Songs of Stars

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Today humanity is divided over the astral influences on life and events on earth and elsewhere, if any, but the occult sciences do have significance in human lives denying which may be as fatal as the high tides during the lunar phases. Astrology primarily relies on the belief that human life and happenings in the world do have a strong bearing of the effects of the complex web of star cast (planets which are near in distance and the constellations of stars which form a collective force) spread overhead during the time of a happening or birth of a human. It has been observed with thousands of instances that birth at a particular time when the star positions are negative or debilitated the chance of survival is less and this requires to be cured at the earliest if possible. Although through the 'Cartesian or Rationalist view' of science or the hypothetico-deductive view' as followed by Socrates and the comparisons by Aristotle the course of astrology has been made difficult and the substance of astrology challenged, yet I believe that 'absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence' and since humans have failed to answer hundreds of questions of metaphysics where science too feels deceived by reason the case for astrological predictions remains strong.

Several years back about 18 Nobel Laureates and 172 other leading scientists of the world raised their voice against the science that astrology claimed to be. In the ensuing years many scientists like Shawn Carlson and Barth and Bennett proved astrology only to be a chance explanation but the existence of mysteriously precise predictions since earliest times keep the debate live no matter astrology is reduced to a pseudo-science. It was with this belief that in 2009, I started writing about stars, nakshtras, bhavas, yogas etc. The literary devices of free verse and irregular meter have been followed to make the presentation more interesting and musical. The planets and nakshtras, their properties that they transmit to the characters under their influence, have been explicated in poetry. The exigency of poetry form sometimes makes the presentation vague and imprecise but that has to be scuttled as part of art by readers and the author apologizes for that. For making the volume more interesting a chapter on zodiac signs by Prof. Som P Ranchan has also been inducted. The chapter includes zodiac signs, their descriptions, practical realization and a personal correspondence.

Namita Sethi adds a significant section on crystals and stones and their curative qualities to the book. The views expressed by authors are their own and should be taken as individual standings. Therefore, the current endeavour is presented to the readers in the shape of a slim volume with the hope that it would be welcomed and cherished with all its pros and cons. Anamika Publishers deserves special thanks, since astrology is a rare take today. The work is divisible into six chapters. Chapter one is on Songs of Stars; chapter two Nakshtras (Constellations): Properties and Predictions; chapter three Planetary Properties; chapter four Introduction to Zodiac by Prof. Som P Ranchan; chapter five The Twelve Houses or Bhavas and chapter six The Major Yogas. Chapter seven by Prof. Namita Sethi discusses various stones and crystals. I express my gratitude to her for editing and proof reading services. I extend special thanks to Prof. Mahidhar Sharma, Prof. Parveen Bhatia and Pandit Jai Prakash Sharma from whom I have benefitted a lot over the decades. The slim volume is an offering in the genre of a general reader's handbook with the hope that it would be received widely and taken critically.

Astrology primarily relies on the belief that stars and the constellations do have a strong influence on the human life. Although through the 'Cartesian or Rationalist view' of science or the 'hypothetico-deductive view' as followed by Socrates and the comparisons by Aristotle the course of astrology has been made difficult and the substance of astrology challenged, yet it is believed that 'absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence' and since humans have failed to answer hundreds of questions of metaphysics where science too feels deceived by reason the case for astrological predictions remains strong. In the current volume, while discussing about stars and nakshtras, the literary devices of free verse and irregular meter have been followed to make the presentation more interesting and musical. The exigency of poetry form sometimes makes the presentation vague and imprecise but that has to be scuttled as part of art by the readers. Prof. Som P Ranchan has also elaborated the planetary properties and zodiac signs. Namita Sethi adds a significant section on crystals and stones and their curative qualities. In all the volume offers a brief and interesting introduction to astrology and stones.

Harish K Thakur A poet, editor, essayist and eminent scholar Prof. Harish K Thakur is currently Chairman of the Department of Political Science, HP University, Shimla. He has authored 12 books (politics and poetry) and more than one hundred research papers and book reviews. Currently he is President of Shimla Literary Society and Editor of two prestigious UGC listed journals Himachal Pradesh University Journal and Conifers Call: Shimla Journal of Poetry and Criticism. Since Prof. Thakur has also interest in occult sciences the current volume Songs of Starsis the outcome of that curiosity.

**Content and Sample Pages**