The Cat (and the Dog)

[Amos Nevo]

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>From:         "N. Ganesan" <GANESANS at CL.UH.EDU>
>Subject:      The Cat (and the Dog)
>Comments: To: indology at liverpool.ac.uk
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>Yes. In India, cats are considered sly, but dogs are dirty.
>
>That is Saiva Saints, the Tevaram Nayanmars often describe
>themselves as lowly dogs (naayinEn, naayEn, ...) in their
>pleadings to Siva.
>
>A beautiful book, with an essay by Dr. Wendy Doniger is:
>
>Stella Snead, Animals in four worlds: sculpture from
>India, UChicago p. 1989
>
>
>N. Ganesan
>
As far as I remember, there is a chapter in the Chandogya Upanishad
dealing with "priest" dogs. Does it mean that in ancient times dogs were
not considered dirty, or is it a satyric chapter, discribing the priests
in a derogatory way?

Amos nevo


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