Markandeya Purana (Study)
by Chandamita Bhattacharya | 2021 | 67,501 words
This page relates 鈥楽uperstitions Related to New Born Babies鈥� of the study on the Markandeya Purana, one of the oldest of the eigtheen Mahapuranas preserving the history, civilisation, culture and traditions of ancient India. The Markandeyapurana commences with the questions raised by Rishi Jaimini (a pupil of Vyasa), who approaches the sage Markandeya with doubts related to the Mahabharata. This study examines various social topics such as the status of women, modes of worship, yoga, etc.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Superstitions Related to New Born Babies
The effect of evil spirits in human life has been recognised in Indian from ancient times. The 惭腻谤办补峁囜笉别测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 describes some magical formula to fight against these evil spirits. These evil things are believed to cause harm to the people.
顿耻岣补丑补, son of 惭峁泃测耻 and 狈颈谤峁泃颈 (础濒补办峁墨) married Kali鈥檚 daughter Nirm膩r峁ａ弓i, she gave birth to eight sons and eight daughters.[1] They also have many children. These all children are said to be evil spirits for men, women, infants, pregnant women in society. They harmed the people causing physical injuries, moral vices and social offences.
顿补苍迟腻办峁涐梗峁璱鈥�
Dant膩k峁涐梗峁璱, son of Duhsaha, is a tooth-attacker who takes his position in the teeth of newborn babies and attack them which can be removed by the application of white mustard seeds on the bed and the teeth of the sleeping baby, bathing with medicinal herbs, reciting good scriptures and using an amulet of camel鈥檚 thorn, rhino鈥檚 bone, a sword or dressing him with a linen cloth.[2]
闯腻迟补丑腻谤颈峁嚹赌�
The word J膩tah膩ri峁嚹� means one who steals newborn babies.[3] This evil spirit takes away the baby, who is lying in a chamber, destitute of fire, water, incense, lamp or weapon, pestle, ashes (产丑奴迟颈) and mustard seed. This evil spirit is very terrible who feeds on flesh. So it is advised to strenuously guard in the lying-in chamber against J膩tah膩i峁嚹�.[4] An incident of, replacement of son by J膩tah膩ri峁嚹� has been mentioned in the 73rd chapter of the 惭腻谤办补峁囜笉别测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺. In this story Manu 颁腻办峁峁 was transferred to the place of king 痴颈办谤腻苍迟补鈥檚 son and he was also transferred to the place of a Brahmin by the J膩tah膩ri峁嚹�.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
惭腻谤办补峁囜笉别测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺., 48.1,2
[2]:
Ibid., 48.8-10
[3]:
F.E. Pargiter, The 惭腻谤办补峁囜笉别测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, p. 229
[4]:
惭腻谤办补峁囜笉别测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 48.107-109