Markandeya Purana

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.

रागं कुसुम्भकादीनां कार्पासात् सूत्रमेव च । सा स्वयंहारिका नाम हरत्यविरतं द्विज॥५१.

She takes dye from safflower and the like, and thread from cotton; she is called the self-stealer, O twice-born, and she steals incessantly.

कुर्याच्छिखण्डिनोर्द्वन्द्वं रक्षार्थं कुत्रिमां स्त्रियम् । रक्षाश्चैव गृहे लेख्या वर्ज्याचो च्छिष्टता तथा॥५१.

One should make an artificial woman for the sake of protection, as a pair for the peacock; and protection should be written in the house, and impurity should be avoided.

होमाग्निदेवताधूपभस्मना च परिष्क्रिया । कार्या क्षीरादिभाण्डानामेवं तद्रक्षणं स्मृतम्॥५१.

Purification with the ashes of the sacrificial fire, incense, and offerings to deities should be performed for vessels of milk and the like; thus is their protection declared.

उद्वेगं जनयत्यन्या एकस्थाननिवासिनः । पुरुषस्य तु या प्रोक्ता भ्रामणी सा तु कन्यका॥५१.

Another, dwelling in the same place, causes distress; the one who causes a man's mind to wander is called the 'roaming maiden.'

तस्याथ रक्षां कुर्वोत विक्षिप्तैः सितसर्षपैः । आसने शयने चोर्व्यां यत्रास्ते स तु मानवः॥५१.

For her, protection should be made with scattered white mustard seeds, on the seat, the bed, and the ground where that person stays.

चिन्तयेच्च नरः पापा मामेषा दुष्टचेतना । भ्रामयत्यसकृज्जप्यं भुवः सूक्तं समाधिना॥५१.

A man should think: 'This wicked-minded one brings me harm,' and repeatedly recite with concentration the Bhuḥ Sūkta as a remedy.

स्त्रीणां पुष्पं हरत्यन्या प्रवृत्तं सा तु कन्यका । तथाप्रवृत्तं सा ज्ञेया दौः सहा ऋतहारिका॥५१.

Another takes the flowers of women; she who does so is the maiden who steals the menstrual flow, and she is known as the one who interrupts the cycle.

कुर्वोत तीर्थदेवौकश्चैत्यपर्वतसानुषु । नदीसङ्गमखातेषु स्त्रपनं तत्प्रशान्यते॥५१.

One should perform sprinkling at holy places, abodes of gods, shrines, mountain peaks, river confluences, and wells; by this, her influence is calmed.

मन्त्रवित् कृततत्त्वज्ञः पर्वसूषसि च द्विज । चिकित्साज्ञश्च वै वैद्यः संप्रयुक्तैर्वरौषधैः॥५१.

A knower of mantras, one versed in the true nature of things, a twice-born at the proper times, or a physician skilled in treatment, should use the best medicines together.

स्मृतिञ्चापहरत्यन्या स्त्रीणां सा स्मृतिहारिका । विविक्तदेशसेवित्वात्तस्याश्चोपशमो भवेत्॥५१.

Another takes away the memory of women; she is called the 'memory-stealing' maiden. By residing in a secluded place, her influence is subdued.