And now to consider the tables more carefully. As is shown by No. II, the Gunas are of various values, and are distributed under eight heads.
1. Caste. If both be of the same, or the caste of the bridegroom be higher, there is one Guna (of the thirty-six) otherwise there is none.
2. Vashya, or keeping in subjection, one of the prime considerations of marriage. If the zodiacal signs of bride and bridegroom be of the same genus (Table I) this represents two Gunas. If the person kept in subjection be also the “food” of the other, this counts for only one-half (Guna). If there be natural friendship between the genera of the bride and bridegroom this stands for two Gunas; and if one be an enemy to the other, and also keep the other in subjection, it represents only one Guna.
The consideration is as follows: To the human genus every quadruped, saving only the lion, remains in subjection; for instance, the quadruped ram is subject to, and is the “food” of, the human genus, with one exception, the Brahman. The same is the case with the fish and the crab amongst lower animals. The scorpion is the general enemy to the human race, and other animals are enemies as well as food. Thus we discover which of the two persons will hold the other in subjection.
3. The Nakshatras (Table III) must be considered as follows: The bride’s asterism should be counted from that of the bridegroom, and the number be divided by nine. If the remainder be three, five or seven, it is a sign of bad fortune; and vice versa with all others. Similarly the bridegroom’s lunation should be counted from the bride’s; and if, after dividing as before by nine, the remainders of both parties indicate good fortune, this counts as three Gunas, the maximum. Only if one portend well, it counts as one Guna and a half: otherwise there is no Guna.
4. Class. Perfect friendship counts for four Gunas; common friendship as three, indifference as two; enmity as one, an exceeding enmity as half a Guna. Perfect friendship can subsist only between two human beings of the same caste. Cows and buffaloes, elephants and rams, live in common friendship. Cows and tigers, horses and buffaloes’ lions and elephants, rams and monkeys, dogs and deer, cats and mice, snakes and ichneumons are exceedingly inimical. Common enmity and indifference are easily exemplified by the lives of ordinary men and beasts.
5. Planets. If the presiding planets of both persons be the same, and there be perfect friendship, this counts for five Gunas; or four if only common friendship. If there be friendship with an enemy of the other person it reduces the value to one Guna, and if both have such friendship to one half. In cases of mutual indifference the Gunas amount to three, and if there be mutual enmity there is no Guna.
6. Groups as in Table III. If both belong to the same group, six Gunas are present; also if the bridegroom belong to the god-group and the bride to the man-group. The reverse reduces it five: if the bridegroom be of demon-group, and the bride of god-group, there is only one Guna, and in all other cases none.
7. Kuta, that is the agreement of the zodiacal signs and asterisms of bride and bridegroom. It is of two kinds, auspicious and ill-omened. The Kuta is fortunate if the bride and bridegroom be born in the same sign, but in different asterisms, or in the same asterisms, but in different signs, or, lastly, in the same asterisms but in different quarters. A difference of seven asterisms is also auspicious; for instance, if the bridegroom’s asterism be Ashvini (Table III), and that of the bride Pushya. The same is the case with three, four, ten and eleven asterisms, and with a second sign from an even sign; for instance, Cancer being the fourth is an even sign, and if the sign of one party be Cancer and the other Virgo, the Kuta is auspicious.
This is also the case with a sixth sign from an even sign; and an eighth and a twelfth from an odd sign. But a second sign, a fifth, a sixth, a ninth, and a twelfth from an odd sign, and an eighth from an even sign, are unfortunate Kutas. The Gunas of Leo and Virgo are both auspicious. If there be a fortunate Kuta, and the sign of the bridegroom be remote from that of the bride, and if there be enmity between the classes of the two, this conjunction will represent six Gunas. If there be the same sign and different asterisms, or the same asterism and different signs, the Gunas number five. In an unfortunate Kuta if there be friendship between the classes of the postulants, and the bride’s asterism be remote from that of the bridegroom this counts for four Gunas; but if there be only a single condition, it reduces the requisites to one. In all other cases there is no Kuta.
8. The Nadi or point of time. If the Nadis of the bride and bridegroom be different, as e.g., first and last, first and middle, last and middle, this conjunction represents eight Gunas. The requisites are nil when the Nadi is the same.
APPENDIX II
Now is related the Rasayana, or preparation of metals for medicinal purposes.
First Recipe
For the curing of disease caused by quicksilver. Take sixty-four Tolas (each three drachms) of the juice of betel-plant (piper betel); mix with equal quantities of the juice of Bhringaraja (edipta postrata), juice of the Tulsi (ocymum basilicum, herb basil) and goat’s milk; and rub the mixture into all parts of the body for two days, each day two pahars (six hours) followed by a cold bath.
Second Recipe
For reducing mercury to Bhasma (ashes, metallic oxide). Take of purified quicksilver and sulphur equal parts, and levigate with the sap of the Banyan-tree (ficus indica); place the preparation in an earthen pot over a slow fire and stir with a stick of the Banyan-tree for a whole day. If two Gunjas (1 5/10 grs. troy) of this medicine be eaten at early morning in betel leaf, digestion is improved and the powers of copulation are increased.
Third Recipe
For preparing Hemagarbha, the Elixir Vitæ which contains gold. Take three parts of purified quicksilver; one part and a half of sulphur; one part of gold; two parts of the ashes (metallic oxide) of copper and caIx of pearls and coral, each one-tenth of a part. Levigate in a mortar for seven days with the juice of the Kumari (aloe perfoliata), make into a ball, cover well with a piece of cotton cloth and place in an earthen vessel, containing a little sulphur: the mouth must be well closed, leaving for the escape of smoke a small hole which must be kept open with a needle if necessary. Set the vessel over a Valukayantra (bain marie, or sandbath) under which a slow fire is kindled. After about half a Ghataka (12 minutes) the fire must be diminished and allowed to extinguish. Remove the ball and use as the doctor directs.
Fourth Recipe
For reducing Harital (Sanskrit, hartalaka, sulphuret of arsenic, yellow orpiment) to ashes, or metallic oxide. Levigate yellow orpiment and knead it with the juice of the plant Nagar-juni (a Cyperus grass). Levigate again with the juice of the Pinpalli (piper longum) and the Piper betel for two days. Make balls of the preparation; dry in shade; then set in earthen vessel in a bain marie. A hot fire must be kept up till the orpiment is thoroughly “cooked”, and allow the fire to diminish and extinguish. Lastly, remove the balls from the vessel and use in every disease.
Fifth Recipe
For absorbing all other metals by purified mercury.
Thoroughly levigate quicksilver with the juice of the “seven minor poisons”, viz., Arka (Callotropis gigantea), Sehunda (Euphorbia), Dhatura (Stramonium, white thorn-apple), Langali (Jussiaea repens), Karavira (oleander) or Soma 2 and opium. By this means mercury loses its wings and cannot fly, while it gets a mouth and eats up every metal with speed.
Sixth Recipe
A sovereign remedy against all diseases and death. Take Abhraka (tale) and levigate with the milky sap of the Arka for the space of a day. Then wrap up the preparation in Arka-leaves and boil in a heap of Gobar (cow-dung) cakes about two feet thick. Repeat this boiling with fresh leaves for seven times, then infuse the preparation three times in a decoction of Parambi Marathi, the fibrous roots of the Banyan-tree. In this way the mineral is “killed”; its impurities are removed and it becomes nishchandra talc. Boil equal parts of this and Ghi (clarified butter) in an iron vessel till the butter is absorbed, and it is ready for use; it cures every complaint, including old age and death.
