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Karma Vipaka Samhita · Chapter 55
हस्त नक्षत्र चतुर्थ चरण
This chapter covers hasta 4th pada, the star quarter and the past deed the book links to it. A rich clerk named Kavala in Hastinapur scolded a brahmin who came to him asking for a meal.
Classical view, not medical advice.
The brahmin died, and the book counts this as the sin of a brahmin's death. The remedy is Vishnu japa, a fire offering, gifts and a gold image of a brahmin.
The English below is our translation from the Sanskrit.
हस्त नक्षत्र चतुर्थ चरण
॥ शिव उवाच ॥हस्तिनानगरे कश्चित्कायस्थो वसति प्रिये ॥कवलेति समाख्यातस्तस्य स्त्री कमला शुभे ॥ १ ॥
Shiva said: Dear one, a kayastha (clerk caste) man lived in Hastinapur. He was called Kavala. His wife, O fair one, was Kamala.
हस्त नक्षत्र चतुर्थ चरण
महाधनसमायुक्तो मद्यपानरतः सदा ॥वेश्यासुरतसंतृप्तो ब्राह्मणस्य विदूषकः ॥ २ ॥
He was very rich and always fond of drinking wine. He enjoyed prostitutes. He used to mock brahmins.
हस्त नक्षत्र चतुर्थ चरण
एकस्मिन् समये देवि कश्चिद्विप्रः समागतः ॥गङ्गाजलसमायुक्तं याचितं तेन भोजनम् ॥ ३ ॥
One day, O Goddess, a brahmin came to him. He asked for a meal with Ganga water.
हस्त नक्षत्र चतुर्थ चरण
तच्छ्रुत्वा देहजक्रोधाद्ब्राह्मणं निरभर्त्सयत् ॥ताडितो भर्त्सितस्तेन विषं पीत्वा द्विजो मृतः ॥ ४ ॥
Hearing this, he scolded the brahmin in a burst of anger. The brahmin was beaten and scolded by him. He drank poison and died.
हस्त नक्षत्र चतुर्थ चरण
ततो बहुगते काले मरणं तस्य चाभवत् ॥तस्य पत्नी सती जाता तद्दिने च वरानने ॥ ५ ॥
Then, after a long time, Kavala died. On that same day his wife became a sati (a wife who dies with her husband), O fair-faced one.
हस्त नक्षत्र चतुर्थ चरण
बहून्यब्दसहस्राणि सत्यलोकेऽवसत्तदा ॥सौख्यानि बहुधा तत्र प्रभुक्तानि वरानने ॥ ६ ॥
Then for many thousands of years he lived in Satyaloka (the world of truth). He enjoyed many kinds of joy there, O fair-faced one.
हस्त नक्षत्र चतुर्थ चरण
ततः पुण्यक्षये जाते मानुषत्वं पुनर्गतः ॥धनधान्यसमायुक्तो विप्रवंशे प्रजायते ॥ ७ ॥
Then, when his merit ran out, he came back to human birth. He is born in a brahmin family, rich in money and grain.
हस्त नक्षत्र चतुर्थ चरण
जाताश्च बहवः पुत्रा गौराङ्गप्रियदर्शनाः ॥गुणज्ञा रूपसंपन्ना म्रियन्ते प्रीतिवर्द्धनाः ॥ ८ ॥
Many sons are born, fair-limbed and pleasing to see. They are gifted and good-looking. They bring much joy, yet they die.
हस्त नक्षत्र चतुर्थ चरण
द्वौ पुत्रौ शीलसंपन्नौ चोद्वाहेन समायुतौ ॥पितुः कर्मवशाद्देवि ब्रह्महत्या पुरा यतः ॥ ९ ॥
Two sons, of good character, were married too. This comes from the father's deeds, O Goddess. He once carried the sin of killing a brahmin.
हस्त नक्षत्र चतुर्थ चरण
राजरोगसमायुक्तो जायागर्भो विनश्यति ॥अस्य शान्तिं प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणु देवि पतिव्रते ॥१०॥
He suffers from rajaroga (the royal disease, a wasting illness). His wife's pregnancies are lost. I will tell the prayashchitta (remedy for a past wrong) for this. Listen, O Goddess, faithful wife.
हस्त नक्षत्र चतुर्थ चरण
विष्णोरराटमन्त्रेण लक्षजाप्यं च कारयेत् ॥दशांशं हवनं कुर्यात् तर्पणं मार्जनं तथा ॥ ११ ॥
He should have a lakh (100,000) japa (repeating a mantra) done with the mantra (sacred words) 'Vishnor aratam'. He should do a homa (fire offering) of a tenth of that. He should also do tarpana (water offering to the ancestors and gods) and marjana (sprinkling).
हस्त नक्षत्र चतुर्थ चरण
वित्तस्य च षडंशं च ब्राह्मणे दानमाचरेत् ॥वापीकूपतडागानि पथि मध्ये च कारयेत् ॥ १२ ॥
He should give a sixth of his wealth to a brahmin. He should have wells, ponds and tanks built along the road.
हस्त नक्षत्र चतुर्थ चरण
गामेकां कपिलां दद्यात् सवत्सां वस्त्रभूषिताम् ॥सुवर्णस्य कृतं विप्रं पलपञ्चदशस्य तु ॥ १३ ॥
He should give one tawny cow with her calf, dressed and decorated. He should also have a gold image of a brahmin made, of fifteen pala (a unit of weight).
हस्त नक्षत्र चतुर्थ चरण
दद्याद्विप्राय विदुषे सर्वप्राणिरताय वै ॥हरिवंशश्रुतिं देवि विधिपूर्वं च कारयेत् ॥ १४ ॥
He should give it to a learned brahmin who loves all beings. And, O Goddess, he should have the Harivamsha (a sacred book about Krishna) heard by the rule.
हस्त नक्षत्र चतुर्थ चरण
पुत्रश्च जायते देवि गर्भपातश्च शाम्यति ॥काकवन्ध्या लभेत्पुत्रं निश्चयो नात्र संशयः ॥ १५ ॥
A son is born, O Goddess, and miscarriage stops. A kakavandhya (a woman who has only one child) gets a son. This is certain, with no doubt.
हस्त नक्षत्र चतुर्थ चरण
पुत्राणां मरणं देवि पूर्वपापप्रसङ्गतः ॥प्रायश्चित्तं विना देवि कुतः शान्तिमवाप्नुयात् ॥१६॥
The deaths of sons come from the old sin, O Goddess. Without a prayashchitta (remedy for a past wrong), how can peace be gained?
Verse 55.4 says he scolded and beat a brahmin who came asking for a meal, and the brahmin died. Verse 55.9 calls this the sin of a brahmin's death.
Verse 55.11 says to have a lakh of japa done with the mantra Vishnor aratam. Verse 55.12 adds a gift of a sixth of the wealth and wells and tanks along the road.