Is sitting on a camel in a dream inauspicious?

Question

Currently I am reading Sundara Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana. In this kanda, there is a sarga/chapter named Trijata Swapnam meaning the dream of the ogre Trijata. She narrates her dream to other ogres and says that she has seen bad omens about Ravana, Kumbhakarna, Indrajeet and Lanka. She says that she has seen good omens about Shree Rama, Lakshmana and Vibheeshana. This dream shows good omens to Sita and bad omens to the entire Rakshasa kula.

But I have a doubt about this shloka in the sarga. The shloka in that sarga is as follows:

वराहेण दशग्रीवः शिंशुमारेण चेन्द्रजित् ||
उष्ट्रेण कुम्भकर्णश्च प्रयाता दक्षिणां दिशम्

Ravana by a pig, Indrajit by a porpoise, Kumbhakarna by a camel set out in southern direction.

We can understand that the pig is not considered as auspicious as it is filthy.

But why is the camel considered to be an inauspicious being? If it is so, then why did Hanuman is said as ushtraroodha meaning one with camel as mount in Hanumat sooktam? As Valmiki Ramayana is authentic, no doubting it. But who is the author of Hanumat sooktam?

Answer 1

I think you're being confused.

Riding (or sitting on) a camel is not considered inauspicious. But having dreams about riding a camel is certainly considered inauspicious (for the person who is riding it in dreams) (as it is considered to be a sign of approaching death).

Analysis of good/bad dreams and good/bad omens are given in detail in the Agni Purana.

I'm quoting from the the book Essence of Dharma Sindhu:

A fairly detailed analysis of dreams and omens is given in Agni Purana. Dreams are good when they involve mountains, Palaces, snakes, riding horses or bulls, white flowers, trees , possession of arms and many heads, triumphs in battles,wearing garlands, witnessing Solar and Lunar Eclipses, Stars, Sun and Moon, eating rice pudding, drinking wine or blood, eating meat, milking cows and buffaloes, blessings from Devas and Brahmanas, Coronation, one’s own death or cutting off the head, one’s own house burning, playing musical instruments, climbing trees, clear skies,wet clothes and so on. Bad dreams are a shaven head of one’s own, wearing shabby clothes, drinking oil, angry Gods or Brahmanas, steep falls from heights, killing snakes o r animals, playing with monkeys,weddings and singing. Dreams portending death include the sights of hair, fire, serpents,dried up rivers or water bodies crooked noses, long ears, weeping lefty eye, a metallic face, black tongue, riding camel or donkeys bound to Southern direction, ...

For example, from the above passage, having dreams about drinking wine, blood are considered good. But actually drinking those substances will be considered bad only. Similarly here.

Answer 2

I don't think there is anything inauspicious about riding camels because, in Yuddha Kanda, Indrajit's Rakshasa army rode atop camels among other war animals:

तं प्रस्थितं महात्मानमनुजग्मुर्महाबलाः|
संहर्षमाणा बहवो धनुःप्रवरपाणयः || ६-७३-१०
गजस्कन्धगताः के चित्के चित्परमवाजिभिः|
व्याघ्रवृश्चिकमार्जारखरोष्ट्ट्रैश्च भुजम्गमैः || ६-७३-११
वराहैः श्वापदैः सिम्हैर्जम्बुकैः पर्वतोपमैः |
काकहंसमयूरैश्च राक्षसा भीमविक्रमाः || ६-७३-१२
प्रासमुद्गरनिस्त्रिंश परश्वधगदाधराः |
भुशुण्डिमुद्गरायष्टिशतग्नीपरिघायुधाः || ६-७३-१३

Many mighty demons with terrific prowess, with joy, holding excellent bows in their hands, carrying lances, sharp-edged spears, swords, axes and maces as also armed with Bhushundis (probably a kind of fire arms), mallets, cudgels, Shataghnis (cylindrical piece of wood studded with iron spikes) and iron rods, followed that great souled Indrajit. Some rode on the back of elephants, some ascended excellent horses, tigers, scorpions, cats, donkeys and camels, looking.

Uttarakhanda of Ramayana also mentions Rakshasas using camels, porpoises (whales) etc:

And all the Rakshasas went covering the sky, some on asses, some on camels, some on horses, some on quick-coursing porpoises and some on huge serpents. And beholding Ravana proceed, hundreds of Daityas, inimical to the celestials, followed him. Having arrived at the city of Madhu and entered there the ten-necked demon did not behold Madhu but espied his sister.

However, setting out in southern direction could mean inauspicious as it says in a verse ahead of the verse you quoted in your question:

कण्ठे बद्ध्वा दशग्रीवं प्रमदा रक्तवासिनी || ५-२७-२८
काळी कर्दमलिप्ताङ्गी दिशं याम्यां प्रकर्षति |

28. pramadaa = a woman; raktavaasinii = with red clothes; kaLii = who was black; kardamaliptaa~Ngii = with body smeared with dirt; badhvaa = tying; dashagriivam = Ravana; kaNThe = by the throat; prakarShati = was pulling him; yaamyaam disham = in southern direction.

A woman with red clothes, who was black, with body smeared with dirt, tying Ravana by the throat, was pulling him in southern direction.

Answer 3

Riding camels is not inauspicious. Camel can be just used as vehicles as elephants and horses are used. Kandika 15, Kanda 3 of Paraskara Grihya Sutra (associated with Shukla YajurVeda) gives instructions on what should one do/recite in specific conditions like riding horses, elephants etc.. or walking in path etc.. It also states what should one do while riding on a camel. Relevant portion is as:

अथातो हस्त्यारोहणम् ।
1. Now how he should mount an elephant.

एत्य हस्तिनमभिमृशति हस्तिशसमसि हस्तिवर्चसमीति ।
2. He goes to the elephant and touches it (saying), 'The elephants' glory art thou. The elephants' honour art thou.'

अथारोहतीन्द्रस् त्वा वज्रेणभितिष्ठामि स्वस्ति मा संपारयते ।
3. He then mounts it with (the words), 'With Indra's thunder-bolt I bestride thee. Make me arrive safely.'

एतेनैवाश्वारोहणं व्याख्याताम् ।
4. Thereby it has also been declared how he should mount a horse.

उष्ट्रमारोक्ष्ययन्नभिमन्त्रयते त्वाष्ट्रोऽसि त्वष्टदैवत्यः स्वस्ति मा संपारयति ।
5. When he is going to mount a camel, he addresses it: 'Thou art the son of Tvashtri; Tvashtri is thy deity. Make me arrive safely.'

Paraskara Grihya Sutras Kanda 3 Kandika 15.

Thus, it is itself clear from above passage that one can ride camel just like one rides horses or elephants. So, it is not inauspicious. Regarding the dream described in Valmiki Ramayana it is there called inauspicious because it is dream interpretation not real life interpretation.