Markandeya Purana

एतासां कर्म वक्ष्यामि दोषप्रशमनञ्च यत् । अष्टानाञ्च कुमाराणां श्रुयतां द्विजसत्तम॥५१.

I will now describe the actions of these and the means to counteract their faults, as well as those of the eight sons—listen, best of twice-born.

दन्ताकृष्टिः प्रसुप्तानां बालानां दशनस्थितः । करोति दन्तसंघर्षं चिकीर्षुर्दुः सहागमम्॥५१.

Dantākṛṣṭi dwells in the teeth of sleeping children, causing them to grind their teeth, bringing about unbearable suffering.

तस्योपशमनं कार्यं सुप्तस्य सितसर्षपैः । शयनस्योपरि क्षिप्तैर्मानुषैर्दशनोपरि॥५१.

To pacify him, one should scatter white mustard seeds over the bed and on the teeth of the sleeping person.

सुवार्च्चलौषधीस्नानात्तथा सच्छास्त्रकीर्तनात् । उष्ट्रकण्टकखड्गास्थि-क्षौमवस्त्रविधारणात्॥५१.

Bathing with auspicious herbs, reciting sacred texts, and wearing cloths with camel-thorn, sword, or bone of a swordfish are also prescribed.

तिष्ठत्यन्यकुमारस्तु तथास्त्त्वित्यसकृद् ब्रुवन् । शुभाशुभे नृणां युङ्क्ते तथोक्तिस्तच्च नान्यथा॥५१.

Another son, Ukti, remains by repeatedly saying, 'Let it be so,' and he brings about good or bad for people accordingly; thus is his name, and not otherwise.

तस्माददुष्टं मङ्गल्यं वक्तव्यं पण्डितैः सदा । दुष्टे श्रुते तथैवोक्ते कीर्तनीयो जनार्दनः॥५१.

Therefore, the learned should always speak what is pure and auspicious; if something inauspicious is heard or spoken, Janārdana should be praised.

चराचरगुरुर्ब्रह्मा या यस्य कुलदेवता । अन्यगर्भे परान् गर्भान् सदैव परिवर्तयन्॥५१.

Brahmā, the guru of all moving and unmoving beings, who is the family deity of each, always transfers other embryos into different wombs.

रतिमाप्नोति वाक्यञ्च विवक्षोरन्यदेव यत् । परिवर्तकसंज्ञोऽयं तस्यापि सितसर्षपैः॥५१.

He attains pleasure and utters words different from what is intended; this one is called Parivartaka, and for him too, white mustard seeds are used.

रक्षोघ्नमन्त्रजप्यैश्च रक्षां कुर्वोत तत्त्ववित् । अन्यश्चानिलवन्नृणामङ्गेषु स्फुरणोदितम्॥५१.

One who knows the truth should perform protection by reciting mantras that destroy demons; another, like the wind, manifests as twitching in the limbs of people.

शुभाशुभं समाचष्टे कुशैस्तस्याङ्गताडनम् । काकादिपक्षिसंस्थोऽन्यः श्वादेरङ्गगतोऽपि वा॥५१.

He declares good or bad; striking his limbs with kuśa grass is prescribed. Another dwells in birds like crows, or even in the bodies of dogs and others.

शुभाशुभञ्च शकुनिः कुमारोऽन्यो ब्रवीति वै । तत्रापि दुष्टे व्याक्षेपः प्रारम्भत्याग एव च॥५१.

Śakuni, another son, also declares good or bad omens; in his case, if it is inauspicious, one should abandon the undertaking at the start.

शुभे द्रुततरं कार्यमिति प्राह प्रजापतिः । गण्डान्तेषु स्थितश्चान्यो मुहूर्तार्धं द्विजोत्तम॥५१.

If it is auspicious, Prajāpati says the action should be performed quickly; another son dwells at the edge of the cheek for half a muhūrta, O best of twice-born.

सर्वारम्भान् कुमारोऽत्ति शस्ताताञ्चानसूयताम् । विप्रोक्त्या देवतास्तुत्या मूलोत्खातेन च द्विज॥५१.

This son consumes all undertakings and brings about their destruction; through recitation by a brāhmaṇa, praise of the gods, or uprooting at the root, he is appeased.

गोमूत्रसर्षपस्त्रानैस्तदृक्षग्रहपूजनैः । पुनश्च धर्मोपनिषत्करणैः शास्त्रदर्शनैः॥५१.

By means of cow urine, mustard seeds, sacred grass, worship of such planets, and again by performing the Dharmopanishad rites and study of scripture—

अनज्ञया जन्मनश्च प्रशमं याति गण्डवान् । गर्भे स्त्रीणां तथान्यस्तु फलनाशी सुदारुणः॥५१.

A person afflicted with glandular disease attains relief through ignorance of its origin; likewise, in the womb of women, another type, which destroys the fruit, is exceedingly severe.

तस्य रक्षा सदा कार्या नित्यं शौचनिषेवणात् । प्रसिद्धमन्त्रलिखनाच्छस्तमाल्यादिधारणात्॥५१.

For him, protection must always be undertaken: by constant observance of purity, by inscribing renowned mantras, and by wearing auspicious garlands and the like.

विशुद्धगेहावसथादनायासाच्च वै द्विज । तथैव सस्यहा चान्यः सस्यर्धिमुपहन्ति यः॥५१.

By dwelling in a purified house, by avoiding exertion, O twice-born, and likewise, there is another spirit that destroys crops and diminishes their yield.

तस्यापि रक्षां कुर्वोत जीर्णोपानद्विधारणात् । तथापसव्यगमनाच्छाण्डालस्य प्रवेशनात्॥५१.

For that too, protection should be performed: by wearing old sandals, by moving counterclockwise, and by the entry of a person of low caste.

बहिर्बलिप्रदानाच्च सोमाम्बुपरिकीर्तनात् । परदारपहद्रव्यहरणादिषु मानवान्॥५१.

Also, by offering oblations outside, by reciting the names of Soma and water, and in acts such as taking another's wife or property, men—

नियोजयति चैवान्यान् कन्या सा च नियोजिका । तस्याः पवित्रपठनात् क्रोधलोभादिवर्जनात्॥५१.

She appoints others, and that girl is the one who appoints; by reciting purifying texts for her, and by abstaining from anger, greed, and the like—

नियोजयति मामिष्टविरोधाच्च विवर्जनम् । आक्रुष्टोऽन्येन मन्येत ताडितो वा नियोजिका॥५१.

She appoints me, and by avoiding opposition to what is desired; if insulted or struck by another, the one who appoints—

नियोजयत्येनमिति न गच्छेत्तद्वशं बुधः । परदारादिसंसर्गे चित्तमात्मानमेव च॥५१.

She appoints him—thus, a wise person should not come under her control; in association with another's wife and the like, both the mind and the self—

नियोजयत्यत्र सा मामिति प्राज्ञो विचिन्तयेत् । विरोधं कुरुते चान्या दम्पत्योः प्रीयमाणयोः॥५१.

She appoints me in this matter—so the wise should reflect; and another woman creates discord between a loving couple—

बन्धूनां सुहृदां पित्रोः पुत्रैः सावर्णिकैश्च या । विरोधिनी सा तद्रक्षां कुर्वोत बलिकर्मणा॥५१.

She who creates discord among relatives, friends, parents, sons, and those of the same caste—protection should be performed for her by means of oblation rites.

तथातिवादसहनाच्छास्त्राचारनिषेवणात् । धान्यं खलाद् गृहाद् गोभ्यः पयः सर्पिस्तथापरा॥५१.

Likewise, by enduring harsh words, by observing scriptural conduct, grain from the threshing floor, from the house, milk from cows, and clarified butter, and other things—

समृद्धिमृद्धिमद्द्रव्यादपहिन्ति च कन्यका । सा स्वयंहारिकेत्युक्ता सदान्तर्धानतत्परा॥५१.

The girl takes away prosperity from prosperous possessions; she is called a self-stealer, always intent on concealment.

महानसादर्धसिद्धमन्नागारस्थितं तथा । परिविश्यमाणञ्च सदा सार्धं भुङ्क्ते च भुञ्जता॥५१.

From the kitchen, from half-cooked food, from what is kept in the storeroom, and whatever is being served, she always eats together with the one eating.

उच्छेषणं मनुष्याणां हरत्यन्नञ्च दुर्हरा । कर्मान्तागारशालाभ्यः सिद्धर्धि हरति द्विज॥५१.

She takes the leftovers of people and the food that is hard to obtain; from the workhouse and the storeroom, she takes the accomplished prosperity, O twice-born.

गोस्त्रीस्तनेभ्यश्च पयः क्षीरहारी सदैव सा । दध्नो घृतं तिलात्तैलं सुरागारात्तथा सुराम्॥५१.

She always steals milk from cows and women’s breasts; ghee from curds, oil from sesame, and liquor from the liquor-house.