Astrology and palmistry

Interview with an astrologer
Ganga Riverfront, Haridwar

I do the work of an astrologer and a palmist. I also perform religious rituals and recitations. I look at hands and the lines on palms. I used to do upkar to others using palmistry and religious rituals. I used to do this for free, but now I’m taking money to make a living for myself and my family.

From my childhood, I traveled this world. And, after roaming around, what I got for my roaming was hard-knocks. I got hard-knocks to eat. I received all kinds of hardship, suffering, and difficulty. Through this experience, I became a good judge of the character of a person just by looking at his face. In my spirit, strength came. And so I put myself into the form of an astrologer and palmist.

I didn’t read any book, I didn’t read any philosopher. I only read the book of this age [in which we live]. By eating the sufferings this age has given me, I have been able to tell what sort of person someone is, what sort of person someone will become, and what will happen in the future. All of the things I perceive before-hand end up being true. I don’t know from where I get this power, but the person who hears my predictions leaves feeling happy.

Spirits help me, but apart from that, no one helps me. My own nature and my own root belief say to me, “say thus and so to this person who has come to you.” So I say that to the person, fully weighing that person’s spirit, and it comes true. I’m not saying that I’m talking about what’s happening in the present. No, no, I tell considerably ahead of time, and it comes true. I have this means of knowledge.

At least 200-250 people come to me daily. They don’t all come to show me their palms. Some come to make laughter fly, some come to make jokes fly, and some come crying with a sincere desire to seek advice. Some call me guru as they ask me advice. Some call me maharaj ji. Some say, “hey you.” Others address me as a respected ascetic. And still others call me babaji. Every kind of person comes to me, 200-250 people every day. I don’t have to go and grab people and say to them, “come, come, let me read your palm.” They come on their own.

I have done many kinds of pilgrimages, attending many kinds of sathsangs, spending time with sadhus, and with children. I have done all these things and received very great strength and experience as a result. Some people swore at me; some gave me five rupees. So I gladly took the five rupees. And when they gave me vulgar curses, I took those as well and gladly put them in my pocket. I didn’t throw those curses away because they also are useful.

Astrologers are the light from the eyes of bhagvan. Astrologers are the people to whom the great rishis and munis, such as Narad, expounded messages from great gods and goddesses, and sang special devotional songs to them. They gave the astrologers teachings, just as Narad did. In our Hindu religion, Narad is considered the highest sage. To him, very great gods and goddesses give a special place, saying respectfully, “come, Narad Ji.” Those who take their experience from Narad are the ones who are truly named as astrologers.

In the world today, they have fallen far behind. In today’s world, they are not truly astrologers. People have made it a business. In the beginning, this was not a business. Teaching used to be given for free. Knowledge should be given for free, should be told for free. That type of astrology is genuine. If it is made into a business, it cannot be genuine. It becomes a sham. They take a lot of money from you, they grab a lot from you. [They might say], “today is a very auspicious day, so it will take some more rituals for which there will be further charges, etc.” From this kind of dealing the whole thing goes bad.

If you sincerely tell them what they need to know, it will come true. And the name of this type of astrology is “light from the eyes of bhagvan.” Such are the astrologers of our Hindu religion, within the bounds of propriety.

I am a resident of Madhya Pradesh from the district of Sagar. I started this work in Bombay. That’s where I began, because I was destitute. Over there I wasn’t getting any temple or Shivalay. I said to myself, “You tell people things and they come true.” So I wrote it on the sidewalk. I didn’t know how to make this stuff — [astrologer points to designs and illustrations drawn in chalk on the ground beside the astrologer]. I wrote on the sidewalk, “Whoever wants to ask advice about anything, come to me.” So then a line of ladies and gentlemen formed to seek my advice. A crowd formed and I began to tell them things. And they began to give me a rupee or 50 paise, 25 paise, or 10 paise. In those days you could buy a meal for 14 annas [in the old currency of British India, equivalent to about 80 paise] at a roadside eatery. I am completely self-taught. I have never been in school. I am illiterate. When I was born, I was practically blind. Even now, you can find an official record of it. I started life with eyes that were very small, but as I grew, my eyes got bigger.