Author-- SK Kapoor

Natural calamities have been a recurring phenomenon since the beginning of tirne. Yet, very little has been understood of these disasters by modern science which still gropes in the dark unable to anticipate them by its methods and coming up with explanations only after the worst is over. In strong contrast, there are clear methods outlined in texts of jyotisha (loosely understood as astrology) which have been fairly successful in anticipating Nature's wrath through the elements of earth. fire, wind, water and ether in its branch of Samhita. Jyotisha is a three~limbed body of knowledge comprising of Siddhanta or mathematics (Ganita) including spherical astronomy (Gola) which covers the computation of all astronomical phenomena and data. The second branch is Samhita which deals with astronomical phenomena and their connections with terrestrial affairs involving either large groups of people or large tracts of geographical areas under which earthquakes, droughts, floods, Cyclones and other natural disasters as well socio-politico- economic happenings can be categorized. The third branch is Hora or understanding equations between celestial bodies and individuals. The present volume is an attempt to place before the discerning scientific mind Samhita methods or principles governing natural disasters in the nature of droughts, famines and floods. As a long term contributor to THE ASTROLOGICAL MAGAZINE and later. its successor MODERN ASTROLOGY, Mr. Kapoor's writings on natural disasters reflect his expertise in this area of astrology. Thoroughly methodical in his approach, the author has dealt with natural hazards region-Wise covering the globe in presenting his findings correlating planetary parameters with such events.