Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies - DUBOIS, Abbé Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies, Dubois | Page 420

380
ASTROLOGICAL ABSURDITIES
and the fruitful trees bear abundantly.
The Sun, Mars, and Saturn, on the other hand, have a
yield rich harvests,
evil to animate as well as to inanimate
Their reign is, therefore, almost always disas-
trous.
Men are oppressed with sickness they attain
they experience only troubles and
success in nothing
moreover, the rains hold off, the soil
disappointments
becomes unfruitful, famine and misery everywhere prevail.
When, however, an unpropitious planet has for its attendant
minister a planet of an opposite character, and vice versa,
the good one counteracts and counterbalances, at least to
a certain degree, the evil influence of the other. Thus one
can expect to enjoy unalloyed happiness only during those
years when two benign planets hold their sway at one
and the same time. Similarly, one must dread continual
misfortunes when both planets have an evil inclination
to harass unfortunate mankind.
There are four principal clouds which yield rain, and
each in its turn discharges this duty for the space of one
Their names are Samvarta, Avarta, Pushkala, Drona.
year.
The first and the last are favourably disposed towards
mankind, and yield copious showers. Avarta and Push-
kala, on the other hand, produce nothing but storms and
hurricanes, and are sparing of the rain which refreshes
and fertilizes the soil.
The frequency of rain depends also to a great extent on
Each of these is
the good or bad will of seven elephants.
known by its own name, and each in turn is charged with
the annual duty of carrying water to the clouds. Four of
them display great activity in the discharge of their duty,
and supply the clouds with an ample provision of rain.
But the other three acquit themselves very carelessly of
consequently the
their duty during their terms of service
ground remains parched up, and scarcity prevails.
Seven snakes, each also bearing a particular name,
exercise in turn for the space of one year supreme authority
over all species of snakes.
The snake Ananta, the first one, is the most powerful of
all, and supports the earth on its head.
The year of its
reign is considered unhappy, inasmuch as snakes are then
extremely venomous, and their bite invariably proves fatal.
tendency to cause
nature.
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