Chapter 294 - The characteristics of different kinds of serpents (nāga-lakṣaṇa)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

The Fire-god said:

1. The different species of serpents [i.e., nāga], their nature, the ten places (in the body at which a bite would be fatal), the remedial action, (the resultant) impurity and the behaviour of the (person) bitten (by the serpent) are said to be the seven characteristics.

2-3. Śeṣa, Vāsuki, Takṣa, Karkoṭaka, Abja (Padma), Mahāmbuja (Mahāpadma), Śaṅkhapāla and Kulika are the eight chief serpents. They have ten, eight, five, three, three and hundred heads in order. Every two of these serpents are said to be brahmins, kṣatriyas, vaiśya and śūdras in order.

4-8. (The serpents) born in their family (are) five hundred from whom innumerable serpents came into being. (The serpents are of three kinds such as) the phaṇi, maṇḍali and rājīla being windy, bilious and phlegmatic respectively. The variety known as vyantara has these humours mixed. The serpents are known as having hoods. They bear (the signs of) cart-wheels, ploughshares, umbrellas, svastikas and goads. (The serpents known as) gonasas move slowly. They are long and bear different kinds of rings. (Those known as) rājīlas are variegated, glossy and (can fly) across and upwards with their wings. The vyantaras (would have) mixed marks. (They are again classified) into four kinds as earthy, watery, fiery and windy and are divided into twenty-six kinds. The gonasas are sixteen kinds, the rājīlas, thirteen and the vyantaras, twenty-one. Those which are born at an unspecified time are known as the vyantaras.

9-12. Their impregnation lasts for four months beginning with the three months commencing from āṣāḍha. Two hundred and forty eggs are laid. The serpents swallow their young without showing any distinction such as the males, females and hermaphrodites. The eyes get opened in seven days. The outer (skin) becomes black after a month. After twelve days its faculty gets developed. The teeth appear on seeing the Sun. The teeth karālī, makarī, kālarātrī and yamadūtikā (grow) in twenty to thirty-two days. There are the venomous teeth on the left and right sides.

13-14. They discard their (outer) skin after six months. They would live for one hundred and twenty years. Seven serpents (among the eight mentioned earlier) preside over the days and nights of days such as Sun-day and the like. Among them six (preside over) every week. Kulika (is the lord) of all the junctions of periods. Kulika may exercise its influence jointly with either Śaṅkha or Mahābja (Mahā-padma).

15. One nāḍikā (24 minutes) in between the two is the period of the Kulika. It is a malignant period in all the circumstances and especially in the serpent bite.

16-18a. The asterisms Kṛttikā, Bharaṇī, Svātī, Mūla, the three Pūrvas (Pūrvaphālgunī, Pūrvāṣāḍha and Pūrvabhādrapada), Aśvinī, Viśākhā, Ārdrā, Magha, Āśleṣa, Citrā, Śravaṇa, Rohiṇī, Hasta, Saturdays and Tuesdays among the days, the fifth, eighth, sixth as well as fourth, ninth and the fourteenth lunar days are malignant. The four twilight periods and malignant yoga (periods) as well as the (malignant) constellations are bad.

18b-20a. There would be a single or a couple or many bites (of the serpents). The bites are of four varieties—pierced, cut, apprehended and concealed. The bites in which there are three or two incisions or a single incision, pain, profuse bleeding and a bite in the leg in the night accompanied by (swelling) resembling (the shape of) a tortoise are directed by Yama (i.e. sure to be fatal).

20b-21a. A bite accompanied by burning and itching sensation (at the mouth of the bite), swelling and pain in the neck, gruelling pain and knotty (swelling) (should be known) to have the poison spread (in the body). If it is otherwise it should be taken as free from poison.

21b-25. It is inauspicious if one is bitten in a temple, an uninhabited house, an ant-hill, a garden, a hole, at a crossroad, in a cremation ground, on the bed of a river, at the confluence (of a river) with the ocean, in an island, at the meeting point of four roads, on the terrace of a building, in a flower, on the summit of a hill, at the mouth of a hole, in an old well, in a dilapidated house, on a wall and on the trees such as the śigru, śleṣmātaka, akṣa, jambū, udumbara, veṇa and vaṭa (the fig tree) as well as on a demolished compound, or at an aperture of the human body, face, heart, arm-pit, collar bone, palate, bone of the forehead, neck, head, chin, navel and feet. A messenger (who is sent to convey the news to the snakecharmer) is auspicious, if he has a flower in his hand, speaks well, is intelligent, belongs to the same sex and caste (as that of the person bitten), wears white dress, has no blemishes and is pure.

26-28. One who enters through the side door, one who carries a weapon, one who has erred, one who has a down-cast look, one who wears decoloured dress, one who has the noose etc. in his hand, one who stammers, one who holds a dry piece of wood, one who feels depressed, one who holds sesamum in his hand and clothes, one who wears a wet dress, one who wears black or red flowers on his tuft, one who presses the nipple, one who cuts the nails, one who touches the buttocks, one who scratches (the earth) with the foot (toe), one who pulls out his hair and one who cuts the grass are inauspicious messengers.

29. The sex of the person bitten should be known as male or female or hermaphrodite from he flow of the breath forcibly through the left or right or both me nostrils of the self (the snake-charmer) or the messenger.

30. One should indicate that part of the body as having been bitten which the messenger touches (when he meets the snake-charmer). It forebodes evil if the messenger moves his legs. If one has his (foot) raised without movement it indicates good.

31. If the messenger has an animal by his side (when conveying the news), it augurs good. If he is found with anything else it forebodes evil. If the animal that is present paces here and there, it forebodes bad. But (if it paces here and there) when the messenger is conveying (the message), it augurs good.

32. If the speech of a messenger is faulty at the beginning or middle, it is extremely ominous. The period that the venom would last could be known from the distinctions at the end of his speech.

33-34. The alphabets are divided into two groups—the vowels beginning with ‘a’ and the groups of letters beginning with ‘ka’ (ka, ca, ṭa, ta and pa). The group forming the vowels is known as vasumān. The four letters of the consonants are sacred to the Wind-god, Fire-god, Indra and Water respectively. The fifth letters belong to hermaphrodite. The vowels are sacred to Indra and water (alternatively).

35. The presence of letters sacred to Wind and Fire (gods) at the beginning of a speech of the messenger is not good. (The presence of a letter sacred to) Hari (Indra) is mediocre. (The presence of) letters (sacred) to Varuṇa (god of water) is commendable. (The presence of) hermaphrodite (letters) is extremely ominous.

36. An auspicious sentence (heard as the messenger) departs or the thundering of a cloud or. the trumpeting of an elephant are auspicious. The circular movement (of birds) or crying from a fruit or tree on the left side is (also) auspicious.

37. Sounds such as music etc. would be auspicious. Such things would accomplish the result. Worthless words or words expressing a calamity, a wailing sound, a scream heard from the right (side), a sneezing (are bad omen).

38-39a. The sneezing of a courtesan, a king, a virgin, a cow, an elephant, muraja (a musical drum), a banner, milk, clarified butter, curd, water from the conch, umbrella, bheri (a kind of musical drum), fruit, the celestials, rice, gold and silver are fruitful if one comes across them on his way.

39b-40. (The sight of) an artisan holding a burning log of wood, one who is clad in dirty clothes carrying a load, one who carries an axe, a jackal, a vulture, an owl, one having the matted hair, oil, skull and cotton is to be warded off. (The sight of) ash (brings in certain) loss.

41. The malady due to poison is of seven kinds depending on the movement (of the poison) from one essential ingredient of the body to another^[1]. A poisonous bite (first) reaches the forehead, then the eyes, then the face. From the face it reaches the nerves associated with speech and other essential ingredients (such as the blood etc. of the body).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

They are the blood, flesh, fat, etc.