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Dear Siva,

 

You wrote on vedic astrology :

 

> Hi all:> I am a member of both the emails lists - jyotish-list where Sri.

Since > Sri.K.N. Rao's emails appear only in jyotish-list and Sri. PVR's emails

> appear only in this list, I thought I will re-post Sri. K.N. Rao's mail >

related to this topic for the benefit of members of this forum.

 

If the same privilege can be extended to me, that will be much appreciated.

 

> Btw, who plagiarised the double-transit concept and planetary transits at >

child birth concepts of Sri. K.N. Rao? It is difficult for people like me > to

follow as Sri. K.N. Rao does not name names. The reason I am interested > in

this is that plagiarism is a serious issue that needs to be tackled if > we

want any research in astrology to progress. Please find Sri. K.N. Rao's > mail

below.

 

Plagiarism is a serious issue and allegation. As Sri Rao does not reveal names, one can only guess.

 

Having said that, a very important point needs to be made on the issue of plagiarism.

 

While plagiarism is to be deplored, one should not be too liberal in defining

plagiarism. In all fairness, the "double transit" approach outlined in Sri K.N.

Rao's book cannot be claimed to be his own. I know old astrologers who use

similar approaches and pay a lot of attention to Saturn and Jupiter transits. I

know that my father, who helps people with astrology in my native town

(Machilipatnam, India), uses it.

 

Even Sri Rao acknowledged in his book that he learnt "double transits" from an

"old pandit"! How can he claim exclusive rights over it then? Someone else too

may have learnt it from a source other than Sri Rao's book, experimented with

it and written about it. If paragraphs or examples are lifted, one can call it

plagiarism. But one cannot call it plagiarism simply because an author

considers the _topic_ to be "his own".

 

Saturn-Jupiter double transits are quite well-known, but dicey situations can be

found with some other secretive topics that are rooted in tradition!

 

For example, in my text book on Vedic astrology, I referred to my own researches

based on my very little exposure to Bhrigu transits. I taught how to interpret

the transits in rasi chart from the natal divisional charts and how to

interpret the transits in divisional charts from the natal rasi chart. This was

my original research. However, this has a close link to some secretive

principles known in some circles and I will not be surprised if another author

mentions similar things that he/she learnt from his/her gurus tomorrow. I will

not accuse them of plagiarism if that happens. It is good for the growth of the

subject. Just because I researched on it and wrote about it, I do not get an

exclusive right. It is, after all, rooted in tradition and I do not get an

exclusive right over it.

 

On the other hand, let us take Kashinatha Hora chart. Parasara taught that hora

chart shows wealth (horaayaam sampadaadikam). Many people take a version of the

hora chart that places all planets in either Cancer or Leo. Some people use

"Parivritti Dwaya Hora" (a bicyclical variation) that uses all the twelve

signs, even though it fails to link the sign assignment to Sun and Moon as

Parasara taught. Kashinatha Hora is a variation that was taught in our

tradition (Achyuta parampara of Sri Jagannath Centre). This chart builds upon

Parasara's teaching without disobeying his basic guidance in Sun-Moon

bifurcation and yet uses all the twelve signs. It has been a secret until

recently, and I revealed it for the first time on Aug 31, 2003 at Edison, NJ at

an SJC seminar. I presented many examples of Kashinatha Hora chart and Hora

Narayana dasa and showed that changes in financial situation with time become

extremely clear with them (Narayana dasa is based on chara dasa and it can be

found separately for each divisional chart!).

 

If somebody else uses Kashinatha Hora in future, can I call it plagiarism? IMHO,

that will be childish. The point in revealing it was to further the growth in

correct astrological knowledge. How can I consider that knowledge to be mine? I

got hints from others, did some experimentation and gave the results to people.

There ends my role. If the knowledge I taught is adopted by more people, I will

have served my purpose. At the same time, it will be nice if those who use the

chart acknowledge me and, more importantly, my tradition. But, lack of such

civilized attitude will not make it "plagiarism". After all, even though the

odds are very low, our tradition may not be the only one to have this secret

hora chart!

 

Another example. I was taught "Tithi Pravesha" (lunar return charts - lunar

counterpart of Tajaka varshaphal) by my guru Pt. Sanjay Rath and wrote about it

in a couple of magazines and taught it at a conference. He only taught me annual

and monthly charts, but I did some research and came up with daily charts for

timing the day of important events (using it, I correctly timed the day and the

hour of getting an offer when I went to a job interview and was told that they

would get back to me within two weeks!). I wrote on it for the Astrological

Magazine of India and Jyotish Digest and included a big chapter on it in a book

on Tithi Pravesha co-authored by Pt. Sanjay Rath and me (to be published next

year). Why am I sharing this research with everyone? It is only because I think

it is valuable and that it will contribute to astrology being accepted as a

science oneday! If people start using it, I will be excited. I will not

complain of plagiarism.

 

I emphasize again. It is important to be civilized, to give credit where it is

due and to stay away for plagiarism, but one cannot take an overly liberal

definition of plagiarism. If so, I can claim exclusive rights over the use of

shashtyamsa, use of graha arudhas, use of pranapada lagna, tithi pravesha

(lunar return charts) and so many other topics which I was the first one to

discuss publicly. That, of course, is quite childish.

 

I want to quote something from Sri K.N. Rao himself ("Ups and Downs in Career",

second edition, p.47):

 

"The wise old pandit I have referred to, had changed radically many

interpretations of mine in 1971 and, I have not merely benefited but am

reminded of a great tribute paid by a Dutch Christian missionary to Hindu

Brahmins as men of great learning, possessing infallible ability to predict.

Can we call ourselves worthy of such men if we die with the secrets hidden in

our bosom now, when upstartish sciences and scientists dare describe astrology

and astrologers, as a hoax?"

 

Sri Rao makes a wonderful case for not keeping secrets! I hope he remembers his

own words. It was with the same spirit that I declared yesterday:

 

"Whether you are K.N. Rao or Sanjay Rath or P.V.R. Narasimha Rao, this is not

the time to keep quiet and keep secrets. Nor is it the time to fight amongst us

and be distracted. This is the time to reveal secrets and contribute to the

renaissance, so that a future generation can put all the pieces together and

solve the puzzle! Because, I guarantee you, nobody today has all the pieces!

"Personally, to me, it does not matter what I get out of it. What I give is more important."

 

My sincere thanks to whoever passes on this message to the j-list.

 

May Jupiter's light shine on us,

Narasimha (PVR)

pvr (AT) charter (DOT) net

> Thanks,> Siva.> > **************> > "knrao" <jyotish-list@p...> >

Tue Nov 25, 2003 6:03 am> [jyotish-list] Plagiarism> > 25 Nov

2003> It is necessary to discuss the issue of plagiarism in astrology. It >

has been there and will be there. It appears that Ranjan forwarded my > letter

in the list to Narasimha who wrote a personal letter to me. > When

plagiarism is done, it is of ideas, of the content and substance > of a

research and sometimes even the language. The most blatant example in > recent

years was the plagiarism by the English Intelligence from a thesis > on Iraq by

an American. World came to know of it as a "sexed up" report in > a different

context. There cannot be a more scandalous example of > plagiarism than this.>

India's scientists have been accused often of plagiarising the > researches

of westerners and even getting their PhDs.> In astrology such plagiarism

has become more widespread now because > more and more writers know the craft

of writing but not research of theirs. > They have to lift their ideas and

substance of research from somewhere.> Is there any doubt that the double

transit and the planetary transits > at child birth is mine and only my

research (read my UPS AND DOWNS and > PLANETS AND CHILDREN). If it is lifted

wholesale and different example > charts are given, does it cease to be

plagiarism ? Mr. Praveen Kumar > brought such instances to my notice.> I

will cite a Russian example later. And later how the class notes > taken from

my lecture have been used for astrology workshops in USA. > > Yours,> K.N.Rao.>

> vedic astrology, "Narasimha P.V.R. Rao" <pvr@c...> >

wrote:> > Om Gurave Namah> > Namaste Sri Rao,> > > > I was not allowed to join

the j-list and Ranjan ji forwarded my mail > there. You seemed to be responding

to that mail when you wrote the > following. I am sending my reply to you

personally and also cc'ing it to > vedic astrology , which is the

biggest Vedic astrology list on > the internet and where all views are

tolerated.> > > > > 23 Nov. 2003> > > There is a good reason for my not

participating in this discussion.> > > There is a much easer way and

infallible one at that of making> > > use of varga charts and explaining the

destinites of these brothers> > > and showing how both charts show the events

of parents exactly.> > > The interlinking is absolutely fantastically. All

that can be> > > explained through Vimshottari mahadasha. It is easy.> > > > I

do not deny the interlinking of destinies. But, I still insist that D-> 12 shows

the destiny of parents from the child's perspective only. Each > child's D-12

may offer a different perspective on the destinies of parents.> > > > My

sister's D-12 has Jupiter in 4th. From her perspective, my mother is a > wise

and religious lady. But, my D-12 has Mercury in 4th in a Venusian > sign. From

my perspective, my mother is a very smart, easy-going and > worldly wise lady.>

> > > Thus, D-12's of two children may throw up different perspectives on the >

same parent. And, in reality, it may so happen that neither perspective >

matches what the parent's own rasi chart shows!> > > > If a native's mother or

father has an important event in life (e.g. > becoming a nation's prime minister

or having a big accident), it does show > up in their D-12 and Vimsottari dasa

(or Narayana dasa works even better), > because the event affects the native's

"parental environment". So, > interlinks in destiny do work, but they work thru

the paradigm of "parental > environment" that I outlined. It is wrong, in my

view, to think that one's > D-12 shows the complete destiny of parents. It only

shows the aspect of > parental destiny that expresses itself thru one's parental

environment.> > > > > Mr. Pravin refers to interlinked destinies which is

a chapter in> > > my book "RISKS AND TRICKS OF PREDICTION" which he had> > >

read thoroughly, in fact very thoroughly. > > > But I will not disclose it

yet till a book comes out showing the> > > research. It will take time may be a

year or more.> > > > Disclose what? If it is in a chapter in the

above-mentioned book, I'd > imagine it's already "disclosed".> > > > If you

have further "secrets", I look forward to your "disclosing" them > in a future

book.> > > > > Mr. Praveen Kumar wrote to me a private mail recently

showing> > > how a book on Transits in English carries heavy plagiarism from

my> > > researches. I got the book and found out that the plagiarism was also>

> > from the books of some other published works of writers of the> > >

Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan who are my colleagues. There were pieces> > > also

lifted from different issues of the Journal of Astrology.> > > > Plagiarism is

a serious issue. If you are sure that somebody "plgiarized" > your "researches",

please do take some action.> > > > Talking about plagiarism, Mr. Praveen Kumar

copied a few sentences on the > Gaur twins from a copyrighted article on my

website. He copied the > sentences *verbatim*. Neither did he get my permission

to reproduce the > copyrighted material, nor did he acknowledge the source. I

did not want to > antagonize him and so ignored it until this topic of

plagiarism was brought > up by you!> > > > > That is the originality in

the astrology of these writers !!> > > > So, what's the point? As long as you

do not mention any names - of > writers or their works or your plagiarized

works - what point does the > above assertion serve?> > > > > In fact I

have now started feeling that I should not disclose> > > anything further. No

one was using varga charts still I started the> > > trend many decades ago,

first in private teaching and later in my> > > writings.> > > > Sri Seshidri

Iyer was one of the first modern authors to show the > importance of varga

charts. Then, books by you and your students really > popularized varga charts.

You deserve kudos of the Jyotish community for > that! Popularization of varga

charts was your monumental contribution to > modern Jyotish literature.> > > >

However, in case you are thinking that the use of varga charts by others > is

tantamount to "plagiarism", I beg to differ. Nobody has exclusive rights > over

concepts such as divisional charts, bhava arudhas, graha arudhas, > chara

karakas, varnadas, ghatika lagna, hora lagna, pranapada lagna, rasi > dasas

etc.> > > > In fact, if you really have any important secrets with you and

choose to > keep quiet, it will be a great loss for astrology.> > > > By God's

grace, there has really been a renaissance in Vedic astrology > as you wrote

once. You have made tremendous contributions with your books > and researches.

Pt. Sanjay Rath also wrote books later and revealed some > brilliant secrets

and insights.> > > > We - I am not saying this about anybody in particular -

are all human and > have our own egos to pamper. But, if one rises above all

this for a minute > and sees the works in Jyotish during the last decade

impartially, one will > see that the renaissance in Vedic astrology is really

coming. Several > persons - ranging from you to Pt. Rath - are playing a great

role.> > > > Whether you are K.N. Rao or Sanjay Rath or P.V.R. Narasimha Rao,

this is > not the time to keep queit and keep secrets. Nor is it the time to

fight > amongst us and be distracted. This is the time to reveal secrets and >

contribute to the renaissance, so that a future generation can put all the >

pieces together and solve the puzzle! Because, I guarantee you, nobody > today

has all the pieces!> > > > Personally, to me, it does not matter what I get

out of it. What I give > is more important.> > > > > Incidentally what is

this dedication to me and can anyone pass> > > on that article to me ?> > >

K.N.Rao.> > > > If you go to the following page, you can read the article:> >

> > http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/050200.htm> > > > It was written by me on

April 8, 1998 and says at the top: "This article > is dedicated to Sri K.N.

Rao, a living legend in the world of astrology." I > used to write small

articles and dedicate them to accomplished scholars, > such as Dr. Raman, his

grandfather, you, Mukunda Daivajna etc.> > > > May Jupiter's light shine on

us,> > Narasimha

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Dear PVR-ji,

I forwarded your email to Jyotish-List.

 

btw, I wish all astrologers are welcomed at all online forums and healthy

discussions take place in all jyotish message boards!

 

regards,

-Siva.

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OM GURAVE NAMAH

 

Dear Narasimha

 

I concur with your trend of thought.Your message has been

transmitted.God Bless.

 

Love and Regards

S Purushothaman

Singapore

 

- S Purushothaman

jyotish-list (AT) puja (DOT) net

Wednesday, November 26, 2003 5:12 PM

Fw: [vedic astrology] Re: Plagiarism

Dear List

 

I think being open minded and sharing that which belongs to

Saraswathy is punya.What do we actually own in this current

state of existence?Nothing.Only an opportunity to dispel our

ignorance.

 

Asathoma Sad Gamaya

Thamasoma Jyothir Gamaya

Mrythyorma Amrutham Gamaya

 

I have great respect and admiration for both the Raos.Have met

both personally so do not be mistaken that I am trying to get into

any form of controversy.I am 59 and too old for that.Just an observation.

God Bless.

 

Love and Regards

S Purushothaman

Singapore

- Narasimha P.V.R. Rao

vedic astrology

Cc: k_n_rao (AT) rediffmail (DOT) com ; rrgb (AT) sprint (DOT) ca ; Siva Chinnasamy

Wednesday, November 26, 2003 12:50 PM

[vedic astrology] Re: Plagiarism

Dear Siva,

 

You wrote on vedic astrology :

 

> Hi all:> I am a member of both the emails lists - jyotish-list where Sri.

Since > Sri.K.N. Rao's emails appear only in jyotish-list and Sri. PVR's emails

> appear only in this list, I thought I will re-post Sri. K.N. Rao's mail >

related to this topic for the benefit of members of this forum.

 

If the same privilege can be extended to me, that will be much appreciated.

 

> Btw, who plagiarised the double-transit concept and planetary transits at >

child birth concepts of Sri. K.N. Rao? It is difficult for people like me > to

follow as Sri. K.N. Rao does not name names. The reason I am interested > in

this is that plagiarism is a serious issue that needs to be tackled if > we

want any research in astrology to progress. Please find Sri. K.N. Rao's > mail

below.

 

Plagiarism is a serious issue and allegation. As Sri Rao does not reveal names, one can only guess.

 

Having said that, a very important point needs to be made on the issue of plagiarism.

 

While plagiarism is to be deplored, one should not be too liberal in defining

plagiarism. In all fairness, the "double transit" approach outlined in Sri K.N.

Rao's book cannot be claimed to be his own. I know old astrologers who use

similar approaches and pay a lot of attention to Saturn and Jupiter transits. I

know that my father, who helps people with astrology in my native town

(Machilipatnam, India), uses it.

 

Even Sri Rao acknowledged in his book that he learnt "double transits" from an

"old pandit"! How can he claim exclusive rights over it then? Someone else too

may have learnt it from a source other than Sri Rao's book, experimented with

it and written about it. If paragraphs or examples are lifted, one can call it

plagiarism. But one cannot call it plagiarism simply because an author

considers the _topic_ to be "his own".

 

Saturn-Jupiter double transits are quite well-known, but dicey situations can be

found with some other secretive topics that are rooted in tradition!

 

For example, in my text book on Vedic astrology, I referred to my own researches

based on my very little exposure to Bhrigu transits. I taught how to interpret

the transits in rasi chart from the natal divisional charts and how to

interpret the transits in divisional charts from the natal rasi chart. This was

my original research. However, this has a close link to some secretive

principles known in some circles and I will not be surprised if another author

mentions similar things that he/she learnt from his/her gurus tomorrow. I will

not accuse them of plagiarism if that happens. It is good for the growth of the

subject. Just because I researched on it and wrote about it, I do not get an

exclusive right. It is, after all, rooted in tradition and I do not get an

exclusive right over it.

 

On the other hand, let us take Kashinatha Hora chart. Parasara taught that hora

chart shows wealth (horaayaam sampadaadikam). Many people take a version of the

hora chart that places all planets in either Cancer or Leo. Some people use

"Parivritti Dwaya Hora" (a bicyclical variation) that uses all the twelve

signs, even though it fails to link the sign assignment to Sun and Moon as

Parasara taught. Kashinatha Hora is a variation that was taught in our

tradition (Achyuta parampara of Sri Jagannath Centre). This chart builds upon

Parasara's teaching without disobeying his basic guidance in Sun-Moon

bifurcation and yet uses all the twelve signs. It has been a secret until

recently, and I revealed it for the first time on Aug 31, 2003 at Edison, NJ at

an SJC seminar. I presented many examples of Kashinatha Hora chart and Hora

Narayana dasa and showed that changes in financial situation with time become

extremely clear with them (Narayana dasa is based on chara dasa and it can be

found separately for each divisional chart!).

 

If somebody else uses Kashinatha Hora in future, can I call it plagiarism? IMHO,

that will be childish. The point in revealing it was to further the growth in

correct astrological knowledge. How can I consider that knowledge to be mine? I

got hints from others, did some experimentation and gave the results to people.

There ends my role. If the knowledge I taught is adopted by more people, I will

have served my purpose. At the same time, it will be nice if those who use the

chart acknowledge me and, more importantly, my tradition. But, lack of such

civilized attitude will not make it "plagiarism". After all, even though the

odds are very low, our tradition may not be the only one to have this secret

hora chart!

 

Another example. I was taught "Tithi Pravesha" (lunar return charts - lunar

counterpart of Tajaka varshaphal) by my guru Pt. Sanjay Rath and wrote about it

in a couple of magazines and taught it at a conference. He only taught me annual

and monthly charts, but I did some research and came up with daily charts for

timing the day of important events (using it, I correctly timed the day and the

hour of getting an offer when I went to a job interview and was told that they

would get back to me within two weeks!). I wrote on it for the Astrological

Magazine of India and Jyotish Digest and included a big chapter on it in a book

on Tithi Pravesha co-authored by Pt. Sanjay Rath and me (to be published next

year). Why am I sharing this research with everyone? It is only because I think

it is valuable and that it will contribute to astrology being accepted as a

science oneday! If people start using it, I will be excited. I will not

complain of plagiarism.

 

I emphasize again. It is important to be civilized, to give credit where it is

due and to stay away for plagiarism, but one cannot take an overly liberal

definition of plagiarism. If so, I can claim exclusive rights over the use of

shashtyamsa, use of graha arudhas, use of pranapada lagna, tithi pravesha

(lunar return charts) and so many other topics which I was the first one to

discuss publicly. That, of course, is quite childish.

 

I want to quote something from Sri K.N. Rao himself ("Ups and Downs in Career",

second edition, p.47):

 

"The wise old pandit I have referred to, had changed radically many

interpretations of mine in 1971 and, I have not merely benefited but am

reminded of a great tribute paid by a Dutch Christian missionary to Hindu

Brahmins as men of great learning, possessing infallible ability to predict.

Can we call ourselves worthy of such men if we die with the secrets hidden in

our bosom now, when upstartish sciences and scientists dare describe astrology

and astrologers, as a hoax?"

 

Sri Rao makes a wonderful case for not keeping secrets! I hope he remembers his

own words. It was with the same spirit that I declared yesterday:

 

"Whether you are K.N. Rao or Sanjay Rath or P.V.R. Narasimha Rao, this is not

the time to keep quiet and keep secrets. Nor is it the time to fight amongst us

and be distracted. This is the time to reveal secrets and contribute to the

renaissance, so that a future generation can put all the pieces together and

solve the puzzle! Because, I guarantee you, nobody today has all the pieces!

"Personally, to me, it does not matter what I get out of it. What I give is more important."

 

My sincere thanks to whoever passes on this message to the j-list.

 

May Jupiter's light shine on us,

Narasimha (PVR)

pvr (AT) charter (DOT) net

> Thanks,> Siva.> > **************> > "knrao" <jyotish-list@p...> >

Tue Nov 25, 2003 6:03 am> [jyotish-list] Plagiarism> > 25 Nov

2003> It is necessary to discuss the issue of plagiarism in astrology. It >

has been there and will be there. It appears that Ranjan forwarded my > letter

in the list to Narasimha who wrote a personal letter to me. > When

plagiarism is done, it is of ideas, of the content and substance > of a

research and sometimes even the language. The most blatant example in > recent

years was the plagiarism by the English Intelligence from a thesis > on Iraq by

an American. World came to know of it as a "sexed up" report in > a different

context. There cannot be a more scandalous example of > plagiarism than this.>

India's scientists have been accused often of plagiarising the > researches

of westerners and even getting their PhDs.> In astrology such plagiarism

has become more widespread now because > more and more writers know the craft

of writing but not research of theirs. > They have to lift their ideas and

substance of research from somewhere.> Is there any doubt that the double

transit and the planetary transits > at child birth is mine and only my

research (read my UPS AND DOWNS and > PLANETS AND CHILDREN). If it is lifted

wholesale and different example > charts are given, does it cease to be

plagiarism ? Mr. Praveen Kumar > brought such instances to my notice.> I

will cite a Russian example later. And later how the class notes > taken from

my lecture have been used for astrology workshops in USA. > > Yours,> K.N.Rao.>

> vedic astrology, "Narasimha P.V.R. Rao" <pvr@c...> >

wrote:> > Om Gurave Namah> > Namaste Sri Rao,> > > > I was not allowed to join

the j-list and Ranjan ji forwarded my mail > there. You seemed to be responding

to that mail when you wrote the > following. I am sending my reply to you

personally and also cc'ing it to > vedic astrology , which is the

biggest Vedic astrology list on > the internet and where all views are

tolerated.> > > > > 23 Nov. 2003> > > There is a good reason for my not

participating in this discussion.> > > There is a much easer way and

infallible one at that of making> > > use of varga charts and explaining the

destinites of these brothers> > > and showing how both charts show the events

of parents exactly.> > > The interlinking is absolutely fantastically. All

that can be> > > explained through Vimshottari mahadasha. It is easy.> > > > I

do not deny the interlinking of destinies. But, I still insist that D-> 12 shows

the destiny of parents from the child's perspective only. Each > child's D-12

may offer a different perspective on the destinies of parents.> > > > My

sister's D-12 has Jupiter in 4th. From her perspective, my mother is a > wise

and religious lady. But, my D-12 has Mercury in 4th in a Venusian > sign. From

my perspective, my mother is a very smart, easy-going and > worldly wise lady.>

> > > Thus, D-12's of two children may throw up different perspectives on the >

same parent. And, in reality, it may so happen that neither perspective >

matches what the parent's own rasi chart shows!> > > > If a native's mother or

father has an important event in life (e.g. > becoming a nation's prime minister

or having a big accident), it does show > up in their D-12 and Vimsottari dasa

(or Narayana dasa works even better), > because the event affects the native's

"parental environment". So, > interlinks in destiny do work, but they work thru

the paradigm of "parental > environment" that I outlined. It is wrong, in my

view, to think that one's > D-12 shows the complete destiny of parents. It only

shows the aspect of > parental destiny that expresses itself thru one's parental

environment.> > > > > Mr. Pravin refers to interlinked destinies which is

a chapter in> > > my book "RISKS AND TRICKS OF PREDICTION" which he had> > >

read thoroughly, in fact very thoroughly. > > > But I will not disclose it

yet till a book comes out showing the> > > research. It will take time may be a

year or more.> > > > Disclose what? If it is in a chapter in the

above-mentioned book, I'd > imagine it's already "disclosed".> > > > If you

have further "secrets", I look forward to your "disclosing" them > in a future

book.> > > > > Mr. Praveen Kumar wrote to me a private mail recently

showing> > > how a book on Transits in English carries heavy plagiarism from

my> > > researches. I got the book and found out that the plagiarism was also>

> > from the books of some other published works of writers of the> > >

Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan who are my colleagues. There were pieces> > > also

lifted from different issues of the Journal of Astrology.> > > > Plagiarism is

a serious issue. If you are sure that somebody "plgiarized" > your "researches",

please do take some action.> > > > Talking about plagiarism, Mr. Praveen Kumar

copied a few sentences on the > Gaur twins from a copyrighted article on my

website. He copied the > sentences *verbatim*. Neither did he get my permission

to reproduce the > copyrighted material, nor did he acknowledge the source. I

did not want to > antagonize him and so ignored it until this topic of

plagiarism was brought > up by you!> > > > > That is the originality in

the astrology of these writers !!> > > > So, what's the point? As long as you

do not mention any names - of > writers or their works or your plagiarized

works - what point does the > above assertion serve?> > > > > In fact I

have now started feeling that I should not disclose> > > anything further. No

one was using varga charts still I started the> > > trend many decades ago,

first in private teaching and later in my> > > writings.> > > > Sri Seshidri

Iyer was one of the first modern authors to show the > importance of varga

charts. Then, books by you and your students really > popularized varga charts.

You deserve kudos of the Jyotish community for > that! Popularization of varga

charts was your monumental contribution to > modern Jyotish literature.> > > >

However, in case you are thinking that the use of varga charts by others > is

tantamount to "plagiarism", I beg to differ. Nobody has exclusive rights > over

concepts such as divisional charts, bhava arudhas, graha arudhas, > chara

karakas, varnadas, ghatika lagna, hora lagna, pranapada lagna, rasi > dasas

etc.> > > > In fact, if you really have any important secrets with you and

choose to > keep quiet, it will be a great loss for astrology.> > > > By God's

grace, there has really been a renaissance in Vedic astrology > as you wrote

once. You have made tremendous contributions with your books > and researches.

Pt. Sanjay Rath also wrote books later and revealed some > brilliant secrets

and insights.> > > > We - I am not saying this about anybody in particular -

are all human and > have our own egos to pamper. But, if one rises above all

this for a minute > and sees the works in Jyotish during the last decade

impartially, one will > see that the renaissance in Vedic astrology is really

coming. Several > persons - ranging from you to Pt. Rath - are playing a great

role.> > > > Whether you are K.N. Rao or Sanjay Rath or P.V.R. Narasimha Rao,

this is > not the time to keep queit and keep secrets. Nor is it the time to

fight > amongst us and be distracted. This is the time to reveal secrets and >

contribute to the renaissance, so that a future generation can put all the >

pieces together and solve the puzzle! Because, I guarantee you, nobody > today

has all the pieces!> > > > Personally, to me, it does not matter what I get

out of it. What I give > is more important.> > > > > Incidentally what is

this dedication to me and can anyone pass> > > on that article to me ?> > >

K.N.Rao.> > > > If you go to the following page, you can read the article:> >

> > http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/050200.htm> > > > It was written by me on

April 8, 1998 and says at the top: "This article > is dedicated to Sri K.N.

Rao, a living legend in the world of astrology." I > used to write small

articles and dedicate them to accomplished scholars, > such as Dr. Raman, his

grandfather, you, Mukunda Daivajna etc.> > > > May Jupiter's light shine on

us,> > Narasimha

Archives: vedic astrologyGroup info:

vedic astrology/info.htmlTo UNSUBSCRIBE: Blank

mail to vedic astrology-....... May Jupiter's light

shine on us .......

 

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Dear Siva,

 

> Dear PVR-ji,> I forwarded your email to Jyotish-List.> > btw, I wish all

astrologers are welcomed at all online forums and healthy > discussions take

place in all jyotish message boards!> > regards,> -Siva.

 

Thanks to you and Sri Purushothaman for trying to forward my mail to that list.

I was told that neither message made it to that list.

 

It seems like not every list is interested in healthy discussions. Some lists, I

guess, are meant to be just vehicles of propaganda and mouthpieces of narrow

viewpoints. I am surprised and dismayed by the heavy-handed control and

censorship present in that particular list. This is unfortunate.

 

Considering that my mails did not contain anything acrimonious and only

contained scholarly observations/views, I cannot figure out why any Jyotish

list would consider them inappropriate and why it would block them.

 

I too resorted to limited censorship on this vedic astrology list, but only when

somebody did not listen to my requests and broke the rules repeatedly. In all

the cases, I eventually removed the censorship, once they started behaving

normally. The only censorship I still do is of new members, to make sure that

spam does not reach the list as far as possible. Without that, this list would

be getting atleast one pornographic mail everyday. New members are

automatically moderated. Once somebody makes a normal astrological post, I

unmoderate them immediately. Pornographic robots that just to send

pornographic mails are blocked out.

 

Anyway, this episode clearly brings out the attitude of a certain group of

people. I think we now have some clarity on what values they stand for. Those

who did not follow the episode and are curious about it can read my three mails

at the following locations:

 

vedic astrology/message/35090

vedic astrology/message/35168

vedic astrology/message/35230

 

May Jupiter's light shine on us,

Narasimha (PVR)

------------------------

http://www.VedicAstrologer.org

pvr (AT) charter (DOT) net

------------------------

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