[INDOLOGY] Satirical criticism in Sanskrit literature and philosophy?

[Klaus Karttunen]

Sear Jan and others,
I woukd also add act 3 of the Prabodhacandrodaya, a Kaapaalika converting a Buddhist and a Jaina monk to his creed offering them wine and sex. The author has a Vaishnava viewpoint. There is also a curious legend about the origin of linga worship through a curse of sages in the Vaamanapuraana, but I have not the reference at hand. A third possible case is the Jaiminiasvamedha, abounding in humorous scenes.

Best,
Klaus

Klaus Karttunen
South Asian and Indoeuropean Studies
Asian and African Studies, Department of World Cultures
PL 59 (Unioninkatu 38 B)
00014 University of Helsinki, FINLAND
Tel +358-(0)2941 4482418
Fax +358-(0)2941 22094
Klaus.Karttunen at helsinki.fi






On Jan 9, 2015, at 2:23 AM, Jan E.M. Houben wrote:

> Dear List Members, 
> In order to pay a tribute to freedom of critical expression my Master course "Sanskrit, scientific and philosophical lingua franca" will in the following weeks, as it did yesterday, focus on 
> 
> Satirical criticism in Sanskrit literature and philosophy
> 
> Without trying to be in any way complete I propose that the work of the following authors can be regarded as, to some extent at least, belonging in this category:
> Bhartrhari the poet/subhasita collector, Jayarasi, Ksemendra.
> Part of Bhavabhuuti's Maalatiimaadhava reads as satirical criticism on Kapaalikas. 
> 
> Now my question: ARE THERE ANY OTHER STRONG (extensive) EXAMPLES?
> 
> Satire in Indian literature? WHAT is usually criticized?
> 
> Satire in Indian philosophy? Criticism of WHAT? (Tattvopaplavasimha: of all philosophical-religious "truths" without trying to establish one's own).
> 
> Writing satirical criticism in Sanskrit in a manuscript is not the same as expressing such criticism in the most accessible "language" thinkable: comics published in a weekly. 
> HOW was satirical criticism in ancient, classical India RECEIVED? 
> Did anyone suffer on account of critical views expressed in Sanskrit? Or only when it was 
> expressed in a more popular language like Hindi (Kabir)?
> Best,
> jan houben
> 
> 
> Prof. Dr. Jan E.M. Houben,
> Directeur d Etudes « Sources et Histoire de la Tradition Sanskrite »
> Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Sciences historiques et philologiques,
> Sorbonne – 54, rue Saint-Jacques
> CS 20525 – 75005 Paris – France. 
> johannes.houben at ephe.sorbonne.fr
> https://ephe-sorbonne.academia.edu/JanEMHouben
>  
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