Chapter 300 - Mantras which remove the baneful influences of planets

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

[Full title: Description of the mantras which remove the baneful influences of planets (graha-hṛnmantra)]

Fire-god said:

1-2. I shall describe the mantras which would remove the baneful influences of planets and crush the planets [graha]. There would be five kinds of insanity due to joy, desire, fear, grief, eating food items which have contrary qualities and are not clean, and the wrath of the preceptor and gods etc. These are caused by the three defects (of deranged humours), their combined effect and external things.

3-5a. On account of the wrath of Rudra, the gods became the several planets. The planets would seize men and women at a river, ocean, tank etc., mountain, garden, bridge, confluence of a river, a deserted house, an entrance to a hole and a lonely tree in (any one of the following states): one who has slept, a pregnant woman, a woman about to commence her menstrual period, and one who bathes naked after the menstrual period.

5b-8. Disrespect, enmity of men, obstacles, change of fortune, trangression [transgression?] of the codes of conduct relating to the gods and elders, fall from a mountain, tree and the like, brushing aside the hair on the head frequently (are the symptoms of evil influences of the planets). A person possessed (by planets) would weep, dance, have red eyes, be deformed, be agitated, suffer from pain and burning sensation, be affected by hunger and thirst and have headache. A person possessed by a planet that desires for a victim would request (saying) “Give! Give!”. A man possessed by a planet having excessive desire would desire for women, garlands, enjoyment and bath.

9. (The mantras) of the great Sudarśana (disc of lord ViṣṇU) that pervades the sky, twig-shaped nose, Pātālanārasiṃha and the like and the Caṇḍīmantras are capable of subduing the planets.

10-12a. One should worship the lord who is fond of pṛśnī (an aquatic plant), asafoetida, vacā and bunch of śirīṣa (flowers). (One should worship Him) who is the supreme person, who bears the noose, goad, rosary, human skull, who holds (in his hand) a club with the skull, lotus and mace, who has four faces, who is on a lotus amidst inner and outer staffs with skull in the orb of the Sun together with the Sun and others should be worshipped and water for sipping should be offered to the Sun who has risen.

12b. Venus (should be contemplated) as having the form of breath, poison, fire, a brahmin, pitcher and hṛllekhā (knowledge?).

13-14. “Bhūrbhuvaḥ svaḥ” for Arka (Sun) and Jālinī the family mace (are used in the worship of Sun). The Moon (is contemplated as) seated on the lotus, having light red complexion, wearing red clothes, spreading radiance in the universe, lofty, holding lotuses in his two hands and having all the limbs adorned. Moreover the heart and other limbs (should be contemplated) as red, benevolent, conferring boons and holding lotuses.

15-16. Mars (should be contemplated) as resembling a multitude of lightning, wearing white clothes, beautiful and light red in complexion. Mercury (is also contemplated) in the same manner. Jupiter (is contemplated) as yellow, Venus as white, Saturn as dark, Rāhu (the ascending node) as resembling charcoal and Ketu (the descending node) as grey. They (should be contemplated as having) the left hand (placed) on the left thigh and the right hand (placed) on the right thigh and knee.

17. The first letters of their names would be their bījas (the mystical letter forming the essential part of the mantra). The two hands are purified with (the mantra of) the weapon. Then (the letters) should be assigned on (the fingers) beginning with the thumb, the palm, the two eyes as pervading the heart and the other (limbs).

18. One should contemplate the life force and carry out the location of the three basic letters (of the mantra) in the limbs. The vessel should be sprinkled with (the mantra of) the weapon and filled with water with the basic (mantra).

19. After having placed incense, flowers, unbroken rice and dūrvā (grass), the offering should be sanctified. One should then sprinkle that (water) on oneself as well as on the materials for worship.

20. Then one should contemplate the absolute, pure, essence (that confers) supreme happiness. One should then (mentally) set up the seat etc. in the centre and in the different directions with (the mantras of) the heart.

21. One should (offer the worship) on the seat and in the (main) directions as well as the intermediate directions with (the mantra of) the heart. (One should contemplate) the heartlotus on the seat and the eight female energies in the filaments.

22-23. One should worship (the goddesses) Dīptā, Sūkṣmā, Jayā, Bhadrikā, Vibhūti, Vimalā, Asighātavidyutā and Sarvatomukhī and the seat with the syllables vāṃ, viṃ [vīṃ?], vuṃ, vūṃ, veṃ, vaiṃ, voṃ, vauṃ and vaṃ and then worship the Sun with (the syllable) vaḥ. Oh! One who practises austerities! Water for drinking and other formalities should be offered with (the mantras of) the heart and the six accessories after having invoked.

24. The two ‘kha’ syllables, the two daṇḍins, the two Caṇḍas, the marrow together with the teeth, māṃsadīrghā (?), jaradvāyu (?) etc. of the Sun that confer all the things (should be worshipped) with (the mantra of) the heart.

25. The heart etc. should be worshipped in the south-east, north-east, south-west and north-west, extending upto the pericarps with their respective mantras. The weapon with the eye (should be worshipped) in the forepart of the directions.

26. (The planets) Moon, Mercury, Jupiter and Venus should be worshipped in the directions commencing with the east. In the case of diseases caused by planets, one should do the sternutatory, unguent etc. with pṛśni, asafoetida, vacā, cakra (?), śirīṣa and garlic together with the goat’s urine.

27. One pala each of pāṭha, mustard, vacā, śigru, rock-salt and dried ginger, pepper and long pepper ground well and mixed with an āḍhaka (a unit of measure) of goat’s milk and the ghee prepared. (The use of this) would remove all (the defects due to) the planets.

28. One should drink the water mixed with the vṛścika (a herb), ali, phalī, kuṣṭha, the salts and śārṅgaka. It would destroy epilepsy.

29-31. One should drink the decoction made with vidārī, kuśa, kāśa and sugarcane mixed with milk and boiled (as a remedy for the same). (Similarly) clarified butter boiled with essence of yaṣṭika, droṇa and kūṣmāṇḍa (would be a remedy). So also ghee of the five things got from a cow (would do good). Listen to me about the combination that would remove the fever. “Oṃ! Let us know (the nature of) the deity that has the weapon to reduce (all the things) to ashes. Let us meditate on (that god having) single tusk. May fever make us meditate on that.” One should lick (a paste made of) long pepper, pepper, turmeric, rāsnā, oil extracted from grapes and molasses.

32. One who has breathing trouble should lick bhāṅgī (hemp) and yaṣṭi with honey and clarified butter. Or else one should lick pāṭhā, tiktā, kaṇā and bhāṅgī with honey.

33. Dhātrī, viśvasitā, kṛṣṇa, musta, kharjūra, māgadhī and pivara (?) would destroy hiccup. The three should be licked with honey.

34. One should drink the juice of kāmālī, jīra, māṇḍūki, turmeric and dhātrī (one of the myrobalan). Long pepper, pepper dried ginger, padmaka, the three myrobalans, viḍaṅga, devadāru, and the powdered rāsnā taken in equal proportions would remedy cough.