10. Signs of Ill Omen (ariṣṭa)

In the 40th Chapter of the Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, a detailed account of omens (ariṣṭa) has been given. Here, Dattatreya explains before Alarka, the signs of approaching and impending death which a Yogin also able to know, through the proper yoga practice, as indicated in the Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa some symptoms of such happenings are-when a man do not able to see devamārga i.e. the path of the gods, dhruva i.e. the pole-star, śukra i.e. the Venus planet, arundhatī i.e. the moon’s shadow , he may die at the year end. Man who is not able to see the rays of the sun’s disc or the rays encircling a fire, he does not live more than eleven months. The result of evil dream is also mentioned that a man, who perceives gold and silver in vomit, his urine and his faeces in dreams, he may live for ten month. Man who sees pretas, piśācas, gandharva’s city and golden complexion trees, he may live for nine month.^[1]

Suddenly if a fat person becomes thin and thin person becomes suddenly fat his lifespan may end after eight months. When a person’s heel and toe of his foot are seen to be cracked in dust or in mud, he may die in seven months. Again one’s longevity has been limited to be six months when his head is a lightened by a vulture, or a pigeon, or a raven, or a crow, or a hawk or any blue bird. When a man is hacked by a flock of crows or by shower of dust on his head and see the own unnatural shadow, it indicates that he will live for four or five month. Man who sees cloudless sky, lightning in the southern direction or rainbow at night he will live for two or three months. Man who isn’t able to see the reflection of his body in clarified butter, or in oil, or in mirror, or in water or sees it headless, he will not live for more than one month.^[2]

If the smell exuded from a yogin’s body is like that of a goat or from a dead body, then he will live for half a month. Again the longevity of ten days is expected when a person’s chest and foot dry up immediately after bathing and his throat is dry despite drinking water. When scattered winds hit at one’s inner parts and one’s body hair does not stand up at the touch of water that is considered as the sign of his approaching death. If a person sees in a dream, that he is being carried to the southern direction by bears or by monkeys while he is singing, then it indicates his close death. If a man see in his dream that he is driven to the south direction by a singing and laughing woman, clad in a red or black cloth, it indicates he will not live longer.^[3]

A man who sees, in a dream, an immensely strong and naked Buddhist or Jaina mendicant i.e. kṣapanaka, laughing and talking, in his sleep, it indicates that his death is imminent. Person, who sees himself sunk from head to foot in a sea of mire at dream, he will die immediately. Person who sees hair, coal, ashes, snakes or waterless river in dream, he will die on the eleventh day.^[4]

If a person sees in dream terrible, ugly and dark men who hit him with upraised weapons and stones, he will die shortly. If a female jackle howls in front or behind a man and crosses his road and circles him at the time of sunrise, he dies instantly. If someone becomes hungry immediately after eating and his teeth chatter, it indicates his life span is over. Man who does not perceive the smell of a lamp, becomes terrified day and night and does not see himself reflected in another person’s eyes, he does not alive. Man who see rainbow at midnight and see most of the planets during the day time, it means he has no longer alive.^[5]

Man whose nose becomes crooked or ears become raised and tears flow from the left eye, it indicates that he will die soon. Some symptoms like, reddish face or black tongue indicates that his death is near. If a man sees in his sleep driving himself to the south on a vehicle like camel, or a donkey he will die very soon. If a man cannot hear his own humming sound when his ears are covered and if the light in his eyes becomes weak, these indicate that his death is near. Person who sees that he has fallen into a pit and its door is closed and cannot rise up himself from the hole in his dream; it means his life is over.^[6]

Sight of the eyes directed upwards and unsteady, bloodshot and rolling around and hot in the mouth, coolness at the navel indicate to adopt another body. Person who enters into the fire and water and cannot come out there from again in a dream, his life is over. If a man is attacked by evil spirits at night or during the day, he will die at the end of seventh night. Men who sees his own clean and white cloth as red or black it indicates that his death is near.^[7]

If a man’s character and nature become opposite, this indicates that Yama and Antaka will approach him soon. When a person disrespects and criticizes those very people to whom he has always been behaved humbly and he does not worship the gods, criticizes seniors, the gurus and brāhmaṇas, does not honour mother, father and the son-in-law or the Yogins, skilled in learning, or other high-souled men it indicates that his time of death has arrived. The Yogins should know, at the end of the year that these omens (ariṣṭa) give their fruits day and night.^[8]

Thus Dattātreya gave knowledge to Alarka about the nature of Yoga. Its importance and Yoga’s power for separation from ignorance, Yogin’s attainment of knowledge etc. by which one can unite with Brahman and get final emancipation through the knowledge of Yoga. One can separate from the three qualities of Prakṛt through attainment of Yoga.^[9] Through the knowledge of Yoga man can learn about the union of the ātman with the paramātman. So, the person who desires mukti i.e. final emancipation, he should strongly give up every association.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 40.1-5

[2]:

Ibid., 40.6-11

[3]:

Ibid.,40.12-16

[4]:

Ibid., 40.17-19

[5]:

Ibid., 40.20-24

[6]:

Ibid., 40.25-29

[7]:

Ibid., 40.30-33

[8]:

Ibid., 40.34-38

[9]:

Ibid., 36.1,2