In the ancient discourse, the sage described the subtle signs by which the destinies of men and women might be discerned. He began by speaking of men, observing that if a man's penis was short, he would be without sons; yet if it was small but marked by a prominent vein, happiness would be his companion. However, if the organ was hidden within the scrotum, or if it was long or bent, such a man would find himself bereft of wealth. The sage noted further that a man with only one testicle would be weak, and if his penis was uneven, he would bring little pleasure to women. Yet, if his testicles were raised and rough like stones, he would be a lord among men and enjoy a long life. Turning to the nature of urination, he explained that men whose urine made a sound or was entirely silent were destined for poverty, while those whose urine flowed to the right or curved were regarded as kings. Among women, those whose urine flowed in a single, smooth, and upward stream were considered fortunate, while those with dry, hissing, or parched urine were thought to be unfortunate. On the matter of offspring, the sage said that sons are born when the semen carries a scent like fish, and daughters when it is thin. If the semen smells alkaline, the resulting child will be poor; if it is long-lived, the woman is quick in intercourse. He then described bodily forms: a man with fleshy buttocks would be happy, while one with buttocks like a lion’s was regarded as a king. Those with snake-like bellies, or with bellies that were flat or shaped like a pot, were destined for poverty. But those whose waists were level would enjoy many pleasures, while sunken waists signified a lack of wealth. A fish-shaped belly was a sign of great wealth, and a prominent navel brought happiness. Yet, if the navel was set in the middle of the abdomen, it would bring pain like a spear. The sage observed that those who sat with their sides extended would live long lives and become masters of wealth. Even in ritual, he explained, one who offers a single oblation gains a hundred years of life, while one who offers two is remembered for prosperity. He warned that kings who engaged in forbidden acts, behaved crookedly, and had fleshy sides were transgressors, while those with inverted sides would become servants, deprived of both wealth and happiness. Kings with uneven, thin, and emaciated arms would be destitute, and among lesser kings, rough and sparse hair was common. He continued, noting that those with uneven chests would not attain heaven, nor would those slain by weapons. Elevated chests brought enjoyment of pleasures, depressed chests signified lack of wealth, and full chests denoted riches. A hero was marked by the neck of a buffalo, while one killed by weapons had a throat like a deer’s. Auspiciousness, he said, belonged to those without hair and with bent backs; otherwise, misfortune was the result. For those lacking purpose, this was the root of poverty. The arms of a true king would reach down to his knees, round and full, and fingers adorned with marks of weapons were considered auspicious. Yet, thick fingers foretold lack of wealth, while thin and bent fingers belonged to the slender. Men with depressed palms would lose ancestral wealth, and kings with cut, noisy hands would be deprived of riches. The sage also spoke of teeth: prominent and uneven teeth revealed a nature that was itself uneven, while men addicted to other women, with yellow and rough teeth, were destined for poverty. Those without nails, with deformed or discolored nails, were to be regarded as belonging to others. He noted that in women, lines at the base of the thumb and long finger joints were distinguishing marks. A man with thick fingers who possessed wealth would have three lines on his palm. If a man bore the sign of two fish, he was one who gave gifts with a sense of shame. Among kings, marks resembling a conch, umbrella, palanquin, elephant, or lotus would be found. For those wealthy in cattle, marks like a rope appeared, and for a true king among men, the sign of the svastika was present. Thus, the sage revealed the secret signs by which the destinies and natures of men and women could be known, each mark and feature a reflection of their fortune, character, and fate.