Authors names beginning with A

Contents of Book 1: Slokas 1 - 2718 of Achyuta. 267 pages.

Contents of Book 2: Slokas 2719 - 3407 of Achyuta, along with Slokas 1 - 1997 of Venkatesa. 294 pages.

Contents of Book 3: Slokas 1998 - 4775 of Venkatesa. 323 pages. Tables of contents in all three books give page headings (over 800 in all) which is too many to quote here.

Comment: From Santhanam's preface to Book 3: As the discerning reader understands, the work covers two areas of delineation. A particular space of rising degree called Nadiamsa is used to depict a series of events to occur in the native's life , one of the subtle techniques of handling a horoscope. On the other hand, countless general principles are enumerated on the lines done by popular series of text-books like Parasara Hora, Phala Deepika, Saravali, Jataka Parijata and Sarvatha Chintamani dealing with natal horoscopy including dasa effects, transits & the like. In some cases, general principles that do not consider Nadiamsa technique are incorporated in the Nadiamsa reading. To avoid confusion to the reader, these have been separated by me in the translation, as far as possible. Further, these have been more clearly sorted out in the index given at the end of [volume 3]. The index [in volume 3] now embraces all three parts.

As the reader knows, each sign has 150 Nadiamsas and the 12 signs have a total of 1800 Nadiamsas. It is not humanly possible to bring out a work dealing with all the 1800 Nadiamsas. To the extent possible, the authors Achyuta & Venkatesa gathered a large amount of information on this most subtle division. An intelligent reader can multiply the use of a Nadiamsa four-fold keeping in mind the three classifications of the 12 zodiacal signs into movable, fixed & common signs....

The text excels in merits in tactfully combining the usage of Vimsottari dasa & Kala Chakra dasa. So also in applying transits with reference to signs caused by certain Navamsa positions. Many such rare techniques are available in this wonderful work. One who uses such techniques frequently will be able to issue successful predictions. (from Book 3, page xv.)

With original Sanskrit slokas throughout.
Sagar Publications, hardcovers with dust jackets. Sold only as a set.

General: Predictive principles; Judging a horoscope; Yogas; Longevity: Marakas: Death; Marriage & married life; Children; Sex & astrology; Female horoscopes; Medical astrology & important combinations; Profession; Karakas; D-charts, Shodasvargas; Dasa judgment; Transits; Foreign travels; Matching of horoscopes: Manglik;

Miscellany: Retrogression, ruju, combustion, vargottama, critical degrees, indu lagna, rasmiballa, kulanasanamsa, planetary war, parallel, atmakaraka, avastha of planets;

Muhurta; Calendars; Horary astrology; Charts for easy reference; Index.

Comment: From the Preface: ....The credit of pushing this book through print goes to certain friends, who, immensely liked my diaries, in which I had preserved the hard earned fruits of my long, arduous, painful and very frustrating journey in the pursuit of astrology. Their incessant insistence to put these into print became such a pestering that I could not escape. I am not much of a fighter either, so I gave in.

The format of the book bears testimony to the fact that I have shirked writing & resorted to compiling instead. I have strived to offer the bare technical data, the tenets and the working rules - but devoid of any trimmings and frills of a writer. Earnestly, all that I can say is that the material provided between the covers of this book is time tested and should hold fast in over 70 percent of cases, a highly commendable success rate for any field of scientific discipline....

Books on astrology, in fact, cannot teach you how to make a prediction in as much as books on the art of playing cricket cannot teach you how to score. The secret, if it is one, lies in being out there. Be it an astrologer, a surgeon, a cook or a cricketer - never to let go of the proper technique, persevere, and, miraculously, that touch comes, a certain sense develops. (From page vii.)

Sagar, 399 pages, oversize paper.

Appendices: Many tables: Tables of Varga charts, Astrological charts for easy reference (keywords in chart form); Chart showing desi months (Vikram & Saka) as per position of Sun, also Lagna time in each sign for Chandigarh; Ayanamsha factor for any day in the year; Conversion of geographic to geocentric latitude; Horary astrology in Krishnamurti padhdhati; Table for correction in increase of the time interval while calculating sidereal time; Correction for different localities (for India, London, New York); Signs & nakshatras & their lords;

Degreewise aspects, their orbs & nature; Krishnamurti lords & sublords, 1-249; Hindu time measure; Strength of planets; Planetary revolutions; Angular distances; Compatibility of planets (Hindu & western); Friends & enemies in the signs; Nakshatras & their English equivalents; Conversion of clock time into Sidereal; Table of planetary hours (Hora periods); Fateful degrees of the moon; Mrityu Bhaga for planets & the lagna in different signs; Number of revolutions of planets in a Mahayuga compared; Mean time of one sidereal revolution of the planets; Speculum of aspects of planets (Indian system); Upagraha; Making Ashtakavarga charts - an easy way; Table of dignities & debilities of planets; Chandra-kriyas, Chandra-avasthas, Chandra-velas; Samvatsara.

Comment: The authors are the chair (Duggal) & vice chairs of the Indian Council of Astrological Sciences (Regd), Chandigarh chapter. This book replaces the earlier Dictionary of Astrology, by the same authors. The new book has 134 more pages than the old. An excellent, all-round reference book just got a lot better.

Sagar, 472 pages.