1. Maitreya said. O Venerable Sage! Please describe for the good of mankind the remedial measures for appeasement of the malevolent Planets. 2. The Sage replied. I have already described the names and characteristic features and qualities of the Planets. Joys and sorrows of all the creatures in the world are dependent on these Planets. Therefore persons desirous of peace, wealth and prosperity, rainfall, good health and longevity should worship the Planets (by prayers, recitation of Mantras, charity etc.).
3-5. For the purpose of worshipping them the idols of Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu should be made of copper, Sphatika (rock crystal), red sandal wood, gold (both Mercury and Jupiter), silver, iron, glass and bell metal, respectively. Alternatively the sketches of all the above Planets should be drawn in the colours, belonging to them, on a piece of cloth by sandal etc. and they should be placed in their own directions.
6. Contemplate of Sun well adorned with two arms, seated on a lotus, with a lotus flower in one hand, red-coloured, like lotus and aboard a ch6thot of seven horses.
7. Contemplate of Moon white-coloured, dressed in white robes, with two arms, carrying a mace in one hand and a Vara in the other, adorned with white-coloured ornaments and aboard a ch6thot of ten horses.
8. Contemplate of Mars with a red necklace, dressed in red-coloured robes, with four arms, carrying Shakti, Shoola, Gada (mace) and Vara and mounted on a lamb.
9. Contemplate of Mercury with a yellow-coloured garland, dressed in yellow robes, with four arms, carrying a sword, a shield, a mace and Vara, mounted on a lion.
10. Contemplate of Jupiter, as yellow complexion and Venus of fair complexion, both with four arms, carrying a Danda, Akshasutra, Kamandal and Vara.
11. O Maitreya! Contemplate of Saturn with the lustre, like that of Indraneela, with four arms, carrying Shoola, bow, arrow and Vara, mounted on a donkey.
12. Contemplate of Rahu with a hideous face, with four arms, carrying a sword, a shield, a Shoola and a Vara, blue-coloured and mounted on a lion.
13. There are many Ketus. All of them are of smoky colour, with two arms, carrying a mace and a Vara, with a hideous face and mounted on a donkey.
14. All the idols should be so made, that they are 108 fingers tall by ones own fingers.
Notes. Such a measurement is taken from the middle finger.
15-16. Dedicate with devotion to the Planet concerned the flowers and garments of the colour, belonging to him, sandal, Deep, Guggul etc., his metal and the grains, dear to him and distribute all these things to Brahmins to appease the Planet.
17-20. The Mantras of all the Planets and the prescribed number of their recitation are given below. The recitation of Mantras should be done after worshipping the Planets, as indicated in verses 15-16. Planet Mantra prescribed number: Sun 7000, Moon 11000, Mars11000, Mercury 9000, Jupiter 19000, Venus 16000, Saturn 23000, Rahu 18000, Ketu 17000.
21-22. Havan should be performed with Aak, Palash, Khair, Chirchiri, Pipal, Goolar, Shami wood pieces, Doob and Kush, for Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu, respectively, mixed with honey, Ghī, curd, or milk. The number of offerings to the sacred fire is 108, or 28. 23-24. To appease Sun and the other eight Planets Brahmins should be fed with (cream) of rice cooked with jaggery, rice cooked in milk, Havishya, paddy cooked in milk, curd and rice, rice with Ghī, rice cooked with powder of sesame seeds, rice cooked with meat, rice cooked with cereals, respectively.
25. To appease Sun and other Planets the things to be given in charity are cow with calf, conch, bullock, gold, robes, horse, black cow, weapons made of iron and goat, respectively.
26-27. The Planet, who is the cause of adverse effects to a person at any time, should be handled by worship and appeasing (of the benevolent ones), because Brahma has blessed the Planets with the boon Do to the persons, who worship you. And the development and progress and downfall of the people and the creation and destruction of the universe are all under the administration and authority of the Planets. Therefore they are most venerable.
Ch. 85. Inauspicious Births
1-4. The Venerable Sage said. O Maitreya! Now I will describe to you the circumstances, in which the births are inauspicious in spite of Lagna and the Planets being well disposed. Although Lagna may be well disposed, births will be inauspicious, if they take place on Amavasya (last day of the Krishna Paksha), on Chaturdasi (14th Tithi), in Krishna Paksha (dark half of the month), in Bhadra Karan, in the Nakshatra of the brother, in the Nakshatras of father and mother, at the time of entry of Sun in a Rāśi, the time of Pata, at the time of solar and lunar eclipses, at the time of Vyati Pata, in Gandantas of all the three kinds, in Yamaghant, Tithikshaya, in Dagdha Yoga etc. The birth of a son after three daughters and birth of a daughter after three sons and the birth of a freak are inauspicious. But there are remedial measures for obtaining relief from the evil effects of such births, which are being described in the following chapters.
Ch. 86. Remedies for Amavasya Birth
1-9. The Sage Parasara said. O Maitreya! The person, born on Amavasya, is always poverty stricken. It is therefore essential to adopt remedial measures to obtain relief from the evil effects of such births, which are, as follows. Take a Kalash (water vessel) and then put in it fresh leaves of Goolar (wild fig), Vata (banyan), Pipal, mango and Neema (mango) trees and cover it with two pieces of cloth. Then install the Kalash in the South-West direction after reciting … etc. and … etc. Mantras. Then worship the idols of Sun and Moon, ruling deities of Amavasya, made of gold and silver, mixed with copper, respectively, by recitation of … etc. Mantras for Sun and … etc. Mantras for Moon 16, or 5 times. Thereafter perform Havan with 108, or 28 oblations of the mixture of prescribed fuels (…) and cooked food (Charu) with recitation of Mantras of Sun and Moon. Later sprinkle the water on the child, that is born and his parents and offer in charity gold, silver and a black cow together with feeding the Brahmins, according to ones means. By performing these remedial rites the child born gains freedom and protection from the evil effects of the birth on Amavasya.
