Chapter on Quelling Abnormalities of Birth (Prasūti-vikṛti-śamana) — Bṛhat-Pārāśara-Horāśāstra, Adhyāya 97

प्रसूतिविकृतिशमनाध्यायः

The complete Chapter on Quelling Abnormalities of Birth (Prasūti-vikṛti-śamana) chapter of the Bṛhat-Pārāśara-Horāśāstra — all 9 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 abnormal birth (prasūti-vikṛti), whose evil touches the whole village and lineage

अथ मैत्रेय ! ते वच्मि प्रसूतेर्विकृतिं, शृणु । ययाऽशुभं समस्तेऽपि ग्रामे वंशे च जायते ॥ १ ॥

Now, O Maitreya, I shall tell you of the abnormality of birth (prasūti-vikṛti); listen. By it inauspiciousness arises in the entire village and in the family line as well.

BPHS Adhyāya 97, śloka 1

Śloka 2 — Definition of prasūti-vikṛti (part 1) — delayed or premature delivery; deformed, supernumerary or many-eyed / many-headed offspring

समयाच्चेद् विलम्बेन पूर्वं वा प्रसवो भवेत् । विकलाङ्गोऽधिकाङ्गो वा-ऽनेकनेत्रशिरोधरः ॥ २ ॥

If the delivery occurs later than its proper time, or before it, or if [the offspring] is defective in limb or has excess limbs, or has many eyes or many heads and necks —

BPHS Adhyāya 97, śloka 2

Śloka 3 — Definition of prasūti-vikṛti (part 2) — human-shaped young from an animal, animal-shaped from a woman; declared greatly destructive

नराकारः पशावेवं पश्वाकारः स्त्रियामपि । प्रसूतिविकृतिश्चेयं महाविध्वंसकारिणी ॥ ३ ॥

Likewise, if a human-formed [offspring is born] from an animal, or an animal-formed one from a woman — this too is an abnormality of birth, and it brings about great devastation.

BPHS Adhyāya 97, śloka 3

Śloka 4 — Result — abnormal birth among a man's women or his livestock brings a great portent upon his line and household

स्त्रियां पशुकुले यस्य प्रसूतिविकृतिर्भवेत् । तस्य वंशे गृहे चापि महोत्पातः प्रजायते ॥ ४ ॥

He in whose woman or in whose herd of cattle an abnormality of birth occurs — in his lineage and in his house too a great calamitous portent is produced.

BPHS Adhyāya 97, śloka 4

Śloka 5 — Remedy in outline — the wise man should perform śānti, or else abandon such a woman, cow or mare

परिहर्तुं तु तान् दोषाञ् शान्तिं कुर्याद् विचक्षणः । अथवा तादृशीं नारीं गामश्वां च परित्यजेत् ॥ ५ ॥

To remove those blemishes the discerning man should have a śānti performed; or else he should abandon such a woman, cow, or mare.

BPHS Adhyāya 97, śloka 5

Śloka 6 — Conception or delivery in the 15th or 16th year from birth is inauspicious

जन्मनः षोडशे पञ्च-दशे वाऽब्दे भवेद् यदि । गर्भः स्त्रिया वा प्रसवो न शिवायोपकल्पते ॥ ६ ॥

If a woman's conception or delivery occurs in the sixteenth or the fifteenth year from her birth, it does not conduce to well-being.

BPHS Adhyāya 97, śloka 6

Śloka 7 — Cow calving with the Sun in Siṃha, or buffalo with the Sun in Makara — she perishes and destroys her owner

सिंहस्थेऽर्के प्रसूता गौ-र्महिषी मकरस्थिते । नश्येत् स्वयं तथा सा तु नाशयेदधिपं निजम् ॥ ७ ॥

A cow that has calved while the Sun stands in Siṃha, or a buffalo [that has calved] while it stands in Makara — she herself perishes, and likewise she destroys her own master.

BPHS Adhyāya 97, śloka 7

Śloka 8 — Remedy — donate the animal to a brāhmaṇa, or perform śānti with worship of the grahas together with Viṣṇu, Brahmā and Īśa, plus homa

विप्राय तादृशीं दद्यादथवा शान्तिमाचरेत् । सखेटविष्णुब्रह्मेश-पूजनं हवनादिकम् ॥ ८ ॥

He should give such an [animal] away to a brāhmaṇa, or else perform the śānti: worship of Viṣṇu, Brahmā and Īśa together with the grahas, together with the homa and the rest.

BPHS Adhyāya 97, śloka 8

Śloka 9 — Completion of the rite — abhiṣeka and the whole procedure as before; the man becomes pure, freed of sin and happy

अभिषेकं च सकलं कर्म पूर्ववदाचरेत् । एवं कृते नरः शुद्धः पापान्मुक्तः सुखी भवेत् ॥ ९ ॥

And he should carry out the consecratory bathing (abhiṣeka) and the entire ritual procedure as [described] before. When this has been done the man becomes pure, released from sin, and happy.

BPHS Adhyāya 97, śloka 9