Brihat Samhita

by N. Chidambaram Iyer | 1884 | 135,584 words | ISBN-13: 9788171104215

This page describes signs of immediate rain (sadyovarshana) which is the twenty-eighth Chapter of the English translation of the Brihat-samhita. This work, written by Varahamihira in the 6th century, is classified as jyotisha literature, also known as Indian astronomy. It contains however, also content regarding astrology, palmistry, agriculture, gardening, perfumes, medicines and various other encyclopedic topics.

Chapter 28 - Signs of immediate rain (sadyovarṣaṇa)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

1. If in the rainy season when the astrologer is questioned about rain, the Moon should be in one of the watery signs[1] and if that sign should at the same time be either the rising sign or the fourth, the seventh or the tenth sign from it, it being then the light half of the month, there will be abundance of immediate rain; if it be the dark half of the month and the Moon in one of the watery signs and within sight of benefic planets, there will also be abundance of immediate rain; if in the latter case, the Moon should be within sight of malefic planets, there will be slight rain. The same rules apply to Venus as to the Moon.

2. If the questioner, at the time should happen to touch a wet substance or any substance one of the meanings of whose name is water or if he should be at the time close to water or engaged in work connected with water or if at the time the word ‘water’ should be heard from any body, immediate rain may safely be predicted.

3. If, in the rainy season, the rising Sun should appear dazzling or of the colour of molten gold or glossy or bright as the cat’s eye (gem) or if the mid-day Sun should be felt exceedingly hot, there will be rain that day before sunset.

4. If, in the rainy season, the water should be without flavour or the sky of the colour of the cow’s eye or clear and without clouds or if salt should turn into water or if the colour of the sky should be that of the crow’s egg or if the atmosphere should be still and no wind should blow or if the fish should be found to jump from water on the bank or if the frog should be heard to croak incessantly, there will be immediate rain.

5. If the cat should be found to scratch the ground with its claws, if metallic dross should be found to be of bad smell or if children should erect banks and bridges in the street with earth out of play, there will be immediate rain.

6. If mountains should appear black like collyrium, if the caves should be felt very warm or if the lunar halo should appear like the colour of the eye of the cock, there will be immediate

rain.

7. If the ant, when undisturbed and of its own accord, should leave its hole with its egg, if serpents should be found to copulate or to climb up trees, there will be immediate rain.

8. If the blood-sucker (lacerta cristata) should be found to stare at the sky from the tops of trees, or if cows should raise up their heads and look at the Sun there will be immediate rain.

9. If the sheep should be found reluctant to go out, if they should shake their ears or kick with their legs or if dogs should be found to do the same, there will be immediate rain.

10. If dogs should be found to get to the tops of houses, if they should look at the sky all round, or if during the day lightning should appear in the north-east, there will be immediate rain and the Earth will be covered with water.

13. If the tender leaves of plants and creepers should be found to grow with their heads pointed to the sky, if birds should be found to bathe in watery particles or if serpents should be found to rest on grass blades, there will be immediate rain.

16. If at the time of sunrise or sunset, there should be seen in the sky the rainbow, clouds rod-like in shape, the mock-Sun or the appearance known as Rohita (straight rainbow), or lightning or halo, there will be abundance of immediate rain.

17. If at the time of sunrise or sunset the sky should be of the colour of the wings of the partridge, or if there should be heard the sound of birds at play, there will be immediate rain and such rain will continue throughout the day and night.

18. If at the time of sunset, the white straight rays or the Sun should shoot out as if they formed so many outstretched arms of the Western Ghats and if clouds about the horizon should then begin to roar, there will be abundance of rain.

19. If, in winter, the Moon should be in the seventh house from Venus and within view of benefìc planets, or if she should be in the 9th, 5th or 7th house from Saturn (also within view of benefic planets) there will be immediate rain.

20. Generally, there will be rain at the periods of heliacal rising and setting of the planets, planetary conjunctions, of new and full moons, when the Sun is at the end of his Ayana (course to the north or south) and when the Sun is in the asterism of Ārdrā.[2]

21. There will be rain if Mercury and Venus, or Mercury and Jupiter, or Venus and Jupiter should meet; if Saturn and Mars should meet and if they should not be accompanied by or within view of benefíc planets, there will be fear from storms and fire.

22. If the planets should be close to the Sun, either all to its east or all to its west, the rainfall will be so great that the Earth will be buried under one sea of water.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Watery Signs: These are Karka (Cancer), Kumbha (Aquarius), Mīna (Pisces), the latter half of the Kanyā (Virgo) and of Makara (Capricornus).

[2]:

From about the 20th of June to the 3rd of July.

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