All About Nadi Astrology

Long time back, one of my friends who was a Pilot Instructor of a flying club, requested my help to consult an astrologer, who was proficient in Nadi Astrology.

Nadi astrology, to explain it in a nut shell, is the history/predictions of any individual, written in palm leaves, by a seer, supposed to be many centuries ago. Those days , the records were maintained by writing documents on green palm leaves, cut to equal size, by using a metal pen ( Similar to a stencil pen or a ball pen with a metal tip ). The documents could be preserved for any number of years. Even now, there are palm leaf documents available, which are of archeological interest. The history/predictions are available, for the present birth, previous birth and the next birth also ! There are payment options for the records in which the client is interested. The identity of the individual seeking the records is taken by recording his / her right hand thumb impression, and based upon that, the records were located.

Me and my friend reached the small village, near the city Tiruchirappalli ,in South India, where I lived. I was employed in the Civil Aviation Department as an Air Traffic Controller. There were no advertisements or sign boards to guide us to his house, though we located his house without much difficulty. There was a name board outside his house.

The astrologer was a middle aged gentleman and he guided us to the first floor of his house, where there was a visitors hall. We waited there, may be for two hours, while he was busy with his other clients. He came to us later. He took the thumb impression of my friend. Not to be left behind, I gave my thumb impression also, being very curious about all these unearthly events. The astrologer advised us to come the next day, at an appointed hour, after collecting a small fee as a token payment.

During old days in India, a Vaidya (an Ayurvedic Physician) could be seen holding the wrist of the patient and contemplating upon pulse. Side by side he would ask primary questions about the problems of the patient, its intensity, time when the trouble started, about last meals etc. This preliminary examination was called 'Nadi' examination. This nadi examination is one of the eight examinations - Ashta Bidha. Let us remember that this it is not mere observation of the pulsation of the blood vessel. It is in fact observation of imbalances or the Tri-Dosha.

Thus, Nadi was relevant with the time of consultation and examination of the biological environment of the patient. This happened to be a unique characteristic of Indian system of medical treatment. Through Nadi examination, identification of basic pattern of the patient's body system was undertaken. The state of Tri-Dosha was to be determined so that medicine can be prescribed to re-instate the internal biological harmony of human body with the universal elements in the environment.

In those days, the Vaidyas were supposed to know Astrology, Mantra Shastra and KarmaKanda besides his own expertise in Ayurveda. This is the reason, the concepts of Astrology and Ayurveda got mingled with each other. This multi-discipline expertise has contributed Ayurvedic flavour in formation of Astrological rules for estimating compatibility between would be spouses. While the emotional attributes of the persons are important; the biological characteristics are equally important. Since, the basic purpose of marriage is the regeneration of offspring, a fruitful marriage greatly depends upon biological compatibility.

Here, Ayurveda plays supporting role in astrological assessment of ability of a prospective couple to regenerate. For the purpose of judging matrimonial compatibility; an astrologer, on the basis of horoscope, determines the prakriti of both the candidates. Every Nakshtra/its charan or pada signifies a set of biological constitution of the native. This classification is called Nadi and they are named Adi, Madhya and Antya. They represent Vaata, Kapha and Pitta dosha respectively.