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A key royal astrologer has refuted claims that Crown Prince Dipendra was not being allowed to marry before 35 because of warnings that it would lead to the death of his father King Birendra.
The astrologer said the predictions being attributed to royal astrologers could probably be "by some amateurs, and there are no mathematical reasons behind it".
Media reports have been claiming that the palace did not want Dipendra to marry before 35, because of astrologers' warnings.
Dr M R Joshi, who was the most regular royal astrologer, told rediff.com in an exclusive interview, "There were no such warnings that I know of. If there were any, they would have been by some amateurs."
He dismissed the warning, asking, "So, if that was the case, why did all this happen now?"
He pointed out: ''Firstly, there were no such warnings given by the royal astrologers, and secondly, even if anyone else gave such a warning, their statements have no basis. Let them prove the mathematical calculations behind it."
Dr Joshi, who is also chairman of the Nepal Calendar Committee, which fixes auspicious dates, astrological calendars and carries out several important religious activities of Nepal, said that the royalty had never consulted him to find out if Dipendra should marry before 35, or later.
He is the most regular of royal astrologers, and inherited the position from his father, who was in the team of astrologers that prepared the personal astrological calendar of the late King Dipendra, who is being accused of killing the entire royalty.
On the sixth day of the birth of a baby, Nepalis prepare the child's personal astrological calendar, impact of his birth on parents and for himself.
Incidentally, the late King Dipendra was a student of Joshi at Tribhuvan University, where the astrologer also teaches geography for master's courses. Joshi has also taught King Gyanendra.
He said there are several people who pretend to be astrologers, with little knowledge of Sanskrit and astrology.
"There should be some astronomical and astrological basis," he said.
He said the palace had never asked him to do any prediction on such an aspect. "Whenever they (the palace) call, we go. Without assignment, we don't go," he said.
Usually, the palace consulted him and other royal astrologers on auspicious timings to travel out of Nepal or to conduct ceremonies.
For King Birendra, who was born in Libra (Tula Rasi), this was a very bad period. "Jupiter, Saturn and Sun were in the same house," he said. In such cases, one could lose one's life, can be displaced or lose money.
This bad period for King Birendra was to end July 13, he said.
He warned that Saturn is in a "very bad position" and it "is not just bad for Nepal, but for the whole world."
The astrologer said that he had not yet done any detailed studies on the present crisis.
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