astrological opinion as to who could be behind the alleged attempt.

When I told them that such predictions could be given only to the person concerned. His Highness sent word to me and we had a long discussion at his summer palace. Being himself a keen student of Astrology, he appreciated my arguments and expressed satisfaction that my finding endorsed his suspicion. He did not however wish to pursue the matter further or publicise it He said that he believed in what he called "Divine dispensation". I had indicated to him then that Mars sub-period in the Sun. Dasa might prove fatal to his life and he was advised remedial measures. But by then he had become a stoic and the flagrant violation by the then Government of India of the assurances given to him (and other Indian rulers) by Sardar VaIIabhbhai Patel had made him sorrowful and resigned to his fate. The fear that I would die at the end of Rahu Dasa persisted until 1932, when on a certain day grandfather, explaining the chapter on Ayurdaya in Brihat Jatahs, removed my misgivings and said that because of the dispositions of the planets *(in my horoscope) in Kendras, the Sun in the 6th and the Lagna, the Sun and the Moon all being aspected by Jupiter, Purnayu or a full term of life was assured. According to him, the Ascendant and the 8th and their lords should be beneficially disposed receiving the aspect or association of either Jupiter or Venus. He always laid stress on the situation in a kendra of the lord of the Lagna or Jupiter or Venus. But in my humble experience, the mere presence of one of these lords in a Kendra, should not be the sole criterion for determining the longevity. In the light of experience one has to revise one's views and experience has taught me the basic truth that in Astrology, a literal application of textbook rules should not be done. I was born on 8-8-1912 A. D. at Bangalore at 7:42:44* P.M. (1ST). 2 I distinctly remember that on my twelfth birthday, my grandfather revealed to the members of the family and friends present on the occasion that I would become a great astrologer, due to certain definite planetary patterns obtaining in my horoscope. I was able to gather from him, later on, that the combination which warranted his anticipations about my future were : Gajakesari, i.e., the disposition of the Moon and Jupiter in mutual angles, all planets being confined to angles. He was laying stress on the strength of the Ascendant and the fortification or otherwise of the lord. Grandfather had a flair for uncanny prediction and in analyzing the combinations that indicated a certain event In my own case, he laid stress on the strong disposition of the tenth house by the conjunction of Jupiter with- the meridian point and the strengthening of the Ascendant and the Ascendant lord by the aspect of all the three benefices, viz.. Mercury, Jupiter and Venus. He observed about me : "This boy is certain to become a great writer and will, from what I could see from his horoscope, make a name for himself in Astrology."

In 1928 I shifted to Bangalore and joined Intermediate Arts class. For a while I had to stay with a distant relative of ours, who had. been indebted to grandfather for securing him a job in the post office. The house was situated in