Brihat Samhita

by N. Chidambaram Iyer | 1884 | 135,584 words | ISBN-13: 9788171104215

This page describes the course of saturn (shanaishcara-cara) which is the tenth Chapter of the English translation of the Brihat-samhita. This work, written by Varahamihira in the 6th century, is classified as jyotisha literature, also known as Indian astronomy. It contains however, also content regarding astrology, palmistry, agriculture, gardening, perfumes, medicines and various other encyclopedic topics.

Chapter 10 - On the course of Saturn (śanaiścara-cāra)

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[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

1. If the disc of Saturn (śanaiścara) should appear glossy and if his course should lie through the constellations of Śravaṇa, Svāti, Hasta, Ārdrā, Bharaṇī or Pūrvaphālguni, the Earth will be covered with water.

2. If his course should lie through the constellations of Āśleṣā, Śatabhiṣaj, Jyeṣṭhā, there will be prosperity in the land but slight rain; if his course should lie through Mūla, mankind will suffer from hunger, from weapons and from drought. We will now proceed to state the effects of Saturn’s course through each of the 27 constellations.

3. If the course of Saturn should lie through the first constellation of Aśviṇī, horses, horse-keepers, poets, physicians and ministers will perish. If it should lie through the constellation of Bharaṇi, dancers, players on musical instruments, vocal singers, low people and deceitful men will perish.

4. If his course should lie through the constellation of Kṛttikā, persons that live by fire and commanders of armies will perish; and if through Rohiṇ, the people of Kośala, of Madra, Kāśī or Benares, of Pāñcāla and carriage drivers will suffer.

5. If the course of Saturn should lie through the constellation of Mṛgaśīrṣa, the people of Vatsa,^[1] the officiating priests in sacrificial rites as well as the persons that perform them, revered men and the people of Madhyadeśa will suffer miseries; if through Ārdrā, the people of Pārata, of Ramaṭha, oil-mongers, washermen and thieves will suffer.

6. If the course of Saturn should lie through the constellation of Punarvasu, the Pāñcālas, the border Mlecchas and the people of Saurāṣṭra, of Sindh and of Sauvīraka will suffer miseries; if his course should lie through the constellation of Puṣya, bell ringers, criers, the Yavanas tradesmen, deceitful men and flowers will suffer.

7. If the course of Saturn should lie through the constellation of Āśleṣā, the creatures of water and serpents will suffer; if through the constellation of Maghā, the Bāhlīkas, the Cīna (Chinese), the people of Gāndhāra, of Śūlika, of Pārata, the Vaiáyas, store houses and merchants will suffer.

8. If his course should lie through the constellation of Pūrvaphālguni, juice-sellers, prostitutes, virgins and the people of Mahāraṣṭras will suffer miseries; if through Uttaraphālguni, kings, ascetics, jaggery, salt, water and the town of Takṣaśilā will suffer.

9. If the course of Saturn (śanaiścara) should lie through the constellation of Hasta, barbers, mill-men, thieves, physicians, weavers, elephant deepers (keepers?), prostitutes, the Kośalas and garland makers will suffer.

10. If the course of Saturn should lie through the constellation of Citrā, women, writers, painters, various utensils will suffer; if through Svāti, the people of Magadha, reporters, messengers, charioteers, sailors, dancers and the like will suffer miseries.

11. If the course of Saturn should lie through the constellation of Viśākhā, the Trigartas, the Chinese and the Kulūtas, saffron, lac, crops and everything of bright, red or crimson colour will suffer.

12. If the course of Saturn should lie through the constellation of Anurādhā, the Kulūtas, the Taṅgaṇas^[2], the Khasas, the people of Kāśmīra, ministers, drivers and bell-ringers will suffer, and friends will turn into enemies.

13. If the course of Saturn should lie through the constellation of Jyeṣṭhā, the king’s chaplain, the king’s favorites, valient soldiers and mixed crowds of men of different castes will suffer; if through Mūla, the people of Benares, of Kośala and of Pāñcāla, fruits, medicinal plants and soldiers will suffer.

14. If his course should lie through the constellation of Pūrvāṣādha, the people of Aṅga, of Vaṅga, of Kośala, of Girivraja^[3], of Magadha, of Puṇḍra, of Mithilā and of Tāmralipta^[4] will suffer miseries.

15. If the course of Saturn (śanaiścara) should lie through the constellation of Uttarāṣādha, the people of Daśārṇa^[5], the Yavanas, the people of Ujjain, barbarians, the people of Pāriyātra and the Kuntibhojas will suffer.

16. If the course of Saturn should lie through Śravaṇa public officials, the chief Brāhmins, physicians, priests and the people of Kaliṅga will suffer miseries. If his course should lie through Dhaniṣṭhā, the ruler of Magadha will become triumphant and treasury officers will prosper.

17. If the course of Saturn should lie through the constellations of Śatabhiṣaj and Pūrvabhādra, physicians, poets, drunkards or those that deal in liquor, tradesmen and ministers, will be afflicted with miseries; if it should lie through the coñstellation of Uttarabhādra, dancers, travellers, women and gold will suffer.

18. If the course of Saturn should lie through Revatī, the servants of the reigning sovereigns, the people of Krauñcadvīpa^[6], the crops of Śarat, barbarians and the Yavanas will suffer.

19. If, while Saturn is in Kṛttikā, Jupiter should be in the constellation of Viśākhā, mankind will then become very wicked. If both the planets should be in one and the same constellation, the chief towns will suffer.

20. If Saturn should appear variegated in colour, birds will perish; if yellow, there will be fear from hunger; if of blood colour, there will be wars in the land and if of ashy colour, mankind will be very much at strife.

21. If Saturn should appear as bright as the Vaidūrya gem or pure or of the colour of the Bāṇa (a black flower) or Atasī^[7]flower, mankind will be happy. Whatever may be the colour of Saturn, the persons who or objects which correspond to the particular colour will suffer.^[8]