Brihadyatra 4: adhyāyaḥ 4

Chapter 4: The Strength of the Lunar Mansions

In each direction, groups of seven beginning with Kṛttikā proceed from the east.

Situated in the directions of the wind and the fire, a very fierce rod runs obliquely.

Even the lord of the gods encounters distress after crossing it.

Indeed, an obstruction occurs in the directions that fall along a single rod.

The direction of fire does not run into opposition with those possessing an eastern entrance; the remaining intermediate directions are to be reckoned moving clockwise.

Having crossed even the rod, a king may march at will, having avoided the spike, if there is purity of the ascendant facing the direction.

Under Jyeṣṭhā, Bali, setting out facing the direction of Puruhūta, met with bondage;

under Pūrvabhādrapadā, Mura set out towards the southern [quarter] and fell into the power of Murāri;

under Rohiṇī, Namuci went towards the western [quarter] and reached his end by the wielder of the thunderbolt;

and under Uttaraphālgunī, Śambara went towards the northern [quarter] and fell into the power of Death.

Puṣya, then Hasta, Śravaṇa, and Śraviṣṭhā are the chief [lunar mansions] for the east and subsequent [quarters], and Aśvinī for the north.

Mṛgaśiras, Citrā, then Anurādhā, and Revatī are middling; so say some.

Puṣya, Hasta, Aśvinī, and Anurādhā are designated as possessing entrances in all directions;

these, together with Mṛgaśiras, Revatī, Śravaṇa, and Dhaniṣṭhā—eight lunar mansions together with the first—are always best.

Departure is censured under Ārdrā, Pūrvabhādrapadā, Āśleṣā, Bharaṇī, Svātī, Kṛttikā, Maghā, Viśākhā, and Uttarāṣāḍhā,

in the interval between Citrā and Svātī, between Kṛttikā and Bharaṇī, and in the interval between Maghā and Pūrvabhādrapadā.

All [lunar mansions], when pure, are honoured by the sages in their respective operations.

A military expedition is auspicious for one wishing to burn the enemy's territory under Kṛttikā, having avoided the rising of the Sun.

Under Rohiṇī, under the three Uttaras, and under Viśākhā, victory belongs to the marcher;

Garga stated [this] for those seeking sovereign rule, having avoided the first part of the day.

Under Mūla, Mṛgaśiras, Āśleṣā, and Ārdrā, one should march to slay the enemy, excluding midday;

for obtaining servants, under Svātī, Aśvinī, Hasta, and Puṣya, excluding the latter half of the day.

At the beginning of the night, however, one desiring splendour should not [march] under Revatī, Anurādhā, Mṛgaśiras, and Citrā;

others [march] to slay, having excluded the middle of the night, under the Pūrvas, Bharaṇī, and Maghā.

At the end of the night, one seeking wealth may march under the three [mansions] beginning with Śravaṇa, and not under Punarvasu.

Some prohibit midday along with the end of the night in the case of the lunar mansion named after Varuṇa.

Departure at any desired time is commended under Hasta, Mṛgaśiras, Śravaṇa, and Puṣya.

Having made his departure under Śravaṇa, a king seeking prosperity should never re-enter his own boundary.

Having set out under Mṛgaśiras, dwelt under Ārdrā, and departed under Punarvasu, he distresses the hosts of enemies.

Having set out under Anurādhā, dwelt under Jyeṣṭhā, the king should march under Mūla for the destruction of the enemies.

Having set out under Hasta, dwelt under Svātī and Citrā, and departed under Viśākhā, he distresses his enemies.

Having stayed one night at the frontier under Puṣya, Revatī, or Dhaniṣṭhā, the marcher attains prosperity.

When a lunar mansion is conjoined with malefics, there is internal rebellion; by Rāhu, loss of fortune; by the Sun, disease;

when afflicted by a comet or a meteor, destruction of the realm; and under Saturn and the son of the hot-rayed [Sun], affliction and distress.

When it is combined with smoky directions, halos, tremors, and dust, there is distress from bad policy, illness, exhaustion, and disease.

When pierced by a planet, he falls into the power of the enemy; when struck by a lightning bolt at twilight or night, slaughter in battle is declared.

Beginning from the natal [mansion], the tenth is the action mansion; then the ninth is seen as the destructive portion of the lunar mansions;

the tenth from the rising mansion is the rising [asterism], and the twenty-third is named wandering and destruction.

The twenty-fifth [lunar mansion] from the first is the mental [asterism] (mānasa); thus a man consists of six lunar mansions.

The king has a human asterism; from the first, that very one is the consecration asterism.

Their good and bad fruits correspond to their names, through auspicious and malefic qualities and defects.

When there is purification of the natal asterism and the rest, the marching [king] conquers his enemies before long.

Those originating from the natal asterism, the action [asterism], and the conception [asterism] bring prosperity, calamity, safety,

enmity, realization, destruction, and are friend and intimate friend.

As prosperity is found in the safe [asterisms], so also among the intimate friends, friends, and realization [asterisms] in the action asterism,

he obtains [success]; he who marches does not [reach it] in the remaining ones before coronation.

Under Puṣya, having bathed with water containing white mustard, rice, priyaṅgu, and henna,

he should march east; under Saumya, with water having a thousand jewels.

Having bathed with waters combined with earth from a cow's horn, a river, a mountain, an anthill, and a pond,

the king should march toward the southern quarter under Hasta.

And having bathed with soil stirred up by a river, he should march toward the eastern quarter under Citrā.

Under Śravaṇa, however, [he should march] only toward the west with water [mixed with] earth from a confluence of rivers.

Under Śraviṣṭhā, having bathed with water containing honey and deodar, [he should march] north;

under Pauṣṇa, [he should march] north with the hollow horns of cows and elephants filled with honey and clarified butter.

Indeed, under Vaiśvadeva, having bathed with water filled with honey and pūthikā,

and having sacrificed into the fire with the mantras of the asterism deities, he attains victory.

Whole māṣa beans, parched [grains], rice grains mixed with sesame, cow's curd,

and the meat of a bull and a deer [are the foods] for the five [lunar mansions] beginning with Aśvinī.

The dissolution of blood, milk rice, and snake meat [are] for those beginning with Ārdrā.

Under Maghā, sesame rice; for the two lunar mansions beyond, ṣaṣṭika rice.

Priyaṅgu, spotted birds, fruit, barley meal, and horsegram are to be eaten.

And honey and clarified butter from Hasta; from Mūla, roots, water, and barley groats.

For those beginning with Śravaṇa, one should eat rice, greens, and cat meat,

clarified butter, whatever meat is desired, and barley groats mixed with māṣa beans.

Having first consumed clarified butter, sesame rice, fish, and milk, circumambulating clockwise,

the king should eat according to the quarter and as prescribed for the lunar mansion, for success.

Food that is unpalatable, dropped, mixed with hair or flies, foul-smelling, burnt, or not abundant causes ruin;

well-steamed, soft, pleasant, agreeable to the mind, savory, and plentiful food at the time of marching leads to victory.

When the lunar day is virtuous but the lunar mansion unfavorable, daytime travel is beneficial;

and marching at night is praised when the lunar mansion is favorable but the lunar day is devoid of virtue.

He who proceeds contrary to this incurs the faults declared for the lunar mansion and lunar day;

the sage Bhṛgu has duly declared the virtue of both for one setting out on an expedition.