Ravenous Hyenas and the Wounded Sun

Myth and Ritual in Ancient India

AvStephanie W. Jamison

Häftad, Engelska, 2011

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Vedic Sanskrit literature contains a wealth of material concerning the mythology and religious practices of India between 1500 and 500 B.C.E.—a crucial period in the formation of traditional Indian culture. Stephanie W. Jamison here addresses the conditions that have limited our understanding of Vedic myth and ritual, such as the profusion and obscurity of the texts and the tendency on the part of scholars to approach mythology and ritual independently. Tracing two key myths through a variety of texts, Jamison provides insight into the relationship between early Indic myth and ritual as well as offering a new methodology for their study.After a brief survey of Vedic literature and religion, Jamison examines the recurrences of the myths "Indra fed the Yatis to the hyenas" and "Svarbhanu pierced the sun with darkness." Focusing on their verbal form and ritual setting, she essays a general interpretation of the myths and their ritual purpose. Her book sheds new light on some central figures in Vedic mythology and on the evolution of Vedic mythological narrative, and it points to parallels in other cultures as well.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum:2011-04-07
Mått:152 x 229 x 24 mm
Vikt:907 g
Format:Häftad
Språk:Engelska
Serie:Myth and Poetics
Antal sidor:360
Förlag:Cornell University Press
ISBN:9780801477324

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Mer om författaren

Stephanie Jamison is Professor of Asian Languages and Cultures and Head of the Program in Indo-European Studies at UCLA. She is the author most recently of Sacrificed Wife/Sacrificer's Wife: Women, Ritual, and Hospitality in Ancient India and The Rig Veda between Two Worlds.

Recensioner i media

In The Ravenous Hyenas and the Wounded Sun, Stephanie Jamison rescues two Vedic myths from oblivion. In the process of this seemingly small task, she restores vigor to Vedic studies in particular and to the study of mythology in general.(Journal of Religion)

Innehållsförteckning

Foreword by Gregory NagyAcknowledgmentsAbbreviationsIntroductionA. "Vedic"B. The Textsi. The Vedasii. The Yajur Veda and the Brahmanasiii. The SutrasC. Vedic RitualD. Vedic MythologyE. The Case StudiesPART I. INDRA AND THE YATIS1. Texts2. ParticipantsA. The Yatisi. Ritualists or Shamans?ii. Death at the Ritualiii. The Yatis' Killing: A Sin of Indra's?B. The Salavrkeyasi. Hyenas and Their Youngii. Indra and the Mother Hyena3. The Ritual in the MythA. Yatis' Ritual FlawsB. The Yatis' Place on the Ritual Ground: The Uttaravedii. The Uttaravedi: A Dangerous Placeii. Some Fierce Transformationsiii. Why Is the Uttaravedi Dangerous?C. The Yatis' Ritual Successesi. The Sautramaniii. The Pasubandhaiii. The Varunapraghasa and the Kariri Isti4. The Episode of the SurvivorsA. Syumarasmi and the Horsei. A Clever Escape and a Second Birthii. The Sniff-Kissiii. What the Horse DidB. Indra as FatherAppendix: On Two Recent Treatments of the Yati MythPART II. SVARBHANU AND THE WOUNDED SUN5. The Texts and the MythA. The TextsB. Overview of the Myth6. The Remedies—Skin Diseases, Hair, and Fertility 146A. Apala: A Parallel to Svarbhanui. Apala's Storyii. Apala, Akupara, and Svarbhanuiii. The Tortoise Akuparaiv. Apala as Ritualistv. Apala's Objectivesvi. Indra, Pusan, and Marriage?B. Ritual and Magic Reflections of the Mythi. Skin Diseases and the Sun: Samalaii. The Rite for Splendoriii. A Charm against Skin Disease7. Rescuing the Sun—Failed Birth and RebirthA. Atri and Company: The Rescuers of the SunB. The Rebirth and Failed Birth of the Suni. The Rebirth of the Sunii. Other Mythic Descriptions of Birthiii. The Fourth SheepC. Some Other Failed Births of the Suni. Saving the Sun from Miscarriageii. Martanda/Vivasvantiii. Agni and Surya in the Womb8. Failed Birth and Rebirth of AtriA. Atri and MiscarriageB. The Atreyii. The Atreyi in Legal Textsii. Legal Reflections in the Brahmanasiii. The Atreyi in Atri's MythologyC. Atri as Symbol of Abortion in the Srauta SutrasD. Atri's Second Birthi. Atri's Kettle in the RVii. A Disguised Parallel in the JBiii. Wombs and Their Substitutes9. Atri's Qualifications and Means for Rescuing the Sun 243A. The Rescue of the Sun: Why Atri?B. Atri's ParentageC. Atri's Meansi. The Ritualii. 'Mere' Reverence and the Fourth Formulationiii. The Fourth (Part of) Speechiv. Creative Imperfectionv. Pied Beauty10. The Wounding of the SunA. Who Is Svarbhanu?B. What Did Svarbhanu Do to the Sun?i. The Piercing of the Sunii. The Maya of Svarbhanuiii. Smoke in the Skin-Disease Charm?C. The Svarbhanu Myth as Reflecting the Physical Worldi. Catastrophic Eventsii. Cyclical EventsD. What Did the Sun Say? RV V. 40. 7E. What Did the Sun Do Wrong?i. Prajapati's Incestii. The Participantsiii. Verbal Parallels between the Mythsiv. Why Heal the Sun?Glossary of Technical Terms in Vedic Ritual and ReligionA Note on Sanskrit PronunciationReferencesIndex of Passages CitedIndex of Sanskrit TermsGeneral Index