Dreams of God and Temples: Swapna Shastra Meanings

✺How tradition reads divine dreams

✺Dreams of deities, temples and sacred things

Seeing God in a dream / भगवान को सपने में देखना

Swapna Shastra generally considers a calm, gracious vision of a deity auspicious. The Brahma Vaivarta Purana counts anything offered by a deity in a dream as a sign of gain. Devotees often take such a dream simply as a reminder to keep up their prayer.

Receiving a deity's blessing / भगवान का आशीर्वाद पाना

Both the Agni Purana and the Brahma Vaivarta Purana list receiving the blessings of gods, Brahmins or teachers among good dreams. They connect it with success and good fortune.

Seeing a Shivling / शिवलिंग देखना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana says that seeing a Shiva linga in a dream is a sign of victory (vijaya). Many devotees also read it as Shiva's grace.

Shiva and Parvati entering the home / शिव-पार्वती का घर आना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana counts a dream of Shambhu (Shiva) with Parvati entering one's home as a sign of prosperity for the household.

Vishnu (Narayana) with Lakshmi / विष्णु-लक्ष्मी देखना

The same passage says that seeing Narayana with Lakshmi entering one's home signals prosperity. It also says that when a contented Brahmin enters the house in a dream, it is as if Narayana, Shiva and Brahma themselves were present.

Seeing Goddess Lakshmi / माता लक्ष्मी देखना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana names a vision of Lakshmi among auspicious dreams. Popular belief connects it with wealth and household well-being. The same text treats a dream of Lakshmi leaving (for example, the divine cow leaving with her calf) as a gentle warning to look after the home's harmony.

Seeing Maa Durga / मां दुर्गा देखना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana lists a vision of Durga as auspicious. It also says that a dream of keeping happy company with a deity, or with a jewel-adorned girl of eight years (a kanya), means Durga is pleased with the dreamer.

Seeing Goddess Saraswati / मां सरस्वती देखना

Saraswati is named among the auspicious visions in the Brahma Vaivarta Purana. Since the same text links receiving a book or teaching in a dream with learning, many read a Saraswati dream as a good sign for study.

Seeing Radha / राधा रानी देखना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana gives Radha a central place, and it lists a dream of Radhika in the form of a cowherd maiden as auspicious.

Seeing Bal Krishna, the cowherd boy / बाल कृष्ण देखना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana counts a dream of a boy dressed as a cowherd among auspicious visions. Devotees naturally connect this image with Bal Gopal.

Seeing Shri Rama / श्रीराम देखना

In Trijata's dream in the Ramayana (Sundara Kanda 27), Rama appears in white garments and garlands, riding a great four-tusked elephant. She reads this as a sign of dharma's victory. Tradition therefore generally treats a serene vision of Rama as auspicious.

Seeing Lord Ganesha / गणेश जी देखना

The dream chapters consulted do not list a specific reading for Ganesha. The Agni Purana does name prayer to Ganesha, along with Vishnu, Shiva and Surya, as a way to calm the effect of bad dreams. Popular belief sees a Ganesha dream as a sign that obstacles will ease.

Seeing Hanuman ji / हनुमान जी देखना

No reading for Hanuman was found in the classical dream chapters consulted. In popular belief, a dream of Hanuman is taken as a sign of courage and protection. Some traditions distinguish this from the Puranic lists, which treat playing with ordinary monkeys as inauspicious.

Seeing the Sun God (Surya) / सूर्य देव देखना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana says that seeing the sun or moon in a dream brings freedom from disease. The Agni Purana counts holding or touching the sun among good dreams, but the sun falling from the sky among bad ones.

A deity looking angry / देवता को क्रोधित देखना

The Agni Purana lists angry gods, Brahmins, kings or teachers among inauspicious dreams. Tradition reads this not as punishment but as a prompt for self-reflection and renewed devotion. No remedy beyond sincere prayer is called for.

Deities dancing, laughing or running / देवताओं को नाचते-हंसते देखना

Surprisingly, the Brahma Vaivarta Purana treats gods dancing, singing, laughing loudly or running about as an inauspicious sign for the household. Some traditions read any frenzied or unnatural behaviour of a sacred figure in this way. Calm, gracious visions are read as good.

Receiving a deity's idol / मूर्ति मिलना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana says that if a Brahmin gives you a mantra or a stone image of a god in a dream, you will attain siddhi (success) in that particular spiritual practice.

Seeing a temple / मंदिर देखना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana lists a temple (devalaya) among the dream images that signal good fortune.

Visiting a tirtha or holy place / तीर्थ स्थान देखना

According to the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, seeing sacred places, palaces or jewels in a dream signals victory and wealth, and also the merit of bathing at holy places.

Receiving a mantra or diksha / मंत्र दीक्षा मिलना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana says that receiving initiation into a great mantra from a Brahmin or a noble lady in a dream marks one who will become wise, accomplished and prosperous.

Being blessed by a guru or sage / गुरु या साधु का आशीर्वाद

Both the Agni Purana and the Brahma Vaivarta Purana count a teacher's or Brahmin's blessing as auspicious. The Brahma Vaivarta Purana connects it with riches, and with piety when the Brahmin embraces the dreamer.

A guru or elder cursing in anger / गुरु का श्राप देना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana reads being angrily cursed by a guru, an astrologer or a Brahmin woman as a sign of difficulty ahead. Many take it as a reminder to mend strained relationships with elders and teachers.

Kamadhenu or a divine cow / कामधेनु गाय देखना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana says that seeing Surabhi, the wish-fulfilling cow, signals landed property and a devoted spouse. Seeing her leave the home with her calf is read as Lakshmi departing, which tradition treats as a cue to care for the home.

A temple flag or banner / मंदिर का ध्वज देखना

The Agni Purana counts embracing or raising Indra's banner (Indra-dhvaja) as a good dream, and seeing it broken as a bad one. The Brahma Vaivarta Purana includes a flag among signs of all-round prosperity.

A lit diya (lamp) / दीपक देखना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana lists a lamp among dream images that bring fame and wealth. A steady, bright flame is generally read as auspicious.

A conch shell (shankh) / शंख देखना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana names the conch, along with pearls, sandalwood and diamonds, as a dream sign of great wealth.

Being offered flowers by a Brahmin or priest / पुजारी से फूल मिलना

According to the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, receiving flowers from a Brahmin in a dream brings victory, renown, wealth and happiness.

Prasad or food offered by a deity / प्रसाद मिलना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana says that anything offered in a dream by deities, Brahmins, cows, ancestors or ascetics brings gain. It also mentions nectar or curd received from a Brahmin as a sign of kingly prosperity.

A divine woman entering the home smiling / देवी स्वरूप स्त्री का घर आना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana says that a celestial woman, or a smiling, jewel-adorned Brahmin woman, entering one's home in a dream signals good friendships and prosperity.

Receiving a scripture or holy book / धार्मिक ग्रंथ मिलना

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana says that if a Brahmin gives you a book in a dream, you will become learned, even a renowned poet. Finding a book on the road carries a similar meaning.

✺Where the texts are silent

✺Keep in mind

Questions pilgrims ask