02/23/98 - 1637

The Coming World War

USA (VNN) - by Dharmapada Dasa

During Shrila Prabhupada’s bodily tenure as Acharya of our movement, a few comments were made about the coming world war. But it seems that no specific instructions were given beyond the general idea that we should develop farm communities and be able to take shelter in them when the time comes. It’s academic that neither His Divine Grace nor any of the managers who followed wanted to throw the devotees into a panic such that they would prematurely abandon the preaching. But the current situation in the Persian Gulf has reflected certain astronomical correspondences such that it is probably time to start some kind of dialogue on the mater.

Actually, I do not claim to be expert in the type of astrology which deals with politics and the destinies of countries. I practice natal astrology, the charts of people, and I engage in the astrology of questions, erecting charts for the moment a specific question is asked. They are similar, but mundane ( political ) astrology involves different techniques and considerations.

There are a few things, however, which I can point out. In addition, I would like to perform yeoman service for the readers by calling the their attention to the September '92 issue of The Astrological Magazine, printed by Raman associates in Bangalore. Specifically, the editor’s daughter, Gayatri Devi Raman Vasudev, has nicely pointed out in her article “ Planets and the Next World War “ which astronomical-cum-astrological events are shaping and will continue to shape the next confrontation. Without engaging in a litany of astronomical movements which have brought us up to the present moment, it suffices to say that she largely attributed the Persian Gulf War and events in Bosnia to the Rahu - Saturn conjunction in Vedic Capricorn in January of 1991.

I’ll mention that the entrance of Saturn into Vedic Aries, which will occur in April of this year, is very significant. For one thing, it is significant because Saturn is one of the major planets and his transit is long term. The transits of Saturn usually last two and a half years. His transit sets the stage for events whose occurrence can later be triggered by planets which more rapidly pass through certain signs and asterisms. ( By the way, Jupiter is the other major long-term planet; the transits of Jupiter last about 14 months in a given sign ). The fact that Saturn is moving into Aries is also important because Aries is a fiery, warlike sign. So it seems that Western involvement in the Persian Gulf will occur or intensify during April.

In October of this year, Mars and Rahu, two violent and vicious planets, will aspect Jupiter, the other major indicator.

Something which will further aggravate the stay of Saturn in Aries is the fact that, all through 1999 until mid August, Mars will be in Libra aspecting, in other words, throwing his violent influence on, Saturn in Aries. By the end of May, 1999, Jupiter enters Aries where the other major indicator, Saturn, will already be.

Gayatri Devi calls attention to the 28th of May, 2000 ( a year later ), when an exact conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn will occur, still in Aries, but now in the asterism ( nakshatra ) of Krittika. She quotes Brihat Samhita, chapter 10, text 19: “ ...there will be dreadful unrest and violence among the subjects; when these two planets occupy one and the same constellation, the capital will be stormed.” It seems that this date will mark the high point of the coming world war.

Although not far off, that doesn’t mean that the next world war will not be greatly destructive. We should know that a modern war would not have to build up gradually as did, say, WWII. Given the nature of modern weapons and their delivery systems, a “ come-as-you-are “ war could quickly escalate with enough destructive power to destroy modern civilization, a nuclear fall of Rome. We may need ox power sooner than we imagine.

To support her assertions and lend credence to the fact that the coming Saturn - Jupiter conjunction will not be run of the mill ( they occur every twenty years or so ), Gayatri Devi calls our attention to a “ rare astronomical phenomenon. “ “ When Saturn, Mars or a comet cuts the wain of Rohini, what shall I say, alas! For the whole world will perish, being plunged in the ocean of misery “ ( Brihat Samhita ). It is rare for Saturn to swing so wide in his journey through the zodiac. Even so, one or other of these do cross Rohini in 1997, 1998 and in 1999. So unusual is such a crossing that amateur astronomical magazines recently advised their readerships to observe it and take pictures!

Finally, Gayatri points out two eclipses which will occur in a 13-day fortnight: one on July 28, 1999, and the other on August 11th, a few days later. Apparently, two eclipses during a shortened fortnight is an evil omen, so much so that Vyasadev comments to Dhritarashtra about this same phenomenon because it occurred before the Kurukshetra war. Gayatri quotes Shrila Vyasadev as saying that a short fortnight pair of eclipses is: “ unusual and indicative of great slaughter.”

So one point is that it is not only a matter of an evil conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in Aries which is coming up, but it is Saturn and Jupiter in Aries preceded by unusual evil eclipses and a passage of a comet and Saturn crossing the star Rohini. And another point is that it is high time we started discussing the coming war and developing ideas on how to cope with it. It’s not my purpose to specifically comment on that, just to get the ball rolling ahead of time. And thanks to a little bit of astrology, I think I have done that.

I thank the readers for their indulgence and hope to hear from a few of you soon.

Yours Truly, Dharmapada Dasa