A most reliable guide to practical astrology, Notable Horoscopes does not contain startling predictions and amazing forecasts. But it is the product of investigations and studies by the author presented here in an orderly and scientific form but in simple language easily understandable by the average reader.

The book analyses the various combinations which have produced personages like Lord Krishna, the Buddha, Adi Sankara, Jesus Christ, Prophet Mohammad, Einstein, Akbar, Aurangzeb, Tippu Sultan, Vidyaranya, Tagore, Hitler, Suryanarain Rao, Abraham Lincoln, Subhas Bose, Aurobindo, Thyagaraja, Bernard Shah, Godse, etc.

In fine it is excellent for study and for research work. No other existing book contains such a collection of valuable data and horoscopes.

About the Author:

DR. B. V. RAMAN was the renowned astrologer and author. He was the Chief Editor of The Astrological Magazine. He had number of titles to his credit. He held a string of titles such as Abhinava Varahamihira, Jyotisha Bhanu, Jyotisha Vignana Marthanda, Jyotisha Bhooshana etc. He was a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, London and a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society. Dr. Raman had influenced the educated public and made them astrology-conscious. His special fields of research were Hindu Astronomy, Astro-psychology, weather, political forecasts and disease-diagnosis. He was widely travelled man and addressed the elite audience almost throughout the world.

Excerpts from Review:

"Contains a seriously conducted scientific study of seventy-seven horoscopes and is bound to make a valuable addition to the stock of literature on predictive astrology devoted to pursuit of research, on critical and constructive lines. Prof. Raman has pointed out in his well-reasoned Introduction the application of astrological theories of reading of the future significance of given charts."

-The Hindu, Madras

"An unusual book in this field for it discusses the horoscopes of 77 men and women, past and present who became either famous or notorious. The book's main value lies in its attempt to explain the co-relation between the main events in a person's life and the astrological influences in his horoscopes."

-Free Press Journal, Bombay

"Dr. Raman, who has spent a life-time in Bangalore publishing The Astrological Magazine, brings to bear the wide experience of his research on his masterly analysis of each birth chart.

Even a lay student of astrology can understand the simple way each horoscope has been analysed."

For some years I dealt with prominent horoscopes in THE ASTROLOGICAL MAGAZINE under the caption Horoscope of the Month. This feature was immensely liked. But it had to be given up for obvious reasons.

During the last three or four years repeated requests reached me from several of my readers that I should bring out a book, solely dealing with horoscopes containing notable astrological features. In response to these requests this book has been prepared. Some of the horoscopes given in this treatise have appeared in THE ASTROLOGICAL MAGAZINE. but this cannot lessen the worth of the book inasmuch as, such horoscopes have either been revised or re-written.

In the recent times, there appears to have been a great spur in astrological activity both in India and abroad and this necessarily calls for the publication of new astrological books dealing with the subject more systematically and comprehensively.

It is this fascinating quest for astrology that has made me bring out Notable Horoscopes and if by my humble labour I could make others take a more lively interest in this sublime science, my labours will not be in vain.

It has not been found possible to obtain the permission of all living presons whose horoscopes have been published in this book. I request them not to take offence at the comments made about them, as the discussions are essentially objective and scientific.

In the fifth edition of NOTABLE HOROSCOPES herewith presented, some of the horoscopes have been revised and re-written taking into consideration happenings in their lives subsquent to the publication of the previous edition. The whole book has been revised and some of the errors found in the previous editions corrected.

It is hoped that this new edition of NOTABLE HORO- SCOPES will aid both the students and savants of astrology to a better appreciation of the practical aspect of the subject.

NOTABLE HOROSCOPES Volume II is under preparation. It will cover the horoscopes of Lal Bahadur Shastri, Kennedy, De Gualle, Nixon, Indira Gandhi, Morarji Desai and other notables.

Thanks are due to IBH Prakashana, Gandhinagar, Bangalore-560 009 for having brought out this edition attrac- tively.

Preface to The Sixth Edition:

This edition has been revised and some of the errors found in the previous editions corrected. The horoscopes have been revised and at places rewritten taking into account events that have occurred subsequent to the publication of the earlier editions.

Of late a doubt is being expressed in some quarters as to whether the planetary positions given in this book in respect of very ancient horoscopes, would stand the scrutiny of computer calculations.

Computers take into account astronomical formulae based upon modern observations, but the criteria for the accuracy of the planetary longitudes in respect of very ancient horoscopes cannot be the assumptions of the computer-programmes. It is essential to note the limitations of the analytical methods as well as the restricted applicability of computers when long-time effects are to be evaluated.

Suffice to say that the castings given in the book have been calculated noted astronomers like Cyril Fagan, F.C. Dutt and L. Narain Rao both on the basis of Brown's tables an Suryasiddhanta..

I hope this edition of NOTABLE HOROSCOPES will be of much use to both students and savants of Astrology leading to a better appreciation of the practical aspect of Astrology.

I thank the publishers Messrs Motilal Banarsidass for bringing out this edition in an attractive form.

Thare is an unfortunate taboo amongst a section of the so- called thinkers against discussion of beliefs concerning man's relationship with the cosmos. As a result, even in the more liberal platforms the question of planets and men seldom comes out in open. Enquiring minds who challenge established scienti- fic beliefs mostly western oriented are viewed with suspicion. Amongst themselves astrologers are used to propound hypo- theses which must run the gamut of criticism. Astrologers are not politicians whose words spoken today are gospel tomorrow and forgotten the day after. It takes time for the acceptance of astrological advances-advances made in the face of rabid destructive and damaging criticisms of the Press and the Politi- clan. It was thirty-five years before Newton's Principia was taught in his own University. Mendel, who published his theory in 1865, died in 1884 a disappointed man whose work had gone unrecognised. No wonder therefore that astrological theories, even when commonly accepted, are sometimes "chal- lenged" by ill-informed and half-informed critics.

Astrology or Jyotisha Sastra, as developed by the Mahar- shis, makes a precise study of the position and inter-relation of the stars and planets. It has perceived by intuition certain tacts which western science can barely demonstrate. Astrology may be considered a science of sciences in as much as it tends to give objective form to man's desire for a better knowledge of his future. As Dr. Castiglini observes in his great work Adven- tures of the Mind "modern research in radiations emitted by sub- stances contained in the stars and revealed by the spectrurm the hypotheses that have been recently advanced concerning the relations between solar spots and extraordinary historical events, the publications by Swaboda and Fliess on the laws of septennial periods, all these lead us to think that the intuitive and profoundly human conception, deriving directly from man's immediate sensitivity to the action of the stars may have a vaster and deeper foundation of truth than was realised when this primitive idea of intercosmic solidarity seemed to be for- gotten".

One cannot dismiss astrology with a contemptuous ges- ture by calling it a superstition. Truth, as the history of science shows, cannot be killed by giving it a bad name. On the face of it, prediction of a future event, which has not yet occurred, may appear to be impossible. As astrology has shown that 'foreknowledge' of things is possible, science must find a place for it in its purview of universe. Astrology is based upon scien- tific data for the horoscope is a picture of the heavens, i.e., the astronomical positions of the planets with reference to the moment and the locality of one's birth. I would refer my readers to my book, "Planetary Influences on Human Affairs" for a more detailed understanding of the rationale of Astrology.

According to the sages, the horoscope indicates our past Karma-the Prarabdha portion of the Karma being our destiny in this life and that astrological predictions are only tendencies of nature on their way towards fulfilment or manifestation and one can either augment or lessen their momentum in the parti- cular direction desired by recourse to remedial measures. Hence astrology has been fulfilling a very desirable social function. In the study of astrology there are two factors to be consi- dered, viz., theory and practice. The theory of astrology can be studied with the aid of any standard book on the subject. In studying horoscopes, we arrive at certain inferences. And the inferences can be valid when they are justfied by the evi- dence given in support of them. For instance. in a given horo- scope, an inference is drawn regarding longevity-this inference being justified by the evidence (combinations) given in support of it. But sometimes we may make inferences which turn out to be true though they may not be valid, i.e., are not justified by the available evidence. In astrology the inference must not only be valid but also true. The study of the conditions of true inference would mean, an investigation into the truth 'of all possible premises-an obviously impossible task and hence the limitation of a strictly logical approach in regard to astrological prediction. Here comes the importance of intuition or judgment power in predictive astrology. Prediction implies first an ana- lysis of the various combinations in the horoscope and second, a synthesis of a given or required event. on the basis of the analysed evidence. It is therefore no child's play to weigh and balance the relative strength of each factor and then synthe- sise the chart as to form a reasonable judgment of the whole. According to the great Satyacharya the astrologer must be well versed in the different branches of the subject and an adept in weighing the pros and cons of the horoscope. He must have the creative or inferential ability to interpret horoscopes and above all he must have spiritual equipment. It must be noted that in the matter of interpretation, each branch of astrology calls for its own particular technique. While the concepts of the ancient Rishis continue to form the basis, ancient. medieval and modern conditions-political, economic and social-neces- sitate certain modifications in judgment and application.

In the light of these introductory remarks, the indulgent readers must view my interpretation of the seventy-six charts given in Notable Horoscopes, It may be that some of my readers may not be inclined to agree with my interpretation of a given combination in a given chart. It does not mean, however, that my interpretation is necessarily incorrect. Taking the chart as a whole, I have endeavoured to construct the life-history of the individual in the light of the planetary patterns present in the chart thus enabling the astrological student to sort out the distinguishing or notable features of the horoscope. By the expression 'notable', as applied to this book, I mean not only noteworthy people but also horoscopes which are noteworthy in themselves as illustrating certain rare and definite combina- tions such as Raja Yogas (combinations for political power), Parivraja Yogos (combinations for renunciation), Dhana Yogas . (combinations for immense wealth) and combinations which render a man great not necessarily in the public eye but by virtue of certain special qualities of head and heart, selflessness and religious discipline. The usefulness of such a discussion will not be disputed if we remember that each horoscope is illustrative of certain fundamental astrological principles which can be easily recognised thus fixing the attention of the reader and stimulating his mind for research and deep study.