History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c72.7

v5.c72.7

Several works specify the signs indicative of the approach of death. The Śāntiparva of the Mahābhārata (chap. 318. 9-17), Devala quoted in the Mokṣakāṇḍa of the Kalpataru (pp. 248-250, about 20 verses), the Vāyupurāṇa (chap. 19 verses 1-32), the Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa 43. 1-33 (chap. 40 verses 1-33, Veṅkaṭeśvara Press ed.), Liṅgapurāṇa (pūrvārdha chap. 91) and other Purāṇas contain long lists of the signs of approaching death. It is impossible for want of space to set out in detail these signs. But the gist of a few verses is mentioned by way of sample. The Śāntiparva (chap 318) states that a man who is not able to see the star of Arundhatī which he could formerly see, nor the pole-star nor the full moon, nor his own reflection in another man's eye has only one year to live; he has only a span of six months of life left to him who sees the orb of the moon with a hole in it; a man has only seven days left of life who sees a hole pierced in the orb of the Sun, who smells the odour of a corpse when fragrant substances are near; when the nose and ears bend down, when his teeth and eyes become discoloured, when there is loss of consciousness, and loss of bodily heat, when smoke emerges from the crown of the head, when the left eye begins to ooze moisture all of a sudden--these are indications of the immediate approach of death. Devala states indications that prognosticate life for only one year, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 months, one month, half a month, 12 days, 4 days, 3 days, 2 days and winds up by saying that one who cannot hear the humming sound in his ear (when closed with fingers) or cannot see the light in the eye is going to die immediately. The Vāyupurāṇa (19.28) and Liṅgapurāṇa 91.30 regard the last two as the worst indications of approaching death⁴²³. The Liṅgapurāṇa (pūrvabhāga chap. 91.24) states that he who cannot see his own reflection in another's eye will not live. There is an interesting paper by Dr R. G. Harshe in the Munshi Diamond Jubilee volume (pp. 246-268) where the learned writer gives the text of two mss. on the prognostications derived from dreams e. g. if a man sees an ass in a dream he is sure to die, or if he sees an old maid then it is an indication of danger, disease and death (p. 251) or if he sees a trident death is indicated (p. 254).