Chapter 123 - Description of the Svarodayacakra, etc.

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

[Full title: Description of the Svarodayacakra, Śanicakra, Kūrmacakra and Rāhucakra]

The Fire-God said:

1. I shall describe the (svarodayacakra) in order to know the victory and welfare in a military expedition. The vowels a, i, u, e and o (should be written) in order (in the different squares) and then the days (tithis) nandā and others (should be written below) in order.

2. (The names of) the planets Mars, Sun, Mercury, Moon, Jupiter and Venus (are marked) on the right-hand side and Mars, Sun and Saturn on the other side in the letters ‘ka’ to ‘ha’.

3-7. The time between the rising of the Sun to its rising on the next day should be multiplied by thirty-nine and then divided by twelve, and the quotient should be divided by nine and three respectively, the quotient being the time of predominance of the vowels or the principles they represent from day to day. The tithi on which the predominance takes place, brings death (to the organiser of any expedition).

Three sphuraṇas (throbs) make up one ucchvāsa (breath). Three ucchvāsas make up one pala (a measure of time). Sixty palas constitute one liptā. Sixty liptās (make up) a day.

The five (vowels are known to be) child, boy, youth, old and death in their half-rising state. It is said to be rising and setting when it is in the eleventh place and together with the fifth (place) brings death and reverses.

(Thus-far the Svarodayacakra)

8. In the Śanicakra (the diagram of Saturn) the rise of the planets is taken into account in a fortnight. There will be fifteen squares herein. Therein the place of Saturn indicates death.

(Thus ends the Śanicakra)

9. (The Kūrmacakra) is in the shape of a tortoise. (The result is known) from the position of Saturn in the asterisms beginning with maghā and ending with kṛttikā.

(Thus ends the Kūrmacakra)

10-11. In the Rāhucakra, one should write seven (squares) above and seven below. On the full-moon day, Rāhu travels from the south-east by the north-west to the south-west occupying the north-west on the new-moon day. The letter ‘ra’ should be written in the southern part and the letter ‘ha’ in the northwest. The letters ‘ka’ etc. (are marked) on the first lunar day and other (days) and the letter ‘sa’ in the north-west.

12-20. When it happens to be in the face of Rāhu it brings reverses. On the full-moon day and in the south-east it is viṣṭi. It is karāli in the east and on the third day. It is (known as) ghorā in the south and on the seventh day. It is (known as) saumya in the north-east and on the tenth day. One should avoid travel towards the north-west on the fourteenth day, towards the west on the fourth day, towards the south on the eighth day of the bright fortnight, and on the eleventh day. The (names of the) fifteen muhūrtas (a period of fortyeight minutes) are Raudra, Śveta, Maitra, Sārabhaṭa, Sāvitra, Virocana, Jayadeva, Abhijit, Rāvaṇa, Vijaya, Nandin, Varuṇa, Yama, Saumya and Bhava. One should do violent deeds in the Raudra, ceremonial bathing in the Śveta, the marriage of one’s daughter etc., in the Maitra, auspicious deeds in the Sārabhaṭa, establishing in the Sāvitra, deeds relating to the monarch in the Virocana, victorious deeds in the Jayadeva, battles in the Rāvaṇa, agriculture and commerce in the Vijaya, wearing the turban in Nandin, the digging of tanks in the Varuṇa, acts of destruction in the Yama and good acts in the Saumya.

21-22. The yogas (a division of time) are known to be indicating good or bad from their names. Rāhu (ascending node) (travels) from the east to north-west and thence to the south. From the south (it goes) to the north-east, and from the northwest to the west, then to the south-east, then to the north for three (ghaṭikas). Then after four ghaṭikas it affects the (point of) concurrence.

(Thus ends the Rāhucakra)

23-24. The (following) excellent herbs (should be) worn for victory caṇḍī, indrāṇī, vārāhī, musalī, girikarṇikā, balā, atibalā, kṣīrī, mallikā, yūthikā, śvetārka, śatāvarī and guḍūcī.

25. One should tie up the tuft of hair with (the repetition of) the mantra, “Oṃ, salutations to (lord) Bhairava (a form of Śiva), the wielder of a sword and axe in his hands; ‘Oṃ, hrūṃ’, (salutation) to the destroyer of obstacles, (“Oṃ, hrūṃ, phaṭ”, for success. With the same mantra, mark on the forehead, collyrium to the eyes and scented fumes should be applied.

26-32. Listen to me. (I shall describe) the different kinds of unguents for bathing and drinking and powdered drugs. A mark on the forehead composed of subhagā, manaḥśilā (arsenic) tāla, shellac and the milk of taruṇī (gives) conquest (over one’s enemy). Viṣṇukrānta, sarpākṣi, sahadeva and rocanā made into a paste with the milk of goat and worn on the forehead gains success (over one’s enemy). Priyaṅgu, saffron, kuṣṭha, mohani and tagara worn along with clarified butter subjugates (the enemy). Rocanā, red sandal, niśā, manaḥśilā, tāla, priyaṅgu and mustard (made into a paste and worn) also yields the same result. Mohinī, haritā, kāntā, sahadevī and śikhā made into a paste in the juice of pomegranate and worn on the forehead as a mark subjugates (all). Even the celestials including Indra are subjugated. Then what about the poor mortals? Mañjiṣṭhā, red sandal, kaṭukandā and vilāsinī together with punamavā as a paste subjugates even the Sun (god). Sandal, nāgapuṣpa, mañjiṣṭhā, tagara, vacā, lodhra, priyaṅgu and rajanī mixed with oil of masī controls others.