Resources for study of Jyotisa, Vastu, and Ayurveda

I am a resident aspiring devotee at Sri Sri Kishore-Kishori Mandir in Chicago, USA. I was hoping you might suggest resources for the study of jyotisa, vastu, and ayurveda.

Recently one young student was asking about Vedic astronomy / astrology, so I would like to share some resources with him to encourage his inquisitiveness.

I also appreciated very much your point from Science of Daiva Varnasrama that in the future we will be greatly benefited if devotees are competent in these areas so that Vaisnava communities can be self-sustained.

Thank you Maharaja for your dedication to the service of Srila Prabhupada and for increasing devotees\’ awareness of the necessity of adopting the principles of Varnasrama dharma in order to establish a healthy worldwide society of Krsna conscious culture.

Your servant,

Luke

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Hare Krishna Luke,

OM SRI SURABHYAI NAMAH! OM SRI GURAVE NAMAH! GOMAYE VASATE LAKSMI!

Please accept the blessings of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai, Sri Sri Krishna Balarama

and Sri Sri Radha Madhava. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I am a resident aspiring devotee at Sri Sri Kishore-Kishori Mandir in Chicago, USA. I was hoping you might suggest resources for the study of jyotisa, vastu, and ayurveda.

HHBRS*** For traditional studies in jyotisa, vastu and ayurveda, one needs to find a qualified teacher. Simply studying books on our own will not bring the desired result. I am giving you here the address of a few devotees who have good knowledge and contacts in these fields. They may also suggest some preliminary works that can serve as introduction to the topics.

Jyotisa: Shyamasundara das [ Shyamasundara ACBSP]

Vastu: Gaura Nataraja das

Ayurveda: Prananatha das

Recently one young student was asking about Vedic astronomy / astrology, soI would like to share some resources with him to encourage his inquisitiveness.

HHBRS*** Our Vedic literatures are of course the best source of knowledge for these subjects and one can begin in the Srimad-Bhagavatam itself. We presently have a team of devotees in Mayapur who are concentrating on putting together Srila Prabhupada’s long cherised dream for the Vedic Planetarium or Temple of Understanding where the entire cosmic manifestation will be displayed within what will be one of the largest domes in the world. Much work has been done over the years and we have some important publications already published and articles written through various mediums such as Back To Godhead Magazine, iskcon.news and dandavats.com. A little search on the internet will bring up many of those published works. One devotee scientist, one of our most brilliant in ISKCON who passed away some years back was Sadaputa prabhu (Dr. Richard L. Thompson). He published among others two important works entitled VEDIC COSMOGRAPHY & ASTRONOMY. He also wrote MYSTERIES OF THE SACRED UNIVERSE (The Cosmology of the Bhagavat Purana). Information on these is available on line.

I suggest that your inquisitive student become connected with the on-going activities of the Temple of Vedic Planetarium (ToVP) now underway in Sri Mayapur. He may get in contact with devotees involved in this particular aspect of the ToVP. Such information is also available on the internet by googling ToVP, Mayapur Temple, etc

HHBRS*** Yes, these are basic sciences meant to be mastered by brahminically inclined devotees. No community can become successful without the presence and imput of such qualified brahmanas. One will not even know the basics of where to build a house or where to place the kitchen or the bathroom for example. One qualified brahmana is sufficient to enlighten the members of such a community. Srila Prabhupada use to comment that traditionally, common people would seek out such brahmanas due to their knowledge of ayurveda and astrology.

HHBRS*** A Krishna conscious culture entails a varnasrama culture. They both go hand in hand. As long as we are embodied and living in this material world, we must respect and follow Krishna’s system of varnasrama dharma. After all it’s His system for the conditioned souls. Srila Prabhupada speaks of two sva-dharmas, one material, varnasrama dharma and one spiritual, devotional service to Krishna. Modern society is devoid of both and hence doomed to failure and defeat. Within ISKCON we have one well established level, devotional service but varnasrama is missing. The sooner we can introduce both levels of swa-dharma, the sooner Srila Prabhuapda’s dream of a well-established and progressive society will manifest.

Thank you very much for your interest and inquiry.

Trusting this finds you well. Krsne matir astu.

Yours in service to Srila Prabhupada,

RP Bhakti Raghava Swami