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How I Met Dr. B. V. Raman

Jyotish Star August 2012

By Christina Collins

Dr. B.V. Raman wrote the first Vedic astrology book that I ever read.

We would always shop for spiritual books at the Bodhi Tree bookstore in West Hollywood, California. It was there in 1971 that I first knew of Dr. B.V. Raman, when I purchased a little yellow paperback book called A Catechism of Astrology Vol I by Dr. B. V. Raman. I soon had as many of his books as I could obtain, and I never dreamed in a million years that I would ever meet him in person.

Right out of college, I lived for 23 years in California, and in 1992 moved my active Vedic astrology practice from Beverly Hills, to the mountain valley town of Boulder, Colorado. I wanted to be more self reflective and to write books about my research with Jyotish on earthquakes, on prasna using Nama nakshatras and on medical Jyotish. (coming from a medical family). Just as I settled in to country living, I heard about the first symposium on Vedic astrology to be held in San Rafael, California. Keynote Speaker was to be Dr. B.V. Raman! I couldn't believe it! He

was coming to America. (at the time, I had never been to India, and only dreamed of going there). So, I found my way back to California in order to hear him as the keynote speaker, and to see him in person.

The symposium campus was a bit removed from the hotels, and I had just returned from dinner at an Indian restaurant, and getting out of the car right next to me was Dr. Raman and his entourage. I did not know the proper etiquette for greeting someone so respected, world renowned and famous, let alone a lady greeting an Indian gentleman. (I believe he was 81 at the time, and I was 42). So I stood there and said �Thank you for coming to America to speak!� He smiled. So, not knowing any better (it�s not polite custom for men to shake hands with young women in India) I offered my hand to shake his.

He just stood there. So, I said �my grandfather was an astrologer.� It was at that moment that he offered his hand to me. I think maybe, respecting my family dharma, and that I was part of a lineage of astrologers. I still remember the touch of his hand, feeling like the smoothest of velvet. A hand of refinement and education.

As I stood there in the parking lot, I remember thinking, �I will remember this moment for the rest of my life.� My moment -- shaking hands with the greatest Jyotish astrologer living in our times.

Dr. B. V. Raman Birth Chart

�Father was born on August 8, 1912 at 19h.43m. at a small town (more of a village then) called Hosur (12 N 42, 76 E 24) on the Karnataka- Tamil Nadu states border. This was the place of his mother Ramakka who was just 18 years old, having got married to grandfather Nanjunda Rao in her 8th year.� ~ Gayatri Devi Vasudev

Then we all moved on to ride the elevators up to the different floors of our hotel, and he turned to me and said �what is in the box?� I was carrying a white Styrofoam box from the restaurant back to my roommate. �Samosas, I said.� -- all the while thinking Wow! A famous prasna astrologer is asking me what is in the box?

In 1996, I didn�t know a lot about Jyotish honors or titles. Then, one day, I received a phone call from India! The caller told me, that someone had recommended me for the Jyotish Kovid title. I said,�but I�ve never been to India, how do they know about me?� He relayed �we listened to your tape on Prasna!� Evidentially the ICAS governing board had listened to my audio tape on a class I taught the previous year at the second American College for Vedic Astrology Symposium in Northern California using my research with Prasna and the 108 Nama Nakshatra sounds.

Then the caller said, �we will send the documents to you, but we do things differently in India, we�re not that fast,�. . .but what I heard was �we do things differently in India, we FAST! So, I said, okay, I�ll fast! How long do I have to fast?� Needless to say, he found that hilarious. We were both laughing at my innocence.

Imagine how very excited I was to receive the diploma title in the mail, personally signed by Dr. B. V. Raman, the author of my first Jyotish book!

The next year, I was contacted that I would be given the esteemed Jyotish Vachaspati title� one who speaks the truth of Jupiter, whose predictions come true -- again from Dr. Raman, the President of the ICAS.. As far as I can discern, I was either the first or one of the first American women to receive such an honor.

I felt both humbled and thrilled to also be asked to speak at the third All India Conference, along with Dennis Harness, Bill Levacy and Stephen Quong � to an audience of 800 astrologers from villages all around India.

So I happily went on my first journey to India, and of course the word was out, and many people came up to me, �is it true? Are you the Vedic astrologer who thought you had to fast for your title?� I laughed and said, yes, that�s me.

I enjoyed so much my time with Dr. Raman, and his daughter Gayatri Devi Vasudev -- visiting his home, drinking coffee with him, and being in his office where all

his books were written, and where he proudly showed us the actual correspondence between Dr. C. G. Jung and himself. When I referred to the photographs on his sitting room wall, he proudly named Niranjan Babu, Gayatri Devi, and each of his many children.

So, that is how I came to be friends with the Raman family, honored to take meals with them, and to visit the family temple. They also took us to a Ganesha Temple, and to a Nandi temple, both having a profound impression on me.

That trip was the first of many to India, but the memory of that first trip, where I gave a talk on Relationship Compatibility and the Navamsa and my research with the Saptamsa � sitting together on a stage where Dr. B. V. Raman and his wife Mrs. Rajeswari Raman presided, both of whom I will always nostalgically miss, continues to be an honor I will cherish all my life.

Christina Collins Biography:

Christina Collins, Jyotish Visharada, CVA, Jyotish Kovid, ICAS and CVA, Jyotish Vachaspati, ICAS and Jyotish Medha Pragya, ICAS is a third generation Astrologer specializing in the Vedic system. She received her honorary titles from the late Dr. B.V. Raman, former President of the ICAS (Indian Council for Astrological Sciences) in New Delhi and Bangalore, India, from CVA (Council for Vedic Astrology, USA) and from the ICAS in Bangalore 2012.

From1997 to 2012, she was the first and sole American woman to be honored by the highly held title of Jyotish Vachaspati (Jyotish - the light bearer and Vachaspati - the one who speaks the truth and whose predictions come true. (In Sanskrit, Vac

= speech and Brihaspati is a name of Jupiter the planet of wisdom and truth. Her most recent honor from India, the Jyotish Medha Pragya title, means that consciousness has merged with Jyotish.

She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the American College for Vedic Astrology (ACVA online), and was former Editor of the ACVA News. President of Celestial Resource (The Timing Coach) she serves corporate and private clients from students to celebrities. For the Jyotish Star you can reach her in Boulder CO at [email protected]:

Christina's Consultation Contact information:

Christina Collins, J.K., J.V.
Editor in Chief The Jyotish Star
Lafayette, (Boulder County) CO, USA
web site: http://www.christinacollinsastrology.com
email: [email protected]
phone: 303-665-9996



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