Posted on: 24 May 2021
[Ms. Thrylokya asked: Pādanamaskāraṃ Swāmi, You said that Jyotiṣa Śāstra (Astrology) goes along with Vedanta Śāstra which is about God. But a saint like Vivekananda condemned the following of Astrology. Hence, the current followers of Vivekananda also don't give much importance to it. Please enlighten us why Vivekananda had to condemn Jyotiṣa Śāstra. -At Your Divine Lotus Feet, Thrylokya]
Swāmi Replied:- Definitely Astrology of planets is lower subject and spiritual knowledge of God is higher and highest subject. You can condemn Astrology if undue importance is given to it more than God. Planets are subordinates to the supreme most authority, God. When there is a conflict between God and planets, Astrology shall be condemned before the authority of God. But, total rejection of astrology is also not correct because planets are carrying on the constitution written by God only. Even God follows His own constitution. The ministry of power (electricity) will not scold the electrician for preparing bill for the expenditure of electricity of the house of the minister. The electrician will give the bill even to the minister and minister will not find fault with the electrician for that. The minister will find fault if the electrician does not give the electricity bill for his house. Therefore, even though God is superior to planets, planets also give the bill to God and God obliges to pay that bill to the planets. As per the duty of the administration, planets can become superior to God whereas as per actual authority and power, God is always superior to planets. If God goes out of way, planets can’t question Him. But, if planets go out of way, God can question them. The truth is that God will never go out of way and does not give a chance to planets to find fault with God even in their minds. Both God and planets are congenial and fully co-operative to each other so that never a contradiction will arise between God and planets. Swami Vivekananda might have condemned Astrology before spiritual philosophy in the angle that God is always the superior boss and planets are always the strict secretaries executing the constitution framed by God. We shall not misunderstand this point confining to a particular angle taken by Swami Vivekananda.