The Chapter on the Propitiation for Mūla-gaṇḍa (Abhukta-mūla) — Bṛhat-Pārāśara-Horāśāstra, Adhyāya 94

मूलगण्डशान्त्यध्यायः

The complete The Chapter on the Propitiation for Mūla-gaṇḍa (Abhukta-mūla) chapter of the Bṛhat-Pārāśara-Horāśāstra — all 18 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 — Abhukta-mūla ghaṭikās — the father's prescribed abandonment of the child born in them

अभुक्तमूलघटिकाः पूर्वमुक्ता द्विजोत्तम । तदुद्भवां सुतां वाऽपि सुतं तातः परित्यजेत् ॥ १ ॥

O best of the twice-born! The abhukta-mūla ghaṭikās have been declared by me earlier. A daughter, or likewise a son, born in them should be abandoned by the father.

BPHS Adhyāya 94, śloka 1

Śloka 2 — Alternative to abandonment — eight-year avoidance of sight; rationale for the śānti

अथवा तन्मुखं नैवाऽष्टसमा अवलोकयेत् । महाविघ्नप्रदाश्चैता-स्तस्माच्छान्तिरिहोच्यते ॥ २ ॥

Or else (athavā — the alternative to abandoning it in verse 1) he should not look upon that child's face for eight years. And these (abhukta-mūla ghaṭikās) are givers of great obstruction; therefore the propitiation is here set forth.

BPHS Adhyāya 94, śloka 2

Śloka 3 — Timing of the śānti for those born in Mūla

शुभे दिने मूलजानां द्वादशे वाह्नि जन्मनः । अपि वाऽष्टमवर्षान्ते विधिवच्छान्तिमाचरेत् ॥ ३ ॥

For those born in Mūla, one should perform the propitiation according to rule on an auspicious day, or on the twelfth day from birth, or else at the close of the eighth year.

BPHS Adhyāya 94, śloka 3

Śloka 4 — Śānti-vidhi — construction of the maṇḍapa

स्वगृहादुत्तरे पूर्व-भागे वाऽपि शुभस्थले । गोमयेनावलिप्ते तु कुर्यात् सन्मण्डपं बुधः ॥ ४ ॥

On an auspicious spot to the north, or else to the east, of one's own house, on ground smeared with cow-dung, the wise man should erect a fine pavilion.

BPHS Adhyāya 94, śloka 4

Śloka 5 — Four doors, toraṇas, and the fire-pit

द्वारैश्चतुर्भिरभित-स्तोरणादिविभूषितम् । कुण्डं यज्ञविधानाय बहिर्द्वारि च कारयेत् ॥ ५ ॥

(The pavilion is to be) furnished all round with four doorways adorned with festoons and the like; and for the performance of the sacrifice he should have a fire-pit made outside the door.

BPHS Adhyāya 94, śloka 5

Śloka 6 — Golden image of the nakṣatra-lord — first half of the description

नक्षत्रेशाकृतिं स्वर्ण-मयीं वित्तानुरोधतः । विरचय्य श्यामवर्णं मस्तकद्वयसंयुतम् ॥ ६ ॥

Having fashioned, according to one's means, a golden image of the lord of the nakṣatra — dark in colour and furnished with two heads —

BPHS Adhyāya 94, śloka 6

Śloka 7 — Golden image of the nakṣatra-lord — completion of the description and meditation

वृकास्यं खड्गचर्माढ्यं भीतिदं शववाहनम् । नक्षत्रदेवं विधिवद् ध्यायेदवनताननः ॥ ७ ॥

— wolf-faced, equipped with sword and shield, terrifying, having a corpse for its vehicle — one should meditate upon that nakṣatra-deity according to rule, with face bowed down.

BPHS Adhyāya 94, śloka 7

Śloka 8 — Svastivācana, appointment of the ācārya, and filling of the kalaśa

स्वस्तिवाचनमाचार्य-वरणं कलशे पुनः । तीर्थोदकं पञ्चगव्यं शतौषध्यादि च क्षिपेत् ॥ ८ ॥

(Then) the svastivācana and the formal appointment of the ācārya; and into the water-pot he should cast holy water from sacred fords, the pañcagavya, the hundred herbs and the rest.

BPHS Adhyāya 94, śloka 8

Śloka 9 — The hundred-holed second pot and the bamboo vessel

शतच्छिद्रमयं कुर्याद-परं घटमुत्तमम् । तदग्रे वंशपात्रं च स्थापयेद् द्विजसत्तम ! ॥ ९ ॥

He should make another excellent pot pierced with a hundred holes, and in front of it, O best of the twice-born, he should set down a bamboo vessel.

BPHS Adhyāya 94, śloka 9

Śloka 10 — Worship of Nirṛti, lord of the nakṣatra, facing west

नक्षत्राधिपतिं देवं नैर्ऋतिं तत्र सादरम् । पश्चिमाभिमुखीकृत्या-भ्यर्चयेत् प्रणतो बुधः ॥ १० ॥

Therein the wise man should reverently place the god Nirṛti, lord of that nakṣatra, having turned (the image) to face the west, and worship him with bowed head.

BPHS Adhyāya 94, śloka 10

Śloka 11 — White garment and white offerings; Indra and Varuṇa as adhidevatā and pratyadhidevatā

सितेन वाससा तद्वत् सितगन्धसुमाक्षतैः । इन्द्रं च वारुणं देवं साधिप्रत्यधिरूपकम् ॥ ११ ॥

Likewise with a white garment, with white sandal-paste, flowers and unbroken rice (he should worship him); and also Indra and the god Varuṇa, who bear the forms of the adhidevatā and the pratyadhidevatā.

BPHS Adhyāya 94, śloka 11

Śloka 12 — Worship of the triad with śākhā-specific mantras; number of oblations

पूजयेत् स्वस्वशाखोक्त-मन्त्रैर्देवत्रयं, पुनः । हवनं तु सहस्रं वा शतमष्टाधिकं चरेत् ॥ १२ ॥

He should worship the triad of deities with the mantras prescribed in his own Vedic recension; and then he should perform the oblation a thousand times, or one hundred and eight times.

BPHS Adhyāya 94, śloka 12

Śloka 13 — Mṛtyuñjaya japa for averting death

मृत्युञ्जयजपं कुर्या-न्मृतिशान्त्यै विशेषतः । पूजामाराधनं भक्त्या विदध्यान्नियतेन्द्रियः ॥ १३ ॥

He should especially perform the japa of the Mṛtyuñjaya (mantra) for the pacification of death; and with the senses restrained he should carry out the worship and adoration with devotion.

BPHS Adhyāya 94, śloka 13

Śloka 14 — Abhiṣeka of the parents and the child; bath of the yajamāna

ततोऽभिषिञ्चे-दाचार्यो दम्पती जातकं तथा । घटद्वयाम्भसा स्नानं यजमानस्ततश्चरेत् ॥ १४ ॥

Thereafter the ācārya should consecrate the married pair and likewise the newborn; then the yajamāna should take his bath with the water of the two pots.

BPHS Adhyāya 94, śloka 14

Śloka 15 — White dress and dakṣiṇā to the ṛtviks and the ācārya

स्नातः श्वेताम्बरधरः श्वेतचन्दनचर्चितः । ऋत्विग्भ्यो दक्षिणां दद्यादाचार्याय विशेषतः ॥ १५ ॥

Bathed, clothed in white garments and anointed with white sandal-paste, he should give the sacrificial fee to the ṛtviks, and especially to the ācārya.

BPHS Adhyāya 94, śloka 15

Śloka 16 — Gift of a milch cow, feeding of brāhmaṇas, and viewing one's reflection in ghee

दत्त्वा पयस्विनीं गां च ब्राह्मणान् भोजयेत् पुनः । आज्ये मन्त्रेण चानेन स्वाऽऽत्मबिम्बं विलोकयेत् ॥ १६ ॥

Having given a milch cow, he should further feed brāhmaṇas; and with the following mantra he should look at the reflection of his own person in the clarified butter.

BPHS Adhyāya 94, śloka 16

Śloka 17 — The mantra recited over the ghee

दौर्बल्यमखिलं यच्च पापं मद्गात्रसंस्थितम् । घातयाऽऽज्य ! समस्तं त-च्छ्रियं वृद्धिं च देहि मे ॥ १७ ॥

"O Ghee! Whatever weakness and whatever sin abides in my body — destroy all of it, and grant me prosperity and increase."

BPHS Adhyāya 94, śloka 17

Śloka 18 — Fruit of the rite

मूलगण्डप्रजातानां शान्त्यैवं शुभमाप्नुयात् ॥ १८ ॥

By the propitiation thus performed for those born in Mūla-gaṇḍa, one obtains auspiciousness.

BPHS Adhyāya 94, śloka 18