Moon and Cycle of death and rebirth

[Periannan Chandrasekaran]

--- Bijoy Misra <bmisra at FAS.HARVARD.EDU> wrote:
> On Sat, 30 Dec 2000, Sudalaimuthu Palaniappan wrote:
>
> > Dear List members,
> >
> > I would appreciate if anybody could tell me if in any of the ancient north
> > Indian traditions, the moon is described as exemplifying the nature of life
> > as consisting of waxing and waning, dying and being born again. Thanks in
> > advance.
> >
> See bhAgavata purANa, the section on avadhuta in 11th skandha.
> Moon is fifth or sixth teacher and will talk as above.
>
But Bhagavatha purANa would not exacly qualify for an "ancient" Skt. text.
It is a medieval composition. Moreover it was authored in Tamilland by a Tamil
or someone who was immeresed in local Tamil culture and customs including
vocabulary. One of the give-aways by way of vocabulary is "avamocana" for "inn"
a raw translation of the Tamil verbal nouns "viTuti" or "vITu" < Ta. viTu = to
stay, to leave, to be liberated.

It abounds in very Tamil-only traditions
and ideas such as the pAvai vow.

> Happy New Year!
>
> BM
Regards
P. Chandrasekaran.

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