Inaugural Address by Prof V K Choudhry:

The conference commenced, with Professor V K Choudhry in the chair, and with Sri Rajesh Chaudhary, directing the visual presentations, as well as the smooth running of the conference. With his soft opening words of welcome to all the participating delegates, Professor Choudhry, set the conference in motion. He reminded us that this was the fifth Intl SA Conf in succession....{ It was a lovely time to be in Gurgaon[ chilly in the mornings, and evenings, but sunny during the day], and especially in the premises of the wonderful South Patio Club, the venue of the conference.}

There were however, three new delegates at this conference, and the Professor forthwith introduced them to the rest of the participants, by mentioning their names, & briefly their vocations, as well: firstly, Sri Tyagi [Director:Finance, of a Bank, who had recently learnt the Systems Approach from Prof Choudhry]; secondly, Sri Suman Vasishth [ former Senior Executive with Air India, and a UK-Trained Cricket Umpire, and one with a life-long hobby of Vedic Astrology]; and thirdly, Smt Neha Gupta [a resident of Gurgaon, with a Masters degree in Computer Applications, and who had recently taken the bold step of turning her back on the field, for which she was so highly educated thus far, and choosing instead, to study the Systems Approach to Vedic Astrology, directly, from Prof Choudhry, himself]. It was also very significant that Dr Jonathan Miller had travelled from long distances, to be at this Conference, at the right time.

The Professor was very relaxed, as he always is, and opened with the useful reminder that the conference was fundamentally a learning opportunity for all participants, and that it also served the additional purpose of refreshing our memories with regard to all the fundamental principles of the Systems Approach. Going further in the same direction, he said the conference afforded also a solid learning experience to all those who choose to make a presentation at the conf. In this context of learning, he reiterated that even long-standing SA practitioners, learn all the time, not to speak of beginners and those who have just commenced on the path of learning the Systems Approach.

We will see how Professor Choudhry, covers an extensive area of several SA Sutras, in the course of this inaugural address. Moving over to the next significant point, the Professor maintained that the science of astrology is invariably used by people who are in distress, and that they turn to astrology only with a hope of preventing further damages and difficulties in their lives. It was held by the Professor that the essence of astrology, lay in the following aspects of that discipline of learning:

(i)The ascertainment of both the planetary strengths as well as the afflictions caused by the planets;
(ii)The identification of the functional nature of planets;
(iii) Identification of the problems caused by natal weak and afflicted planets, including those that are badly placed.

Touching on the third significant point, the Professor, drew attention to the fact that “sometimes there are strong planets, but results are not seen”[Sutra #1]. Next, he stressed the importance of the Sutra[principle] that: “Whenever the Lord of the 4th, 2nd, 9th or 3rd,[meaning the Most Benefic Planet]House is badly placed and afflicted, then other fruits in the life of the individual are also reduced”[Sutra #2].[quotes are either verbatim reproductions of Professor’s words, or nearly verbatim]

In his commentary on various aspects of the Systems Approach [SA], he next dwelt on what may be considered to be the fourth significant point: “The weakness of the Lord of the 8th H or 4th H, reduces the longevity of father, longevity of oneself, in addition to reducing the inheritance [as the 8th H, is the H of inheritance], and also the financial strength of the father, and the well-known longevity of marriage as well.”[Sutra #3]. {Here it is not inappropriate to mention that these SA Sutras, enunciated by the Professor, in their present forms, will prove to be invaluable in the understanding of the various case studies that will be presented by others, in the course of the conference. For this reason, we will do well to note and remember these Sutras, well in advance of their actual appearance.}

After that, he took up the problem of the identification of the variable, representing the father, when the 9th H and the 4th H, do not possess a MTS [Mula Trikona Sign].This may be considered to be the fifth of the Professor’s significant comments. He said: “For identifying the father in any chart, under the conditions mentioned, we should consider the placement of the Sun in the natal chart as well as in the Div Chart, pertaining to parents, called the Dwadasamsa [D12]”.[Sutra #4]

He mentioned in passing that Dr Bhagavadpada was scheduled to give a presentation on the Div Charts, in which he will go into the many Div Charts, by first presenting all the relevant SA Sutras, which will be needed for that purpose. It was also emphasized by Professor Choudhry, that: “In any study of Div Charts, afflictions within the Div Charts must be examined, and in such cases; while one must examine only the FMs [Functional Malefics] of the Div Chart, within the Div Chart itself, one must not make the mistake of searching for the impact of the Rasi Chart’s [RC’s] FMs, within the context of the Div Charts”.[SA Sutra #5] Turning briefly, to the special subject of Transits in the SA, the Professor, mentioned that within a month’s time, the revised edition of his earlier work on: “How to Identify Significant Events”, is scheduled to be released and that this version will contain an additional chapter on Transit Significant Events, which is expected to be very useful to all those, who are practitioners of the SA and who have the task of giving a written Reading.

He said that in that work, he has once again, reiterated the importance of the Sutra: “Malefic Lords of the eighth and twelfth houses are Ra like, in that, they also, like Ra, create greed, over ambitiousness, involvement in materialistic pursuits, involvement in lust, mishaps, loss of patience, etc.”[Sutra #6]. Another very important Sutra was also mentioned: “Where there is no MTS in the VIH, & Ke causes an affliction in the Natal Chart; Ke acts just like the Malefic VIH Lord, creating losses through disputes, thefts, debts and litigations.”[Sutra #7]. It was reiterated by the Professor that, unless Ketu causes an affliction in the Natal Chart, it will not come to act like the Lord of the Malefic VIH.

Again, he stressed on a number of kindred predictive Sutras in the special field of Transits. The first of them is the following: “When planets Transit the VIH, they create vulnerability to conflicts, and vulnerability to health”[ Sutra #8].Citing an illustrative example, the Professor, mentioned, how such predictive Sutras are useful, during consultations: “In a consultation involving an Aries Asdt Person, during Sept, Oct, there are chances of health problems, arguments, because, generally, during these months Su, Me, Ve travel through the Sign Virgo[the VIH, for Aries Asdts]”[Sutra #9].

Likewise, he also illustrated: “For the same Aries Asdt person, when the Su, Me and Ve move into Scorpio [which underlies the VIIIH], that individual becomes vulnerable to obstructions of all kinds”[Sutra #10]. Continuing in the same vein, and retaining the example of the Aries Asdt, the drew our attention to another very simple Sutra, with good predictive power: “When planets get out of the VIIIH, problems get over”[Sutra #11].Focussing now on the Transit of the Su, Me, and Ve in the XIIH[Pisces underlies this H], he pointed out the value of the corresponding predictive Sutra: “Likewise, when the Su, Me, Ve, transit, the Sign Pisces[in the months of March, April], the Aries individual, is likely to encounter more: expenses, losses, or some health problems, or he may plan to visit distant places”[Sutra #12].

Passing from the subject of the Tr impact of fast moving Planets, the Professor had this to say, w.r.t. the Tr impact of slow moving Planets: “The above are the influences of fast moving problems, in Tr. Slow moving planets in Tr, give long drawn out difficulties-Sa, for example, vulnerability for 2.5 yrs, as this is the time Tr Sa spends in each Sign. In such cases, one must be careful. If Ra and Ke are in Malefic Hs, they linger there for as long as 1.5 Yrs; for Tr Ju in Malefic Hs, it takes as long as 1 yr. Further, if during Tr, Ra and Ke become stationary, on the MEP[Most Effective Point]of any H, they cause afflictions to many Houses, with long-drawn out difficulty, for as long as 4 to 5 months.” [Sutra #13]

As a last Sutra belonging to the special field of Transits in the SA, the Professor, mentioned the following unusual Tr situation: “Sometimes, exact conjunctions occur, as Transit Stationary influences , involving 2 or 3 Planets. When this happens, there are very painful and memorable sufferings.”[Sutra # 14]

For the benefit of SA astrologers, who have to give a written Reading, the Professor said, he has added a whole new chapter of about 40 Pages to his earlier book on: “How to identify Significant Events” and that this revised edition is now in the press. In this chapter, the various significations of planets are systematically listed, for each of the twelve Asdts, with many illustrative Case Studies.

Drawing due attention to the whole question of the placement of Planets, Professor Choudhry, concluded this list of Sutras, with the following one: “Whenever a Planet goes the VIH, both its general significations, as well as the significations of the House, for which it is the Lord, will suffer. Similarly when Planets are Transiting Benefic Hs, they give good results, depending on their strengths in the Natal Chart.”[Sutra # 15]. By bringing all these varied Sutras in front of our eyes, in an unhurried manner, Prof Choudhry, was equipping us with all the necessary SA insights, not only for fully understanding the enfoldment of the Conference [through the many case studies, to follow]; but also for refreshing our memories, and creating an atmosphere of learning, in which there is a spirit of free enquiry, and consequent learning.

At the end he mentioned that Mr Roop Saran will make a presentation on the significance of the Mula Trikona Signs [MTS] on the following day, that, Dr Jonathan Miller will make also a brief presentation of the Spirit behind the Remedial Measures, and that Dr. Bhagavadpada will make a presentation in the afternoon on: “SA Light on the Afflictions hidden in the Div Charts. With these remarks, Professor Choudhry closed this memorable and instructive inaugural address. The highlights of the inaugural address are ‘the food for thought’, that the numerous Sutras have provided us with.

Thereafter, the delegates introduced themselves, one by one. It was an overall feeling of tremendous gratitude, because every delegate told his/her story in brief of how Professor V K Choudhry’s guidance and the Systems Approach, had done wonders for them in their lives.

After the tea-break, the delegates had the wonderful opportunity to hear Professor Choudhry talk again, and this time, he spoke on: “The Impact of the Functional Malefic Planets”. And this time he covered many interesting case studies, and explained in each case, what kind of havoc, the FMs caused in those Charts.

The following Systems'Approach astrologers actively participated in the delebrations of the Conference.

1. Dr. Jonathan Miller, President, IIPA California Chapter, USA.
2. Dr. Sankara Bhagavadpada, Chennai, India.
3. Mr. V K Choudhry, Gurgaon, India.
4. Dr. Mrs. K Batra, Gurgaon, India.
5. Mr. Jagdish Sethi, New Delhi, India.
6. Mr.Nawal Kishore, New Delhi, India.
7. Mr. Roop Saran, Vishakhapatnam, India.
8. Ms. Pushpa Saran, Vishakhapatnam, India.
9. Mr.Rakesh Sharma, Gurgaon, India.
10. Mrs. Neha Gupta, Gurgaon , India.
11. Mr.K.Rajesh Chaudhary, Gurgaon, India.
12. Mr.Gaurav Dhameja, Faridabad, India.
13. Mr. Aman Deep Saini, Delhi,India.
14. Mr. Rajesh Hasija, Gurgaon, India
15. Mr. Rakesh Shukla, New Delhi, India.
16. Mr. Praveen Tyagi, Gurgaon, India.
17. Dr. Mrs. C.M. Sethi, Gurgaon, India.
18. Mr. A.P.Kaushik, Gurgaon, India.
19. Mr. Suman Vashishth, New Delhi, India.

The participants were presented the momentos.

PROCEEDINGS OF 2009 CONFERENCE