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[Full title: Atmospheric Omens (6) Rain]

Omens relating to Rain are of two types: 1) those which predict rain-fall and 2) those which are constituted of abnormal rain-fall. These have been detailed below in due order. Rain plays a very important role in the life of a

602 country like India where the occupation of the people is mainly agriculture. Rain is the question of the very life and death to the farmers, and hence it is but natural that they should be very anxious to know about the chances of rainfall. The Sadyovrsti-laksana (Atharvaveda-Parisistas 65) mentions some indications by which an astrologer may forecast rain. When the Sun looks glossy with a clear surface and is flaming with great lustre like fire, there is bound to be immediate rain-fall (Cf.Brhatsamhita by Varahamihira 28.3). When the quarters are clear and look like the eggs of a crow, when the mountains have their slopes covered with dust (Cf. Brhatsamhita by Varahamihira 28.4,6), when the constellations are clear, glossy, and charming and appear to be quite near, and when the wind is cold and favourable and blows at a low altitude; rain is indicated. The eastern wind produces clouds, the western wind disperses them, the northern wind brings rain and the southern wind makes rain pour down. When the clouds have the forms of crocodile, mountain, elephant, alligator, porpoise, conch, tree, tortoise, waves, fish, buffalo, boare, quarter-elephant, fresh lotus, reeds, vessel, bud etc., they indicate impending rain. Immediate rain should be predicted when the clouds appear two-fold or three-fold, when there are great cyclones, when the thunder of the clouds is like the rumbling of the wheels of a chariot or like the roaring of the waves of the ocean or like the sound of a drum that is beaten, when they are dark like a night-lotus or look like the neck of a peacock, and when they are scattered away by the southern wind. Wherever, at the

603 When the time of the Sun-rise or Sun-set, five bright clouds are seen in the corners of the sky, there the rain showers. clouds look like ruby, lotus, Palasa, smoke, moss etc., when there are lightnings and two rainbows, when there is a series of clouds (65.2.10), and when the trees are greatly shaken by the wind, one should know for certain that rain is going to pour down immediately. When the evening bears the colour of fire, Sun, lotus, gold, Bandhujivaka, Japa and Kimsuka flowers, when it is glossy like clarified butter and honey, when the quarters flash with the colour of molten gold, crystal and coral, when 69 there are halos (Cf. Brhatsamhita by Varahamihira 28.6), when prati-suryas are seen; rain should be known to be about to pour down shortly. When birds and beasts become quiet, when the birds perch upon ramparts, town-gates etc. and are bathed with dust, when the fish start jumping up in the water, and the cows come home (Cf. Brhatsamhita by Varahamihira 28.4,9), when ants carry their eggs from one place to another and glow-worms are seen, when weapons, bell-metal, copper and iron corrode, when children construct lakes, wells and bridges on the roads (Cf. Brhatsamhita by Varahamihira 28.5), when clouds gather at one place under the constellations Citra, Visakha, Svati, Asadhas, Mula and Bharani, it should be known that rain would fall after three days. 70 69. Cf. Brhatsamhita by Varahamihira 28.11. Atharvaveda-Parisistas 65.2.11 states that when the pratisurya stands to the north of the Sun, it checks rainfall and if it is to the south, there is the fear of floods. 70. Cf. Brhatsamhita by Varahamihira 28.7. Cf. also Kausika Sutra 116-8.

604 The Parisista mentions several other sure indications by which an astrologer may predict rain. If a person respectfully asks the astrologer a question about rain near a pond, lake, well, river or on a storeyed building, or if the person is wearing wet clothes or is having wet hands, the astrologer should foretell immediate rain (Cf. Brhatsamhita by Varahamihira 28.2). If he hears at that time sweet auspicious sound coming from the north-east, or he happens to see or hear children, he should say that it is going to rain. The coming of rain is indicated by the three kinds of omens, namely, celestial omens (that is those relating to the Sun, constellations etc.), atmospheric omens (that is those relating to clouds, winds etc.), and terrestrial omens (that is those relating to animals, birds etc.). 71 It is stated in the Parisista that when these omens are seen, the rain is expected to shower under the proper constellations (65.1.1-2.13). It may be seen from the foregoing statement that most of the indications of rain given above are based on commonsense. Some of them reveal a close and keen observation of Nature. It seems to have been believed that birds, beasts and insects like ants perhaps possessed a special 'sense' by means of which they could know the coming of rain, and that man could know about it only by observing their movements. After having mentioned the various omens indicating 71. Atharvaveda-Parisistas 65.2.12 states that if only one kind of omen is seen, the rain pours over five yojanas only.

605 72 It is rain-fall, the Parisista turns to a matter which is more specifically Atharvanic in character. It prescribes the rites to be performed when there is the danger of draught. It lays down that the Atharvan should perform paka-yajna and offer fire-sticks of Plaksa (or Sami), besmeared with milk and clarified butter, to the accompaniment of the hymns sam ut patantu - and pra nabhasva mentioned that if the fire-sticks of vetasa (ratan) are offered on a fire of Arka-fuel for a whole day and night, there will be heavy rain. If a Bhargava offers a lakh of leaves of vetasa, besmeared with milk, he can bring rain even out of season. Similarly the Aindri and Varuni maha-santis are prescribed to be performed at the beginning of rainyseason to avert the fear of draught (65.3.1-8). As for the omens constituted of abnormal kinds of rain, the Atharvaveda-Parisistas have some very interesting things to say. It points out that if it rains out of normal times, disease is indicated; if there is excessive rain, it forebodes danger; and if there occurs rain, lightning, thunder or whirl-wind without there being any clouds, it leads to the death of the king. If there is heavy rain out of season and no rain in the proper season, it foreshadows lack of health among the subjects. If there is continuous rain for seven nights out of season, it foretells the murder of the minister. 73 72. These are Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension IV.15 and VII.18. 73. Atharvaveda-Parisistas 70.16.3-17.1. Cf. Brhatsamhita by Varahamihira 46.40- 43.

606 74 When there is a rain of flesh, bones, blood, marrow and fat, it forestalls an attack by the enemy and a fierce battle. When there is a rain of embers, sand (Cf. 70.32.25) and corn, it prognosticates great danger. When there is a rain of serpents, fish and birds, it foreshows a great rain to the crops. When the rain showers honey, clarified butter, oil, milk, curds and liquor (asava), it portends famine. 75 When there is a shower of meteors as well as stars, and when the constellations emit fire, it augurs a terrible danger arising out of diseases (71.8.3-9.3). When there is a shower of dust, stones, curds, honey, clarified butter, milk, or of 74. Cf. Kausika Sutra 94. S.C.Mitra ("Notes on three quaint Indian superstitions," Quarterly Journal of Mythical Society XXVIII, pp. 212-4) refers to such an incident, the news of which was published in The Behar Herald (1 st July 1936). He has tried to rationalise the same as follows: "Some bird of prey, say a vulture or a kite, must have brought a dead rat or hare or a lump of flesh from the butcher's stall and eaten it on the topmost branches of the tree. The blood issuing from the dead animal or lump of flesh must have collected in the foliage. When it was agitated by a strong gust of wind, which produced the rustling noise, the blood was shed on the clothes of the person standing below the tree ..." 75. Atharvaveda-Parisistas 70.17.2-6. It is further pointed out that if rainbows of the four colours, namely, white, red, yellow and black, appear, they presage evil to the respective castes (64.8.3-4). If a rainbow is seen in the absence of clouds or a white rainbow is seen, it indicates famine. Cf. 70掳.32.11; 71.16.2 with MBh Vedic Index 3.74; XII.102.6 and Brhatsamhita by Varahamihira 35.7-8; 46.45.

607 marrow or blood, it forecasts murder of the king and danger to 76 all the beings. Hence it is prescribed that, in order to avert the evil consequences of abnormal kinds of rain, the Amrta maha-santi should be performed (72.3.4,16).