he.dhra?

[fsmith]

Many thanks to Robert and Dominik. Yes, I have encountered a number of
demonesses with non IA names, including in the texts Domimik mentions. My
impression from the medical and tantric texts I have been examining is that
there was, on the ground, a very short distance between Sanskritic and
non-Sanskritic cultures. This, of course, is increasingly well-known. Now see
Ronald Davidson, Indian Esoteric Buddhism: A Social History of the Tantric
Movement (Columbia Univ. Press, 2002).

regards
Fred

>===== Original Message From Dominik Wujastyk <ucgadkw at UCL.AC.UK> =====
>On Mon, 17 Feb 2003, Robert Zydenbos (by way of Robert Zydenbos
<zydenbos at lrz.uni-muenchen.de>) wrote:
>
>> Am 13 Feb 2003 um 9:12 schrieb fsmith:
>> > I have a lexical question: the 12th century Tantric text from Kerala,
>> > Iizaanazivagurudevapaddhati 42.1,15ab has the word he.dhra /he.dhraga
>> > in its account of bhuutavidyaa. 15ab reads: One possessed by a
>> > he.dhraga graha stands on his knees, keeps his head down, smiles, and
>> > holds his hands in a fist. I am unable to find this word elsewhere.
>
>Zydenbos's reply reminds me, Fred, that the names of the demonesses in
>Susruta and the Ravanakumaratantra etc. are often not really Sanskrit
>either.  "Pilipicchika" etc.
>
>Dominik