The Agni Purana
by N. Gangadharan | 1954 | 360,691 words | ISBN-10: 8120803590 | ISBN-13: 9788120803596
This page describes The inauspicious auguries (shakuna) which is chapter 230 of the English translation of the Agni Purana, one of the eighteen major puranas dealing with all topics concerning ancient Indian culture, tradition and sciences. Containing roughly 15,000 Sanskrit metrical verses, subjects contained in the Agni-Purana include cosmology, philosophy, architecture, iconography, economics, diplomacy, pilgrimage guides, ancient geography, gemology, ayurveda, etc.
Chapter 230 - The inauspicious auguries (śakuna)
[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]
Puṣkara said:
1-4. Mixtures of herbs and black cereals are inauspicious, Cotton, grass, dried cow-dung, wealth, charcoal, molasses and resin, one having a shaven head or one that has besmeared oil (for bathing) and one that is nude, iron, mud, hide and hair, a lunatic, an eunuch, a cāṇḍāla, a dog, an outcaste and others, men guarding the captives, a pregnant woman, widow and oil-cake, etc., dead (body), husk, ash, skull and bone and broken vessel are not commendable (to be seen). The sounds of musical instruments that are broken, frightening and harsh are also not commendable.
5. The sound ‘come on’, (heard) in front of the person undertaking a journey) is commendable, (while) that from behind is not (commendable).
6-7. The undesirable sounds (such as) “Where do you go”, ‘stand’, ‘Do not go’, ‘What is there for you by going’ are for death. So also (the appearance of) carnivorous animals, banners etc., the fall of vehicles etc., the breaking of weapons, dashing of the head against the door etc., and the fall of umbrella, dress etc., (are not commendable).
8. An inauspicious (augury) gets destroyed by the worship and invocation of lord Hari (Viṣṇu). If a second inauspicious augury is seen (while setting out) then one should re-enter the house.
9-13. White flowers are excellent augury. (So also) a pitcher full (of water) is greatly meritorious. Meat, fish, a distant sound, an old man, an animal, goat, cows,horses, elephants, (images of) gods, glowing flame, dūrvā (grass), wet cow-dung, courtesan, gold, silver, gem, vacā, white mustard, herbs, beans, weapons, sword, umbrella, throne, insignia of royalty, a dead body without (being followed by) mourners, fruit, ghee, curd, milk, unbroken rice, mirror, honey, conch, sugarcane, auspicious sentence, the instrumental music of the devotee, the loud sound of thunder and lightning are all auspicious. The satisfaction in the mind (of the person undertaking a journey is also auspicious.