Download Hanamantsaa Nevaasaa Kaatwe: An astrologer par excellence

Late
HaNamantasa
Nemasa Katwe
- 1
A Tribute To An Astrologer
Par Excellence
by
Chandrashekhar Sharma.
Chandrashekhar Sharma, from Nagpur,
has good knowledge of sanskrit and a well
known name in the internet forums for his
humbleness & kindness to teach each and
everyone. He has been an ardent student of
this science from decades with deep
thoughts into various disciplines. He is the
author of the book "Vedic Astrology
Demystified", published by Parimal
Publications Delhi ".
C
entral India is known as the land
which has given Vedic astrology
many renowned writers of
astrological
classics
that
include
Neelkantha, Jeevanatha, Vaidyanātha,
Varāha
Mihira,
Narāyana
Bhatta,
GuNākara Kālidaasa, DhunDhiraj and
many others. Another such great
astrologer, of relatively recent times, was
Late H. N. Kātwe who came from
Karnataka and stayed for the last part of
his life in Nagpur, which is at the heart of
Vidarbha, the center region of Central
India. He stayed with Mr. D.M.Dhumal of
Nagpur publications for about 10 to 12
years and left this world on 11th August
1949. An ardent devotee of Lord Hanuman,
his spiritual guru was Gondavalekar
Mahāraj. He learnt jyotish from
Krishnānand Saraswati Yati (sage), whose
commentary of Jaimini sutra is a valuable
manuscript and who was guru of
“Vyankatesha”
the
author
of
“Vyankatesha Vyākhyā”.
Late Kātwe was known for his forthright nature and accuracy of predictions. He stayed with
Mr. Dhumāl, who later on prevailed upon Katweji to write books on various aspects of
astrology. Kātweji wrote 18 books, about his thoughts on various aspects of astrology,
including one on the philosophy of astrology which is titled “Adhyātma Jyotish Vichāra”.
Other books that he wrote are:
1) Ravi Vichār
2) Chandra Vichār
3) Mangal Vichār
4) Budha Vichār
5) Guru Vichār
6) Shukra Vichār
7) Shani Vichār
8) Rahu/Ketu/grahana Vichār
9) Bhava Vichār
10) Bhavesha Vichār
11) Yoga Vichār
12) Adhyatma Jyotish Vichār
13) Daiva Vichar
14) Teja Vichār
15) Prashna Vichār
16) Gocara Vichār
17) Daiva Rahasya
18) Shubhaashubha Graha NirNaya.
He has quoted, liberally, from Brihadayavana Jātaka, Garga Jātaka, Lomasha SaMhitā
MānasāgarI PārāsharI, texts of GaNakabhāskara Nawāthe, Moghe, Rigveda, BhagvadgItaa,
Kālidaasa, JIvanātha, Jayadeva, Vaidyanātha, DhunDhirāj, Kalyānverman, Shirnivāsa
Sharmā, Ăryagrantha, Hillāja Jātaka, BrihatpārāsharI, HarivaMsha, VashiSTha,
Kāshināthāchārya, Jāgeshwara, Mantreshwara, NārāyaNa Bhatta, Abdul Rahim
KhānKhānā,
Gholapa,
Gopāla
Ratnākara,
Bhrigu,
GYārNava
Tantra,
yogakuNDalaupaniSada, yoga shikhopaniSada, Bhairava Yāmala etc. It is also interesting to
note that he has also quoted from Rafael and thus has taken into consideration opinions of
western astrologers. He has indicated his reservations about some of their assessments, but
has nonetheless quoted the results of the outer planets like Herschel and Neptune without
any reservation. At the same time he has said that as he did not get confirmed results of
Pluto, he would not comment on its efficacy in astrological predictions. This gives an
insight into his nature. He would only accept different results given for a yoga when he
experienced them in real life charts and not otherwise. He has also given information about
the aspects that are considered to be from Tajik or western astrology. This gives an
indication of his being open to new ideas, though of an earlier generation that is presumed to
have closed mind to any new idea. He has also been forthright in putting forth his own
opinion which might, sometimes, be thought to be at variance with the generally accepted
norms. So the picture that emerges is that of a great soul, and astrologer, who is open to new
ideas but is never afraid to give his honest opinion on the science of astrology even if it is
against the popularly held beliefs.
When we read Kātweji’s books we find his being unsparing of even himself, when analyzing
his own chart from an astrological perspective, which is worth emulating by modern
astrologers. It is also interesting to note that he puts his name as Jyotish student H.N.
Kātwe, a sign of a realized soul whose very humility ensures that knowledge of the divine
shall never desert him. I am giving below the chart of Late Kātwe, here for the benefit of the
students of the divine science of astrology. The readers may find that degrees of some of the
planets differ, somewhat, from those given by Late Kātwe, in his book but that is, perhaps,
because a different almanac used by him. However here is no change in the placement of
even Navāmsha position of the planets.
Late Katwe analyzes this chart in following manner.
Ascendant: Dhanu lagna (Sagittarius Ascendant) jātakas (people) are born astrologers. They
can remain unmarried and though he got married, he lost his wife early and never remarried.
Dhanu lagna is seeker of higher knowledge and so was Late Katwe.
2nd Bhava: Lord of the 2nd is retrograde and occupies the 10th and Sun and Mercury occupy
the 2nd bhava which according to Late Katwe leads to his being bereft of wealth. This also
makes one speak truth and gives less happiness from family.
3rd Bhava: Jupiter and Venus in the 3rd bhava and its lord Saturn being retrograde gave him 3
brothers. He lost his elder brother early and the relations with other brothers were strained.
4th Bhava: Lord of the 4th (Jupiter the Lord of Pisces) is placed in 3rd bhava and hence he lost
his mother when he was 4 months of age and could not accumulate wealth.
5th Bhava: Aries arises in 5th bhava and its lord Mars is in 12th bhava, leading to his not
having any progeny. Rahu in the 5th gave an analytical mind and also made him an author.
6th Bhava: Jupiter the lord of the 4th (happiness) and Venus (Karaka for spouse) occupying
the 3rd did not allow happiness from spouse as she died early in his marital life. Life after
marriage was full of sorrow.
7th Bhava: Lord of the 7th being in 2nd (8th from 7th) did not allow him to do any business.
Lack of happiness from wife as last life’s wife also became his wife in this life and died early.
8th Bhava: Moon the 8th lord being in its rasi of exaltation should give longer life but death
could occur in forest as Taurus is related to forests (He died at home of Mr. Dhumāl in a city
when about 57 years of age which for those times was longer life).
9th Bhava: Jupiter and Venus aspecting the 9th made him undertake many pilgrimages but
Moon and Neptune (Neptune is in his 6th bhava but the software used by me does not allow this to
be shown in print) being in 6th bhava did not pursue worship with dedication.
10th Bhava: Sun and Mercury in 2nd allowed him to write 24 books on astrology (this includes
translations of Marathi books in Hindi). This gives happiness from father till 41st year of age
but differences were there as Saturn occupies the 10th bhava. He quotes Chamatkāra
Chintāmani for 10th bhava Saturn and says that 10th bhava placed Saturn did not allow him
to get milk from his mother.
11th Bhava: Lord of the 11th Venus occupying the 3rd did not allow, much, gains to accrue to
him, 3rd being a dusthana.
12th Bhava: Rahu in 5th indicates some benefit from quest of almighty and Mars being in 12 th
caused him to be jailed for some time.
This is a different method of analyzing a chart and students of astrology could benefit from
this.
Late H. N. Kātwe is perhaps the only Vedic astrologer, of modern times, who has written
extensively about the connection of Jyotish with Vedanta. In his book “Adhyātma Vichāra”
Late Kātwe has mapped the planets to the various charkas on the path of rise of kundalini
and proposed that Yoga shāstra was developed by Dravidians, and Ăryans learnt it from
them. The learned in ancient sciences might disagree with him but his proposition is
certainly not without logic. He has also quoted from scriptures and tantra texts to support
his theory.
He has opined that one can find out the chart of the previous birth of a Jātaka by casting the birth
chart, with the Rāsi depositing Saturn as rising lagna. He has analyzed his own chart in this
manner to find out what he had done in previous life. He has called Sun as Brahma, Moon
as Māyā, Saturn as related to renunciation and liberation related to Rahu. He connects
Mercury and Rahu to Mulādhāra chankra, Venus to SwādhiSThāna chakra, Sun to
MaNipura chakra, Mars to Anāhata chakra, Moon to Vishuddha chakra, Jupiter to Adhnyā
chakra and Saturn to Sahasrāra chakra. He has written extensively on various aspects of
spirituality in this book which would certainly be of interest to those who would like to
pursue the connection between Vedanta and jyotish.
His other books that deal with his thoughts (vichāra) on different planets, Bhavas and so on
are written in the style of “Chamatkāra ChintāmaNi” and he has given opinion of different
authorities on each planet in each grahas and followed it up with his own thoughts about
them. He has held that exalted planets rarely give only good results attributed to them while those in
debility give good results. He has given some charts to support this theory. I tend to agree with him
but only in respect of the natural malefics. Astrologers may like to read more of Katweji’s books
to understand him fully and benefit from his wisdom. His books in Marathi and Hindi are
available with the publisher “Anil Digambar Dhumal” Nagpur Prakashan, opposite Shri
Ramkrishna Math, Dhantoli Nagpur-440012.