The Chapter on the Results of Moles and Other Body-Marks — Bṛhat-Pārāśara-Horāśāstra, Adhyāya 82

तिलादिलक्ष्मफलाध्यायः

The complete The Chapter on the Results of Moles and Other Body-Marks chapter of the Bṛhat-Pārāśara-Horāśāstra — all 15 verses, each in the original Sanskrit with VedicSpace's clean-room English translation, cited by śloka. Translated from the Chaukhamba (Devachandra Jha) edition and audited against the printed plates.

Śloka 1 — Introduction — Parāśara announces the topic of body-marks (moles, warts, hair-whorls)

अथ वच्मि फलं देह-जानां ते विप्र ! लक्ष्मणाम् । विशेषाद् मशकावर्त्त-तिलानां शृणु संयतः ॥ १ ॥

Now, O vipra (Maitreya), I shall declare to you the results of the marks born upon the body — in particular of maśakas (warts/fleshy moles), āvartas (hair-whorls) and tilas (mole-spots). Listen with a composed mind.

BPHS Adhyāya 82, śloka 1

Śloka 2 — Side of the body on which a red/mole-like mark or hair-whorl is auspicious

सव्याङ्गे दक्षिणांगे च स्त्रीणां पुंसां क्रमाच्छुभम् । रक्तं तिलनिभं चापि रोमावर्त्तं बुधैः स्मृतम् ॥ २ ॥

A red mark, a mark resembling a sesame-seed (mole), and likewise a hair-whorl are held by the wise to be auspicious — on the left side of the body for women and on the right side for men, respectively.

BPHS Adhyāya 82, śloka 2

Śloka 3 — Mole on a woman's chest / right breast

हृदि स्त्रीणां तिलाद्यङ्कः सुखसौभाग्यदायकः । दक्षे कुचे भवेद् यस्या लोहिते तिललाञ्छने ॥ ३ ॥

A mole-mark and the like upon the chest of women bestows comfort and marital good fortune. And she upon whose right breast there is a red mole-mark —

BPHS Adhyāya 82, śloka 3

Śloka 4 — Result of the red mole on the right breast; mole on the left breast

सा भवेत् सुखसौभाग्या-ऽनेकसन्तानसंयुता । सव्ये कुचे रक्ततिले भवेदेकसुतान्विता ॥ ४ ॥

— she becomes comfortable, blessed in marriage, and endowed with many children. If the red mole is on the left breast, she has but one son.

BPHS Adhyāya 82, śloka 4

Śloka 5 — Mole on the right (breast); mark on the forehead or between the brows

दक्षिणं तु तिले तत्र सुतासुतयुता हि सा । भालेऽथवा भ्रुवोर्मध्ये लक्ष्म राज्यप्रदं स्मृतम् ॥ ५ ॥

But when the mole is there on the right, she is endowed with both daughters and sons. A mark on the forehead, or between the two eyebrows, is declared to be conferring of sovereignty.

BPHS Adhyāya 82, śloka 5

Śloka 6 — Red wart on the cheek; mark on the right side of the genital region (women)

मशको लोहितो गण्डेऽजस्रं मिष्टान्नदायकः । भगदक्षिणभागस्थ-लक्ष्मयुक्ताङ्गना हि या ॥ ६ ॥

A red wart on the cheek gives sweet food unceasingly. And that woman who bears a mark situated on the right side of the vulva —

BPHS Adhyāya 82, śloka 6

Śloka 7 — Result of the mark on the right of the genital region; red mark on the tip of the nose

महिषी नृपतेः सा स्या-दपि माता च भूपतेः । लोहितं लक्ष्म नासाग्रे नृपपत्नीत्वसूचकम् ॥ ७ ॥

— she becomes the chief queen of a king, and also the mother of a ruler of the earth. A red mark at the tip of the nose indicates becoming a king's wife.

BPHS Adhyāya 82, śloka 7

Śloka 8 — Dark mark on the nose-tip; mark below the navel

मेचकं तत्तु विधवा-स्वैरिणी-सूचकं मतम् । स्त्रीणां पुंसां लक्ष्म नाभेरधः शोभनमीरितम् ॥ ८ ॥

But if that same mark is dark, it is held to indicate widowhood and wantonness. A mark below the navel is declared to be auspicious for women and for men alike.

BPHS Adhyāya 82, śloka 8

Śloka 9 — Mark on ear, cheek, hand or throat

श्रुतौ कपोले हस्ते वा गले वाऽपि तु लाञ्छनम् । सुतदं प्रथमे गर्भे सत्सौभाग्यसुखप्रदम् ॥ ९ ॥

A mark on the ear, on the cheek, on the hand, or on the throat gives a son at the first pregnancy, and confers true marital fortune and comfort.

BPHS Adhyāya 82, śloka 9

Śloka 10 — Mole on the gulma (thigh/calf region); trident-shaped mark on the skull

गुल्मे क्लेशप्रदं लक्ष्म तिलादिकमुदीरितम् । त्रिशूलसन्निभं लक्ष्म कपाले यदि लक्ष्यते ॥ १० ॥

A mole and the like on the gulma — glossed by the edition as the gulma region, i.e. the jaṅghā (shank/thigh) — is declared to be productive of distress. If a mark resembling a trident is seen upon the skull —

BPHS Adhyāya 82, śloka 10

Śloka 11 — Result of the trident mark; auspicious right-turning hair-whorls

पुरुषो नृपतिर्नारी महिषी नृपतेर्भवेत् । रोमावर्त्तो दक्षिणेन हृन्नाभ्योः करकर्णयोः ॥ ११ ॥

— the man becomes a king and the woman the chief queen of a king. A hair-whorl turning to the right, on the chest and navel, on the hands and ears,

BPHS Adhyāya 82, śloka 11

Śloka 12 — Right-turning whorl on the back; left-turning whorl at the bladder region; whorl at waist/private parts

पृष्ठे च दक्षिणे शस्तो वस्तौ वामेन चाशुभः । दुःखप्रदो मतः स्त्रीणा-मावर्त्तः कटिगुह्ययोः ॥ १२ ॥

and on the right side of the back, is commended; but at the vasti (region between navel and genitals), a left-turning whorl is inauspicious. For women a whorl on the waist and on the private parts is held to be productive of sorrow.

BPHS Adhyāya 82, śloka 12

Śloka 13 — Whorl on the belly, on the middle of the back, on the hair-parting, forehead, crown, or throat

उदरे भ्रातृहा पृष्ठ-मध्ये स स्वैरिणीकरः । सीमन्ते भालशिरसो-र्मध्ये वाऽऽवर्त्तको गले ॥ १३ ॥

On the belly it destroys the brother; in the middle of the back it makes her wanton. A whorl on the hair-parting, or in the middle of the forehead and the head, or on the throat —

BPHS Adhyāya 82, śloka 13

Śloka 14 — Such whorls inauspicious for both sexes; women of good marks and good conduct

शुभदो नैव नारीणां पुंसां वाऽप्यपि स्मृतो बुधैः । सल्लक्षणाः सच्चरित्राः स्त्रियः स्वल्पायुषं पतिम् ॥ १४ ॥

— is declared by the wise to be in no way auspicious, whether for women or for men. Women possessed of good marks and of good conduct make even a short-lived husband —

BPHS Adhyāya 82, śloka 14

Śloka 15 — Result of a good-marked wife; closing address to Maitreya

दीर्घायुषं विदधते प्रसन्नमपि सर्वथा । इति तेऽभिहितं विप्र ! फलं लाञ्छनसम्भवम् ॥ १५ ॥

— long-lived, and in every way contented as well. Thus, O vipra (Maitreya), has the result arising from body-marks been declared to you.

BPHS Adhyāya 82, śloka 15