कृषि-पाराशर (महर्षि पराशर - प्राचीन भारतीय कृषि, मृदा-परीक्षण, वर्षा-पूर्वानुमान व बीज-संस्कार)

76 KṚṢI-PARĀŚARA
by farmers on Friday, Monday, Thursday and particularly on
Wednesday.
123. The commencement of agricultural operations on Tuesday,
Sunday, and also on Saturday portends disturbance in the kingdom.
124. The second, third, fifth, seventh, tenth, eleventh and
thirteenth lunar mansions are auspicious.
125. (There is) destruction of crops on the first lunar mansion,
death and imprisonment on the twelfth; the sixth causes many
obstacles and Kuhū¹ destroys the cultivator.
126. The eighth lunar mansion kills bulls, the ninth is the
destroyer of crops, the fourth generates insects, and the fourteenth
kills the master.
127. Perform hala-prasāraṇa on the auspicious moments of the
sun's entrance into Taurus, Pisces, Virgo, Gemini, Sagittarius and
Scorpio.
128. (Hala-prasāraṇa) at the (sun's entrance into) Aries kills
animals; it (causes) fear from aquatic creatures in Cancer, from
serpents in Leo and from thieves in Aquarius.
129. There is destruction of crops in Capricornus and danger to
life in Libra. Hence, carefully examine the moment (of sun's entrance
into the Zodiacs) at the commencement of agriculture.
130-132. Having bathed and putting on a pair of white cloths
at a time when the position of the sun, along with the moon,
is favourable, having duly worshipped the earth, along with the
planet, and also Pṛthu and Prajāpati with sandal, flowers, and
circumambulated fire keeping it on the right, made ample gifts (to the
Brāhmaṇa conducting the ceremony?) and having besmeared with
honey the tip of the ploughshare, touched with gold, perform hala-
prasāraṇa at the left side on the lap of the serpent.²
133. Vāsava (i.e. Indra), Śukra (i.e. Venus), Pṛthurāma³ and
1 It may mean either the first day of the first quarter (on which the moon
rises invisible) or New Moon.
2 Perhaps, the serpent-demon supposed to inhabit the nether regions.
3 The meaning is obscure. Can the word be Pṛthu-romā meaning the
Zodiacal sign of Pisces? Having regard to the fact that the preceding word
refers to a heavenly body, this emendation seems plausible.