‘Mughals Were Insecure, Relied On Brahmin Astrologers Before Wars’: NSA Ajit Doval

The Great Mughals, for all their power and glory, were “insecure.” And the “solution” to the insecurity, particularly before important decisions relating to war and peace were to be made, was astrology,

said national security advisor Ajit Doval.Speaking at the launch of MJ Akbar’s book “After me, Chaos: Astrology in the Mughal eampire,” Doval spoke of astrology being a “corrective” for the Mughal emperors, and despite being devout Muslims, they depended on the Brahmin pandits of 'Benares' (now Banaras) for advice on issues including when to begin military campaigns. In effect, he said, “Brahmins had a role in the running of the state” with Emperor Akbar appointing a Hindu pandit as chief astrologer.Speaking at the function, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke of ancient Indians being leaders in astronomy and mathematics and the Mughals often asked stargazing pandits for advice. Referring to Swami Vivekananda’s philosophy and his belief in the greatness of India, he said that India would have a $7.3 trillion economy, making it the world’s third largest while Pakistan, in the words of M.J.Akbar himself, was a “jelly state.”Referring to astrology, he said that if the horoscope says a person faces challenges, it ought to inspire more concentrated work. “The stars will always shine. Our work will take us there… Karm is our dharm,” he added.Pakistan, said Akbar while summing up, would remain a dysfunctional state. It is a country that wasn’t acknowledging its past, including, among other things, the Indus Valley Civilisation.