In the sacred discourse, the wise Puṣkara spoke of the signs and omens that shape the course of human lives. He began by describing the portents that may appear in dreams or in the waking world: seeing death, fire ablaze, flames consuming homes, receiving marks of sovereignty, or being greeted with music played on stringed instruments. When, at the end of a dream, one beholds a king, an elephant, a horse, gold, or a bull, prosperity is assured for their family. Yet, not all visions are auspicious. If one dreams of climbing upon the roof of a bull’s house, ascending a mountain peak or tree, smearing oneself with ghee or excrement, approaching a forbidden woman, or engaging in similar acts, these are signs to be lamented. Puṣkara then listed objects and beings whose appearance is inauspicious: mixed medicines, black or unwholesome grain, cotton, dry grass, cow dung, wealth, charcoal, jaggery, resin, a shaven or anointed person, a naked one, iron, mud, skin and hair, a madman, and a eunuch. Also inauspicious are outcastes, those who eat dog-meat, jailers, pregnant women, widows, oil-cake, and corpses. Husks, ashes, potsherds, bones, broken vessels, anything inauspicious, discordant musical sounds, and terrifying howls bring ill fortune. He explained the subtleties of speech: the sound “Come!” uttered from the front is auspicious, but not from behind; “Go!” spoken from behind is excellent, but from the front it is censured. Words such as “Where are you going?”, “Stand!”, “Do not go!”, or “Why have you gone there?” are inauspicious and portend death, as do carnivorous animals, banners, and similar sights. Further, stumbling vehicles, breaking weapons, a blow to the head, being struck at the doorway, or the falling of umbrellas and garments are all signs to be avoided. But after worshipping and praising Hari, the destruction of inauspiciousness is obtained. If a second such sign appears, one should enter the house by a different way. Puṣkara spoke of auspicious signs: white flowers are best, a full water-pot is most excellent; meat, fish, distant sounds, an old man alone, and an animal without skin are less favorable. Yet cows, horses, elephants, gods, blazing fire, fresh grass, wet cow dung, a courtesan, gold, silver, and gems are auspicious. So too are words, medicines that fulfill their purpose, a seal, weapons and swords, an umbrella, a seat, royal insignia, and a corpse not accompanied by weeping. Fruit, ghee, curds, milk, unbroken rice, a mirror, honey, a conch, sugarcane, auspicious speech, food, musical instruments, and singing bring good fortune. The deep rumbling of clouds and satisfaction at lightning are auspicious signs, but the satisfaction of the mind is the greatest of all. Puṣkara continued, explaining that omens reveal their nature—auspicious or inauspicious—when a person is standing, setting out, or being questioned, and for the land and city as well. All omens that are blazing yield evil results, while calm omens bring good results, according to those who ponder fate and astrologers. Six kinds of brilliance are described for omens, distinguished by time, place, action, sound, and type. Each preceding one is stronger; a day-wandering omen at night, or a night-wandering one by day, is especially powerful. In cruel signs, the bright omen is recognized at the rising of the constellation, planet, or similar; the smoky omen is noted when the sun is about to move. When present, the omen is blazing; when released, it is fiery. These three are remembered as bright, and five others are peaceful. When the omen is bright in a direction, it is called a directional omen; in a village, forest, or wilderness, it is domestic, and so too when it is on a condemned tree. In inauspicious places, the place-bright omen is to be known; the ritual-bright omen is declared when an act is improper for one’s own kind. The sound-bright omen is a discordant, terrifying cry; the species-bright omen is solely meat-eating. From the bright omen, the peaceful is determined with all distinctions carefully; the mixed is declared from mixed omens, and its result, good or bad, must be spoken. He described the creatures whose appearance carries meaning: cows, horses, camels, donkeys, dogs, starlings, house lizards, sparrows, cranes, turtles, and others dwell in villages. Cats and chickens are domestic but also roam the wild, their recognition depending on differences in form. Cattle-eared, peacocks, chakras, donkeys, parrots, crows, kulaha birds, kukubha, hawks, pheruka, anjana, and monkeys; shataghnas, sparrows, blackbirds, crows, hawks, francolins, partridges, butterflies, and three kinds of pigeons; khanjarita, dātyūha, wild boar, jīva-kukkuṭa, bhāradvāja, and sāraṅga are day-roaming creatures. Vāguryu, owls, sharabha, cranes, hares, turtles, hairy ones, and reddish ones roam at night. Swans, deer, cats, mongooses, bears, snakes, wolves, lions, tigers, camels, village boars, and humans are also noted. Hunting dogs, bulls, jackals, wolves, cuckoos, cranes, horses, kaupīna-men, and lizards roam both day and night. In processions or marches, those who move in groups at the front are designated as leaders; those who carry burdens bring death from behind. When a crow comes from the house and cries out while standing in front, it foretells the king’s insult or strife at a meal, especially if it is on the left. In a vehicle, its sight is auspicious, whether on the left or right side. The peacock reveals theft by robbers when its cry is discordant. When one departs, if a deer appears ahead, it brings death; so too bears, boars, jackals, tigers, lions, cats, and donkeys. Likewise, the pratiloma bird, the khara with harsh voice, the left-sided kapiñjala, and the best one situated on the right are described. The tittiri bird, whose fruit is condemned, is not praised when seen from behind; but the ena, varāha, and pṛṣata, when coming from the left and then the right, are considered auspicious. Thus, Puṣkara revealed the intricate tapestry of omens, signs, and portents, guiding seekers to discern the auspicious and inauspicious, and to conduct their lives in harmony with the subtle messages of the universe.