Fate of Astrologers: Should Astrology Consultations Be Free?
Astrologers study the fate of other people. They examine horoscopes, planetary periods and transits to understand the opportunities and challenges awaiting a person.
But what about the Fate of the Astrologer?
Some people seem to believe that Astrologers have no financial responsibilities, no family obligations and perhaps no personal karma. According to them, astrology is divine knowledge and therefore every Astrologer must offer consultations free of charge.
I agree that astrology is divine knowledge. It connects human life with the movement of the heavens. However, the Astrologer who practises this divine knowledge is still living on Earth though he studies the planetary positions in the sky.
The Astrologer must eat, maintain a home, support a family, educate children, pay taxes and meet all the ordinary expenses of life. Divine knowledge does not make electricity bills, school fees or medical expenses disappear.
Therefore, the real question is not whether astrology is divine. It certainly is. The question is this: Does the divine nature of astrology mean that the Astrologer’s time, knowledge and experience have no value?
“Astrology Is Divine, So It Must Be Free”
During my many years as a professional Astrologer, I have repeatedly heard this argument:
“Sir, astrology is a divine profession. You should not charge money. God will take care of you.” Usually, this advice comes from someone requesting a free consultation.
Many people also complain that modern Astrologers have “commercialised” astrology. But almost every organised service in modern society involves some form of payment. Doctors, lawyers, teachers, engineers, accountants, consultants and spiritual institutions all require money to function.
Why, then, is an Astrologer alone expected to work without receiving anything?
Once, during a consultation, a client spoke highly of another Astrologer. He said that the other Astrologer was a very genuine person because he offered consultations free of charge. The message hidden within his praise was clear: if I charged a fee, perhaps I was not genuine.
But sincerity cannot be measured by whether a person charges money. A free Astrologer may be sincere or insincere. A professional Astrologer may also be sincere or insincere. The fee alone cannot determine the Astrologer’s knowledge, ethics or spiritual quality.
Did Ancient Astrologers Work for Nothing?
People often say that ancient Astrologers never demanded money. That may be true in the modern sense because currency was not always the principal method of exchange. Society functioned through patronage, land grants, gifts and barter.
A person consulting a learned Astrologer or Guru did not necessarily arrive empty-handed. He might bring fruits, grains, clothes, cattle, gold, silver or something else of value. Kings and wealthy patrons supported scholars, temples, teachers and Astrologers. The principle was not that sacred knowledge had no value. The principle was that knowledge was respected, and the person sharing it was supported.
If someone wishes to follow the ancient system today, the Astrologer may receive silk clothes, fruits, provisions, gold or land instead of currency. Once the value of these offerings is calculated, the supposedly “free” consultation may become more expensive than a modern professional consultation.
Dakshina is not merely a price paid for knowledge. It is an expression of gratitude and the completion of an exchange.
Astrologers Are Also Subject to Karma
Some people behave as though Astrologers are exempt from the ordinary laws of karma. They are not.
An Astrologer also has a horoscope created by his or her previous karma. The Astrologer experiences Dashas, Antardashas and planetary transits just like everyone else.
The Astrologer also has a 7th house representing marriage and partnership. If the Astrologer marries, family responsibilities arise. The 5th house may bring children, and children need food, clothing, education, medical care and a secure home.
The Astrologer also has a 2nd house connected with income and family resources, a 6th house connected with debts and duties, a 10th house connected with profession, and a 12th house connected with expenditure.
Saturn does not spare an Astrologer during Sade Sati or Ashtama Sani. Difficult Dashas do not disappear merely because someone knows how to calculate them. Astrologers must also pray, perform remedies, give charity and patiently work through their Prarabdha Karma. The same thing happens to Doctors. They can also get infected, may suffer a heart attack or a stroke. The Judge may go to Jail. A police man may be arrested and sent to jail.
Astrologers are neither tax-exempt nor karma-exempt. When almost every aspect of an Astrologer’s earthly life is similar to that of other people, why should the Astrologer’s profession alone be practised without remuneration?
Astrology Requires More Than Memorising the Basics
Some people learn the names of the nine planets, twelve signs, twenty-seven Nakshatras and a few Dashas and immediately begin advising others. Learning these basics does not make someone a competent consulting Astrologer.
In my beginner classes, I can explain certain fundamental concepts within a few hours. But I always warn students that knowing the basics does not mean they are ready to guide other people.
It is similar to learning how the bishop and knight move on a chessboard and then believing you are ready to challenge a grandmaster.
A responsible Astrologer requires years of study, observation, practice and correction. The Astrologer must learn how combinations interact rather than interpreting every planet separately. He must examine many horoscopes and compare predictions with actual events.
More importantly, he must understand human nature. He must study how Karma works. He must also know the logic on how Astrological remedies can change the course of destiny for a person.
People approach Astrologers during vulnerable moments. They may be worried about marriage, children, health, debt, employment or business. One careless statement can create fear, damage a relationship or influence an important decision.
Professional Astrology therefore carries a serious responsibility.
Free Service Is Not Always Charity
There are sincere Astrologers who offer free consultations as Seva. Some are financially supported by another profession, a pension, their families or an institution. Their service deserves respect provided they have the necessary expertise in Astrology.
Like me, many experienced professional Astrologers voluntarily reserve a small portion of their time to help people facing genuine financial hardship. Such service is charity offered at the Astrologer’s discretion. I have personally provided this kind of assistance whenever I felt the need was genuine. However, if someone approaches me and demands a free reading, I will not provide one. Charity must be offered voluntarily; it cannot be requested as a right. What I want to say is, charity cannot be demanded.
A person cannot purchase expensive phones, jewellery, travel or entertainment and then declare that an Astrologer must work for free because astrology is divine. That is not spiritual reasoning. It is an attempt to obtain someone’s time and knowledge without respecting their value.
There is an important difference between these two situations: Giving freely is charity. Demanding something free is exploitation.
The Hidden Cost of a “Free” Consultation
Not every Astrologer who advertises free consultations is actually working without financial benefit. Sometimes the consultation is free, but fear is created during the reading. The person is then encouraged to purchase an expensive gemstone, Yantra, talisman or remedy.
The free consultation becomes the entrance to a much larger sale.
This does not mean that gemstones and remedies are always wrong. A properly recommended remedy can be helpful. But the recommendation must arise from the horoscope—not from the need to recover the cost of a free consultation.
When the consultation itself has a transparent fee, the Astrologer can focus on giving honest guidance without creating unnecessary fear or pressuring the client to purchase something else.
Free service is therefore not automatically more ethical. A reasonable and openly stated professional fee may actually create a healthier relationship between the Astrologer and the client.
Responsibility Increases When a Fee Is Accepted
When an Astrologer accepts a fee, a greater sense of responsibility naturally arises. The Astrologer knows that the client has placed value on the consultation. He must prepare properly, study the horoscope carefully and explain his conclusions responsibly.
This does not mean that every free Astrologer is careless. Many are sincere and committed. But professional payment creates accountability. It encourages the Astrologer to continue learning, purchase reliable books and software, maintain records and improve the standard of consultation.
Payment also allows the Astrologer to devote sufficient time to the subject instead of treating astrology as an activity squeezed between other occupations.
The Most Memorable ₹35 Bargain of My Life
Around 1992, when long-distance STD telephone calls were very expensive, a wealthy lady contacted me regarding a computer-printed horoscope.
She began bargaining for a reduction of ₹35.
The conversation continued for a long time. I calculated that the STD call itself had probably cost her more than ₹200, but the ₹35 reduction remained extremely important to her.
I finally agreed.
I even told her that I would return the amount through a money order.
If you ask why I lost that unforgettable ₹35 battle, I can give you an astrological explanation: I was passing through Rahu Dasha and Saturn Antardasha, and both planets were connected with difficult influences in my horoscope. Saturn is related to number 8. The 35 rupees is actually 8.
The incident taught me something important. The desire to bargain is not always related to poverty. Sometimes it is simply a habit—even among the wealthy.
“Please Improve Your Karma by Consulting Me Free”
A man once told me that because I spoke about God and good karma, I should examine his horoscope without charging him. He explained that giving him a free consultation would improve my karma and that I could carry those good-karma points into my next birth.
This gentleman had travelled halfway around the world from his home country to another country.
I wondered whether he had given the same spiritual advice to the airline and requested a free ticket. Perhaps he had also asked the telephone company to improve its karma by waiving his bills.
People are often generous when donating another person’s time and money.
“I Am Poor, but I Am Standing Inside a Diamond Shop”
Another man telephoned me and explained that he was unemployed and unable to pay my consultation fee. He promised that he would pay me after one year. Meanwhile, he urgently needed to know whether a diamond would suit him.
During the conversation, he revealed that he was already standing inside a diamond shop. He wanted to know whether he should buy one solitaire or several smaller diamonds. He also asked whether the diamond should be set in platinum instead of gold. He had money to purchase a diamond and possibly platinum, but no money to verify whether the gemstone was astrologically suitable.
Such experiences teach an Astrologer to distinguish genuine financial difficulty from a person’s chosen priorities.
The Watch Offered Through the Barter System
I once received several messages from a senior citizen who wanted guidance regarding his children. He said that he was retired and could not afford the consultation fee.
Instead of money, he offered to give me “good, attractive and useful things.” Later, he became more specific. He proposed giving me a new fancy watch worth a small portion of my consultation fee. He assured me that I would like it. He also mentioned his contacts with important people and suggested that knowing him might eventually be useful to me.
This was presented as a return to the ancient barter system. But true barter requires both parties to agree on the value and usefulness of what is being exchanged. It cannot be decided entirely by the person seeking the service.
I politely chose not to proceed.
An Astrologer must be careful when someone offers future contacts, influence, publicity or friendship instead of respecting the stated professional arrangement.
“When You See My Horoscope, You Will Not Ask Me for Money”
An IT professional who had been unemployed for nearly six months once requested an appointment.
When I informed him of my consultation fee, he replied: “Sir, once you examine my horoscope, you will understand my financial condition. After seeing it, you will certainly not ask me for any money.”
He then immediately tried to give me his birth details. In other words, I was expected to cast his horoscope, study it thoroughly and discover through astrology why he could not pay for the very consultation I had already provided.
It was a cleverly designed circle.
I could not help wondering how a man capable of presenting such an ingenious proposal had remained unemployed for six months!
Of course, unemployment is a serious difficulty. An Astrologer may decide to help such a person through charity or a reduced-fee service. But that decision must come from the Astrologer. The client cannot demand the complete service first and allow the horoscope to decide whether payment is necessary.
Even the Wealthy May Feel Poor
I once met a man whose net worth exceeded ₹1,000 crore. He bargained for a long time during the consultation. At one point, he asked me, “When will I become wealthy?”
I replied, “You are already wealthy.” He disagreed. Compared with a much richer industrialist, he considered himself poor.
Poverty can sometimes be an objective financial condition. At other times, it is a feeling produced by comparison. If an Astrologer waits until every client feels wealthy enough to pay, the Astrologer may have to wait forever.
Why Is the Fee Collected Before the Consultation?
Some people ask why an Astrologer should collect a fee before giving a reading. They want to pay only after the prediction produces a result. But professional fees are usually paid for the expert’s time, study and guidance—not for controlling the final outcome.
A lawyer cannot guarantee victory in every case. A doctor cannot guarantee the result of every treatment. A teacher cannot guarantee that every student will pass the exams in first class. Yet each must be paid for the professional service provided.
Astrology also has practical limitations. A recorded birth time may be inaccurate. Important information may be incomplete. The Astrologer, being human, may overlook an influence or make an error.
No ethical Astrologer should claim one hundred per cent accuracy in the reading given.
The fee is paid for the Astrologer’s time, accumulated knowledge, analysis and responsible advice. It is not a payment to purchase a guaranteed future.
Until 1995, I Received Everything Free!
Until 1995, I practised astrology mainly as a hobby and offered many consultations without charging a professional fee.
During those years from 1988 to 1995, something wonderful happened to me.
- The grocery shop supplied food and household provisions free of charge because I was a free Astrologer.
- The petrol station filled my motorcycle without asking for money.
- My children’s school waived their fees.
- The pharmacy supplied medicines free of cost.
- Clothing shops allowed my family and me to walk away with whatever we needed.
- The electricity department cancelled my bills, and the telephone company continued providing its service even though I paid nothing.
Unfortunately, to the best of my knowledge, not one of these statements is true. I am sure you also know.
That is the practical difficulty faced by every free Astrologer. Unless another person or another source of income supports the Free Astrologer there is no good future for him.
Should an Astrologer Ever Give a Free Consultation?
Yes. There is a place for Seva in Astrology.
An Astrologer may help someone facing genuine hardship. He may offer guidance during a disaster, family crisis or exceptional circumstance. He may devote a limited number of hours to charitable service. He may answer general questions for students or the public without conducting a complete personal consultation.
But charity should be guided by discernment.
A full horoscope consultation requires preparation, concentration and time. It is different from answering a general question, teaching a principle or giving someone a few words of encouragement.
Professional consultation and charitable education can exist together. One does not have to destroy the other.
A Better Place for Free Astrology Guidance
Today, general astrology questions can be discussed through the **EKDK Global Astrology Forum** https://www.astrologyekdk.com/forum
The Forum gives students and aspiring Astrologers an opportunity to practise, discuss principles and learn from real questions. Members of the public can ask general questions about subjects such as Jupiter transit, Sade Sati, Nakshatras, remedies and basic astrological concepts.
This creates a useful exchange. The public receives general guidance, while students develop their knowledge by participating responsibly.
However, a personal horoscope involving marriage, childbirth, health, career, business or major life decisions requires an individual consultation. Such matters cannot be responsibly settled through a short public reply without studying the entire horoscope.
The Forum therefore supports free astrological learning without devaluing professional consultation.
Respect the Knowledge and the Person Who Shares It
An Astrologer should never exploit fear, exaggerate danger or prescribe costly remedies merely to earn money.
At the same time, society should not exploit an Astrologer’s spirituality, kindness or compassion. Time and Money is precious for everyone. These are not important for an enlightened soul or a true Sanyasi.
Charging a reasonable fee does not make astrology less divine. A temple needs resources for maintenance. A school needs funds to educate students. A spiritual institution needs support to continue its service. In the same way, a sincere Astrologer needs financial stability to study, teach, research and guide others responsibly.
If an Astrologer offers you a free consultation, never assume that the time, knowledge and experience shared with you have no value. Express your appreciation according to your capacity. You may offer Dakshina, a useful gift, a meaningful book, a charitable donation made in the Astrologer’s honour, or at least your sincere gratitude.
If you can comfortably afford the professional consultation fee, pay it respectfully without unnecessary bargaining. Respecting the fee is also a way of respecting the Astrologer’s knowledge, time and years of experience.
If you genuinely cannot afford it, explain your situation honestly and allow the Astrologer to decide whether charity, a shorter session or another form of guidance is possible.
The Real Fate of the Free Astrologer
Astrology may come from the heavens, but the Astrologer lives on Earth. He has karma, duties, expenses and family responsibilities. He requires time to study and peace of mind to interpret a horoscope properly. When society respects his work, he can devote himself more sincerely to astrology. A consultation fee is not merely the price of a prediction. It represents the Astrologer’s years of study, accumulated experience, preparation, time and responsibility.
Free service offered voluntarily is Seva.
Free service demanded as a right is exploitation.
Let Ancient India Astrology remain divine—but let us also respect the human being who has dedicated his life to practising it.
Practical Solutions. Not Mere Predictions.
Guruji Dr. E. K. Dhilip Kumar
Founder, Dhilip Institute of Professional Astrology
https://www.youtube.com/@EKDhilipKumarAstrologer (YouTube Channel)
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