एकोनत्रिंशोऽध्यायः अथातो विपरीताविपरीतदूतस्वप्ननिदर्शनीयमध्यायं व्याख्यास्यामः, यथोवाच भगवान् धन्वन्तरिः ॥ १॥
Now we shall discourse on the Chapter, which treats of favourable or unfavourable prognosis in diseases, as known from messengers, omens and dreams etc. (Viparitaviparita-Duta-Sakuna-SvapnaNidarsaniya adhyaya). 1
दूतदर्शनसम्भाषवेशाश्चेष्टितमेव ऋक्षं वेला तिथिश्चैव निमित्तं शकुनोऽनिलः ॥ २ ॥
देशो वैद्यस्य वाग्देह-मनसाञ्च विचेष्टितम् । कथयन्त्यातुरगतं शुभं वा यदि वाऽशुभम् ॥ ३॥
Metrical Texts: The favourable or unfavourable termination of a disease may be predicted from the appearance, speech, dress and demeanour of the messenger sent to call in a physician, or from the nature of the asterism and the lunar phase marking the time of his arrival, or from the direction of the wind (Anila) blowing at the time, or from the nature of omens (sakuna) seen by him on the road, or from the posture, temperament or speech of the physician himself. 2-3
कर्म्मसिद्धये । कर्म्मविपत्तये ।। ४ ।। पाषण्डाश्रमवर्णानां सपक्षाः त एव विपरीताः स्युर्दूताः
A messenger belonging to the same caste as the patient’ should be regarded as an auspicious omen, whereas one from a different caste would indicate a fatal or an unfavourable termination of the disease. 4
नपुंसकं स्त्री बहवो नैककार्य्या असूयकाः । गद्दभोष्ट्ररथप्राप्ताः प्राप्ता वा स्युः परम्पराः ॥ वैद्यं य उपसर्पन्ति दूतास्ते चापि गर्हिताः ।।५।।
A eunuch, a husband of many wives, a messenger sent on a different errand and incidentally calling at a physician’s house, or one who has quarrelled on the road, or messengers who come riding on camels, donkeys or in carts, or on foot in one unbroken line, should be looked upon as inauspicious messengers. 5
पाशदण्डायुधधराः आर्द्रजीर्णापसव्यैक पाण्डुरेतरवाससः । मलिनोद्धस्तवाससः ॥ ६ ॥
न्यूनाधिकाङ्गा उद्विग्ना विकृता रौद्ररूपिणः । रूक्षनिष्ठुरवक्तारस्त्वमाङ्गल्याभिधायिनः ।।७।।
Similarly, messengers, who call at the house of a physician, holding in their hands a rope, club, or any other weapon, or who come dressed in black, red, yellow, wet, dirty or torn garments, or with the upper sheets placed or arranged on their right shoulders (Apasavya), or clad in single cloths without such upper sheets on, as well as those, who are possessed of additional or smaller number of limbs, or look disturbed and agitated, or whose bodies are in any way mutilated or such, as look fierce and haughty, or speak in a rough and harsh tone, or utter any term implying death, should be regarded as augurs of evil. 6-7
छिन्दन्तस्तृणकाष्ठानि स्पृशन्तो नासिकां स्तनम् । वस्त्रान्तानामिकाकेश स्रोतोऽवरोधहृद्गण्ड – नखरोमदशास्पृशः ।।८।।
मूर्द्धारः कुक्षिपाणयः | ये ।।९।। कपालोपलभस्मास्थि-तुषाङ्गारकराश्च
1. A Pasanda messenger should be despatched to call in a physician where a member of the same community would fall ill; a householder, in the case of a patient of the same social order; a Brahmana, in the case of a Brahmana patient, and so on; while an infringement of the rule would be looked upon as an evil omen.
विलिखन्तो महीं किञ्चिन्मुञ्चन्तो लोष्टभेदिनः । तैलकर्द्दमदिग्धाङ्गा रक्तास्रगनुलेपनाः ।।१०।। फलं पक्वमसारं वा गृहीत्त्वाऽन्यच्च तद्विधम् । नखैर्नखान्तरं वापि करेण चरणं तथा ।।११।।
उपानच्चर्म्महस्ता वा विकृतव्याधिपीडिताः। वामाचारा रुदन्तश्च श्वासिनो विकृतेक्षणाः ।। १२ ।।
याम्यां दिशि प्राञ्जलयो विषमैकपदे स्थिताः । वैद्यं य उपसर्पन्ति दूतास्ते चापि गर्हिताः । ॥ १३ ॥
दक्षिणाभिमुखं देशे त्वशुचौ वा हुताशनम् । ज्वलयन्तं पचन्तं वा क्रूरकर्म्मणि चोद्यतम् ।।१४।।
Likewise, a messenger, tearing off a blade of grass or a chip of wood with his fingers, or handling the tip of his nose or the nipples of his breast, or pulling the ends of his cloth or hair, or the ring-finger of his hand, or brushing his nails and hair, or standing with his fingers in his ears or nostrils, or waiting with his hands placed on his cheeks, chest or head, or about the regions of the arm-pits, as well as one, who has arrived at the house of the physician with bits of human skull or stone, or with ashes, bones, paddy husks or charcoal in the palms of his hands, or one, who digs into the earth with his toe-nails, or wantonly breaks stones or brickbats, while waiting at the physician’s house, should be regarded as a messenger of evil augury.
A messenger, who at the time of visiting a physician for his professional help comes smeared with oil, or with red sandal paste or mud, and carries a red garland or a ripe but sapless fruit, or any other thing of like nature in his hand, or brushes together the nails of his fingers or touches his legs with the hand, or carries a shoe in his hand, or who appears to have been suffering from a foul or loathsome disease, further one, who breathes heavily, or weeps or behaves contrarily, or stands with the palms of his hands united and his face turned towards the south, or waits on one leg on an uneven ground with the other raised and placed on a higher support, should be looked upon as the precursor of evil. 8-14
नग्नं भूमौ शयानं वा वेगोत्सर्गेषु वाऽशुचिम् ।
प्रकीर्णकेशमभ्यक्तं स्विन्नं विक्लवमेव च। वैद्यं य उपसर्पन्ति दूतास्ते चापि गर्हिताः ।। १५ ।।
A messenger, reporting his errand to the physician while he is facing the south, or who is in an unclean state of the body, or engaged in kindling a fire or in killing an animal, or is remaining in a nude state, or is found to be lying on the bare floor of his chamber, or performing an affection after attending to a call of nature, or anointing himself with oil, or perspiring, or sitting with his hair dishevelled, or in a state of mental perturbation is to be looked upon as a messenger foreboding evil. 15
वैद्यस्य पैत्र्ये दैवे वा कार्य्ये चोत्पातदर्शने। मध्याह्ने चार्द्धरात्रे वा सन्ध्ययोः कृत्तिकासु च ।। १६ ।।
आर्द्राश्लेषामघामूल- पूर्व्वासु भरणीषु च। चतुर्थ्यां वा नवम्यां वा षष्ठ्यां सन्धिदिनेषु च ।
वैद्यं य उपसर्पन्ति दूतास्ते चापि गर्हिताः ।।१७।। A messenger, seeking the interview of a physician while he is engaged in offering oblations to his departed manes, or to the gods, or one who calls on him at noon or at midnight, at morning or at evening, or during the happening of any abnormal physical phenomenon, or at an hour under the influence of any of the following asterisms (lunar mansions), viz, the Ardra, the Aslesa, the Magha, the Mula, the two Purvas, and the Bharani, or on the day of the fourth, ninth, or the sixth phase of the moon (whether on the wane or on the increase), as well as on the last days of months and fortnights, should be considered as a messenger of evil augury. 16-17
स्विन्नाभितप्ता मध्याह्ने ज्वलनस्य समीपतः । गर्हिता: पित्तरोगेषु दूता वैद्यमुपागताः ।।१८ ।।
त एव कफरोगेषु कर्म्मसिद्धिकराः स्मृताः । एतेन शेषं व्याख्यातं बुद्धा संविभजेत् तु तत् ।।१९।।
रक्तपित्तातिसारेषु प्रमेहेषु तथैव प्रशस्तो दूतवैद्यसमागमः । च । जलरोधेषु विज्ञायैवं विभागन्तु शेषं बुध्येत पण्डितः।।२०।।
A messenger, hot and perspiring from being seated near a blazing fire, and calling upon a physician in the midday, should be deemed as an inauspicious one in the case of a Pittaja distemper; whereas a messenger of similar description should be looked upon as foreboding the favourable termination of a disease, if due to the action of the deranged Kapha. The favourable character of a messenger should be likewise determined in diseases originated through the action of the deranged Vayu, etc.; and an intelligent physician is at liberty to exercise his own discretion in determining the omen. Similarly in a case of haemoptysis, dysentery or any morbid discharge from the urethra (Prameha), the first interview between a messenger and a physician near a reservoir of water is an omen of happy augury. A learned physician shall thus determine the ominous character of a messenger in connection with other diseases as well. 18-20
शुक्लवासाः शुचिर्गौर: श्यामो वा प्रियदर्शनः । स्वस्यां जातौ स्वगोत्रो वा दूतः कार्य्यकरः स्मृतः ।। २१ ।।
गोयानेनागतस्तुष्टः पादाभ्यां शुभचेष्टितः । स्मृतिमान् विधिकालज्ञः स्वतन्त्रः प्रतिपत्तिमान् ।
अलङ्कृतो मङ्गलवान् दूतः कार्य्यकरः स्मृतः ।। २२ ।।
स्वस्थं प्राङ्मुखमासीनं समे देशे शुचौ शुचिम्। उपसर्पति यो वैद्यं स च कार्य्यकरः स्मृतः ।। २३ ।।
Messengers of happy augury: A fair and handsome messenger, who is clad in clean and white garments, and belongs to the same caste or spiritual clan (Svagotra) as the patient himself, forebodes the successful termination of the disease (for which the medical aid is needed). A messenger, calling on a physician either on foot or in a bullock cart, and who is contented, intelligent, capable of acting according to the rules of decorum, time and circumstances, and is independent and original in his thoughts and ideas, and carries ornaments, and other auspicious articles about his person, is alone capable of rendering the best services in connection with the calling in of a physician. A messenger, for the first time, interviewing a
1. Amessenger, visiting a physician in the afternoon or during a heavy rain or storm. or at a time when the vital winds is naturally disturbed and agitated. indicates an unfavourable prognosis.
physician, when the latter is complacently seated with his face towards the east, and on a clean and even ground, should be regarded as a messenger of happy augury. 21-23
मांसोदकुम्भातपत्र विप्रवारणगोवृषाः । शुक्लवर्णाश्च पूज्यन्ते प्रस्थाने दर्शनं गताः ॥ २४ ॥
स्त्री पुत्रिणी सवत्सा गौर्वर्द्धमानमलङ्कृता । कन्या मत्स्याः फलञ्चामं स्वस्तिकं मोदका दधि ॥ २५ ॥
हिरण्याक्षतपात्रं वा रत्नानि सुमनो नृपः । अप्रशान्तोऽनलो वाजी हंसचापः शिखी तथा ॥ २६ ॥
ब्रह्मदुन्दुभिजीमूत शङ्खवेणुरथस्वनाः । सिंहगोवृषनादश्च – गजबृंहितम् ।।२७।।
शस्तं हंसरुतं नृणां कौशिकञ्चैव वामतः । प्रस्थाने यायिनः श्रेष्ठा वाचश्च हृदयङ्गमाः ॥ २८ ॥ ह्वेषितं
Raw meat, a pitcher full of water, an umbrella, a Brahmana, an elephant, a cow, an ox and an article of a white colour, should be deemed auspicious sights by a physician on his way to the house of a patient. A mother, a cow with her calf, a small pitcher of water, a decorated virgin, fish, unripe fruits, a Svastika ( a cross shaped religious insignia), sweetmeat, curd, gold, a vessel full of sun-dried rice, gems, flowers (according to certain commentatorsa well disposed king), a blazing fire, a horse, a swan, a peacock, a bird of the Chasha species, chantings of Vedic verses, claps of thunder, blowings of conch-shells, notes of lutes, sounds of chariot wheels, roar of lions, lowings of cows and bullocks, neighings of horses, trumpeting of elephants, cacklings of geese, hooting of owls, and the pleasant conversation of persons going to the palace of a king, should be regarded as lucky sights and sounds by a physician on his way (to the house of a patient). 24-28
पत्रपुष्पफलोपेतान् सक्षीरान् निरुजो द्वमान् । आश्रिता वा नभोवेश्म-ध्वजतोरणवेदिकाः ।।२९ ।।
दिक्षु शान्तासु वक्तारो मधुरं पृष्ठतोऽनुगाः । वामा वा दक्षिणा वापि शकुनाः कर्म्मसिद्धये ॥ ३० ॥
Similarly, harmonious melodies of birds chirping on the boughs of healthy Ksira trees, bent under the weight of fruit, and looking gladsome with their dowry of beautiful blossoms and foliage, or notes of birds perched on the terraces of palace towers or on the tops of banner poles singing melodiously, or birds following the messenger with their songs or singing seated from the auspicious quarters of the heavens, or following him on his left, should be equally regarded as sights and notes of happy foreboding. 29-30
वृक्षेऽशनिहते पत्रे वल्लीनद्धे सकण्टके। शुष्केऽथवाश्मभस्मास्थि-वितुषाङ्गारपांशुषु ॥ ३१ ॥
चैत्यवल्मीकविषम-स्थिता दीप्तखरस्वराः । पुरतो दिक्षु दीप्तासु वक्तारो नार्थसाधकाः ।।३२ ।।
A bird, seated on the withered trunk of a blighted or thunderblasted tree, or on a thorny knoll covered over with creepers, or on ashes or stones, or amidst ordure or husks of grain, or on dried skeletons, and singing in a harsh voice with its head turned towards the blazing or inauspicious quarter of the sky, should be deemed as portending evil. 31-32
पुन्नामानः खगा वामाः स्त्रीसंज्ञा दक्षिणाः शुभाः । दक्षिणाद् वामगमनं प्रशस्तं श्वश्रृगालयोः । ॥ ३३ ॥
वामं नकुलचाषाणां नोभयं शशसर्पयोः । भासकौशिकयोश्चैव न प्रशस्तं किलोभयम् ॥
दर्शनं वा रुतञ्चापि न गोधाकुकलासयोः ।। ३४ ।।
Similarly, birds, which are possessed of names of masculine terminations are happy omens if seen on the left by a physician on his way to the house of a patient, while birds, on a similar occasion, whose names have feminine endings, are auspicious if seen by him on the right. A dog or a jackal, seen running from the right to the left, is a happy omen, and so is a mongoose or a Casa bird if seen on the left. A hare, a serpent, or an owl, seen on either side of the road, is an inauspicious sight. The sight and the sound of a Godha or a Krkalasa (an animal of the lizard species) are both inauspicious. 33-34
दूतैरनिष्टैस्तुल्यानामशस्तं दर्शनं नृणाम् । कुलत्थतिलकार्पास पात्रं नेष्टं प्रसन्नेतरमद्यानां तुषपाषाणभस्मनाम् ।।३५ ।।
तथाऽङ्गार- तैलकर्द्दमपूरितम् । पूर्णं वा रक्तसर्षपैः ||३६ ।।
शवकाष्ठपलाशानां शुष्काणां पथि सङ्गमाः । नेष्यन्ते पतितान्तस्थ- दीनान्धरिपवस्तथा ।। ३७ ।।
मृदुः शीतोऽनुकूलश्च सुगन्धश्चानिलः शुभः । खरोष्णोऽनिष्टगन्धश्च प्रतिलोमश्च गर्हितः ॥ ३८ ॥
If a man, other than a messenger of inauspicious character but possessed of features alike unfavourable, should happen to cross the way of a physician, just starting on a professional call, he should be regarded as equally indicative of evil. The sight of a vessel full of Kuluttha pulse, or of husks of grain, or of stone, ashes, clay or charcoal, or of oil, is inauspicious. Similarly, the sight of a vessel filled with red mustard or with wine other than which is clear and mild (Prasanna) should be deemed an omen of evil augury.
Similarly, the sight of a parched corpse, or of a withered tree or Palasa branch, is equally inauspicious. A physician, meeting a member of any of the vile or degraded castes or a blind or indigent person, or a man inimically disposed towards him, should consider the character of the disease to be unfavourable.
A gentle, cool and fragrant breeze, blowing from the direction of his destination, should be regarded as an auspicious omen by a physician. A wind, which is hot, dry, and is charged with the fetid exalations of putrid matter, and which blows from the direction of his starting point, should be regarded as an evil omen. 35-38
ग्रन्थ्यर्बुदादिषु सदा च्छेदशब्दच पूजितः । विद्रध्युदरगुल्मेषु भेदशब्दस्तथैव रक्तपित्तातिसारेषु रुद्धशब्दः च । ।३९ ।।
प्रशस्यते । एवं व्याधिविशेषेण निमित्तमुपधारयेत्।। ४० ।।
तथैवाक्रुष्टहाकष्टमाक्रन्दरुदितस्वनाः । छर्द्दयां वातपुरीषाणां शब्दो वै गर्छभोष्ट्रयोः ।।४१ ।।
प्रतिषिद्धं तथा भग्नं क्षुतं स्खलितमाहतम् । दौर्मनस्यञ्च वैद्यस्य यात्रायां न प्रशस्यते ॥ ४२ ॥
The word “cut”, used by another and accidentally heard by a physician (on his way) to the bed-side of a patient laid up with Granthi (aneurism) or Arbuda (tumour), should be regarded as a good omen; while the term “open”, heard under similar circumstances and in connection with a case of Vidradhi (abscess), or Gulma (abdominal gland), or Udara (ascites), should be regarded as an equally auspicious portent. Similarly, the term “stopped” is commended in a case of dysentery or haemoptysis. Thus the physician should interpret the auguries according to the nature of each individual case.
A curse, imprecation, or wailing like “woe to me”, as well as sobs, groans, reports of defecation or vomiting, the brayings of an ass, the frightened sound of a camel, an obstacle or impediment in the path of a physician, or a sudden breakage, collapse, or the falling of any article from a cupboard, and a sad or dejected spirit of the physician without any assignable cause, should be regarded as evil omens at the time of his starting. 39-42
प्रवेशेऽप्येतदुद्देशादावेक्ष्यञ्च • तथाऽतुरे । प्रतिद्वारं गृहे वास्य पुनरेतन्न गण्यते ।।४३ ।।
केशभस्मास्थिकाष्ठाश्म-तुषकार्पासकण्टकाः । खट्वोर्द्धपादा मद्यापो वसा तैलं तिलास्तृणम् ।।४४ ।।
नपुंसकव्यङ्गभग्न नग्नमुण्डासिताम्बराः । प्रस्थाने वा प्रवेशे वा नेष्यन्ते दर्शनं गताः ॥ ४५ ॥
भाण्डानां सङ्करस्थानां स्थानात् सञ्चरणं तथा । निखातोत्पाटनं भङ्गः पतनं निर्गमस्तथा ॥ ४६ ।।
वैद्यासनावसादो वा रोगी वा स्यादधोमुखः । वैद्यं सम्भाषमाणोऽङ्गं कुडमास्तरणानि वा ॥४७॥
प्रमृज्याद् वा धुनीयाद् वा करौ पृष्ठं शिरस्तथा । हस्तञ्चाकृष्य वैद्यस्य न्यसेच्छिरसि चोरसि ॥४८ ॥
यो वैद्यमुन्मुखः पृच्छेदुन्माटि स्वाङ्गमातुरः | न स सिध्यति वैद्यो वा गृहे यस्य न पूज्यते ।। ४९ ।।
भवने पूज्यते वापि यस्य वैद्यः स सिध्यति । शुभं शुभेषु दूतादिष्वशुभं ह्यशुभेषु च। आतुरस्य ध्रुवं तस्माद् दूतादींल्लक्षयेद् भिषक् ॥ ५० ॥
These omens should be observed or attended to at the time of first entering the house of a patient, or at the threshold or within its walls, but not after the physician has once commenced the medical treatment. The sight of a knot of torn hairs, ashes, bones, wood, stone, husks of grain, cotton, thorns, a bedstead with its legs upturned, wine, water, fat, oil, sesamum, dried grass, straw, a eunuch, a deformed person or one with a broken limb, a nude man, or one with a clean shaved head, or clad in a black garment, should be regarded as evil omens by a physician, whether noticed by him at the time of starting or after getting into a sick-room. Pots or utensils placed in pendent brackets, and found to be spontaneously moving about without any definite cause, as well as any other fallen articles digged in, smashed in or thrown out of the sick-room; a physician sitting dejected and gathered up in his seat, and the patient sitting with a downcast face, or pricking his body or at the bed clothes while talking with the physician, or shaking his hands, back or head, or taking hold of or placing the hands of the physician in his own, or on his breast, or interrogating the physician with an up-turned face, or pressing his own limbs, when he is interrogated by the physician in return, should be considered as unfavourable signs.
The patient, in whose house a physician is not duly honoured, can never rally. The due honouring of a physician leads to a speedy recovery. A messenger of good omen forebodes the favourable termination of a disease, while the contrary is indicated by a messenger of the opposite type. Hence a physician shall carefully observe the ominous character of a messenger (despatched to seek his aid). 43-50
स्वप्नानतः प्रवक्ष्यामि मरणाय शुभाय च। सुहृदो यांश्च पश्यन्ति व्याधितो वा स्वयं तथा।।५१।।
स्नेहाभ्यक्तशरीरस्तु करभव्यालगईभैः ।
वराहैर्महिषैर्वापि यो यायाद् रक्ताम्बरधरा कृष्णा हसन्ती यं वा कर्षति बद्धवा स्त्री नृत्यन्ती दक्षिणामुखः । ॥५२॥
मुक्तमूर्द्धजा दक्षिणामुखम् ।।५३ ।।
अन्तावसायिभिर्यो वा कृष्यते दक्षिणामुखः । परिष्बजेरन् यं वापि प्रेताः प्रव्रजितास्तथा ॥५४॥
मूर्द्धन्याघ्रायते यस्तु श्वापदैर्विकृताननैः । ।। पिबेन्मधु च तैलञ्च यो वा पङ्केऽवसीदति । ॥ ५५ ॥
पङ्कप्रदिग्धगात्रो वा प्रनृत्येत् प्रहसेत् तथा । निरम्बरश्च यो रक्तां धारयेच्छिरसा सृजम् ।।५६ ।।
यस्य वंशो नलो वापि तालो वोरसि जायते । यं वा मत्स्यो ग्रसेद् यो वा जननीं प्रविशेन्नरः।।५७।।
पर्व्वताग्रात् पतेद् यो वा श्वभ्रे वा तमसावृते । ह्रियते स्रोतसा यो वा यो वा मौण्डयमवाप्नुयात् ।।५८ ।।
पराजीयेत बध्येत काकादैचर्वाभिभूयते । पतनं तारकादीनां प्रणाशं दीपचक्षुषोः ।।५९ ।।
यः पश्येद् देवतानां वा प्रकम्पमवनेस्तथा । यस्य च्छर्हिर्विरको वा दशनाः प्रपतन्ति वा ॥ ६० ॥
शाल्मलीं किंशुकं यूपं वल्मीकं पारिभद्रकम् । पुष्पाढचं कोविदारं वा चितां वा योऽधिरोहति ।।६१ ।।
कार्पासतैलपिण्याक-लोहानि लवणं तिलान् । लभेताश्नीत वा पक्वमन्नं यक्ष पिबेत् सुराम् ।
स्वस्थः स लभते व्याधिं व्याधितो मृत्युमृच्छति ।। ६२ ।।
Dreams: Now I shall describe the dreams, which either being dreamt by the patient, or by his relations, portend fatal or a successful close of the malady. The patient, who dreams of going towards the south on the back of an elephant, or on that of any carnivorous animal, or of riding on a boar or on a buffalo, or sees himself carried towards the quarter by a dark woman with dishevelled hair and clad in a bloodred garment-laughing and dancing, soon meets his doom. A dream by a patient that members of vile castes have been drawing him southward, or that ghosts or anchorites have been embracing him, or that savage beasts with diabolical faces have been smelling his head, predicts that his earthly days are numbered, while such dreams occurring in a healthy subject indicate an impending disease.
Similarly, the patient, who dreams of drinking oil or honey, or of diving into a bed of dank or oozy slime, or of laughing and dancing mud-besplattered, is at the threshold of death. A dream of having entwined a wreath of red flowers round one’s head, though otherwise nude or stripped of clothes, or of seeing reeds, bamboos, ori alm trees growing on his chest, portends the impending death of a patient. On the other hand, such dreams, occurring in a healthy subject, forebode the advent of disease. Likewise, the patient, who dreams of being eaten up by fish, or who fancies himself again entering into the womb of his mother, or thinks he is falling from the summit of a mountain or into a dark and dismal cave, or as being carried away by the current of a river, or assailed and overwhelmed by a pack of crows, is already a doomed being. The dream of a clean shaved head, or of falling stars, or of dying lamp light, or of the extraction of one’s own eyes, or of shaking divine images, or of earthquakes, purgings, vomitings or falling out of one’s own teeth, is always fatal. The patient, who dreams of climbing a Salmali, Kinsuka, or Paribhadra tree, or of ascending an ant-hill or a funeral pyre, or of witnessing himself bound to a sacrificical stake, or of receiving or eating cotton, levigated sesamum paste, iron, salt, sesamum, boiled rice, or drinking oil or wine (Sura), as the case may be, should consider himself as a doomed being, while such dreams in a healthy subject indicate the impending attack of a disease. 51-62
यथास्वं प्रकृतिस्वप्नो विस्मृतो विहतश्च यः ।
चिन्ताकृतो दिवा दृष्टो भवन्त्यफलदास्तु ते ।। ६३ ।।
A dream should be regarded as ineffectual which is quite in conformity with the physical temperament of the dreamer (such as, one of scaling the heavens by person of Vataja temperament; one of seeing a blazing fire, a flash of lightning, or a meteor-fall by a man of Pittaja temperament; and one of witnessing reservoirs of water, etc. by a man of Kaphaja temperament) as well as one which has been forgotten or followed by another of an auspicious type or is the outcome of premeditated thought like one dreamt in the day time. 63
ज्वरितानां शुना सख्यं कपिसख्यन्तु शोषिणाम् । उन्मादे राक्षसैः प्रेतैरपस्मारे प्रवर्त्तनम् ॥ ६४ ॥
मेहातिसारिणां तोय-पानं स्नेहस्य कुष्ठिनाम् । गुल्मेषु स्थावरोत्पत्तिः कोष्ठे मूर्द्धि शिरोरुजि ।। ६५ ।।
शष्कुलीभक्षणं छर्दयामध्वा श्वासपिपासयोः । हारिद्रं भोजनं वापि यस्य स्यात् पाण्डुरोगिणः ।।६६ ।।
रक्तपित्ती पिबेद् यश्च शोणितं स विनश्यति । स्वप्नानेवंविधान् दृष्ट्वा प्रातरुत्थाय यनवान् ।।६७ ।।
दद्यान्माषांस्तिलान् लोहं विप्रेभ्यः काञ्चनं तथा । जपेच्चापि शुभान् मन्त्रान् गायत्रीं त्रिपदां तथा ।।६८ ||
A fever patient dreaming of friendship with a dog, a consumptive one dreaming of making friends with a monkey or a monster; a hysteric patient who dreams of making friendship with a ghost; a Prameha or dysentery patient dreaming of drinking water; a leper dreaming of drinking oil, or a Gulma patient dreaming of a tree grow on his belly, should count his days as numbered. A person afflicted with any disease of the head, and dreaming of a tree growing on his head, or one suffering from vomiting and dreaming of eating sesamum cakes; or an asthma patient, or a person, afflicted with thirst, dreaming of making a journey on foot; or a jaundice patient dreaming of eating a food prepared with turmeric; or a person suffering from haemoptysis and dreaming of drinking blood, should be considered as about to depart this life. A patient having had any of the aforesaid dreams, under the circumstances, should get up in the morning and make a gift of Masa-pulse, sesamum, iron and gold to the Brahmanas, and repeat the blessed Tripada Gayatri (Mantras). 64-68
दृष्ट्वा च प्रथमे यामे सुप्याद् ध्यात्वा पुनः शुभम् । जपेद् वान्यतमं देवं ब्रह्मचारी समाहितः ॥ ६९ ।।
न चाचक्षीत कस्मैचिद् द्रष्ट्वा स्वप्नमशोभनम् । देवतायतने चैव वसेद् रात्रित्रयं तथा । विप्रांश्च पूजयेन्नित्यं दुःस्वप्नात् प्रविमुच्यते ||७०।।
Having dreamt a bad dream in the first watch of the night, a person should meditate upon a holy or auspicious subject, and then lie down again with all his senses fully controlled, and repeat the Mantras sacred to any of the gods. An evil dream should not be related to another. The dreamer of the dream should reside in a holy temple for three consecutive nights, and worship the deity with the most fervent devotion, whereby its evil effects would become nullified. 69-70
अत ऊर्ध्वं प्रवक्ष्यामि प्रशस्तं स्वप्नदर्शनम् । देवान् द्विजान् गोवृषभान् जीवतः सुहृदो नृपान् ।। ७१ ।।
समिद्धमग्निं विप्रांश्च निर्मलानि जलानि च । पश्येत् कल्याणलाभाय व्याधेरपगमाय च ॥ ७२ ।।
मांसं मत्स्यान् स्रजः श्वेता वासांसि च फलानि च। लभेत धनलाभाय व्याधेरपगमाय च।।७३ ।।
Now we shall describe the dreams, which are of auspicious nature. Members of the twice born castes, gods, cows, bullocks, kings, one’s own living friends and relations, a blazing fire, a Brahmana, or a sheet of clear water seen in a dream by a healthy person predict or predicts to him a pecuniary gain in the near future, while such dreams occurring in a diseased person indicate a speedy recovery of the disease he has been suffering from. Similarly, dreams of meat, fish, garlands of white flowers, cloths and fruits predict a gain or a speedy cure, as the case may be. 71-73
महाप्रासादसफल वृक्षवारणपर्व्वतान् । आरोहेद् द्रव्यलाभाय व्याधेरपगमाय च।।७४।।
नदीनदसमुद्रांश्च क्षुभितान् कलुषोदकान् । तरेत् कल्याणलाभाय व्याधेरपगमाय च ।।७५ ।।
उरगो वा जलौको वा भ्रमरो वापि यं दशेत् । आरोग्यं निर्दिशेत् तस्य धनलाभञ्च बुद्धिमान् ॥ ७६ ।।
एवंरूपान् शुभान् स्वप्नान् यः पश्येद् व्याधितो नरः । स दीर्घायुरिति ज्ञेयस्तस्मै कर्म्म समाचरेत् ॥७७ ।।
Dreams of ascending the terrace of a royal palace, of climbing a tree or a hill, or of riding an elephant predict similar results as above. A dream of one’s sailing over a river, pool or sea of turbid water predicts a money gain or cure, according as one is healthy or diseased. A dream of having been bit or stung by a serpent, by leeches, or by a bee, indicates bliss or cure, according to one’s good or bad health at the time. The man, who usually gets such auspicious dreams, should be looked upon as a long-lived man, and may be unhesitatingly taken under medical treatment by a physician. 74-77
इति सुश्रुतसंहितायां सूत्रस्थाने विपरीताविपरीतदूतस्वप्नादिनिदर्शनीयो नामैकोनत्रिंशोऽध्यायः ॥ २३ ॥
Thus ends the twenty-ninth Chapter of the Sutrasthana in the Susruta Samhita, which deals with favourable or unfavourable prognosis from messengers, birds, omens etc.
