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> 第六十四章 Outwitting The Stars
第六十四章 Outwitting The Stars
“Mukunda，why dont you get an astrological armlet？”
“Should I，Master？I dont believe in astrology。”
Charlatans have brought the stellar science to its present state of disrepute。Astrology is too vast，both mathematically and philosophically，to be rightly grasped
except by men of profound understanding。
Astrology is the study of mans response to planetary stimuli。The stars have no conscious benevolence or animosity；they merely send forth positive and negative radiations。Of themselves，these do not help or harm humanity，but offer a lawful channel for the outward operation of cause-effect equilibriums which each man has set into motion in the past。But the natal chart can be rightly interpreted only by men of intuitive wisdom：these are few。
“Superstitious awe of astrology makes one an automaton，slavishly dependent on mechanical guidance。The wise man defeats his planets-which is to say，his past-by transferring his allegiance from the creation to the Creator。The more he realizes his unity with Spirit，the less he can be dominated by matter。The soul is ever-free；it is deathless because birthless。It cannot be regimented by stars。”
“Then，dear Master，why do you want me to wear an astrological bangle？”I ventured this question after a long silence。
“All human ills arise from some transgression of universal law。By a number of means-by prayer，by will power，by yoga meditation，by consultation with saints，by use of astrological bangles-the adverse effects of past wrongs can be minimized or nullifed。”
“Sir，of course I shall take your advice and get a bangle。I am intrigued at the thought of outwitting a planet！”
“For a specific purpose I want you to get one of silver and lead。”Sri Yukteswar added careful directions。
I sought out a jeweler the next day，and was soon wearing the bangle。My health was excellent；Masters prediction slipped from my mind。He left Serampore to visit Benares。Thirty days after our conversation，I felt a sudden pain in the region of my liver。The following weeks were a nightmare of excruciating pain。
But twenty-three days of torture weakened my resolution；I entrained for Benares。
“You must have come about your liver disorder。”Sri Yukteswars gaze was averted；he walked to and fro，occasionally intercepting the moonlight。“Let me see；you have been ailing for twenty-four days，havent you？”
“Yes，sir。”
“Please do the stomach exercise I have taught you。”
“If you knew the extent of my suffering，Master，you would not ask me to exercise。”Nevertheless I made a feeble attempt to obey him。
I was dazed and then overcome with joyful relief。No longer could I feel the continuous torment that had kept me nearly sleepless for weeks；at Sri Yukteswars words the agony vanished as though it had never been。
I started to kneel at his feet in gratitude，but he quickly prevented me。
“Dont be childish。Get up and enjoy the beauty of the moon over the Ganges。”I understood by his attitude that he wanted me to feel that not he，but God，had been the Healer。
Sri Yukteswar discovered the mathematical application of a 2，000-year equinoctial cycle to our present age。The cycle is divided into an Ascending Arc and a Descending Arc，each of 1，000 years。Within each Arc fall four Yugas or Ages，called Kali，Dwapara，Treta，and Satya，corresponding to the Greek ideas of Iron，Bronze，Silver，and Golden Ages。
My guru determined by various calculations that the last Kali Yuga or Iron Age，of the Ascending Arc，started about A。D。500.The Iron Age，1200 years in duration，is a span of materialism；it ended about A。D。1700.That year ushered in Dwapara Yuga，a 2400-year period of electrical and atomic-energy developments，the age of telegraph，radio，airplanes，and other space-annihilators。
The 3600-year period of Treta Yuga will start in A。D。4100；its age will be marked by common knowledge of telepathic communications and other time-annihilators。During the 4800 years of Satya Yuga，fnal age in an ascending arc，the intelligence of a man will be completely developed；he will work in harmony with the divine plan。
A descending arc of 1，000 years，starting with a descending Golden Age of 4800 years，then begins for the world；man gradually sinks into ignorance。These cycles are the eternal rounds of maya，the contrasts and relativities of the phenomenal universe。Man，one by one，escapes from creations prison of duality as he awakens to＆nbsp；consciousness of his inseverable divine unity with the Creator。
Because of one Sankhya aphorism，“Iswar-ashidha，”-“A Lord of Creation cannot be deduced”or“God is not proved，”-many scholars call the whole philosophy atheistical。“The verse is not nihilistic，”Sri Yukteswar explained。“It merely signifes that to the unenlightened man，dependent on his senses for all fnal judgments，proof of God must remain unknown and therefore non-existent。True Sankhya followers，with unshakable insight born of meditation，understand that the Lord is both existent and knowable。”
The great masters of India mold their lives by the same godly ideals which animated Jesus；these men are his proclaimed kin：“Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven，the same is my brother，and sister，and mother。”“If ye continue in my word，”Christ pointed out，“then are ye my disciples indeed；and ye shall know the truth，and the truth shall make you free。”Freemen all，lords of themselves，the Yogi-Christs of India are part of the immortal fraternity：those who have attained a liberating knowledge of the One Father。
“The Adam and Eve story is incomprehensible to me！”I observed with considerable heat one day in my early struggles with the allegory。“Why did God punish not only the guilty pair，but also the innocent unborn generations？”
Master was more amused by my vehemence than my ignorance。“Genesis is deeply symbolic，and cannot be grasped by a literal interpretation，”he explained。
As Sri Yukteswar ended his discourse，I glanced with new respect at the pages of Genesis。
“Should I，Master？I dont believe in astrology。”
Charlatans have brought the stellar science to its present state of disrepute。Astrology is too vast，both mathematically and philosophically，to be rightly grasped
except by men of profound understanding。
Astrology is the study of mans response to planetary stimuli。The stars have no conscious benevolence or animosity；they merely send forth positive and negative radiations。Of themselves，these do not help or harm humanity，but offer a lawful channel for the outward operation of cause-effect equilibriums which each man has set into motion in the past。But the natal chart can be rightly interpreted only by men of intuitive wisdom：these are few。
“Superstitious awe of astrology makes one an automaton，slavishly dependent on mechanical guidance。The wise man defeats his planets-which is to say，his past-by transferring his allegiance from the creation to the Creator。The more he realizes his unity with Spirit，the less he can be dominated by matter。The soul is ever-free；it is deathless because birthless。It cannot be regimented by stars。”
“Then，dear Master，why do you want me to wear an astrological bangle？”I ventured this question after a long silence。
“All human ills arise from some transgression of universal law。By a number of means-by prayer，by will power，by yoga meditation，by consultation with saints，by use of astrological bangles-the adverse effects of past wrongs can be minimized or nullifed。”
“Sir，of course I shall take your advice and get a bangle。I am intrigued at the thought of outwitting a planet！”
“For a specific purpose I want you to get one of silver and lead。”Sri Yukteswar added careful directions。
I sought out a jeweler the next day，and was soon wearing the bangle。My health was excellent；Masters prediction slipped from my mind。He left Serampore to visit Benares。Thirty days after our conversation，I felt a sudden pain in the region of my liver。The following weeks were a nightmare of excruciating pain。
But twenty-three days of torture weakened my resolution；I entrained for Benares。
“You must have come about your liver disorder。”Sri Yukteswars gaze was averted；he walked to and fro，occasionally intercepting the moonlight。“Let me see；you have been ailing for twenty-four days，havent you？”
“Yes，sir。”
“Please do the stomach exercise I have taught you。”
“If you knew the extent of my suffering，Master，you would not ask me to exercise。”Nevertheless I made a feeble attempt to obey him。
I was dazed and then overcome with joyful relief。No longer could I feel the continuous torment that had kept me nearly sleepless for weeks；at Sri Yukteswars words the agony vanished as though it had never been。
I started to kneel at his feet in gratitude，but he quickly prevented me。
“Dont be childish。Get up and enjoy the beauty of the moon over the Ganges。”I understood by his attitude that he wanted me to feel that not he，but God，had been the Healer。
Sri Yukteswar discovered the mathematical application of a 2，000-year equinoctial cycle to our present age。The cycle is divided into an Ascending Arc and a Descending Arc，each of 1，000 years。Within each Arc fall four Yugas or Ages，called Kali，Dwapara，Treta，and Satya，corresponding to the Greek ideas of Iron，Bronze，Silver，and Golden Ages。
My guru determined by various calculations that the last Kali Yuga or Iron Age，of the Ascending Arc，started about A。D。500.The Iron Age，1200 years in duration，is a span of materialism；it ended about A。D。1700.That year ushered in Dwapara Yuga，a 2400-year period of electrical and atomic-energy developments，the age of telegraph，radio，airplanes，and other space-annihilators。
The 3600-year period of Treta Yuga will start in A。D。4100；its age will be marked by common knowledge of telepathic communications and other time-annihilators。During the 4800 years of Satya Yuga，fnal age in an ascending arc，the intelligence of a man will be completely developed；he will work in harmony with the divine plan。
A descending arc of 1，000 years，starting with a descending Golden Age of 4800 years，then begins for the world；man gradually sinks into ignorance。These cycles are the eternal rounds of maya，the contrasts and relativities of the phenomenal universe。Man，one by one，escapes from creations prison of duality as he awakens to＆nbsp；consciousness of his inseverable divine unity with the Creator。
Because of one Sankhya aphorism，“Iswar-ashidha，”-“A Lord of Creation cannot be deduced”or“God is not proved，”-many scholars call the whole philosophy atheistical。“The verse is not nihilistic，”Sri Yukteswar explained。“It merely signifes that to the unenlightened man，dependent on his senses for all fnal judgments，proof of God must remain unknown and therefore non-existent。True Sankhya followers，with unshakable insight born of meditation，understand that the Lord is both existent and knowable。”
The great masters of India mold their lives by the same godly ideals which animated Jesus；these men are his proclaimed kin：“Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven，the same is my brother，and sister，and mother。”“If ye continue in my word，”Christ pointed out，“then are ye my disciples indeed；and ye shall know the truth，and the truth shall make you free。”Freemen all，lords of themselves，the Yogi-Christs of India are part of the immortal fraternity：those who have attained a liberating knowledge of the One Father。
“The Adam and Eve story is incomprehensible to me！”I observed with considerable heat one day in my early struggles with the allegory。“Why did God punish not only the guilty pair，but also the innocent unborn generations？”
Master was more amused by my vehemence than my ignorance。“Genesis is deeply symbolic，and cannot be grasped by a literal interpretation，”he explained。
As Sri Yukteswar ended his discourse，I glanced with new respect at the pages of Genesis。
