The four deity-circles (mandalas) of earthquake divination

Prāṇa relevance

Sources

• txt-brihat-samhitaXXXII.11–22+ (Bhat ed.)Classical✓ verifiedthe four circles, their asterisms, lead-times, premonitory signs and effects

Other attributes

Rule Class

effects-table

Statement

The 28 asterisms are partitioned into four deity-presided circles; an earthquake under an asterism is read through its circle's deity, with a lead-time and an effect-set.

Circles

[{"deity":"dev-vayu","name":"Wind Circle","asterisms":["nak-uttaraphalguni","nak-hasta","nak-chitra","nak-svati","nak-punarvasu","nak-mrigashira","nak-ashvini"],"lead_time":"3 months","premonitory":"smoke-covered quarters, dust-storm, dim sun","effects_compressed":"destruction of crops/water/forests/herbs; swellings, asthma, lunacy, fever, phlegmatic (kapha-flavoured) affections; trouble to traders/physicians/women/poets/musicians/artisans and listed regions"},{"deity":"dev-agni","name":"Fire Circle","asterisms":["nak-pushya","nak-krittika","nak-vishakha","nak-bharani","nak-magha","nak-purvabhadrapada","nak-purvaphalguni"],"lead_time":"3 fortnights","premonitory":"falling stars/meteors, fiery horizon-glow, wind-fanned fire","effects_compressed":"clouds destroyed, lakes dry, kings clash; herpes, scab, fever, erysipelas, jaundice (pitta-flavoured); trouble to the valorous/hot-tempered and listed regions"},{"deity":"dev-indra","name":"Indra Circle","asterisms":["nak-abhijit","nak-shravana","nak-dhanishtha","nak-rohini","nak-jyeshtha","nak-uttarashadha","nak-anuradha"],"lead_time":"7 days","premonitory":"thunderclouds, lightning, rain","effects_compressed":"ruin of celebrated families/kings; dysentery, throat-swelling, facial diseases, vomiting; trouble to listed regions; some good effects"},{"deity":"dev-varuna","name":"Varuna Circle","asterisms":["nak-revati","nak-purvashadha","(+5 others; Bhat notes a variant giving Varuna only 6, dropping Purvashadha)"],"lead_time":"immediate","premonitory":"slender water-lines like sprouts","effects_compressed":"kills those dependent on the seas; water-related effects"}]

Variant Flag

Bhat: Parashara constitutes the circles DIFFERENTLY (his Wind Circle = Abhijit + Dhanishtha, etc.); a stated cross-text divergence — captured, NOT reconciled (Q47).

Dosha Flag

The per-circle disease effects look dosha-flavoured (Wind→kapha/phlegm & lunacy; Fire→pitta/jaundice/erysipelas). Captured as STATED EFFECTS only; NO circle↔dosha bridge asserted — that is hub synthesis (Q48).

Scheme Flag

Circles are presided by Vayu/Agni/Indra/Varuna — NOT the five mahabhutas (no earth/akasha circle; Indra is not an element). Whether this four-deity partition relates to the dikpala compass, the mahabhuta elements, or the Kurma triads is NOT reconciled here (Q48).

Tag

CLASSICAL