Vedic Predictive Astrology


#9
Saturn/Rahu The Soldiers Of Karma
Published March 4, 2003

     The challenging January 7 to February 22 interval has passed with much discord and elevated tension levels.  Only two days ago the "orange" terrorism warning was changed to "yellow."  Apprehension, worry and unhappiness have inexorably crept into public perception worldwide as President Bush pushed ever closer to invading Iraq.  The economy and securities markets mirrored this malaise.  Protests globally and growing international resistance to President Bush's aggressiveness only served to delay the Iraq invasion, not thwart the inevitable.  Any buoyancy remaining from recent years' stock losses, corporate frauds and terrorism issues has been sunk by Bush's constant diatribes of America being on the very brink of war.

     The calamity interval around the January 27 Mars/Ketu hotspot manifested in a major (but scarcely publicized) battle in Afghanistan that very day, and the Space Shuttle explosion shortly following on February 5.  The latter brought home the horror of violence, especially since space exploration has been a unique beacon of peaceful international discovery.  This calamity thereby again promoted peace.

     The Shuttle Calamity And The Future Forecast (published February 3) predicted the U S air war against Iraq beginning between February 18 and 22.  Then, the dissonant planetary energies culminated both planet-wide and in Bush's own Vedic chart.  Although the war did not begin last week, the world certainly experienced a rash of misfortunes - airline crashes, nightclub fires, explosions in factories and oil operations, earthquakes and seemingly endless personal tragedies.  Further, Bush himself made even more strident demands for support by the U N and NATO to invade Iraq.  This astrologer favored the war's inception last week because:  (1) the planetary influences for war had peaked, (2) the Moon was waning to dim (better for night warfare) and (3) a start later in March would bring more violence, deaths and disintegration of tenuous Mideast stability.

     The hope to minimize the war's destructiveness, then, stimulated the air warfare prediction for last week.  Spiritually is expansion of consciousness - to be and aware of, and sensitive to, the well-being of others - and the hard truth of a horrific and destabilizing spring season Iraq war is  unwelcome.  I apologize for allowing hope for a less harmful February war inception to influence my judgment.  Provocatively, interest in divination - whether astrology, clairvoyant or psychic - is waning throughout the nation.  This is perhaps because people are so distracted by Bush's constant beating the war drums, that the public has lost the faith and hope spiritual disciplines offer and which have not brought relief from worldwide and personal problems.

     This Forecast is entitled Saturn/Rahu* The Soldiers Of Karma, as these are the operative planets guiding the unfolding of world events as directed by President Bush and Saddam Hussein.  Saturn/Rahu is a most difficult combination, as Saturn's restrictive objective reality opposes Rahu's worldly intensifying psychological influence.  Bepin Behari, a wonderful Indian Astrologer, describes this combination as making "ones life miserable both on the objective and subjective levels."  This quote aptly describes personal perception and would do so even if the world were not at the brink of a calamitous war.

(*Rahu is an astronomical eclipse point, head of a snake in Hindu mythology and symbolizes exaggerated worldly cravings.  It associates with excess.)

     Saturn/Rahu also brings a remorseless pushing ahead in a ruthless and uncaring fashion, doing whatever is needed to attain a goal - the ends justify the means.  As Saturn is authority figures, its association with Rahu also brings victimizing by aggression and violence.  Saturn/Rahu combinations therefore often bring major conflicts, as in the beginning of World War II in 1939 and the Gulf War in 1991.

     Saturn and Rahu have been together in transit (in the current skies) in the constellation of Taurus since January 7, and these two malefics continue in conjunction until April 8.  They slowly and inexorably grind against each other - Bush pushes the war, and the forces for peace (anti-war activists and most foreign governments) push back.  Although Mars ended its war-stimulating influence upon Saturn/Rahu February 22, their twin rolls as the soldiers of karma during 3 months of union must bring a cleansing destruction.

     For Bush, there is no other option.  His birthchart and planetary cycles shown below give insight here.  Bush has been "running" Saturn/Rahu planetary cycles since late December 2000, when he began his  relentless, no-holds-barred drive to grab the Presidency.  In that regretful episode, the election process faced a tremendous challenge, and it was only Americans' deep regard for democracy that permitted our acceptance of the final decision by the Supreme Court.  Saturn/Rahu in Bush's chart stimulates tremendously empowered goals and the capability to persevere, without any restraint.  (Note: In The Bush Presidency - Profile & Prediction, Bush's Kala Sarpa Yoga, dictating a fated life, was analyzed in detail.  This Forecast does not discuss Kala Sarpa, but it still operates, adding even more weight to Bush's motivations, capability to impose his will and the fated consequences of his actions for downfall.)

     Once he gained the Presidency, Bush ran Saturn/ Rahu/ Jupiter from the end of May 2001 to mid October 2002.  Jupiter is the planet of religion, and for Bush, it makes him a born-again Christian, just as much fanatic in his extremist beliefs as Muslim fundamentalists are for theirs.  9-11 focused Bush's religious fundamentalism on those evildoers, and he expanded this view to include any nation or religious group which he perceived threatened the U S and/or differed from his particular brand of righteous Christianity.

     Bush then ran Saturn/Rahu/Saturn beginning in mid October 2001 and ending at the end of March 2002.  This translated his religious beliefs into national policy by announcing his intention to crush the axis of evil.  It was also during this cycle that Bush developed the preemptive strike policy, turning the U S into the aggressor for the first time in history to justify his arrogant use of America's temporary unmatched power.

     The next subcycles of Saturn/Rahu were Mercury, Ketu (the tail of the dragon) and finally, Venus.  These advanced of Bush's war agenda, and this last subcycle of Venus ends in mid April of this year.  (Note: Venus in Bush's chart is not compassion but rather a cold heart.)  As explained above, Saturn and Rahu in transit are in Taurus from January 7 to April 8, 2003, and this additional influence makes Bush absolutely obsessed with, and driven to invade Iraq, regardless of growing opposition at home and abroad to any consequences of the war.  Thus, the invasion of Iraq is inevitable.  The invasion will likely begin in mid March, as early as the 13th.

George W. Bush

Vedic Birthchart	Planetary Cycles (Dasas)

     The above stated concern about this delayed-start invasion is that in mid April, Bush runs Saturn/Rahu/Sun, and with Bush's Sun (signifying the self and government) placed in his 12th house of loss, this cycle will harm both Bush and U S interests.  Saddam Hussein, who is currently running the final months of a comparatively meek 10 year Moon Dasa, enters his death and destruction-causing 7 year Mars cycle on April 4.  The Mars cycle will end this incarnation, but he will also take untold lives with him in demonic acts far exceeding earlier barbarism.  Bush and Hussein must face-off, for theirs is truly a fated confrontation.

     Thus, an Iraq war that extends into April would be ruinous, with massive casualties on both sides, embroiling neighboring nations ( such as Israel), disrupting oil supplies and economic contraction worldwide.  Not only will Hussein die, but Bush will be discredited and possibly fall from power completely.  With these two villains taken out of the equation, then, and only then, can the world begin the process of rebuilding peace and prosperity.  This is Saturn/Rahu, and because Rahu intensifies Saturn, its Lord Shiva significations are amplified.  Shiva is the God of death and life, and he "clears away that which is no longer needed to make room for the new." 

     This Forecast is not news anyone welcomes but it is the best rendition of the planetary influences at hand.  It is still possible the opposition to an Iraq war will prevail, for Saturn/Rahu is an expansive influence for Bush having persistent problems with foreigners.  Bush will also be disgraced if peace prevails, for Hussein will have outwitted him in drawing a huge army to the Mideast and remaining in power.  This result, however, is unlikely.  

     In the meantime, meditation and prayer are wonderful palliatives, not just to avert war but also to regain some peace within ourselves.  It is also important to understand that many are feeling the fear of war and also experiencing personal travails, suggesting now is the time to extend a helping hand whenever possible.  Charity and empathy to others also sooth our own souls and rebuilds faith and hope. 

     The planets do improve in the spring, and if the war is not overly destructive good harvest may result once Bush and Hussein lose their power.  Yet, the analogy of vulnerable spring crops crushed by a sudden hail storm is practical to consider.  The stock markets will continue to be flat/depressed, until April 8, and a stable/peaceful world will encourage the markets will recover nicely through mid summer.  Market confidence and investment would then lead an economic recovery.