Hitopadesha Book 1 - 0005 The Friendship of Hiranyaka and Laghupatanaka : How a Crow and Mouse Became Good Friends

Table of Contents

• 1. How Hiranyaka and Laghupatanaka became friends
• 2. Analysis
• 3. The Characters
  • 3.1. Significance of the Creatures
  • 3.2. Meaning of Names
• 4. Correlations with Other Scriptures

 How Hiranyaka and Laghupatanaka became friends

Recap

The pigeon king, who with his followers, was trapped inside a net, had reached out to the mouse king, Hiranyaka, for help. The mouse had cut the net thus freeing the pigeons. This had been spotted by a crow, Laghupatanaka, who impressed by this wanted to be friends with the mouse.

The mouse said a crow and a mouse could not be friends and he began telling the crow about the deer, the crow and the jackal.

The jackal wanted to eat the deer but the crow tried to warn the deer, by telling the story of a vulture and a cat.

After that, the deer got trapped in a field and then realized the worth of the crow’s words.

The mouse king ended his story and said a crow and mouse could not be friends.

Ramayana of Krittivasa - 0011 -Angshuman’s Journey to Patala and Recovering the Horse

Table of Contents

• Angshuman finds the horse
• Analysis
• Comparison: Krittibas vs. Valmiki
• Presence in Other Texts

---

Angshuman finds the horse

Recap
The sixty thousand sons of Sagara were cursed to have a short life. When Indra stole the sacrificial horse, these sixty thousand searched the whole earth, looking for the horse and causing destruction. They then dug their way into the earth and ended up in Patala.
There they saw the horse tied in Rishi Kapil’s ashrama. Thinking the rishi was the thief, they struck the rishi, who immediately burnt them to ashes.

King Janamejaya: Analyzing Flaws and his Redemption

Janamejaya: Analysis of his character

The character of Janamejaya is interesting. While his grandfather was a prince in the Dwapara Yuga (Abhimanyu), by the time Janamejaya is the king, Kali Yuga has started. He is the king to whom the Mahabharata is recited. While the Sanskrit Mahabharata shows Janamejaya as a focused, though vengeful king, the Bengali versions—like Kashidas’s work—bring out flaws in his character.

Mahabharata of Kashidas - 0026 - The Forbidden Yagna and The Dancing Head of Horse

• The Ashvamedha Yagna of Janamejaya
  • Recap
  • The Sacrifice and the Ministers' Advice
  • The War on Kusha Grass
  • Vyasa’s Warning and the King’s Stubbornness
  • The Ashvamedha and the Spectacle of the Absurd
  • A Final Tragedy and Isolation
• Analysis
  • Probable Reference Sources

The Ashvamedha Yagna of Janamejaya

Recap:
Uttanka had been asked to fetch the earrings from the queen of Paushya. When Uttanka had stopped on the way back to perform ablutions, Takshaka had stolen the earrings. Uttanka then went to Patala and retrieved the earrings. He was angry and he went to Janamejaya. There he asked the king to take revenge, after all Takshaka was the killer of Parikshit. Hearing this Janamejaya started the snake sacrifice. It had started when Astika, wanting to save the Nagas, arrived there and had the sacrifice stopped.

Hitopadesha Book 1 - 0004 - The Vulture, The Cat and The Birds - Beyond Sweet Speech

Table of Contents

• 1. The Vulture, The Cat and The Birds
• 2. Analysis
  • 2.1. Characters and Their Representations
  • 2.2. Correlations with Scriptures

The Vulture, The Cat and The Birds

A recap:
A deer had been spotted by a crafty jackal, Kshudrabuddhi. The jackal had just one objective, flatter the deer, gain its confidence and then eat it. It got friendly with the deer. When the deer introduced the jackal to his friend, a crow Subuddhi, the crow warned the deer against trusting strangers, and started telling this story.

Ramayana of Krittivasa - 0010 - The Ashvamedha Yagna of King Sagara and the Fate of his Sixty Thousand Sons

Table of Contents

• 1. The sons of Sagara burnt
  • 1.1 The Ashvamedha Yagna
  • 1.2 The Search for the Horse
  • 1.3 The Confrontation with Rishi Kapila
• 2. Analysis
  • 2.1. Occurrence in the Valmiki Ramayana
    • 2.1.1 Differences between Krittibas and Valmiki
    • 2.1.2 Other Scriptural Sources

---

The sons of Sagara burnt

Recap
The last post was on the birth of Sagara’s sons and why Sagara banished his eldest son, Asamanja.

The Ashvamedha Yagna

Mahabharata of Kashidas - 0025 - Astika Halted King Janamejaya’s Snake Sacrifice

Table of Contents

• 1. Astika stops the sacrifice
• 2. Difference in the Mahabharata versions
• 3. Analysis
• 4. Astika
  • - Source Location
  • - Correlations & Parallels
  • - Use of the fruit metaphor

 Astika stops the sacrifice

Recap:

The last post had a few things

 Janamejaya started the sacrifice.

Snakes started getting pulled into the flames.

As soon Janamejaya made his decision, Takshaka went and took refuge under Indra.

Vasuki asked Astika to stop the sacrifice.

Astika reached the site and started chanting mantras.

This post takes off, from there.

Hitopadesha Book 1 - 0003 The Deer, the Crow, and the Jackal

Table of Contents

• The Deer, the Crow and the Jackal
• Analysis
  • Significance of the Jackal
  • Meanings of Names and Daily Life Correlation
  • Lessons
  • Source and Similarities in Scriptures
  • The Vulture and the Cat (The Teaser)

---

The Deer, the Crow and the Jackal

A recap:

Laghupatanaka, the crow, had seen the mouse Hiranyaka free the pigeons. He was amazed and realized the value of true friendship. He went to the mouse and wanted to be his friend. The mouse said ‘a crow and a mouse could not be friends'. A mouse was food for a crow. He then began telling the story of the jackal, the crow and the deer.

Ramayana of Krittivasa - 0009 - The Birth of Sagara’s Sixty Thousand Sons and the Exile of Asamanja

Table of Contents

• Sixty Thousand sons of Sagara are born
• Analysis
  • Meanings of Names & Contextual Fit
  • The Birth of Sagara in Vishnu Purana
  • Presence in Valmiki Ramayana & Other Texts
  • Comparative Character Matrix of Asamanja
  • Character Analysis: Examples in Daily Life
  • Parallels in Mahabharata

---

Sixty Thousand sons of Sagara are born

Recap: The last post was on the trials of Harishchandra. While most texts call his son Rohit or Rohitasva, the Bengali Ramayana of Krittibas refers to his son as Rohidas. In the previous post, I had mentioned why this name was used. Let us continue from the point where Harishchandra left the earth for heaven.

From Puranas to the Digital World: A Tribute To My Mother and All other Mothers

It is said that a mother is a child’s first teacher. She nurtures the child. The child then learns about their culture, their heritage etc. from their mother. It was my mother who had instilled in me the love for the Ramayana of Krittibas. There used to be this illustrated version, which my mother used to read from and explain what that meant. I enjoyed the Ramayana more than the Mahabharata of Kashidas. For one, the Ramayana was a simpler story and the book was illustrated. The Mahabharata was not illustrated. The fat book with no illustrations was of no interest to a five-year-old me then.

Mahabharata of Kashidas - 0024 - The Snake Sacrifice Begins

Table of Contents

• The Start of the Sacrifice
• Analysis
  • Textual Comparisons
    • 1. Kashidas vs. Vyasa
    • 2. Parallels with Other Scriptures

The start of the sacrifice

Recap:
After hearing the details of his father’s passing from his ministers, Janamejaya resolved to perform the Snake Sacrifice.

The Influence of Vernacular Epics on Rabindranath Tagore - A tribute to the Poet on Pochishay Boishak

Note – 7^th May was Rabindranath Tagore’s birthday as per the English Calendar. This post is my tribute to the great Nobel laureate, who is a ‘Thakur’ for many Bengalis worldwide. Pochishay Boishak (25^th day of the month of Baishak – April / May), Rabindranath Tagore’s birthday as per the Bengali calendar, falls this year on 9^th May. So, I thought, let me also share something, which is linked (indirectly) to the posts I share here. This post will be a day late, I hope I am excused for that.

Hitopadesha Book 1 - 0002 The Meditating Tiger and the United Pigeons

Table of Contents

• The Tiger and the Traveller
• The Pigeons and the Mouse-King
• Analysis
  • Characters and Daily Life Parallels
  • Significance of the Tiger in the Story
  • Name Meanings and Context
  • Lessons
  • Correlation with Scriptures and Itihasa
  • Hitopadesha vs. Panchatantra
  • Similarities with Non-Indian Texts

---

The Tiger and the Traveller

A recap: Laghupatanaka, the crow, had seen the hunter set his net and scatter grains of rice to trap birds. The pigeon king and his followers had seen this. To make sure the pigeons did not go and start eating the grain, the king had started telling them the story of the tiger and the traveller.

Story of Harishchandra - as told in The Devi Bhagavata Purana

King Harishchandra in the Devi Bhagavata Purana

In continuation of the Harishchandra story, I am sharing here what the Devi Bhagavata Purana says about Harishchandra. This is in reference to my post of the story of Harishchandra, as told in the Ramayana of Krittibas.

Story of Harishchandra - as told in The Markandeya Purana

 

I had shared the story of Harishchandra as told in the Ramayana of Krittibas. I had shared a few lines there, as to how that tale differs from the one stated in the Markandeya Purana.
In this post, I am sharing the tale as told in the Markandeya Purana.

The story of Harishchandra – as told in Markandeya Purana.

Ramayana of Krittivasa - 0008 - Harishchandra and the Test of Dharma

Table of Contents

• Harishchandra
• Analysis
  • 1. Character Analysis & Daily Life Representation
  • 2. Why is Yama called Dharmaraj?
  • 3. The creature: Significance of the Pig
  • 4. Name Meanings & The Bengali Perspective
  • 5. Scriptural Correlations & Variations
  • 6. The Tale of Trishanku
    • Mid-Air Symbolism
  • 7. Lessons to Learn

Harishchandra

Mahabharata of Kashidas - 0023 - Why Janamejaya Started the Snake Sacrifice

Table of Contents

• Why Janamejaya Started the Snake Sacrifice
• Analysis & Philosophy
• Actions and Characters: Representations in Daily Life
• Significance of the Creature: Takshaka
• Meanings of Names & Contextual Fit
• Lessons to Learn
• Parallels with Other Scriptures & Texts
• Conclusion: Breaking the Cycle

Recap:
Janamejaya had been ruling the kingdom unaware of the exact circumstances of his father's death. When Uttanka came to him and spoke to him, that is when he wanted to hear from his ministers the complete chain of events that had led to the death of Parikshit. 

Why Janamejaya Started the Snake Sacrifice

Hitopadesha Book 1 - 0001 - Laghupatanaka sees the net being placed

Table of Contents

• Laghupatanaka spots the hunter
• Analysis
  • 1. Philosophy & Significance
  • 2. Character Analysis & Representations
  • 3. The Choice of Creatures
  • 4. Meanings of the Names
  • 5. Scriptural Correlations & Parallels
  • 6. Lessons to Learn

Laghupatanaka spots the hunter

The Science of Storytelling in Panchatantra and Hitopadesha

Before I get into the stories from Hitopadesha, I thought I will touch on the story form, which is how Panchatantra and Hitopadesha work.