Brihadyatra 16: adhyāyaḥ 16

Chapter 16: Dreams

Then the king, wearing fine silk and pearls and gems, accompanied by his minister, astrologer, and royal chaplain,

having entered the shrine of his own deity, should set up there the worship of the regents of the cardinal directions.

Having worshipped them with mantras, the royal chaplain [should make a bed] below, on that ground which has been purified;

having made a bedding of darbha grass, he should scatter husked grains and white mustard seeds all around.

Then, having placed brāhmī along with dūrvā grass and nāgapuṣpī as a pillow beneath his head, the king

should set up in order four full jars, named with flowers and fruits, in the cardinal directions.

Reciting three times in succession this mantra, "That which goes far from him who is awake, divine...",

eating lightly, having only one meal, lying on his right side, he should examine the dream according to instruction:

"Homage, O Śambhu, to the three-eyed Rudra, the Supreme Self;

homage to Vāmana, Virūpa, the master of dreams!

O Lord, God, Lord of gods, spear-bearer, bull-riding deity,

declare to me, sleeping in dream, what is desirable and undesirable, forever!"

Dressed in a single garment, lying on strewn kuśa grass, with purified mind,

at the end of the night he perceives a dream, whether auspicious or inauspicious.

From associations with the beings of other births past or future, and constantly in a dream arising from the anūka and from motion:

for one setting out, from an aggravation of wind, there are leaps over trees, mountains, high places, and the sky.

When bile is in excess, one would see gold, jewels, garlands, the sun, fire, and the like.

And one with an excess of phlegm sees objects bright as the moon, white flowers, rivers, lakes, and crossing oceans.

In the last, middle, and first watch of the night, and in the seasons known as the rains, autumn, and spring,

from the aggravation of wind, bile, and phlegm at those times, there would be a mixed combination of results.

And [a dream] arising from planetary ripening has been stated in the planetary periods; but whatever is seen through waking thought is just like that;

oppression by loathsome beings is sorcery; the occurrence of obstacles is declared to arise from Guhyakas.

[Dreams] seen through past-life disposition, waking thought, planetary afflictions, or past actions are fruitless;

those previously seen by day are likewise declared [fruitless]; the particulars are explained elsewhere among people.

That which occurs just like direct perception and vividly flashes within:

from that dream, by rule, the attainment of good or evil results arises.

Dreams produced by good and evil deeds yield results for men;

here I describe them by way of general outline only:

The blazing of one's own limbs, intercourse with another's wife, embracing Indra's banner,

the body of a princess arrived from the quarters, casting it into the quarters;

or binding in chains, being consumed by fire, possessing diverse heads and arms,

or if an elephant, a celestial being, or a brāhmaṇa, having consecrated him, holds an umbrella over him;

consecration with water trickling from the tips of the horns of the moon, the sun, or a bull;

and if there is easy milking of a buffalo cow, a lioness, a tigress, or cattle;

encircling a village, trees, and the like with entrails emerging from one's belly;

or if an excellent woman with well-joined limbs enters his body;

or eating human hearts and heads, or consuming

the meat of serpents, horses, lions, elephants, or goats, or of one's own body;

or the sprouting of grass, trees, flowers, or water from one's navel;

or overturning and uprooting the earthly body, [these bestow] supreme sovereignty.

Devouring and touching the sun, the moon, and stars;

and the splitting of one's head into seven, five, or three parts;

mounting a bull, a palace, a great mountain, a horse, an elephant, or a lion;

and swallowing the oceans and the earth: these bestow supreme sovereignty.

And having conquered in vast battle-crushes, gambling, and disputations,

the acquisition of livestock, wild beasts, or men, or attaining the foremost seat;

eating or being smeared with feces, or intercourse with a forbidden woman;

one's own death, the gain of fire, and the sighting of standing crops;

white, fragrant, and delightful ointments, garlands, and garments;

the sight of twice-born men, gods, gurus, and kings, and their blessing;

if one eats curds and sweet milk-rice from vessels of gem, silver, gold, and lotus,

or immersion in blood;

the acquisition of a white horse, a chariot, a banner, an umbrella, a fan, a lotus, a gem, or an elephant-lord;

and the sounds "fear not!", "conquer!", and "enjoy!": these are declared to bestow the full fruit of kingship.

The disposition in the form of inner nature practiced in previous births at that time,

which makes one act later in this life, is called anūka.

In dreams of seal-rings, sacrificial waist-bands, and feminine nouns, the acquisition of a woman is declared;

when a bed, a mirror, or a water-pitcher and the like are obtained, the birth of a son [occurs];

[dreaming of] a beloved woman brings the gain of wealth; crossing water destroys sorrow;

joy arises from weeping, mourning, and the like; similarly, burning is considered to bring prosperity.

And whatever cattle, horned beasts, twice-born, deities, ancestors, friends, and kings declare,

that comes to pass in a dream without exception and unerringly, whether the fruit is undesirable or auspicious.

The birth of grass, trees, or flowers on one's body other than the hair of the head; the drinking of oil;

sporting, riding, or coupling with creatures having the forms of donkeys, monkeys, young camels, or carnivores;

or smearing the body with foul filth, ink, cow dung, fat, or mud;

or the falling out of the eyes, tongue, teeth, or arms—these bring misfortune and grief.

Singing, playful leaping, adorning oneself, loud laughing, exulting, frolicking;

the falling down of the sun, moon, banners, or stars; walking into a flowing stream;

the snapping of a rope, falling upon a funeral pyre, entering a mother's womb, as well as

the pulverizing of a bronze vessel on the head in a dream—these bestow misery, disease, and misfortune.

Imagining the elongation of beard, hair, or nails; waiting upon a female monkey or a deformed woman;

massaging the limbs of people wearing red garments—these grant sickness, death, fear, grief, and suffering.

Of land-animals, beasts, insects, wetland creatures, birds, and fish:

swimming in a body of water, or a marriage celebration;

playing with lotus flowers or lac vessels, or dancing;

and the state of being dirty or naked—these swiftly grant disease.

Loss of one's wealth, separation from friends, cutting off of the hands, loss of fortune;

descending from a palace, a house, or a mountain summit—these in dreams are declared inauspicious.

Obtaining a naked sword brings friendship; obtaining a royal edict leads to being subjected to a king;

a snake entering the ears or the nose indicates the cutting off of those [limbs]; and in its coiling [about oneself], swift imprisonment.

In the first watch [the dream's] fruiting is after a year; in the second, after half a year; in the third, after a quarter of a year;

fruiting is after a month in the final part of the night; and fruiting is immediate when [a dream is] seen at the release of cattle [at dawn].

Having seen an auspicious dream, one should not sleep again here; that which is seen last brings about the fruition.

One should report the desirable [dream] there to virtuous twice-born men, and they should honor the king with blessings.

Sleeping again, not narrating it, bathing in the Gaṅgā, recitation of mantras,

propitiatory rites, reciting auspicious formulas, and also tending cattle and the Aśvattha tree in the morning,

worship of Brahmins according to one's means with sesame, food, drinks, and flowers,

and the meritorious recitation of the Mahābhārata are declared for the eradication of bad dreams.