[INDOLOGY] The pre-natal/pre-incarnatory curse in Indian literature

[Alfred Hiltebeitel]

I suppose Vyasa's words (are they a curse?) to Ambika and Ambalika would
count as leading the blind and pale births of Dhrtrastra and Pandu.-Alf

On Tue, May 30, 2017 at 2:34 PM, Robert Goldman via INDOLOGY <
indology at list.indology.info> wrote:

> Hi,
>
> Yes, there are many examples. One of the most striking, in my opinion, is
> the sage Viśravas’ pre-natal, even pre-conception, curse of Rāvaṇa,
> Kumbhakarṇa and Śūrpaṇakhā to be monstrous  because their mother-to be,
> Kaikasī, approached him at a bad time. The sage also  prenatally blesses
> his future son Vibhīṣaṇa to be virtuous. See the Vālmīki Rāmayaṇa (critical
> ed.) 7.9. 10–20.
>
> Of course there innumerable examples of figures being cursed to suffer
> nasty future births.
> Dr. R. P.  Goldman
> Catherine and William L. Magistretti Distinguished Professor in South
> and Southeast Asian Studies
> Department of South and Southeast Asian Studies MC # 2540
> The University of California at Berkeley
> Berkeley, CA 94720-2540
> Tel: 510-642-4089 <(510)%20642-4089>
> Fax: 510-642-2409 <(510)%20642-2409>
>
> On May 30, 2017, at 8:07 AM, James Hegarty via INDOLOGY <
> indology at list.indology.info> wrote:
>
> Dear List,
>
> I would like to pick the list’s formidable collective Indological brain.
>
> I am interested in examples of curses that precede birth or incarnation in
> Indian literature.
>
> Examples that spring to mind are Dharma being cursed to a human birth as
> Vidura or one of the Vasus, as Bhīṣma in the Mahābhārata.
>
> Can anyone think of others?  I am not fussy about tradition or period, I
> just want to compare a few examples.
>
> I have one other topic to raise. It is teachings given at night.
>
> I am interested in whether there are any family resemblances between
> teachings offered at night (in the most general of terms). Can anyone think
> of sources in which teachings are offered at night (as Vidura teaches
> Dhṛtarāṣṭra in the Udyogaparvan of the Mahābhārata, for example)?
>
> Thanks in anticipation to the wise and learned list!
>
> Best,
>
> James Hegarty
> Cardiff University
>
>
>
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-- 
Alf Hiltebeitel
Professor of Religion, History and Human Sciences
Department of Religion
George Washington University
2106 G Street, NW
Washington DC, 20052


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