Astrology slain at the feet of MR
Charitha P. de Silva, in his article -- headlined "MR's Major Mistakes" — in the Sunday Times on 18 January 2015, stated that it is absurd to make decisions based on astrology and the use of astrology is unfit for the modern era. In that, I beg to differ; and wish to clarify, as for the readers it looks as if "superstition" is the guiding principle of astrology but in actual fact it is mathematics and logic.
Astrology is an eternal science and the past, present and future are all holistically contained within its branch of study. Astrology is a time tested science based on the precise movements of the planets and this is also not very far away from the modern physicist's notion of time. The universe is intertwined and there is a unified web of inter-connections. Nonetheless, like wise men, we should also consider Shakespeare's advice: "The fault, Dear Brutus, is not in our stars that we are underlings, but in ourselves!" Most of the times this is the exact nature of the beast; but, to those gifted in the insights of the study of Astrology, the latter is able to unravel the course of human destiny with precision, and more so with greater probability to determine how such transits, and changes in the firmament mar fortunes or impel greater prosperity.
Ninety-nine uncles
During the pre-historic era, the conception of emperor Ravenna was intentionally delayed by nine years to coincide with a rare planetary combination. Also, King Pandukabhaya was destined to kill his 99 uncles, so his grandfather king tried to keep Pandukabhaya's mother in an isolated palace ( ek tam ge) to avoid a mortal conception; yet those efforts failed. Astrologers were right as she conceived and gave birth to a son who became the much feared and revered King Pandukabhaya and killed 99 uncles. In the ancient world, the stars also foretold the advent of Christ to Magi; to that disturbing extent, King Herod ordered the slaughter of all new born and children in Bethlehem under the age of two as he feared the arrival of a King of kings as foretold; similarly, King Suddodana, it was predicted that his beloved son Prince Siddhartha would become a "Buddha" and not an emperor as he wished. In the pre ancient and ancient world, astrology was pivotal; in the modern world, it's discombobulating not to comprehend it!
Experienced astrologers analyse the transits of the planets and their various configurations, intersections and sights ( drustis) of such combinations, and, then set out to interpret and foretell world events, unlocking a nation's destiny and uncovering the supremacy and the duration of a king's reign of power. The inexorable and steady movements of the planets either mitigate the circumstances of individuals or enhance their quality of life and good fortune. This process is delved into by drawing up of 16 astrological charts; and more importantly, with the astrologer's strong academic inclinations, unbiased objectivity, years of research and experience accompanied by razor sharp insight and rationality together with uncanny intuition, which in the bigger scheme of things is such a rare event in itself, he then proceeds to unlock the portals to the future.
July 2015 deadline
In Sri Lanka, Royal Astrologers always played a significant role in the modern polity like they did in the ancient courts of the kingdom. From the standpoint of astrology, it may be correct to assume that the Royal Astrologers projected that Mahinda Rajapaksa (MR.) being a Virgo (Kanya) will not win an election after July 2015. As post July 2015 the planetary configurations do not support an accrual of executive power or high office up to mid-2017, consequent to Jupiter being debilitated in the 12th and 1st houses of MR's horoscope. So, his coterie of astrologers advised him to hold elections prior to July 2015. Hence, MR had two troubling aspects given his planetary configuration: (1) if he holds elections after July 2015 he would lose the polls; and (2) as per the constitution his term in office as president ends prior to mid-2017; so the election was held.
In the commercial world, usually, business failure occurs, if the management fails to identify its competition, from whence it is arising and where the real gravitas is, and so it's the same with astrology; when it comes to predicting an election outcome in a competitive situation, the competition needs to be carefully ascertained through astrology and assessed accordingly.
In astrology the peoples' collective consciousness and psyche are reflected by the Moon and placing it in the correct house of the horoscope of the candidate for that "big" day will help boost the probability of gaining victory therefrom at an election.
A horoscope has 12 houses and each house represents a sign and in charting a Presidential poll, the ideal houses where Moon should position itself for supremacy to occur is either in the order of the 10th house (i.e.; profession /vocation/ employment), or 11th house (i.e.; luck/gains) or 9th house (i.e.; Karmic effects/God's gifts), and it should also simultaneously be in Sign of Taurus, and, if that is not possible, then it should be in Sign of Cancer.
MR being a Virgo, the date for holding the election could have been held either on January 2 or 3, where Moon fell in his 9th house (Taurus) or, January 7 or 8 where Moon fell into his 11th house (Cancer). As MR is Virgo 10th house is neither Taurus nor Cancer.
Sirisena the secret candidate
This time it failed but suffice it is to say, that the Royal Astrologers were successful in 2010, when General Sarath Fonseka (SF) emerged as chief opposition candidate for Presidency, astrologers had ample time to figure out a doom's day for SF since the candidate was announced in advance. Both being Libra, President Maithripala Sirisena (MS) won in 2015 but SF failed to beat MR, on the strategically crafted day which was January 26th of 2010 in accordance with dire consequences of astrology where MR had moon in the 9th house and in sign of Taurus which is the 3rd best combination in a horoscope to win an election, and SF had moon in the 8th house on the 26th of January 2010, which signified defeat/nogain/death of the event or activity.
Unlike in 2010, in 2015, unfortunately for the Royal Astrologers circumstances were mired and made opaque by the farsightedness of the opposition, especially as disclosed by former President Chandrika Kumaratunga prior to the presidential election. Here the strategy by opposition was to mislead MR, first, they put up a smokescreen, and with sleight of hand, gave him a false hope that, perhaps, either Ranil Wickremesinghe, Ven. Sobitha Thera, Karu Jayasuriya or even, the famous cricketer Ajuna Ranatunga were to be fielded as candidate for the Presidency while MS' name was under strict wraps. Compared with all their (sans MS') horoscopes, MR's horoscope was decisively stronger.
As MR's astrologers were completely unaware of the real competitor, MS who emerged out of the blue, they were misled to set a date favorable to MR under those circumstances compared with those of his rivals' horoscopes which were behind MR's. That was why MR made bold statements such as "shadow boxing" but, in hindsight, he actually fired blank bullets.
However, when MS was fielded as the common opposition candidate for the Presidential race, being a Libra, he was lucky to enjoy the best positioning of the Moon, where on the Election Day, he benefited from both combinations, of the Moon being in 10th house and 10th house, coincidentally, happening to be sign Taurus.
With astrology we need not wait till an event transpires, given the rivalry on Election Day between MR and MS, the stars favoured MS with mathematical certainty. In a business sense, so to speak, this is a corollary to a financial statement analysis; analysing two sets of financial statements to assess which company is better to invest.
Mr. de Silva stated in his article that it was extraordinary that MR never saw the stated faults, it is correct, we all will not see, however sharp, best skilled and wise we are, the day when our karmic effect starts boomeranging on us. All those jargons like cognitive, intuition, emotional intelligence goes for a six and we fall. From November 3, 2014 MR started to undergo what is called Chandra Aeashtama erashtaka (from where his moon was at birth and eight house from it, happens to be transit Saturn) where the karmic sins will come and play a role and negate the good effects. Notwithstanding this, because of the employment of astrology, MR also gained from this carefully selected date calculated by the Royal Astrologers; otherwise, his margin of loss in the presidential election would have been much greater to the detriment of his future political career.
Flattering the king
Mr. de Silva also amplifies on a host of failed marriages despite matching porondam from astrologers, it is like, when you have a good current ratio you should not be in a rush to say that the liquidity position is strong, prior to looking at the quick ratio; similarly all matching porondams go haywire when Rahu or Mars sits on one's 7th house (marriage, inter relation house), i.e. if the astrologer misses this like a financial analyst misreading the heart and substance of financial liquidity represented by the current (say porondam) and quick ratios (say Rahu or Mars).
It is incomprehensible to believe that these famous three Royal Astrologers — Sumanadasa, Rathuvithana and Chandrasiri Bandara — overlooked the glaring facets and intricacies of astrology principles stated above; perhaps they preferred to flatter the King to avoid his wrath thereby slaying astrology at the feet of its master.
Contrary to what Mr. de Silva has stated, the writer believes that starting major projects of a country or miles stones in one's life requires auspicious times and starting a project using an auspicious time will not reflect backwardness or forwardness of a country. I am sure that in corporate management you may have experienced certain days' wild golf shots gives birdies, but on other days however hard you try, it does not payoff with a birdie. So with auspicious times we are in search of that mathematical chance.
I salute Mr. de Silva as he has acknowledged that it is no fault of astrology but rather the astrologer, which a commendable statement. Besides, I hope that Mr. C P de Silva no doubt a well-respected business leader and others would gain an insight into this arcane yet fathomable world of astrology which tends to opens the portals of this hitherto unknown future!
This article is purely written to uphold the unfaltering art of this ancient science constructed by the wise rishis of old. The world is too interconnected for us to accept the branches of mathematics and astronomy, and then ignore another valid branch of human science, which is based on both of these disciplines.
(The writer is an ex-Ernst & Young auditor in SL and abroad, and was also the first CEO of 41,000 staff at CTB on a national service basis and currently is doing his post graduate studies in Business Risk management while employed as Head of Group Risk Management in a conglomerate. He is an academically qualified astrologer and Jothir widyapathi recipient. )