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

[Nagaraj Paturi]

Alf's example brings in a very good analogous narrative to that of
"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."

Alf was cautious and said, " Vyasa's words (are they a curse?) "

Yes, that care is important even in the case of the sage Vis'ravas' words.
Are they a curse? Perhaps not.

In both the cases, a statement of the consequence of nishiddhakarma appears
to be a curse.



On Wed, May 31, 2017 at 2:40 AM, Alfred Hiltebeitel via INDOLOGY <
indology at list.indology.info> wrote:

> 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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-- 
Nagaraj Paturi

Hyderabad, Telangana, INDIA.


BoS, MIT School of Vedic Sciences, Pune, Maharashtra

BoS, Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth, Veliyanad, Kerala

Former Senior Professor of Cultural Studies

FLAME School of Communication and FLAME School of  Liberal Education,

(Pune, Maharashtra, INDIA )


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