My teacher, K.N. Rao, always emphasizes the importance of research in order to discover what astrological factors give rise to particular destinies and inclinations in life. A number of articles in this fifth volume of my collected works are my researches into such questions. Others included here are "astro-profiles," or in-depth discussions of the chart of individuals with extraordinary destinies, and the astrological factors at birth which gave rise to these. "Talent," and "Dramatic Arts" are among the lesser known meanings of the 3rd house as given in the ancient classics of Jyotisha. In Hollywood Nights I explore the hypotheses that this house and its lord will be significant and prominent in the charts of famous Hollywood movie stars, and that they will obtain fame in planetary periods associated with the 3rd house/3rd lord. Using five charts of some of the greatest chess champions of all time, Checkmate explores the astrological factors that made Jose Capablana, Bobby Fischer, Garry Kasparov, Viswanathan Anand, and Magnus Carlsen legends of the game.A Night at the Grammy Awards explores the astrology of sudden fame in the life of Bonnie Raitt and that of other recording artists, Aretha Franklin, Kim Carnes, Sheena Easton, and Whitney Houston.Few people have ever dominated a sport like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did basketball for a period of 27 years. He will forever be a legend of the game, and the extraordinary Gaja Kesari Yoga or "Elephant-Lion Combination" in his birth chart tells the story. What makes it special, and how it clearly indicated that he was destined for athletic glory is the subject Of Elephants, Lions, and Skyhooks, an astrological look at the career of one of sports towering giants.In our celebrity-obsessed society, few people draw more media attention than Angelina Jolie. Her life has long been the source of fascination for the general public, and her birth chart is no less fascinating, revealing her unique destiny as an Oscar-winning actress, femme fatale, mother to six and Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations. In Tattoos and Tomb Raiders her chart is used to illustrate all the major interpretive principles of the ancient astrological science of India, making it an instructive lesson both for beginning and intermediate students alike.In Jyotisha when Jupiter falls in the 8th from the position of the Moon, it is generally said to be an unfavorable patterning that can give rise to very fluctuating fortunes in life. However, there is a special exception to this interpretive principle that "crowned" actress Gwyneth Paltrow with an Oscar. See why in this interesting account of Mukuta Yoga or "The Crown Combination."It Could Happen To You explores the astrology of sudden wealth and illustrates the predictive parameters for this event using the charts of numerous lottery winners and other people who became wealthy overnight. Gocharaphala demonstrates how the transits of Jupiter and Saturn can be used to "clinch" predictions about such important life events as career rise, marriage, and birth of children. It also discusses the sade sati, or the seven and a half year period of Saturn's transiting influence on the signs before, of, and after the position of the natal Moon, and how to accurately assess its effects. Other potentially dangerous periods such as natural malefics transiting the 22nd drekkana are featured as well.
