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Vira Simhavaloka · Chapter 10
अजीर्ण — कर्मविपाकः
This is the Ajirna karmavipaka chapter of Vira Simhavaloka, on the past-life deed the text links to this trouble. The text links this trouble to past deeds around food, such as taking another's food.
Classical view, not medical advice.
The amends include a three-day fast, a repeated mantra, feeding priests and the gift of a silver ram of Agni.
The English below is our translation from the Sanskrit.
Ajirna (indigestion) - past deeds
अथाजीर्णमंदाग्निजनितरोगे कर्मविपाकं तत्प्रतीकारश्च अन्नहर्ता त्वजीर्णवान् भवति अस्य प्रायश्चित्तं उपवासत्रयं वयोऽवस्थानुसारेण कुर्यात् । अग्निरस्मीत्यनेन मंत्रेण अष्टोत्तरसहस्रं जपेत् । चरुघृताभ्यां च जुहुयात् ।
Next, the text tells the karmavipaka (fruit of past deeds) of ajirna (indigestion) and weak digestive fire. It tells the remedy too. One who took away another's food may have ajirna. His prayashchitta (making amends) is three days of upavasa (fasting), done to suit his age and state. He should do japa (repeating a mantra) 1,008 times with the mantra "agnir asmi". He should offer charu (rice offering) and ghee into the fire.
Ajirna (indigestion) - past deeds
यदुक्तमृग्विधाने ॥यस्य भुक्तं न जीर्येत न तिष्ठेद्वा कथंचन ।तस्यान्नस्यानुरोधत्वादग्निरस्मीत्यृचं जपेत् ॥
As the Rigvidhana says: A person may find that food does not digest, or does not stay down at all. Because of that food, he should do japa (repeating a mantra) of the rik (Vedic verse) "agnir asmi".
Ajirna (indigestion) - past deeds
अथवा वार्धुषिकस्याव्रतस्य शूद्रस्य संबंध्यन्नं भुक्त्वाऽजीर्णार्तिः शूलव्याधिरोगवान् भवति ।
Or one may eat food from a moneylender or from one who keeps no vows. Or one may eat food from a shudra (a person of the labouring caste, in the old social order). Such a one may have ajirna (indigestion) and colic.
Ajirna (indigestion) - past deeds
शूद्रस्यैव तु भुक्त्वान्नमव्रतस्य द्विजस्य च ।शूलव्याधिर्भवेन्नित्यमजीर्णामयपीडितः ॥
The food of a shudra (a person of the labouring caste, in the old social order) may always bring colic. The same may come to one who ate the food of a twice-born man who keeps no vows. Ajirna (indigestion) troubles him.
Ajirna (indigestion) - past deeds
तत्रोपवासत्रयं कुर्यात् । शुद्धरजतपलत्रयसंमिश्रमन्नं श्रोत्रियाय कुटुंबिने दद्यात् ।
Here he should fast for three days. He should give cooked food mixed with three pala (weight unit of about 48 grams) of pure silver. He gives it to a priest who knows the Veda and has a family.
Ajirna (indigestion) - past deeds
प्रकारान्तरेणापि गोमां सखादको मन्दज्वराग्निर्भवति ॥ अग्निसूक्तं जपेन्नित्यं श्रीसूक्तं च विचक्षणः । इति वृद्धपराशरवचनात् ।
In another way too: One who ate beef may have a weak digestive fire and a mild fever. The wise one should always do japa (repeating a mantra) of the Agni sukta (Vedic hymn) and the Shri sukta. So say the words of Vriddha Parashara.
Ajirna (indigestion) - past deeds
प्रकारान्तरमपि । यःपुनः कारणमन्तरेण गरं दत्वा प्रमादयति स मन्दाग्निर्मृतकल्पोजायते अतो रुद्रसूक्तेन चरुघृताभ्यामष्टोत्तरायुतं जुहुयात् ।
Another way: One may have given someone gara (a drug or poison) for no reason, and dulled his mind. He may be born with a weak digestive fire. He may be almost like one dead. So he should offer charu (rice offering) and ghee into the fire 10,008 times with the Rudra sukta (Vedic hymn).
Ajirna (indigestion) - past deeds
तश्माग्निवर्णमित्यष्टोत्तरशतं जपेत् रोगमुक्तो भवेन्नरः इति वचनात् चत्वारिंशद्ब्राह्मणान् भोजयेत् ।
By a saying: "He should do japa (repeating a mantra) 108 times of the verse that begins 'agnivarna'. The man becomes free of illness." He should also feed forty brahmanas (priests).
Ajirna (indigestion) - past deeds
प्रकारान्तरमपि यथाह बौधायनः ॥अग्नेर्मान्द्यं भवेत्तस्य यश्चताग्निविनाशकः ।वक्ष्यामि तत्प्रतीकारं यथोक्तं ब्रह्मणा पुरा ॥
Another way too, as Baudhayana says: Weak digestive fire may come to one who destroyed the sacred fires. I will tell its remedy, as Brahma told it long ago. (Our text is unclear here: the word before "agni" is garbled; it may mean the three sacred fires.)
Ajirna (indigestion) - past deeds
पलार्धेन तदर्धेन तदर्धेनाथ वा पुनः ।राजतं कारयेत्सम्यक् अग्नेर्वाहनमुत्तमम् ॥
Have a carrier of Agni (the fire god) made well of silver, the best one. Its weight is half a pala (weight unit of about 48 grams). Or it is half of that, or half of that again.
Ajirna (indigestion) - past deeds
सौवर्णस्य खुराः कार्याः श्वेतवस्त्रेण वेष्टयेत् ।श्वेतमाल्यैः श्वेतगन्धैर्धूपं दद्यान्मधूत्कटम् ॥
Its hooves should be made of gold. Wrap it in white cloth. Give white garlands and white scents, and incense rich in honey.
Ajirna (indigestion) - past deeds
तंडुलोपरि संस्थाप्य पुनः संपूजयेत्सुधीः ।तंडुलानां परीमाणं द्रोणद्वयमुदाहृतम् ॥
Setting it on rice, the wise one should worship it again. The amount of rice is given as two drona (grain measure).
Ajirna (indigestion) - past deeds
आग्नेय्यां दिशि होमश्च समिदाज्यतिलैरपि ।वषड्विष्णवे इति मंत्रेण समिद्धोमः प्रशस्यते ॥
The homa (fire offering) is done in the south-east direction, with samidh (sacred firewood), ghee and sesame. The Vedic mantra that begins "vashad vishnave" is praised for the samidh offering.
Ajirna (indigestion) - past deeds
अग्नेनयेत्याज्यहोमोप्यग्निनाग्निस्तिलाक्षतैः ।मंत्राध्यायोक्तमार्गेण वह्निसंस्थापनं स्मृतम् ॥
The ghee homa (fire offering) is with the Vedic verse that begins "agne naya". The sesame and unbroken rice are offered with "agnina agnih". The setting up of the fire is taught in the way told in the Mantra chapter.
Ajirna (indigestion) - past deeds
अग्नेः प्रागुत्तरे देशे शुभं पात्रं च विन्यसेत् ।प्रणीता मोक्षपर्यन्तं कृत्वा स्नानं विधीयते ।आपोहिष्ठेति प्रत्यृचं हिरण्येति त्यृचं तथा ॥
To the north-east of the fire, he should place a good vessel. The rite is done up to the release of the pranita (a water vessel for the rite). Then a bath is laid down. It is with every verse of "apo hi shtha", and with the three verses that begin "hiranya".
Ajirna (indigestion) - past deeds
पवमानानुवाक्येन मार्जयेद्रोगिणं कुशैः ।शन्नो वातानुवाक्येन शान्तिर्वापि प्रकल्पयेत् ॥
He should sprinkle the sick person with kusha (sacred grass) with the anuvaka (a section of the Veda) of Pavamana. Or he may arrange a shanti (peace ritual) with the anuvaka that begins "shanno vatah".
Ajirna (indigestion) - past deeds
तस्मै हुतवते रोगी प्राङ्मुखाय उदङ्मुखः ।पूजिताय च शान्ताय दद्यादन्नं सदक्षिणम् ॥
The sick person faces north. He should give food with a dakshina (fee to the priest) to the priest who made the offering. That priest faces east, has been honoured and is calm.
Ajirna (indigestion) - past deeds
देवानां यो मुखं हव्यवाहनः सर्वपूजितः ।तस्य त्वं वाहनं पूज्यः देवैः सेन्द्रैर्महर्षिभिः ॥
"You are the carrier of him who is the mouth of the gods, the carrier of offerings, worshipped by all. You are to be worshipped by the gods with Indra and by the great seers."
Ajirna (indigestion) - past deeds
अग्निमान्द्यं पूर्वकर्मविपाकोस्य तु यन्मम ।तत्सर्वं नाशय क्षिप्रं जठराग्निं प्रवर्धय ॥
"Whatever weakness of my digestive fire is the fruit of my past deeds, end it all quickly. Make my belly fire grow." This is the mantra for the dana (gift).
Ajirna (indigestion) - past deeds
एवं विधाय यो दद्यादग्नेर्वाहनमुत्तमम् ।वडवानलवान्मर्त्यो जीवेद्वर्षशतं पुनः ॥ततः स्वबन्धुभिर्विप्रैः स्नात्वा भुञ्जीत मानवः ॥
One may do all this and give the best carrier of Agni (the fire god). He may then gain a strong digestive fire. It may be like vadavanala (the fire under the sea). He may live a hundred years. Then the man should bathe and eat with his kin and the priests.
Ajirna (indigestion) - past deeds
इत्यग्निमान्द्यहरमेषदानविधिः ।
This is the rule for the dana (gift) of a ram, which brings peace in weak digestive fire.
Unit 10.10 describes a silver carrier of Agni, and unit 10.21 calls this the rule for the gift of a ram.