of the scientific temper:

• A. The Narlikar episode, by Vasudev,
• B. Suppressing the truth, by H.J. Eysenck & D.K.B. Nias,
• C. Rejoinders to the Humanist statement (i. Astrology & unscientific prejudices, by B.A. Kumar Babu, ii. About astrology, by Buell D. Huggins),
• D. Rationalist plays to the galleries, by Vasudev; Validity of Astrology, a radio discussion with Dr. Raman, E. Piqued rationalist resorts to lies, by Vasudev,
• F. Some more hypocrisy (i. The space Tamashaas, ii. Weathermen caught napping, iii Another instance of hypocrisy), by Vasudev;

6. The Kovoor story - the denouement, by Y. Kesava Menon; 7. How I was greeted by "Science": strict skepticism, by Michael Gauquelin; 8. Planets & personality, by Michael Gauquelin; 9. Astrology, Science & Scientists, by B.A. Kumar Babu; 10. Astrology & our space program, by Vasudev; 11. How I was convinced about astrology, by the late Dr. A.S. Bhise; 12. Sri Aurobindo on astrology, edited by K. Channabasappa; 13. Outwitting the stars, by Paramahamsa Yogananda; 14. Written in the stars, by Paul Brunton; 15. Astrology verified, from the Encyclopaedia of Tales; 16. Astrology, its origins; 17. Indian astrology, by Sepharial.

Appendices: 1. Carl Jung's letter to B.V. Raman; 2. The stars & me, by Woodrow Wyatt; 3. Who doesn't consult astrologers, by Stephen Pile; 4. Brighu Nadi readings of Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi's horoscope.

Comment: A fine book of essays. It is marred in places by a shrill tone & consistently drops us into the middle of ongoing arguments, such as the one over the famous Humanist manifesto of 1975. Includes unmentioned sidebars & cartoons.

Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 348 pages.

Section 2: 1. The bathroom; 2. Master bedroom; 3. Children's (study) rooms; 4. Guest rooms; 5. Kitchen; 6. Dining room; 7. Living room; 8. Prayer room (shrine); 9. Store rooms; 10. Toilets; 11. Rooms in general; 12. A note on Agni (fire element); 13. Garages; 14. Basements & cellars; 15. Staircases; 16. Levels of floor; 17. Verandah; 18. Fencing or compound gates

Section 3: 1. Generally speaking; 2. Apartments & multistoried buildings; 3. On landscaping

Section 4: Your questions answered.

Section 5: Some plans. Index.

Comment: Vastu is the Vedic version of the Chinese Feng-shui, and, like most things Vedic, is highly detailed. The author is the son of B.V. Raman. His book is excellent.

UBSPD, 176 pages.