Ch. 93. Remedies for Abhukta Mula Birth
1-2. The Sage Parasara said. The ruling deity of Jyeshtha is Indra and the ruling deity of Mula is Rakshasa. As both the deities are inimical to each other, this Gandanta is considered, as the most evil. A boy, or girl, born during the period of Abhukta Mula, should either be abandoned, or the father should not see the face of the child for 8 years. Now I shall describe the remedial measures to obtain deliverence from the evil effects of birth during this extremely inauspicious period.
3-4. In view of the extremely inauspicious effects of birth during Abhukta I shall first describe the remedial measures to obtain relief from Mula. The religious remedial rites should be performed after the 12th day after the birth, the next Janm Nakshatr day, or on an auspicious day, when Candr and the stars are favourable.
5-8. Erect a canopy (Mandap) with four arched gateways, embellished with festoons, on a sacred spot, besmeared with cow dung paste, to the East, or North of the house. Prepare there a pit (Kund), or place there a square vessel of clay, or metal for performing Havan. Then, according to one’s means, prepare, or get prepared an idol of Rakshasa of 16, 8, or 4 Masas of gold, as may be possible within one’s means. The idol should be with a horrible-looking face, black in colour, with two heads, two arms, carrying a sword and a shield and seated on a dead body.
9. In the absence of an idol a piece of gold of the weight, mentioned above, should be used for worship, as gold is dear to all the deities.
10-20. Thereafter the remedial rites should be performed in the following order. Select a learned priest to perform the religious rites, according to the prescribed procedure. Install a Kalash and put in it Panchagavya (five articles, yielded by a cow, namely milk, curd, Ghī, dung and urine), Shataushadhi and water of the holy river (Ganga etc.). Then install the idol of the Rakshasa of Mula, facing West, on an earthen pot (Dhata) with one hundred tiny holes. After placing bamboo leaves on it, perform the worship of the idol by offering it white flowers, sandal and clothes etc. Also perform worship of its Adhideva Indra and Pratyadhideva Jal. Then perform Havan to appease the deities. According to one’s means, 1008, or 108 oblations should be offered in the Havan. After this to obtain deliverence from death Mrityunjaya Mantra etc. should be recited and prayers offered to all the deities for the purpose of Abhisheka. The father, mother and the child should thereafter take bath from the water of the two Kalashas. Then the parents, dressed in white clothes and with white sandal paste, besmeared on their foreheads, should give a cow with calf, as a Dakshina to the chief priest and feed the other priests and Brahmins, according to one’s means. Lastly, after reciting the ‘Yatapapan’ etc. (see verse 19) Mantra, the father, mother and the child should see the reflection of their faces in the (melted) Ghī. By the performance of the remedial rites in the manner described all evil effects of the birth during Abhukta Mula are completely wiped out.
