The Garuda Purana

by Manmatha Nath Dutt | 1908 | 245,256 words | ISBN-13: 9788183150736

The English translation of the Garuda Purana: contents include a creation theory, description of vratas (religious observances), sacred holidays, sacred places dedicated to the sun, but also prayers from the Tantrika ritual, addressed to the sun, to Shiva, and to Vishnu. The Garuda Purana also contains treatises on astrology, palmistry, and preci...

Chapter XIX - The Garudi Vidya which is the cure for all kinds of snake-bite

Suta said:—I will now describe the Praneshvara[1] rite of Garuda narrated by Shiva.

I shall first describe the places where a person, bitten by a serpent, does not survive, viz., funeral pyre, ant-hill, well, and the cavity of a tree. The person, three lines on whose limbs, are hidden, does not live. [A man dies if he is bitten] in the sixth day of the fort-night, when the sun is in the constellation Cancer, when it is in the Aries, when it is with the asterism Mula or when it is in the Magha[2] or Ashlesha[3] [A man dies when he is bitten] on the sides, on the loins, on the throat, on the joints or the temple, ears or belly. The Dandin (hermit), a person holding weapons, a mendicant and a naked person are the emissaries of Death.[4] If a person is bitten on the mouth, arms, neck, and on the back, he does not survive.

Every day the sun, first of all, lords, for half a Yama,[5] over all the serpents. Then with six revolutions the six planets lord over them. In the night with five revolutions the five planets lord over them. The sun is the presiding star of Sesha, the moon of Phani, Mars of Takshaka, Jupiter of Karkotyna, Venus of Padma and Mahapadma, Saturn of Shankha, and Rahu of Kuluka and Ahi. Jupiter is the Death itself in both days and nights.[6] Saturn is Death in the day and the period when Rahu presides over Kuluka at the hours of the conjunction of two-half Yamas, it is hostile to life.

A day, consisting of sixty dandas,[7] should be distributed over a human body divided into three sections. Five dandas should be assigned to the toe, twelve to the feet, five to the calf, two to the knee and one to the organ of generation. Six dandas should be assigned to the navel, four to the breast and eight to the throat. Fifteen dandas should be allotted to the tip of the nose and one each to the eye, ear, eye-brow, and temple. Then all the days, beginning with Pratipat, the first day of a fort night, should be allotted to all the limbs beginning with the head. If the moon lords over the right part of a man’s body he does not survive. If it lords over the left part of a woman’s body she dies. The benumbed part should be rubbed over with a hand till unconsciousness is not removed.

The great mantram of self, pure like crystal, called Hansa, is to be known as one which counteracts the evil effect of poisoning. Its Vija is of four sorts.

Om, Kuru, Kunde Svaha.

Formerly this learning was kept by Garuda for protecting the three worlds. Desirous of killing the serpents he assigned Pranava to his mouth. An intelligent worshipper should assign Kuru to his throat, Kunda to the calves, and Svaha to the two feet. This Nyasa is called Yugaha. The serpents leave the house in which this mantram is written. Having recited it a thousand times one should place a thread on his ear. The serpents leave the house in which sugar, after reciting this mantram, is thrown. By reciting it seven lacs of times the celestials and Asuras obtain Siddhi.

Om, Svaha unto golden lines, unto him having the form of a fowl.

In this way two letters should written on each petal of a lotus of eighteen petals. When a person, bitten by a snake, is sprinkled with water with this mantram the poison goes out.

Om, pakshi (bird) Svaha. Then the assignment of all fingers, beginning with the thumb and ending with the youngest finger, should be made in the body. Garuda should be assigned to the mind, mouth, heart, organ of generation and feet. Even in a dream the venomous serpents do not transgress his shadow. He, who recites this mantram for a lac of times, destroys the poison even by his very sight. Om, Hrom, Hraum, Hrim, Bhirundayai Svaha.

Having recited this mantram by placing his finger on the ear one should destroy the poison of the person bitten. He should then assign a, a to the tips of the feet, e.i. to the calves and knees, u, u, a au to the waist, or to the navel, and on to the heart. He should assign am to the mouth and as to the head. Hansa, when recited, meditated on and adored, destroys all sorts of poison. Having meditated “I am Garuda” he should perform the rite destructive of poison. Having assigned the mantram Ham to the body he should say “Destroy poison, &c.” Having assigned Hansa to the left hand, he should close up his mouth and nostrils. This mantram destroys the poison affecting the skin and flesh. Having attracted it by the air he should remove the poison of the person bitten. He should next assign it to the body of the person bitten and meditate on the blue-throated deity (Shiva). When the juice of the root of Pratyangira is drunk with rice it destroys poison. The root of the new Phalin is equally effective. When clarified butter is pasted on the head it also destroys poison. If a person drinks up hot ghee (clarified butter) the poison is not increased. If the root of Sirisha compounded in five parts with one part of red garlic (Grinjana) is pasted all over the body or is drunk it destroys poison.

Hrim destroys the poison of Gonasha (a large kind of snake Boa). When the mantram Hrim ending with Visarga is meditated on it brings all under control; when it is as-signed to the female organ it brings a maiden under control and dears up the muddy water. Having recited “Garuda is every where” fifty-six thousand times a person becomes a poet, well read in Sruti and obtains a submissive wife. The theme of the Muni Vyasa forsooth destroys poison.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

It perhaps refers to the rite for counteracting the evif effects of the poison.

[2]:

The ninth Nakshatra or lunar mansion containing five stars.

[3]:

The tenth lunar mansion containing five stars.

[4]:

The meaning is that if these persons are sent for calling a physician the patient dies.

[5]:

Eighth part of a day. A watch of three hours.

[6]:

If a person is bitten on Thursdays he never survives under any circumstances.

[7]:

One sixtieth part of day and night. Twenty four minutes.

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