Chapter on the Propitiation for Birth in Gaṇḍānta — Bṛhat-Pārāśara-Horāśāstra, Adhyāya 93

गण्डान्तोद्भवशान्त्यध्यायः

The complete Chapter on the Propitiation for Birth in Gaṇḍānta chapter of the Bṛhat-Pārāśara-Horāśāstra — all 12 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 — The three kinds of gaṇḍānta and when to examine them

गण्डान्तं त्रिविधं प्रोक्तं तिथ्यङ्घ्र्यर्क्षवशाद् बुधैः । पाणिग्रहादौ जनुषि प्रयाणे च विचिन्तयेत् ॥ १ ॥

Parāśara said: Gaṇḍānta is declared by the wise to be of three kinds, according to tithi, lagna and nakṣatra. It should be examined at marriage and the like [auspicious rites], at birth, and at setting out on a journey.

BPHS Adhyāya 93, śloka 1

Śloka 2 — Tithi-gaṇḍānta — junction of Pūrṇā and Nandā tithis

पूर्णानन्दाभिधानां तु तिथीनां सन्धिषु द्विज ! । घटीचतुष्टयं विज्ञै-स्तिथिगण्डान्तमीरितम् ॥ २ ॥

O twice-born one! At the junctions of the tithis named Pūrṇā and Nandā, a span equal to four ghaṭīs is declared by the knowing ones to be tithi-gaṇḍānta.

BPHS Adhyāya 93, śloka 2

Śloka 3 — Nakṣatra-gaṇḍānta — Revatī/Āśleṣā/Jyeṣṭhā and the stars that follow them

एवं नक्षत्रगण्डान्तं घटीयुगमितं बुधैः । रेवतीसार्पशाक्रेभ्यो-ऽग्रिमभैः सन्धिषु स्मृतम् ॥ ३ ॥

Likewise nakṣatra-gaṇḍānta is held by the wise to be measured by a pair of ghaṭīs, at the junctions of Revatī, Sārpa (Āśleṣā) and Śākra (Jyeṣṭhā) with the asterisms that follow them.

BPHS Adhyāya 93, śloka 3

Śloka 4 — Lagna-gaṇḍānta — the three rāśi junctions

मीनमेषाङ्घ्र्योः कर्क-सिंहयोरलिधन्विनोः । सन्धावेकघटीतुल्यं लग्नगण्डान्तमुच्यते ॥ ४ ॥

At the junction of Mīna and Meṣa, of Karka and Siṃha, and of Ali (Vṛścika) and Dhanvin (Dhanus), a span equal to one ghaṭī is called lagna-gaṇḍānta.

BPHS Adhyāya 93, śloka 4

Śloka 5 — Effect of the three gaṇḍāntas; the abhukta-mūla span at the Jyeṣṭhā–Mūla junction

गण्डान्तत्रितयं जन्म-यात्रादौ मृतिदं, तथा । शाक्रमूलभयोः सन्धौ शरा नागाश्च नाडिका ॥ ५ ॥

The three gaṇḍāntas give death at birth, at the start of a journey and the like. Likewise, at the junction of the asterisms Śākra (Jyeṣṭhā) and Mūla, [there are] five and eight nāḍikās.

BPHS Adhyāya 93, śloka 5

Śloka 6 — Abhukta-mūla; the injunction to perform śānti

क्रमादभुक्तमूलाख्या महाविघ्नप्रदायकाः । तस्मात् तत्कालजातानां शान्तिं कुर्याद् विचक्षणः ॥ ६ ॥

These, respectively, are called abhukta-mūla, and they bestow great calamity. Therefore the discerning one should perform a propitiation (śānti) for those born at such a time.

BPHS Adhyāya 93, śloka 6

Śloka 7 — When the śānti is to be done; the father must not look at the child before it

गण्डान्तोत्थशिशोः सूत-कान्ते वाऽपि शुभेऽहनि । शान्तिं कुर्वीत नो तावद् बालमालोकयेत् पिता ॥ ७ ॥

For a child born in gaṇḍānta, the śānti should be performed at the end of the sūtaka (period of birth-impurity), or else on an auspicious day; and until then the father should not look upon the child.

BPHS Adhyāya 93, śloka 7

Śloka 8 — The dāna appropriate to each of the three gaṇḍāntas

तिथिनक्षत्रलग्नोत्थ-गण्डान्तेषु क्रमान्नरः । वृषधेनुसुवर्णानि दोषशान्त्यै ददीत वै ॥ ८ ॥

For gaṇḍānta arising from tithi, from nakṣatra and from lagna respectively, a man should give away a bull, a cow and gold, for the appeasing of the blemish.

BPHS Adhyāya 93, śloka 8

Śloka 9 — Abhiṣeka with father or with mother, by half of the gaṇḍānta

गण्डान्तप्रथमे भागे जाते जाताभिषेचनम् । पित्रा सह, परे भागे मात्रा समुदीरितम् ॥ ९ ॥

If the birth falls in the first half of the gaṇḍānta, the lustration (abhiṣeka) of the newborn is prescribed together with the father; if in the latter half, together with the mother.

BPHS Adhyāya 93, śloka 9

Śloka 10 — Golden images of the lords of the tithi, nakṣatra and lagna

सौवर्णं तिथिनक्षत्र-लग्नस्वामिस्वरूपकम् । विरचय्य घटाग्रस्थ-पात्रे पूर्ववदर्चयेत् ॥ १० ॥

Having fashioned in gold the very forms of the lords of the tithi, the nakṣatra and the lagna, one should worship them as before, in a vessel placed upon the mouth of the water-jar.

BPHS Adhyāya 93, śloka 10

Śloka 11 — Sixteen or five upacāras, then the homa

उपचारैः षडधिकै-र्दशभिर्वाऽपि पञ्चभिः । ततश्च समिधाज्याद्यैर्हुत्वाग्निं च यथाविधि ॥ ११ ॥

[Worship should be done] with sixteen upacāras, or else with five; and thereafter one should make oblation into the fire with fuel-sticks, clarified butter and the rest, according to the prescribed rule.

BPHS Adhyāya 93, śloka 11

Śloka 12 — Feeding brāhmaṇas; the fruit of the rite

विप्रांश्च भोजयेदेवं दोषशान्तिः प्रजायते । समृद्धिश्च प्रतिदिनं नैरुज्यविभवायुषाम् ॥ १२ ॥

And one should feed brāhmaṇas. Thus the appeasing of the blemish comes about, and day by day there is increase of freedom from disease, of prosperity and of long life.

BPHS Adhyāya 93, śloka 12