The Swayambhu (unartificial) linga of the god Shiva is supposed to have influence over the fall of rain. [245] The people of the Thána District believe that the following ceremony causes a fall of rain. Stones are taken out of a pool and worshipped. They are then carried to every house in the village, and water is poured upon them by the inmates. [246] There is a temple of the god of clouds at Viranáth in the Thána District. [247] The appearance of a comet is regarded by the Hindus as symptomatic of a coming evil, e.g., a big war, a great famine, or a terrible contagious disease spreading itself throughout the length and breadth of a country. [248] Some persons think that comets and shooting stars bode evil to the king. [249] Whenever a great person or a very holy man is about to be born, it is believed that he alights on the earth in the shape of a shooting star. Sometimes a big star falls on the earth, and thereby a noise like that of thunder is produced. When this happens, people believe that a great Rája or a holy saint whose merit has been exhausted is going to be born on earth. [250] The following verse from the Mrichhakatika Nátak supports the view in accordance with which orthodox people in the Konkan avoid looking at shooting stars:-- INDRADHANUSHYA ANI GOPRASUTI | NAKSHATRANCI ADHOGATI SATPURUSHANCI PRANAVIPATTI || PAHUM NAYE SACARA || i.e., The following four things, viz., the rainbow, the fall of shooting stars, the delivery of a cow, and the death-struggle of saints or holy men should not be looked at. [251] It is generally believed by Hindus that a child will immediately be born in the house towards which shooting stars are directed. [252] CHAPTER II. THE HEROIC GODLINGS. In the Konkan the deities of the Hindus are divided into the following five classes, viz.:-- (1) The Grámadevatás or Village deities, (2) The Sthánadevatás or Local deities, (3) The Kuladevatás or Family deities, (4) The Ishtadevatás or Chosen deities, and (5) The Wástudevatás or Grihadevatás, that is, the class of deity which presides over the house and is established at the time of the housewarming or Wástu ceremony.