As long as we have any connection with this material world, astrology is very helpful. I use astrology every day in my work with students, and also to see the best timing for my activities. Sastra confirms:
jyotiṣām ayanaṁ sākṣād
yat taj jñānam atīndriyam
praṇītaṁ bhavatā yena
pumān veda parāvaram
"O great saintly person, you have compiled the astrological knowledge by which one can understand past and present unseen things. By the strength of this knowledge, any human being can understand what he has done in his past life and how it affects his present life. This is known to you." [Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.8.5]
PURPORT
The word “destiny” is now defined. Unintelligent persons who do not understand the meaning of life are just like animals. Animals do not know the past, present and future of life, nor are they able to understand it. But a human being can understand this, if he is sober. Therefore, as stated in Bhagavad-gītā 2.13, dhīras tatra na muhyati: a sober person is not bewildered. The simple truth is that although life is eternal, in this material world one changes from one body to another. Foolish people, especially in this age, do not understand this simple truth. Kṛṣṇa says:
dehino ’smin yathā dehe
kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā
tathā dehāntara-prāptir
dhīras tatra na muhyati
“As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.” (Bg. 2.13)
Kṛṣṇa, the greatest authority, says that the body will change. And as soon as the body changes, one’s whole program of work changes also. Today I am a human being or a great personality, but with a little deviation from nature’s law, I shall have to accept a different type of body. Today I am a human being, but tomorrow I may become a dog, and then whatever activities I have performed in this life will be a failure. This simple truth is now rarely understood, but one who is a dhīra can understand this. Those in this material world for material enjoyment should know that because their present position will cease to exist, they must be careful in how they act. This is also stated by Ṛṣabhadeva. Na sādhu manye yata ātmano ’yam asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ (Bhāg. 5.5.4). Although this body is temporary, as long as we have to live in this body we must suffer. Whether one has a short life or a long life, one must suffer the threefold miseries of material life. Therefore any gentleman, dhīra, must be interested in jyotiṣa, astrology.
Someone may criticize, "Why does Baba teach Vedic Astrology when no Gaudiya Acarya before him did, even Bhaktisiddhanta who was an expert in the field? Astrology is material knowledge and so the pure devotee should have no interest in it." But Srila Prabhupada writes,
"Although this body is temporary, as long as we have to live in this body we must suffer. Whether one has a short life or a long life, one must suffer the threefold miseries of material life. Therefore any gentleman, dhīra, must be interested in jyotiṣa, astrology. Nanda Mahārāja was trying to take advantage of the opportunity afforded by Gargamuni’s presence, for Gargamuni was a great authority in this knowledge of astrology, by which one can see the unseen events of past, present and future. It is the duty of a father to understand the astrological position of his children and do what is needed for their happiness. Now, taking advantage of the opportunity afforded by the presence of Gargamuni, Nanda Mahārāja suggested that Gargamuni prepare a horoscope for Nanda’s two sons, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma." [Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.8.6 Purport]
Because our preaching field is mainly on the Internet we have to help many people who we will never have the opportunity to meet personally. They ask personal questions like, "Should I get married?" "What should I do to make a living?" and "When is the best time to renounce material activities for spiritual life?" Questions like this are the natural province of astrology.
Spiritual life is both theoretical and practical. Of course the best thing is always to give up all material activity and just serve Krsna and teach Krsna consciousness; but practically speaking, not everyone is ready for the highest platform of life. Vedic knowledge includes all areas of human endeavor, so our daily practical work can be in alignment with God's purpose and lead to ultimate liberation from material existsnce. Jyotish can help us make decisions that would be difficult by material knowledge alone; what to speak of estimating the impact of a particular course of action or its consequences on our spiritual life. But with a little knowledge of astrology we can see all this clearly.
Looking back, I certainly wish that my early decisions in life had been guided by Vedic Astrology. Even the little knowledge I have now would have made an immense improvement in the quality of my life. So I offer knowledge of astrology as a means of helping people answer all these questions for themselves. Certainly if Jyotish or Vedic Astrology is good enough for Gargamuni, Nanda Maharaja, Maitreya and Parasara Munis, it is good for us as well.
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