Appendix 1 - Naadi FAQs

Naadi palm leaves, also known as Naadi astrology, are ancient manuscripts believed to contain the past, present, and future life details of individuals, written by Hindu sages (Rishis), particularly Sage Agastya and others. 

Here are some common 

FAQs about Naadi palm leaves:

• What are Naadi palm leaves?

Naadi palm leaves are ancient Tamil and Sanskrit manuscripts inscribed on dried palm leaves, containing predictions about individuals' lives based on their thumb impression or birth details.

• Who wrote the Naadi palm leaves?

It is believed that great sages, especially Sage Agastya, Bhrigu, and other Sapta (seven) Rishis, wrote these predictions thousands of years ago through their divine vision (clairvoyance).

• How do people find their Naadi leaf?

A Naadi reader (practitioner) takes a thumb impression (right thumb for males, left for females) and searches through bundles of palm leaves to find a matching description of the seeker.

• I don't feel it's safe to give my thumb impression, can it can be misused against me?

No. Only wet ink thumb impressions are used for legal documents, not photos and images of thumb impressions. You only send the photo of a thumb impression to the reader. Else, once you put a thumb impression or signature anywhere, it could be misused. The original wet ink thumb impression stays with you and you can destroy it.

• Do I need a Vedic birth chart when verifying information read from the leaf?

It is not necessary to have a Vedic birth chart even though it is helpful, or at least knowing your 'Rashi' and 'Nakshatra' is good enough. The reader will skip the information reading to your birth chart if you don't have one, and you will only verify other information, like your date of birth.

• Is there a leaf for everyone - or only for those who are supposed to get a reading?

No, there isn't a leaf for everyone. Remember a lot of the leaves were destroyed during the Islamic invasions of India. Esoterically speaking, the Rishis knew who will come for a reading, or would be blessed to receive these messages. Conversely, are there leaves written which have never been read? I believe so. 

• Do I have to go to a Naadi reader in person or can the reading be done online?

Since Covid, most Naadi readers are now doing Naadi reading over WhatsApp or Google Meet. You can go in person as well.

• What kind of information do Naadi leaves contain?

They typically provide details about:
- Past life karma and its effects
- Present life events
- Future predictions (marriage, career, health, family, etc.)
- Remedial measures to overcome negative karma

•  Can negative Karmas be removed through the remedies in the Naadis?

The Karm theory and how Karma works is very difficult, if not impossible, to understand. The Naadis are also Shastras. All Shastras were written on palm leaves thousands of years ago. Some people understand things from some Shastras, and say that all Karm has to be experienced and played out, it can't be removed through remedies. However; the Naadi mentions specific Karma for specific individuals, there is no general rule for everyone. For someone it may say you will have to go through this, for someone it will say you will have to experience some of it, and some of it will be reduced. One may have to go through the Karm, but the intensity and effect can be reduced. In few cases Naadi says that you have already suffered most of it, the remaining will be removed if you do the remedies. If you have faith, then you can do the remedies and see the results. Over time I have seen people go through the problems mentioned in the milestones much easier, they who have done the remedies. We cannot know Karma and it's effects. Each one can take the approach they want, that is also destiny.

• Do Naadi leaves say when a person or their loved ones are going to die, and negative things that will scare or affect my mind?
  

For the person who's Naadi is being read it, in most cases it will not state when they are going to die. Sometimes the reading may be till a certain age of that person, but it doesn't indicate death or why it stopped there, it may be because another Naadi would be read at that age. If the person is going to attain liberation or attain Samadhi when they leave their body, it will mention that, but not the age or date. 
For loved ones, like parents it will indicate the age at which their parents will have a serious health issue, and not state with certainty of when anyone is going to die. In saying all of this it is not deterministic or fatalistic.
For the negative events like a health issue of oneself or a family member, it would mention it very mildly and probabilistically by indicating which organ or issue may happen in order to give a heads up to prevent it. Most of the time there will be remedies/solutions given after stating a problem, suggesting that these issues can be lessened or removed.
Naadi leaves were written only to help us through our problems, not to scare us.

• Can I get a Naadi reading done for my child who's a minor?

Traditionally a Naadi reader will not find or read a Naadi leaf for a child under the age of eighteen. However; it differs by Naadi reader, and is taken on a case by case basis. In one case, there was a boy with some issues, and I requested a senior Naadi reader to find his leaf. We not only found his leaf, but while finding his leaf I heard many other leaves with ages as young as nine.

• Is Naadi astrology accurate? 

Accuracy varies—some believe it to be highly precise, while others think it relies on general patterns. Authenticity depends on genuine Naadi readers and well-preserved manuscripts.
Naadi predictions are indicative of events to come, they are probabilistic not deterministic. Many things can shift or change the events mentioned in the Naadi depending on the actions you take, the Karm you do or not do, the choices you make, and if you do the remedies mentioned. I have done several Naadi readings for myself, my children, and studied about 100 case studies. If the Naadi remedies are done, then the predictions are more accurate, the intensity of a problem is reduced, and the variation in timing is less. If the Naadi remedies are NOT done, then I have seen that the predictions are less accurate, meaning some of the better things may not happen, problems will happen as stated, and the timing may shift by a year or two. This is my current assessment, and based on my experience. There are so many variations that no one can really know how accurate the Naadis are. In general I would say that the Naadi predictions would be 90% correct.

• The big question around money for Pujas. I don't trust the Pandits doing my Puja, and they ask for so much money for Pujas.

One of the stalwarts of Naadi, had found answers to questions related to puja prices, and pandits taking the money and not doing the pujas, or not doing the pujas correctly. The answer he got from the Rishis is that, "You have done your Karma by giving money for the Pujas. Whether the Pandit does the pujas or not, or whether he does it correctly or not, is his Karma". If we give money to the bank for our loan installment, we have done our job, now if the bank accountant pockets the money, or makes a mistake in deducting from your loan, you won't be penalized, the bank will finally reduce your loan amount. 

The other question is about Naadi readers quoting prices for the Pujas. Yes some Naadi readers quote a lot, and some of them are greedy. Shashikant oak did detailed videos with a Naadi reader showing that the amount to be charged is actually written on the leaf, and can be interpreted in modern money terms. However; none of the Naadi readers I know follow this. They will quote the market rate. You can haggle with them a bit, and if you are in financial difficulty, they may reduce it a bit, otherwise they will say, when you have the money, come back and get the remedies done. It is in the Pujas that they really make the money, not in Naadi readings. Many people do not do the remedies because they don't trust the Pandits and they can't afford the Pujas. Some Pandits are honest and will do the pujas. Once I decided I will do the remedies myself and not outsource it to a Pandit. In my next Naadi reading there was a message that the Pandits also need to make a living, so you should give them a reasonable amount for the Pujas. 

• Are Naadi leaves similar to Astrology?

Naadi palm leaves and astrology share some similarities but are fundamentally different in their approach. While astrology is based on the mathematical calculations of planets and knowledge on astrology by a human (astrology), the Naadi leaves were channeled by enlightened Sages of messages that came from the Supreme. While astrology is based on the birthchart (based on birth time and place) of an individual, the Naadi leaf is not, it finds a pre-written leaf based on a personal details written on a leaf verified by the individual. 

• Where are Naadi palm leaves stored?

Most original Naadi manuscripts are preserved in private libraries of hundreds of Naadi readers across India, and especially in Tamil Nadu (e.g., Vaitheeswaran Koil, a famous Naadi reading center).

• Do Naadi readings require a horoscope?

No, Naadi astrology is thumbprint-based, unlike traditional Vedic astrology, which requires a birth chart.

• What languages are Naadi leaves written in?

They are written in ancient Tamil (Vatta Ezhuthu script) and sometimes Sanskrit.

• Can Naadi astrology change my destiny?

The leaves often suggest remedial measures (e.g., temple visits, mantras, donations) to reduce negative karma, but they emphasize that one's actions (karma) also shape the future.

•  Is everything predetermined/destined or do we have free will? Naadi is stating everything that can happen in the future, then where is the free will? 

Life is a mix of free will and destiny. What the Naadi says is based on probability and not just destiny. Some things are destined, others depends on what your actions are, the choices you make, and whether you do the remedies the Rishis recommend in the Naadi. If you have another Naadi reading after doing the remedies, or major choices/actions you take, your subsequent Naadi reading will show a change. When you read the Naadi, the future predictions are based on projections, for example, if you are driving a car at 100km/hr on a route you chose, then you can approximate the milestones and destination times. Now, if you change your speed, take an exit, or take an alternate route, then read your Naadi again, then the projections will change. Remember, that all these Naadis were written thousands of years ago, so still the mystery remains that the Sages already knew what choices and actions you will take. 

• When were these Naadi messages written? How old are the Naadi palm leaves?

When Shashikant Oak asked the Rishi Atri via the Jeeva Naadi, how old the Naadi leaf he was holding was, he was told by the Rishi that the leaf he was holding is 5200 years old. These leaves were written over hundreds of years before the start of the Kali Yuga. The leaves last for a few hundred years and start breaking, so they have been copied over every few hundred years. A German had carbon date a leaf in Germany, and it was approximately 350 years old. 

• Can I have more/multiple Naadi palm leaf readings in the future, or is there just one leaf written for us?

You can absolutely look for more messages on leaves over time. The leaves have been written, it depends on destiny if you will find them when you are meant to find them. The leaf mentions your age, and if you don't match the age, that leaf will be skipped. Mysteriously, we end up reading the leaves when we are meant to. I have personally had several Naadi leaf readings and plan to have more in the future. Also remember a Naadi has several chapters, called 'Kandams', so it is a set. The standard is to have the first chapter read which summarizes everything, however, you can also ask for other chapters on special areas of your life read.

• I have had another Naadi reading, and the predictions have slightly changed, so has the timeline, and other things. Does the first Naadi reading not count anymore?

The latest Naadi reading is like a new version of a book, it is a revision of the previous Naadi reading. The previous Naadi reading isn't invalid, but there is an update for it. The subsequent readings are expected to throw light more on the occurrences around that period when it is read. Usually the new Naadi reading after having done the remedies, will show improvement in the difficulties mentioned previously, or some hardships may have been removed completely. However; more remedies may also be prescribed. It is like we are removing layers of Karm and other impacts one by one. If there is no Karm left, then there may not be any remedies recommended. Sometimes the new Naadi reading is shorter and more summarized because the details were already provided in the previous reading and this is just a new revision with some corrections to older predictions. Sometimes the new reading (depending on the Naadi read) can be more detailed, and reveal more and more about your life path as your Karm are reduced and more possibilities have opened up. For me, each successive reading gave me more details especially about my spiritual life. 

• What are the chances of my leaf being found?

Remember, there are millions of bundles with about fifty leaves each, and they are in the private collections of hundreds of Naadi readers all over India. So searching for your leaf, is like looking for a needle in a haystack. They say that the probability of you finding your leaf in the first appointment is one in a million. However, if it is destined, you will find it in the very first search. It has happened to more than hundred or so people that I have personally sent to a Naadi reader, about ninety percent one found their leaf in the first try. Some people are not convinced, or have faith, or not ready, if there time hasn't come they will not find. Also, I have noticed, that there may be one person in the family that is meant to find their leaf, and then the Rishis also write for their family members because of that one person. 

• Are there fake Naadi readers? If so, how do we identify and avoid fake readers?

Yes, there are a lot of fake Naadi readers who just want to make a quick buck. The way to avoid being scammed is, DO NOT give any information except your thumb impression. During the reading, you only need to confirm the information read on the leaf, you do not give the information. A lot of them will tell you that they can find your leaf faster if you just give them your date of birth. Don't fall into that trap else they will do a Vedic astrology reading, and you will be fooled and lose your money too.