Past lives of Sadhguru
Like many other saints Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev has given description of his past lives.Description is contained in the chapter entitled “Falling Upwards” in his biography.(More than a life Sadhguru- written by Arundhati Subramaniam.) Osho has also given description of his many past lives in his biography”Glimpses of a Golden Childhood” and many of his discourses.Sri M -founder of Satsang Foundation have done so in his autobiography”Apprenticed to a Himalayan Master”.
Sadhguru told his biographer that about four hundred years ago he was there in Raigad District(Now in Madhya Pradesh) as Bilva-a fearless youngman and intensely in love with life.He belonged to the tribe of snake charmers and was a Shiva devotee.He was a strange and unconventional character and when he walked,writes his biographer,”It was with the arrogance of one who regarded the earth as his inheritance.It offended many.They found his intensity disturbing,the majesty of his bearing at odds with his station in life” In that life he fell in love with a Brahmin girl named Shambhavi which was an unbearable act in the society of that era. He was,therfore, entrapped,tied to a tree and one of his own snakes let loose on him. As the snake venom coursed through the young man’s veins he started watching his breath and left his body in full awareness.Hence”what could have been a brutal end became a graceful exit”explains his biographer.
Living with full awareness has been praised almost by all the spiritual masters.It is regarded as a great spiritual virtue.”One who can remain fully aware at the time of death becomes master of his life and death” is what Osho says about it.Due to full awareness at the time of death ,Sadhguru was born in his next birth as a great spiritual aspirant. He was born in a Telugu-speaking family and was named Shivayogi.He was a wandering Sadhu in that life and had lived a life of acute hunger and hardship.He had reached high levels of yogic mastery and had become master of many psychic powers or siddhis. There is one definite law of the spirituality that as soon as a disciple is ready a Guru appears.Sadhguru’s Guru Palani Swami appeared before him as Adi Yogi Shiva himself and Shivayogi surrendered. What happened after that ? “Palani Swami then raised his staff and placed it on the seeker’s forehead.In that moment,Shivayogi reached the state he had been in quest of all his life.Enlightenment dawned.”
Different enlightened masters have been adopting different techniques for transferring the light of enlightenment to their discipiles. Paramhansa Shri Rama Krishna did it by writing something on the tongue of his dIsciples or by touching their bare chest with his hands and even by touching their body with his either leg.Ramanna Maharishi did so by gazing towards the aspirants as he did to Paul Brunton.Osho did it by looking deeply into the eyes.Spiritual Sadguru of our family and a wandering Saint used to visit our house at least once a year.He lived in a simple room constructed on the first floor of our house.I was then a small boy,hardly a student of fourth or fifth standarad and playing near him. Suddenly he called me and asked to sit down on the floor. Then he insructed me to close my eyes and watch my breath.He asked me not to open my eyes till instructed.As far as I remember he kept me so for about half an hour.Experience was so tntense that I can not forget it now at the age of sixty five.
Shivayogi’s own enlightenment marked the beginning of his journey as a Guru.It had been the dream of countless yogis before him to create a sacred form that would liberate vast sections of humanity. Sadhguru decided to do that.His biographer tells us that “The tale of Dhyanlinga starts here.” She further explains the concept of Dhyanlinga in the following words “The Dhyanlinga was a yogic enterprise that seemed historically doomed.Its creation involved the participation of men and women in prolonged and intense spiritual practice-a situation that was always far too unconventional to meet with social comprehension” But the mission of Shivayogi could not be completed in that life.Shivayogi died at the age of fifty-seven.
Shivayogi returned in the early part of 20th centuary as Sadhguru Sri Brahma. He tried his best to establish the Dhyanlinga but failed again.Here I would like to quote his biographer so that concept of Dhyanlinga becomes more clear“But social opposition to this spiritual process was considerable.What was this peculiar yogic practice that involved the involvement of men and women in coditions of intense proximity? The notion offended some of the most fiercely-guarded norms of south Indian orthodoxy Sadhguru was hounded out of Coimbatore.” Sadhguru Sri Brahma left his body at the age of forty-two on the seventh hill of Velliangiri Mountains through all seven chakras-the mark of Chakreshwara,a yogi of rare accomplishment. But before his spectacular exit,Sadhguru Sri Brahma made a declaration:’I will be back’ .Sadhguru Sri Brahma returned and became famous as Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev.
Who Remembers Past Lives?
There is a beautiful book written by Sh. K N Rao entitled”Karma and Rebirth in Hindu Astrology.”He has dealt with the above topic in detail in Chapter eight of the book.Interested readers may read details from that book.
He has also set some astrological parameters for it.According to Sh. K N Rao 12th house represents the memory of the past life.Fifth lord represents poorva punya(Spiritual merits of past life).It also represents memory power.Sh K N Rao further states” In many spiritual horoscopes where great yogis saw their past births through their sadhna the 5-12 connection exists in some way or the other.” In the chart of the Sadhguru fifth lord Mer and twelfth lord Mars are combined together in the fourth house.Hence 5-12 connection exists.But fifth lord Mer is retrograde. Sh K N Rao has opined that retrogression of fith lord in such horoscopes is associated with non-normal death in past life.Retrogression of fifth lord also gives a non-normal behaviour pattern
In the chart of Osho(DOB-11-12-1931 17:13 hrs Gadarwara,Madhya Pradesh) we find that fifth lord Mer and twelfth lord Mars are combined together in the eighth house.Here I want to make it clear that that this combination may not work vice versa e.g. all people having 5-12 connection may not remember their past lives.
Birth Chart of Osho is given below. 
Another important finding of Sh K N Rao is that in the horoscopes of people who remember their past lives the opening dasa is related to the 12th house/lord in some way or the other.Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev was born in Sun -Rahu dasa.Sun is with the 12th lord in the 4th house and Rahu aspects 12th house from the 6th house.Similarly Osho was born in Ven-Sat dasa.Both are conjuct in 8th house with 12th lord Mars,Mer and Moon.In a few cases it is also related to the 9th house/lord.
It is not easy to carry out research in cases of rebirth and memory of past lives for want of authentic data.But logically, in cases of persons who remember their past lives; those houses/their lords which are connected with the memory should make a connection with houses/their lords connected with the past lives .Third and fifth houses are connected with our memory power.The popular theory is that 12th house is connected with the past life. But 8th house(Brihat Parashar Hora Shashtra) and 9th house(Phaldeepika) are also connected with the past lives.Those who are interested and have authentic data may make further research in this respect. I shall be thankful to readers if they can provide such data to me also.
An astrological perspective about past lives of Sadhguru
Astrological books provide some hints about the world one has come from in this life and the world one would go to after death.Sadhguru has told us about his past lives i.e. the world he has come from in this life. Let us apply some astrological parameters on the chart of the Sadhguru.Following parameters are given in the classics:-
1.Sun Or Moon Theory:-It is given in Sloka 5 of Chapter15 of Laghu Jatakam.First find out which of the Sun and the Moon are stronger in a horoscope. I have judged the strenghth by shadbala.Moon is stronger than Sun.
See in whose drekkana they are placed.Moon is placed in the drekkana of Sun which means that Sadhguru comes from the world of mortals.Sloka ibid further states that whether he enjoyed a high or an ordinary or a low status in his respective world is to be judged from the exaltation,debilitation,etc of the planet concerned.Sh K N Rao states that gradations should be done depending on the strength or the weakness of the planets.Moon is located in a friendly sign Leo which indicates good status.Different planets indicate different worlds as noted below.
Jupiter——————Divine world
Venus or the Moon–Pitriloka or the lunar world which is the next best.
Sun or Mars———–The world of mortals
Mercury or Saturn—-From lower worlds.
According to some astrologers Sun in a male horoscope and the Moon in a female horoscope are the central and most significant influences.If we follow this theory then we find that Sun is in drekkana of Jupiter.and is in a friendly sign.It means that he comes from a divine world. Let me repeat what I have already written while describing above past lives of Sadhguru “Sadhguru Sri Brahma left his body at the age of forty-two on the seventh hill of Velliangiri Mountains through all seven chakras-the mark of Chakreshwara,a yogi of rare accomplishment.” This parameter applies more accurately.
Let us apply these principles to the chart of Osho.In one of his discourses Osho explained that he was stabbed by a person in his last birth.It was about seven hundred years ago in some part of Tibet. Murder had happened on 18th day of his 21 days fast.Twenty one days fasting was a part of his sadhana in his previous birth.The murder was done not out of enemity but out of kindness. The person thought that he was uselessly starving himself and therefore he murdered Osho.In Osho’s chart Sun is stronger than Moon in shadbala.Sun is in drekkana of Moon.The indication is that he comes from Pitriloka which comes next to the divine world.
Division between different lokas may be related to the mental plane of the individual.One who has total tranquility of mind belongs to Devloka or the divine world.The individual who has high moral family traditions which give him inhibition to stay away from bad deeds, belongs to Pitriloka.Then there are people in the world who behave as the reality demands.They belong to the world of their desire and its satisfaction.Such people belong to Bhuloka. To the last category belong the people who have nothing but animal instinct.They believe only in satisfaction of their carnal desires.They belong to the lower world.
2.Principles given in Phaldeepika
Slokas 21 to 29 of Chapter 14 of Phaldeepika contain many hints about past and future births. Accoding to Phaldeepika ninth house and ninth lord indicate about the previous birth.Ninth lord in sign of his exaltation indicates previous birth in Devloka.Previous birth should be in a foreign country if ninth lord is in his sign of debilitation or in an inimical sign.Ninth lord in own ,friendly or neutral sign indicate birth in India only.In my interpretation I have used Panchadha Maitri(compound relationship). It seems more logical to me while interpreting charts and has also been found more accurate in my experience.
Phaldeepika also relates different planets being ninth lord to different parts of India.These are detailed in Sloka 26 ibid and are detailed below :-
Sun–Mountains,hills and forests.
Moon and Venus–There are many holy rivers in India.Taking a dip in those rivers relieves one of many sins. These rivers are Ganga,Yamuna,Narmada ,Godawari etc.Tracts watered by these holy rivers are represented by Moon and Venus.
Mars– Keekat Desh.One part of present Bihar is also known as Keekat Desh.
Mercury–All sacred places like Shri Rameshwaram,Shri Rangam,Dwarka,Mathura,Vrindavan,Ayodhya and Varanasi etc
Jupiter–Aryavarta which is bordered by Himalayas in the north,Vindhya in the South and which extends to oceans in the east and the west.
Saturn–Not good places or places where people of different religions(other than Hindus like Muslims and Christians) or low class people live.
Ninth lord of Sadhguru Jaggi Vaudev is Saturn.Now read what has been written about Sri Brahma(Past life of Sadhguru Jaggi Vaudev)” In the early part of twentieth century,Shivayogi returned.He was now Sadhguru Sri Brahma,a south indian mystic,also from a Telugu-speaking family,famed for his abrasive manner and extravagant compassion.” Telugu is natively spoken in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.Velliangiri Mountains where Sadhguru Sri Brahma had left his body is situated in Andhra Pradesh near Coimbatore.Present ashram of Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev is also situated in the same area Historically it was then a part of Madras Presidency and was inhabited not only by Hindus but also by Muslims and Christians.Ninth lord Saturn is in a neutral sign and hence birth was in India.
In Osho,s chart ninth lord is again saturn in an inimical sign.He was born out of India( Tibet) and in a place which is inhabited by non-hindus i.e. Buddhists. Hence many astrological parameters given by Parashara and Varahamihira about past and future births are valid However one principle of Phaldeepika has not been found applicable in these two cases of Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev and Osho and all other case-histories given by Sh.K N Rao.Sloka 28 of Chapter 14 of Phaldeepika states that if lord of 9th house is in sign of exaltation or own sign of the lord of lagna,it would mean that the native’s previous birth was of a human being. If the lord of 9th occupied a sign neutral to the lord of lagna the native was born as an animal in his previous birth and a bird if the lord of 9th occupied the sign of lord of debilitation of the lord of lagna or in a inimical sign.
I have two copies of translation of Phaldeepika.One by Sh. Gopesh Kumar Ojha and other by Sh(Dr) Suresh Chandra Mishra. Interpretation is same in both the above two books. I am still trying to obtain Phaldeepika translated by other astrology scholars and find if these slokas have some different meaning.
I also wanted to discuss astrological parameters on the day of enlightenment but it will make the article very lenghty.Hence in the next and perhaps final part..