Chapter 87 - Omens (2): On the circle of Horizon (antara-tcakra)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

1. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the eastern quarter^[1] when such quarter is benefic there will be a meeting with an officer of the king and the gain of presents, precious gems, wealth and excellent articles.

2. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the next (2^nd) benefic quarter, there will be gain of gold and of a desired object. And if in the 3^rd benefic quarter, there will be gain of weapons, of wealth and of betel nuts.

3. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the 4^th benefic quarter, there will be meeting with a person of the twice-born class and with a Brāhmaṇa who performs the fire ceremony of Agnihotra, and if in the 5^th benefic quarter (south-east), there will be a meeting with a servant or an ascetic and a gain of gold and metals.

4. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the 6^th benefic quarter, there will be a meeting with a prince and the gain of a desired object, and if in the 7^th quarter, there will be the gain of a woman, of virtue, of mustard seeds and barley grain.

5. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the 8^th benefic quarter, there will be recovery of property lost and the gain of an object of desire by traveller.

6. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the 9^th benefic quarter (south), a person will successfully perform his journey and there will also be the gain of peacocks, buffaloes and pigeons, If in the 10^th benefic quarter, there will be a meeting with musicians as well as prosperity and joy.

7. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the 11^th benefic quarter, there will be meeting with fisher men and gain of fish and the like, and if in the 12^th benefic quarter, there will be meeting with an ascetic and the gain of good meals and fruits.

8. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the 13^th benefic quarter (south-west), there will be a gain of woman and the arrival of a horse, ornaments, a messenger and a news letter; and if in the 14^th benefic quarter, there will be a meeting with leather work-men and the gain of an article made of leather.

9. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the 15^th benefic quarter, the names of monkeys and ascetics will be heard or there will be a meeting with these; and if the 16^th benefic quarter, there will be a gain of fruits, flowers and of articles of ivory.

10. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the 17 benefic quarter (west), there will be a gain of the gems of the sea, of Vaidūrya and of articles set with gems; and if in the 18^th benefic quarter, there will be a meeting with hillmen, hunters and thieves, and the gain of meals.

11. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the 19^th benefic quarter, there will be a meeting with persons afflicted with windy complaints and there will also be a gain of sandalwood and of agaru; and if in the 20^th benefic quarter, there will be a gain of weapons and books as well as a meeting with persons dealing in them.

12. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the 21^st benefic quarter (north-west), there will be a gain of the bone of the white cuttle fish, of Cāmara, and of woollen shawls, and there will also be a meeting with a person of the Kāyastha^[2] caste; and if in the 22^nd benefic quarter, there will be a gain of earthen ware and a meeting with conjurers and Ḍiṇḍibhāṇḍās.

13. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the 23^rd benefic quarter, there will be a meeting with friends and the gain of wealth; and if in the 24 benefic quarter, there will be a gain of clothes and horse and a meeting with a close friend.

14. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the 25^th benefic quarter (north), there will be a gain of curdled milk, rice and fried gram and a meeting with Brāhmaṇas; and if in the 26^th benefic quarter, there will be a gain of wealth and a meeting with the chief of a party of men.

15. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the 27^th benefic quarter, there will be a meeting with a prostitute, a Brahmacārin and a servant and there will also be the gain of dried fruits and flowers; and if in the 28^th benefic quarter, there will be a meeting with a painter and a gain of clothes.

17. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the 31^st benefic quarter, there will be a meeting with a washerman and the gain of the productions of water; and if in the 32^nd benefic quarter, there will be a meeting with an elephant-driver and the gain of wealth and elephants.

18. The division of the circle of horizon into 32 equal parts was also mentioned in connection with house-building. The eight spokes (radii) and the centre form nine more places where omens indicate various effects.

16. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the 29^th benefic quarter (north-east), there will be a meeting with an idol-worshipper and a gain of grain, gems and cows; and if in the 30^th benefic quarter, there will be a gain of cloth and a meeting with a prostitute.

19. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the centre, there will be a meeting with kinsmen and friends and sexual union with an excellent woman: if it be the cry of a creature in the eastern spoke, there will be a meeting with a king and the gain of red silk clothes.

20. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the south-east spoke, there will be a meeting with a weaver, a carpenter, a sculptor and a horse driver and there will also be a gain of wealth through them or the gain of horses.

21. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the southern spoke, there will be a meeting with virtuous persons and the gain of virtue.

22. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the south-western spoke, there will be a meeting with a cow, a player and a Kāpālika, and there will also be the gain of a bull, black-gram, horse-gram and the like and meals.

23. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the western spoke, there will be a meeting with farmer and the gain of the productions of the sea, of crystal, of fruits and of liquor.

24. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the north-western spoke, there will be a meeting with a porter, a carpenter and an ascetic, and there will also be the gain of the flowers of the Tilaka, the piper-betel and of the Punnāga.

25. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the northern spoke, there will be gain of wealth and there will also be a meeting with a devout person and with a person dressed in yellow robes.

26. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the north-eastern spoke, there will be a meeting with a female devotee and the gain of iron, clothes and bells.

27. Omens occurring in the eight quarters on the south, in the 2^nd, 3^rd, 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th quarters on the west and in the 2^nd quarter on the north are not favourable for journey, Omens occurring in the other quarters are auspicious for the purpose.

28. Inside the circle, omens appearing in the south-western and north-western spokes are not favourable for journey; and those appearing in the other spokes and in the centre are auspicious for the purpose.

29. We have till now been describing the effects of omens in the several quarters when they happen to be benefic and we shall now proceed to describe the effects of omens in the same quarters when they are malefic. If the omen occur due east, there will be fear from the king and a meeting with the enemy.

30. If the omen occurs in the 2^nd malefic quarter, there will be injury to gold and suffering to goldsmiths; if in the 3^rd malefic quarter, there will be loss of wealth, quarrel and fight.

31. If the omen occurs in the 4^th malefic quarter, there will be fear of injury from fire; if it occurs due south-east, there will be fear from robbers, and if in the 6^th malefic quarter, there will be loss of wealth and the death of princes.

32. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the 7^th malefic quarter, there will be miscarriage of pregnancy, and if in the 8^th malefic quarter, there will be the death of dealers in gold and of sculptors as well as fight.

33. If the omen be the cry of a creature due south, there will be fear from the king and death by plague; if in the 10^th malefic quarter, the wandering tribe will suffer miseries.

34. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the 11^th malefic quarter, fishermen and fowlers will suffer, and if in the 12^th malefic quarter, there will be injury to meals and ascetics will suffer.

35. If the omen be the cry of a creature due south-west, there will be quarrel, bloodshed and fight, and if in the 14^th malefic quarter, there will be injury to articles of leather and workmen in leather will suffer miseries.

36. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the 15^th malefic quarter, ascetics will suffer miseries and the sense of hearing will suffer injury; if in the 16^th malefic quarter, there will be suffering from hunger; if due west, there will be suffering from heavy rains and if in the 18^th malefic quarter, dogs and thieves will suffer miseries.

37. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the 19 malefic quarter, there will be injury from violent winds; if in the 20^th malefic quarter, dealers in books and weapons will suffer; if due north-west, books will suffer injuries and if in the next (22^nd) malefic quarter, there will be fear from poison, thieves and wind.

38. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the 23^rd malefic quarter, there will be destruction of wealth and a quarrel with friends; if in the 24^th malefic quarter, horses will be killed and priests will suffer.

39. If the omen occur due north, there will be theft of cows and blows from weapons; if in the 26^th malefic quarter, parties of men will suffer and there will be destruction of wealth; if in the 27^th malefic quarter, there will be fear of injury from dogs and out-castes, servants and prostitutes will suffer miseries.

40. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the 28^th malefic quarter, clothes of various colours will suffer as well as painters; if it occur due north-east, there will be fear of injury from fire and virtuous women will suffer from calumny.

41. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the next (30^th) malefic quarter, there will be grief and the death of women; if in the 31^st malefic quarter, washermen and persons dwelling on the banks of rivers will suffer miseries.

42. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the last (32^nd) malefic quarter, elephant-drivers will suffer miseries as well as elephants. Again, if the omen occur in the eastern malefic spoke (within the circle), a person will lose his wife.

43. If the omen occur in the south-eastern malefic spoke, there will be fight and injury from fire and the death of horses, and sculptors will suffer. If it occur in the southern malefic spoke, there will be destruction of works, of chanty, and if in the southwestern malefic spoke, there will be fear of injury from fire and parties of men will be killed.

44. If the omen be the cry of a creature in the western malefic spoke, servants will suffer; if in the north-western malefic spoke, asses and camels will be killed and mankind will suffer from cholera and poison.

45. If the omen occur in the northern malefic spoke, there will be destruction of wealth; and if in the north-eastern malefic spoke, the creatures of the village and shepherds will suffer, and if it occur in the malefic centre, the person himself will suffer troubles.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Of 32 points into which the circle of horizon is divided, vide last chapter.

[2]:

A person born of a Kāyastha father and a Śūdra mother.