Secondary Tales of the Two Great Epics

Author(s): Rajendra I Nanavati
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 55

Secondary Tales of the two Great Epics
Even in MBh, Kaśyapa is said to be the father of “these creatures"63 through the thirteen daughters of Daksa. When, therefore, Kaśyapa's son Vibhāņdaka is said to procreate a son named Rsyaśộnga in a doe, 59 we need not resort to totemic or tribal interpretation of the myth as some do. 60 Of course, it is not unlikely that the sage wore a deer-horn on his head. Such a possibility has, in fact, been pointed out. Dange, for example, says: "In the case of Rsyaśțnga it is doubtful if the Rşi had an original horn on the head; it appears rather more probable that the horn was attached, in view of the belief in the power of fertility and virility in the horn.”61 But looking to the continuation of the mythical development of the tale from the Brāhmaṇas to the Purānas and the Great Epics, it seems more probable that the whole myth is nothing but simply the result of pastoral symbolisation, wherein the original Prajāpati (the lord of Creatures) becomes Kaśyapa, while his transformation into a deer combines, through the agency of Lord Rudra-Pasupati, 62 to give the phallic symbol of deer-horn where horn stands as the phallic symbol par excellence. The intervention of Vibhāndaka ('one with lost or broken vessels' !) in the genealogy is rather difficult to explain but the Tibetan version might have some clue in that direction,63 which we shall presently try to consider.
The second characteristic -- the sage's seduction by a female - points to another aspect of the tale. Once we grant that the name of the sage reveals a phallic symbol intended to serve for profuse procreation, the seduction part of the tale automatically falls into place as a sort of mimetic magic always shown to result in rains in the drought-stricken countries. In the Alambusā Jātaka, Indra releases rains after the nymph seduces the sage. The only change in the Naļiņikā-Jātaka is that the seducer there is the princess Naļiņikā instead of the nymph. The more sophisticated epic-versions show the princess śāntā being actually given to the sage in marriage. The Tibetan version, on the other hand, is more outspoken. It tells us that 63(the 58 Cf. Adip, 59, 11.
mariceh Kaśyapaḥ putraḥ Kaśyapāt tu imaḥ prajah /
prajajñire mahābhāga dakşa-kanyás trayoda sa // 59 Cf. VanP. 110, 4 ab.
mţgyām jātaḥ sa tejasvi kasyapasya sutah prabhuḥ 60 As, for example, Sitanath Pradhan does in chronology of Ancient India (Calcutta Univertity,
1927). Cf. "There we find that Vibhāndaka Kāśyapa... had his son named Rgyasțnga by a Mrgi (evidently a non-Aryan maid)". p. 156.
Pastoral Symbolism from the Rgveda, Dr.S.A. Dange, University of Poona, Poona 7.1970. p. 107 62. It will be interesting to note in this connection the myth given in the Satapatha Brāhmana.
VI. 1.3.8-20. Prajāpati placed his energy in Uşas. Uşas gave birth to a son. The son cried as soon as he was born. So Prajāpati named him 'Rudra' from rud-'to cry'. But the son became Fire. So he was named Agni'. He claimed, he was greater than his name, so he was called 'Sarva' (sarva). "Thus claiming to be greater than his name every time, he obtained the names of 'Ap', 'Pasupati', Ugra', 'Ašani', 'Bhava', 'Mahadeva', and 'iśāna', thus obtaining
eight names in all. 63 See above footnote No. 48. There, the son breaks up the father's vessels which contain water
So the father virtually becomes 'vi-bhandaka'!
61 Po
names of Carva). “Thusmed. Agni. med him or