By Anura Bandara Rajaguru
Astrologer Sumanadasa Abegunawardhana who predicted earlier in an interview to “Ceylon Today”that President Mahinda Rajapaksa would emerge winner at the Presidential Election of 8 January 2015 has now changed his position in another interview with the same newspaper
Excerpts of the interview:
Q:
Were you the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s astrological adviser?
A: Yes, I was. I charted good times for all his work. I predicted that he would definitely win.
Q:
But was it incorrect?
A: My predictions were right, although the prediction on his victory was wrong. I started astrological prophesy in 1994. You can see that framed report, in which I said that Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, who had great power, will win. I said that she would become the Chief Minister, and then the President. I made those predictions together with my teacher M. K. Raman who is famed throughout Asia.
I have had a close and affectionate association with Mahinda Rajapaksa since 1982. All my previous predictions were correct. While all were stating that the incumbent government would win in 2001, I said that, the UNP would win in a close competition. I was then the chief adviser to major astrological newspapers, too.
Q:
My question is about your prediction this time?
A: This prediction was slightly different.
Q:
You told this newspaper that President Rajapaksa had a very powerful planetary position?
A: In fact he had a strong Yoga called Chandra Adhi Yoga. He won in 2010 as he was in the Erashtaka. He had the same Erashtaka this time as well but we did not take much notice of it. Maithripala Sirisena who is in the Libra house also had the Erashtaka.
Q:
Why didn’t you take notice of Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Erashtaka?
A: As a person, I associated with him for nearly 32 years and I did not expect him to lose. I spoke about him at every election. This time the prediction was slightly wrong.
Q:
You spoke about a great power, more powerful than his house of Virgo?
A: I definitely did.
Q:
You now say that you did not see the problems since you were too close?
A: Not only I, many others also predicted his victory. One vowed to shoot himself. He is a person who has a great knowledge of astrology. Another one who is also a non-commissioned magistrate vowed to self-immolate.
I never said such things. I said that I would not do such things when a newspaper questioned me. I can point out an example. A patient dies while a doctor is treating that person. Does he need to commit suicide? I asked that newspaper.
Q:
How do you feel about this defeat?
A: I think the fight was not between Mahinda Rajapaksa and Maithripala Sirisena. The horoscopes of Rajitha Senaratne and Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga are also very powerful. There was shift of Jupiter on 19 June, 2014. The horoscopes of Mangala Samaraweera and Sarath Fonseka are also very powerful. Libra is also strong. This was an unison of all these powers.
Q:
Do you mean that the former President’s planetary powers were undermined by these powers?
A: There was a large group supporting the common candidate.
Q:
There was a large group of people for the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s campaign too?
A: These were what we could see. There were so many other unseen things.
Q:
Did you investigate the planetary positions and other things like power of birth and Yoga after the Presidential election?
A: I had suspicions in the last week. But Mahinda Rajapaksa was a person with whom I was very close for 32 years of my life, and it was difficult for me to tell him about it. I could not disturb him mentally. The astrological adviser’s position is a dangerous job.
Q:
Don’t you think you have failed in your duty?
A: I won’t say so. I was the operating Director of the National Savings Bank. I resigned before the final result was announced on 09 January and handed over the vehicle and other benefits. I understood what was necessary to do.
Q:
You told the newspapers, at the last moment also, that the former President would be re-elected?
A: Yes, I did.
Q:
But were you aware that he would be defeated?
A: I felt it in the last week.
Q:
Can astrology decide everything?
A: We can only do little with astrology. A good time to leave home is useless, if the candidate who sits for the examination has not studied.
Q:
Did you advise the President to go for an election in four years of his second term?
A: I did not do so. He did not believe astrology so much. If astrology can create a President then I too could have deposited Rs 75,000 and contested after looking for an auspicious time.
Q:
How do you say that the horoscope of Mahinda Rajapaksa was very strong?
A: In fact, it was very powerful. Jupiter was very strong. I cannot imagine what happened. Not only had I, hundreds of other astrologers who gathered in the Shalika Hall at Narahenpita also predicted his victory.
Don’t blame only me. There were only two astrologers, as I know, who did not predict his victory. They were Samarakoon and Indika.
Q:
All of them erred?.
A: They predicted the victory after studying, not only the horoscope, but also the other aspects like physical characteristics etc.
Q:
You were special since you were the President’s adviser on astrology?
A: Yes. But I did not advise him to go for an early election, as I said earlier. Anyone surveys the ground situation before going for an election. It is the main thing and the President was not naïve to go for an election merely because I advised him to do so. He is a seasoned politician.
Q:
Were you hospitalized due to a heart attack during the final week?
A: It was not true. A surgery was performed on one of my knees by a doctor who is very friendly with me. I got myself admitted to the hospital since I felt the pain. The heart attack story was not true.
Q:
Did the former President attack you?
A: We have associated for 32 years and he has never called me ‘Thamuse’ or ‘Umba’ except when he got angry during some discussion.
Q:
Did Namal Rajapaksa hit you?
A: He calls me Uncle and respects me very much. It is good these questions are asked. I want to give clear answers to these lies.
Strange placards were created through such propaganda that the President’s astrologer had had a heart attack and he had been hit. They meant to say that I had erred in charting auspicious times.
Q:
You spoke about powerful Yogas that exceeded the President’s planetary positioning?
A: Yes, I did. But, we did not analyze others’ horoscopes in the same way. There was a group, but it was an error.
Q:
I ask again. Do you mean that Maithri won due to his power and Mahinda lost due to lack of power?
A: Probably it can be the reason. A large number of persons lost positions due to this reason. They may have been undergoing bad times.
Q:
Did the former President call you after the election?
A: He spoke to me at midnight on the election day also.
Q:
What did he say?
A: He wanted to know where I was. Yes, he spoke after that also.
Q:
Was 8 January your selection for the Presidential election?
A: I insisted that we do not influence the Elections Commissioner on the date of the presidential election.
Q:
You clearly stated that you had no connection in selecting 8 January?
A: My duty was giving him an auspicious time when the President decided on the date. I had no power to take decisions on dates. The President would not have accepted it even though I told him.
Q:
Why was this auspicious time wrong?
A: Small errors are not noticed due to extreme love and affection. It is like mothers not seeing the errors of their kids. We did not read the horoscopes of the other party. 99.9% of the astrologers of this country erred. I am sorry that you are trying to connect only me to this blunder.
Nostradamus, a French seer born on 24 September 1503 in St. Rem in France, who published collections of prophecies based on a strange methodology got publicity for his right predictions. His errors were ignored. Here I have been subjected to the vice versa. I predicted all correctly but erred in one. It is being given publicity.
Q:
I say that you predicted considering the situation in the country and not the planetary positions?
A: No. I followed astrology.
Q:
The President was powerful then. You could predict anything in his favour then. Planets did not matter to predict his victory?
A: His horoscope was powerful.
Q:
This prophesy was vital for him to stay in power.
A: We did not think of the country as astrologers. We considered only the planets. Everything cannot be predicted properly. For instance, we cannot say how much money a person has in his pocket. There was a minor error. Actually, we cannot say it is a minor error also.
Q:
Are the planetary positions and the Yoga etc. of the former President still good?
A: Yes. Saturn came from third position to the Wickramasthana. Jupitor was in 11th position. On the Election Day, Moon was powerful in 11th position. Piyasena Rathuvithatna, who has written so many books on astrology, also said this. Many others also said and all of us were wrong.
Q:
Was it a blunder in the books on astrology?
A: We must not say so. This is the fate of various persons.
Q:
Do you mean he was blocked by fate although all the other things were alright?
A: (Stammering) it is not like that. This is a wonder. Only two persons predicted Maithri would win while all the others said Mahinda would win.
Q:
Let us forget astrology. As a person who hails from the South, why did the President lose?
A: (After a long silence and a deep sigh) I cannot say anything about it. I wish the new President Maithripala Sirisena will take the country forward, although former President Mahinda Rajapaksa won the war and saved the country.
Q:
I was saying that the persons who were around the President committed many errors. But the President had to pay for them all?
A: I also think so, but we did not make errors. We performed our duty accurately and honestly.
I could have crossed to the other side if I wanted to save my position. I could have said to one in the Opposition that I had arranged matters for the victory of Maithripala Sirisena. I could have taken more benefits. But I was honest to the person whom I was with for 32 years.
Q:
How do you spend your days now?
A: There are thousands of people who come to me in search of advice. Some are from foreign countries. I have not lessened my services to them. My bookings for February are also taken now. I am free now and would engage myself in my profession freely. I received many calls that strengthened my mind.
Q:
Will you continue to be the astrological adviser to Mahinda Rajapaksa?
A: I will do anything he asks me. Although people believe he was vey much into astrology, he was not like that.
I have a relationship with many other politicians in this country. There are also businessmen. I made a mistake here. It was due to love and affection towards the former President. I told the BBC that the President would end the war. I respect him. Predictions can happen or not happen. All I predicted were true except this one.
Courtesy:Ceylon Today