.svg)
6
edits
Shunahshepa: Difference between revisions
no edit summary
imported>JJMC89 bot III m (Moving Category:People in Hindu mythology to Category:Characters in Hindu mythology per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Log/2021 June 18#Category:People in Hindu mythology) |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 5: | Line 5: | ||
| family = [[Vishvamitra]] | | family = [[Vishvamitra]] | ||
}} | }} | ||
'''Shunahshepa''' ([[IAST]]: Śunaḥśepa) is a legendary sage mentioned in the Indian [[Indian epic poetry|epics]] . A number of passages in ''[[Rigveda]]'' are attributed to him. He was adopted by the sage [[Vishvamitra]], and given the new name '''Devarata'''. His name is also transliterated as Cunahcepa, Cunahçepa, Sunahsephas, Sunahshepa, and Shunashepa. He was first mentioned in Mandala 1, Hymn 24 of the Rigveda as a devotee of the god [[Varuna]]. | '''<span lang="Sa" dir="ltr">Shunahshepa</span>''' ([[IAST]]: Śunaḥśepa) is a legendary sage mentioned in the Indian [[Indian epic poetry|epics]]. A number of passages in ''[[Rigveda]]'' are attributed to him. He was adopted by the sage [[Vishvamitra|<span lang="sa" dir="ltr">Vishvamitra</span>]], and given the new name '''Devarata'''. His name is also transliterated as Cunahcepa, Cunahçepa, Sunahsephas, Sunahshepa, and Shunashepa. He was first mentioned in Mandala 1, Hymn 24 of the Rigveda as a devotee of the god [[Varuna]]. | ||
According to a legend, Shunahshepa was chosen to be [[human sacrifice|sacrificed]] in a ritual, but was saved after praying to the Rigvedic deities. The earliest extant text to mention this legend is ''[[Aitareya Brahmana]]'' (7.13-18) of ''[[Rigveda]]''. The story is repeated in the ''[[Balakanda]]'' (1.61) of [[Valmiki]]'s ''[[Ramayana]]'' with some variations. Several other texts borrow the story: these include ''Sankhyana Srauta Sutra'', ''[[Baudhayana Shrauta Sutra]]'', the [[Puranas]], and the works of [[Chandrakirti]] among others. | According to a legend, Shunahshepa was chosen to be [[human sacrifice|sacrificed]] in a ritual, but was saved after praying to the Rigvedic deities. The earliest extant text to mention this legend is ''[[Aitareya Brahmana]]'' (7.13-18) of ''[[Rigveda]]''. The story is repeated in the ''[[Balakanda]]'' (1.61) of [[Valmiki]]'s ''[[Ramayana]]'' with some variations. Several other texts borrow the story: these include ''Sankhyana Srauta Sutra'', ''[[Baudhayana Shrauta Sutra]]'', the [[Puranas]], and the works of [[Chandrakirti]] among others. | ||
| Line 17: | Line 17: | ||
Varuna agreed to the replacement on the basis that a Brahmin was a worthy substitute for a [[Kshatriya]]. King Harishchandra combined the sacrifice with his own [[Rajasuya]] ceremony. Four [[Vedic priesthood|priests]] were called to conduct the sacrifice: Ayasya (the [[udgatr]]), [[Jamadagni]] (the [[adhvaryu]]), [[Vashistha]] (the brahman) and [[Vishvamitra]] (the [[hotar]]). However, all of them refused to bind Shunahshepa to the sacrificial post. Ajigarta then offered to bind his son for another hundred cows. Rohita accepted the offer, and Ajigarta bound Shunahshepa to the post. However, the priests refused to slaughter him. Ajigarta then offered to sacrifice his own son in exchange for another hundred cows. The prince agreed to his demand. As Ajigarta readied to kill his own son, Shunahshepa prayed to the [[Rigvedic deities]]. With his last hymn, which invoked [[Ushas]] (the deity of the dawn), his bonds were loosened and King Harishchandra was also cured of his illness.<ref name="David_1991"/> | Varuna agreed to the replacement on the basis that a Brahmin was a worthy substitute for a [[Kshatriya]]. King Harishchandra combined the sacrifice with his own [[Rajasuya]] ceremony. Four [[Vedic priesthood|priests]] were called to conduct the sacrifice: Ayasya (the [[udgatr]]), [[Jamadagni]] (the [[adhvaryu]]), [[Vashistha]] (the brahman) and [[Vishvamitra]] (the [[hotar]]). However, all of them refused to bind Shunahshepa to the sacrificial post. Ajigarta then offered to bind his son for another hundred cows. Rohita accepted the offer, and Ajigarta bound Shunahshepa to the post. However, the priests refused to slaughter him. Ajigarta then offered to sacrifice his own son in exchange for another hundred cows. The prince agreed to his demand. As Ajigarta readied to kill his own son, Shunahshepa prayed to the [[Rigvedic deities]]. With his last hymn, which invoked [[Ushas]] (the deity of the dawn), his bonds were loosened and King Harishchandra was also cured of his illness.<ref name="David_1991"/> | ||
Vishvamitra, one of the priests, offered to adopt Shunahshepa as his eldest son. Reviling his own father Ajigarta as a [[Shudra]], Shunahshepa agreed. Vishvamitra gave him the name Devarata ("deity-given"). Half of Vishvamitra's sons - the younger ones - accepted Devarata as their elder brother. However, the elder ones refused to accept the adoption. Vishvamitra then cursed their offspring to be exiled out of [[Aryavarta]]. According to the Aitareya Brahmana, the descendants of these 50 sons included the [[ | Vishvamitra, one of the priests, offered to adopt Shunahshepa as his eldest son. Reviling his own father Ajigarta as a [[Shudra]], Shunahshepa agreed. Vishvamitra gave him the name Devarata ("deity-given"). Half of Vishvamitra's sons - the younger ones - accepted Devarata as their elder brother. However, the elder ones refused to accept the adoption. Vishvamitra then cursed their offspring to be exiled out of [[Aryavarta]]. According to the Aitareya Brahmana, the descendants of these 50 sons included the [[Āndhra (tribe)|Āndhra]]s, the [[Mūtiba]]s, the [[Pulinda]]s, the [[Pundra Kingdom|Pundras]], the [[Sora people|Śabara]s, and the various [[Dasyu]] tribes.<ref name="Wendy_1998">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YxoaUKmMG9gC&pg=PA22 |title=Textual Sources for the Study of Hinduism |author=[[Wendy Doniger]] |publisher=University of Chicago Press |isbn=9780226618470 |year=1998 |pages=22–25 }}</ref><ref name="David_1991"/> | ||
== Ramayana legend == | == Ramayana legend == | ||
| Line 29: | Line 29: | ||
== Interpretations == | == Interpretations == | ||
According to scholars like [[Arthur Berriedale Keith]] and [[Rudolf von Roth]], the intent of the legend is to show that [[human sacrifice]] is an unacceptable practice. However, some others, such as [[Rajendralal Mitra]], [[Max Müller]] and [[Julius Eggeling]], believe that the legend indicates the existence of human sacrifice as a practice around the time the legend originated, and that the legend marks Shunahshepa's case as an exception.<ref name="Jan_1997">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0tPjVJF8roYC&pg=PA161 |title=The Strange World of Human Sacrifice |author=Jan N. Bremmer |publisher=Peeters |year=1997 |isbn=9789042918436 |pages=161–165 }}</ref> | According to scholars like [[Arthur Berriedale Keith]] and [[Rudolf von Roth]], the intent of the legend is to show that [[human sacrifice]] (''[[purushamedha]]'') is an unacceptable practice. However, some others, such as [[Rajendralal Mitra]], [[Max Müller]] and [[Julius Eggeling]], believe that the legend indicates the existence of human sacrifice as a practice around the time the legend originated, and that the legend marks Shunahshepa's case as an exception.<ref name="Jan_1997">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0tPjVJF8roYC&pg=PA161 |title=The Strange World of Human Sacrifice |author=Jan N. Bremmer |publisher=Peeters |year=1997 |isbn=9789042918436 |pages=161–165 }}</ref> | ||
According to David Gordon White, the original Shunahshepa myth alluded to in ''Rigveda'' (in passages attributed to Shunahshepa) may have been an astronomical explanation for the fact that the three stars in the [[Ursa Minor]]'s tail never fall below the line of horizon. However, its variants in ''Aitareya Brahmana'' and ''Sankhyana Srauta Sutra'' are an origin myth for the outcasts, who are described as the descendants of Vishvamitra's disobedient sons.<ref name="David_1991"/> | According to David Gordon White, the original Shunahshepa myth alluded to in ''Rigveda'' (in passages attributed to Shunahshepa) may have been an astronomical explanation for the fact that the three stars in the [[Ursa Minor]]'s tail never fall below the line of horizon. However, its variants in ''Aitareya Brahmana'' and ''Sankhyana Srauta Sutra'' are an origin myth for the outcasts, who are described as the descendants of Vishvamitra's disobedient sons.<ref name="David_1991"/> | ||
| Line 38: | Line 38: | ||
* The inhumane father Ajigarta not only sells his son, but also agrees to murder him for an additional payment. | * The inhumane father Ajigarta not only sells his son, but also agrees to murder him for an additional payment. | ||
* Vishvamitra falls somewhere in the middle of the spectrum, cursing the sons who don't obey him and rewarding the ones who do. | * Vishvamitra falls somewhere in the middle of the spectrum, cursing the sons who don't obey him and rewarding the ones who do. | ||
== Secondary literature == | |||
The story of Shunahshepa has been retold and adapted into poetry and plays in India. These versions vary from each other depending on which version of the story they are based on. | |||
=== Poetry === | |||
* [[Jaishankar Prasad]]'s poetry collection Karunalay features a retelling of the story of Shunahshepa in the form of poetic drama or [[gītināṭya]]. | |||
* Vijay Kumar Singh's 2022 poetry collection [[Shunahshep & Nachiketa]] features a retelling of the version of Shunahshepa's story mentioned in the [[Aitareya Brahmana]], in the form of an epic poem written in [[Hindi]]. | |||
=== Graphic Novel === | |||
* [[Amar Chitra Katha|Amar Chitra katha]] new series number DG461 titled Shunahshepa, published in 1983, tells the story of Shunahshepa in the form of a graphic novel. | |||
== See also == | == See also == | ||