Prasannan had a fascination for Astronomy from an early age, having built his own telescope, and spent his teenage years studying the stars and planets. He was the president of the Astronomy, and Photography Clubs in high school. He always understood that what we see is only a tiny portion of the totality.

At Easter, in 1987, he attended a retreat which resulted in a spiritual awakening, leading him to conclude that he had always been on a spiritual path. As a result, he adopted a celibate (brahmacharya) lifestyle.

Having studied the teachings of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Ramana Maharshi, and Swami Sivananda, he heard about Mata Amritanandamayi (Amma), and met her during her 1990 North American tour. At the time, he held a senior management position in corporate finance but he had a natural motivation towards engaging in serving selflessly (Seva). The Sanskrit word "Seva" means helping others out of compassion, without a conscious thought of receiving personal benefit.

Prasannan moved to Amritapuri, India in 1992; on arriving he was placed in charge of the computer room, and developed a new accounting system, training the brahmacharins (monks) in its use; at the same time a Jyotish software program was acquired, which Prasannan became responsible for. At the direction of Amma, he began his practice of Jyotish, which continues to this day. He travelled around the world with Amma, providing Jyotish interpretations during her programs. At other times he conducted sessions in India, raising funds for Amma charities. After 19 years in India, he returned to Canada and established his independent Jyotish practice. After more than 2 decades of brahmacharya, he married Maya, the love of his life!

Prasannan has consulted with more than 60,000 clients throughout the world. He answers questions about all areas of life, material, familial, health, and well-being, as well as spiritual.

Website: prasannanjyotish.com

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and transcript of this interview

Interview recorded February 9, 2019.

YouTube Video Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump

00:04:28 - The Journey to Jyotish Practice

00:08:11 - The Differences between Vedic and Western Astrology

00:11:53 - The Significance of the Birth Chart

00:15:16 - The Existence of Souls on the Astral Plane

00:18:54 - The Evolution of Jyotish

00:22:40 - The Power of Alignment and Eclipses

00:26:31 - Planets and their Qualities

00:30:30 - The Universe as Reflective Intelligence

00:34:36 - The Complexity of Karma and the Intelligent Universe

00:38:16 - Jyotish as a Road Map for Liberation

00:41:48 - Planetary Influences on Fertility

00:45:09 - Reincarnation and the Bible's removal of references

00:48:51 - The Battle Between Free Will and Divine Will

00:53:00 - Twins and Individual Lives

00:56:29 - Difficulties in Obtaining Accurate Birth Times in Kerala

00:59:55 - The Power of Stones

01:03:44 - Concerns about marriage and job prospects

01:07:23 - The Unpredictability of Life's Events

01:11:09 - Astrological Effects on Travel and Location Choices

01:14:26 - The Influence of Planetary Cycles

01:17:51 - The Complexity of Karma and Lottery

01:21:49 - The Impact of Planetary Alignment

01:25:35 - Awakening and Integration

01:29:29 - The Role of Jyotish in Circumventing Problems.

01:33:16 - Vedic Astrology and Prognostication

01:36:39 - Advancements in Computer Programs for Astrology

01:40:05 - The Importance of Data Backup+Privately Safeguarded Techniques

01:43:41 - Death and Enlightenment

01:47:09 - Personal Biases and Jyotish