brahmodyas

[thompson at handel.jlc.net]

>Date: Tue, 2 Apr 1996 21:46:02 -0500
>To:vidya at cco.caltech.edu
>From:thompson at jlc.net (George Thompson)
>Subject:brahmodyas
>
>Discussion of the brahmodya among Vedicists is fairly extensive, beginning
>with an important article by Renou [in collaboration with Silburn] "Sur la
>notion de brahman" in JA 237, 1949 [the second half of this article is
>devoted to the brahmodya, which Renou considers to be a crucial Vedic
>practice. Kuiper wrote an article on "The Ancient Aryan Verbal Contest" in
>1960, in IIJ 4.  More recently Witzel has written an article that mentions
>the brahmodya frequently, "The Case of the Shattered Head" [Studien zur
>Indologie und Iranistik, 1987], which apparently has triggered a response
>by Insler, "The Shattered Head Split and the Epic tale of ShakuntalA," BEI
>1989-90 [I have not seen this article]. Finally, there is an article
>written by myself, "The Brahmodya and Vedic Discourse," which is
>scheduled, tentatively, to appear in JAOS 116.4.  In my view Vedic is an
>intensely agonistic culture in which verbal dexterity [i.e., skill in
>something like debate] is vitally necessary, and proudly displayed.  It is
>assumed by most Vedicists, I think. that verbal dexterity in debate is a
>highly admired feature in Indic culture going back to such Vedic roots.
>The Vedic brahmodya involves riddling and name-giving, challenge and
>response, typically in the form of a dialogue, and frequently with
>vehement expression of hostility and aggression. In a nutshell, the
>brahmodya was a training ground for would-be Brahmins.
>Sincerely,
>G. Thompson
>