The evil eye in Skt literature?

[George Hart]

Good question.  In Tamil, the Skt. Borrowing tiruSTi (< dRSTi) is used for
evil eye.  Put the evil eye is usually kaN vai -- literally putting the eye
(both Dravidian words).  But getting rid of the evil eye is tiruSTi kaZi
(kaZi means to remove).  Apte does not give "evil eye" as a meaning for
tiruSTi, but since belief in the evil eye is universal in India (and the
Mediterranean and elsewhere), there must be some Sanskrit word for it -- I'm
not sure what it is.  Perhaps someone else can help.  I'm sure there must be
many Sanskrit treatises on the evil eye.  When all else fails, look in Kane.
GH.

On 11/27/01 3:10 PM, "jkirk" <jkirk at MICRON.NET> wrote:

> Dear Prof Hart,
>
> Since you mentioned the evil eye,  I write to ask you about its
> terminological provenance in Sanskrit  literature because it would be so
> helpful for my work to have some explicit references (I'm an anthropologist
> specializing in south Asia studies but not a Sanskritist.) . If this inquiry
> threatens to be bothersome, please don't mind and just tell me.  But I am oh
> so curious--
>
> Good wishes
> Joanna Kirkpatrick
> =============================================================