Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.815

c9.815

2) *Two kinds of omens.* Omens are divided into two varieties, dīpta (glowing) and śānta (quiescent, mild). Glowing omens bring about auspicious results and the other inauspicious results. There are six ways or elements, which make omens dīptam, i.e. velā (time), dik (region), deśa (place), Karaṇa (action), ruta (cry) and jāti (kind). The power or effect of dīpta increases in ascending order. To see creatures, which move about during day time as moving about during night and vice-versa is velādīpta. In the case of stars, lagnas (the dominant zodiac) and planets, those which are virulent are considered to be dīptas. With regard to stars and lagnas, those which the Sun enters into are dhūmita, those wherein the Sun is already present are jvalita and those from which the sun has left are Amśariṇi. These three are dīptas and the rest śāntas. (This is called velādīpta). When dik (region) is dīpta it is called digdīpta. To see forest animals in village and village-animals in forest is deśadīpta. To see good brahmins in inauspicious places is deśadipta. To see some one doing work not ordained to his caste is karaṇadipta. To hear different horrible voices is rutadipta. To see purely flesh-eating animals is jātidipta. If all the characteristics of dīpta do not synchronise but differ from one another it is called śānta and if the characteristics of dīpta and śānta are mixed up it is called miśra.