Dreams of Objects, Food and Places: Swapna Shastra

✺Everyday things in Swapna Shastra

✺Dreams of objects, food, clothing and places

Seeing gold / सोना देखना

Swapna Shastra considers seeing gold auspicious. The Agni Purana lists gold appearing before the dreamer among good dreams, and the Brahma Vaivarta Purana links it with fame and wealth. The same Purana, however, reads eating gold or silver as unfavourable, so it matters whether gold is seen or swallowed.

Seeing money or coins / पैसे या सिक्के देखना

The classical texts predate paper money and do not mention coins or notes as such. They speak of gold, jewels, pearls and grain as signs of wealth. Popular dream books give varied readings for money, from gain to unexpected expense, and these differ from book to book.

Pearls, diamonds and jewels / मोती, हीरा, रत्न देखना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana lists pearls, diamonds, conch and sandalwood as signs of vast wealth. Receiving a string of pearls or a garland from a Brahmin is read as wealth and happiness.

Teeth falling out / दांत टूटना या गिरना

This is one of the most common dreams everywhere. The Brahma Vaivarta Purana reads losing teeth or hair as a sign of financial loss or ill health, and gnashing the teeth as a sign of poor health. Tradition reads it as a reminder to be careful with money and health, not as a certainty. It is also widely understood as a stress dream.

Seeing a house or palace / घर या महल देखना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana counts seeing palaces, houses and holy places among signs of victory and wealth. The Agni Purana lists climbing to an upper storey of a building as auspicious.

A house collapsing / घर गिरना

The Agni Purana lists a house collapsing among inauspicious dreams, and the Brahma Vaivarta Purana reads it as a sign of sorrow. Tradition sees it as a cue to look after the home and family, not as a fixed outcome.

Sweeping or cleaning the house / घर में झाड़ू लगाना

Perhaps surprisingly, the Agni Purana lists sweeping the house clean, and a house covered with dust, among inauspicious dreams. Popular belief often reads sweeping the other way, as clearing away troubles, so traditions differ.

Travelling by train or vehicle / ट्रेन या गाड़ी में यात्रा

Trains are modern, so no classical text mentions them. The nearest traditional image is the chariot. The Brahma Vaivarta Purana reads being carried in a chariot by a Brahmin as a sign of long life and wealth, and eating curd and kheer in a chariot as a sign of high position. Travelling alone in a cart drawn by mules or camels, or a vehicle crash, is read as unfavourable. Popular belief sees a smooth journey as progress in life.

Missing a train or bus / ट्रेन छूटना

No traditional text addresses this modern dream. It is widely understood as an anxiety dream about missed opportunities or deadlines, and popular belief generally treats it as a nudge to be better prepared.

Travelling south / दक्षिण दिशा में जाना

The Agni Purana lists going southward among inauspicious dreams, since the south is traditionally the direction of Yama. In the Ramayana, Ravana is seen being taken southward in Trijata's dream of his downfall.

An umbrella / छाता देखना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana lists an umbrella among signs of fame and wealth, and walking along a road with an umbrella as a sign of gain. An umbrella held over one's head by a Brahmin is read as a sign of high honour.

Shoes or footwear / जूते-चप्पल देखना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana says that walking along a road wearing shoes, or carrying an umbrella or a sword, signals the fulfilment of wishes, good news and money. Wooden sandals, however, are listed among unfavourable signs.

Receiving or reading a book / किताब देखना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana gives books a very positive reading. Receiving a book from a Brahmin, or finding one on the road, signals learning and renown, even becoming a celebrated poet. Students often find this reassuring.

Holding weapons / हथियार देखना

The Agni Purana counts handling weapons among good dreams. The Brahma Vaivarta Purana lists a dagger among signs of fortune. An armed soldier threatening the dreamer, however, is read unfavourably.

Musical instruments / वाद्य यंत्र बजाना

The texts make a fine distinction. The Agni Purana counts playing the veena (lute) as a good dream but playing other instruments as bad, and the Brahma Vaivarta Purana says receiving a veena signals a rich harvest. Loud drumming and music in general are read as signs of sorrow.

Eating kheer (rice pudding) / खीर खाना

The Agni Purana lists eating pudding among good dreams. The Brahma Vaivarta Purana says eating curd-rice or kheer, especially from a lotus leaf, signals rising to high position.

Curd, milk, ghee or honey / दही, दूध, घी, शहद

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana lists curd, milk, ghee, honey and sweets among very auspicious foods to dream of, linked with prosperity and high status. The Agni Purana counts drinking milk as a good dream. Being anointed with them, rather than eating them, is read differently.

Eating sweets / मिठाई खाना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana includes sweets, together with curd, milk, ghee and honey, among auspicious foods to dream of.

Drinking or applying oil / तेल पीना या लगाना

Oil is one of the most consistently inauspicious dream images. The Agni Purana lists drinking oil and having oil applied to the body among bad dreams, and in Trijata's dream in the Ramayana, Ravana is smeared with oil and drinks it. Tradition treats this as a call for caution.

Salt or lime / नमक या चूना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana lists salt, lime and oil among signs of difficulty. Falling into a salt pit or a heap of lime is read as a serious ill omen.

Seeing or eating fruit / फल देखना या खाना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana lists fruits among signs of fame and wealth. It names amla and haritaki fruits in particular as signs of wealth.

Paan (betel) / पान देखना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana counts betel among dream images of good fortune.

Grain, rice or paddy / अनाज या धान देखना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana lists paddy and boiled rice among signs of prosperity. It says that a Brahmin or a respected lady giving you paddy, or scattering white paddy over you, signals great honour.

Turmeric or sugarcane / हल्दी या गन्ना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana names turmeric, sugarcane, yellow ochre, a flag and boiled rice together as signs of all-round prosperity.

Sandalwood / चंदन देखना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana lists sandalwood among signs of vast wealth, and receiving it from a Brahmin as a sign of happiness.

Wearing white clothes / सफेद कपड़े पहनना

The Agni Purana lists wearing white cloth among good dreams, and a dream that ends with white cloth as especially favourable. This fits the general rule in the Brahma Vaivarta Purana that white things are auspicious.

Wearing dirty or torn clothes / गंदे या फटे कपड़े

The Agni Purana lists wearing dirty clothes among inauspicious dreams. A summary of the same Purana also mentions shabby clothing. Tradition reads it as a reminder to take care of oneself and one's affairs.

A garland (mala) / माला देखना

Colour decides the reading. The Brahma Vaivarta Purana counts a white garland as auspicious, especially when received from a Brahmin. It reads red or black garlands as unfavourable, and the Agni Purana lists wearing a blood-red garland among bad dreams.

A broken vessel / टूटा बर्तन देखना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana lists a broken vessel among images of calamity. By contrast, a full pot of water is a sign of good fortune.

Excrement or dirt / मल या गंदगी देखना

This is a frequently searched and much-misunderstood dream. The Brahma Vaivarta Purana reads being smeared with excrement as a sign of wealth, and lists excrement with gold and wine as signs of gain. The Agni Purana, however, lists passing excrement among bad dreams, so traditions differ.

A cremation ground / श्मशान देखना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana lists a cremation ground, dry wood, iron and black ink among signs of distress, and the Agni Purana counts mounting a funeral pyre as inauspicious. Such dreams very often follow a recent bereavement, and tradition does not ask anyone to fear them.

✺Eating versus seeing

✺Keep in mind

Questions pilgrims ask