Markandeya Purana (Study)
by Chandamita Bhattacharya | 2021 | 67,501 words
This page relates 鈥楽uperstitions Related to Women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 Women
笔补谤颈惫补谤迟补鈥�
The evil spirit Parivrata by name, always inter changes the foetus from one womb to the other womb. Also the words in the mouth of a speaker. A person can fight against Parivarta by using white mustard and the spells that destroy the 搁腻办峁蝉 as (搁补办峁驳丑苍补 mantra).[1]
痴颈谤奴辫补 and 痴颈办峁泃补鈥�
These two evil spirits [痴颈谤奴辫补 and 痴颈办峁泃补] who inhabit in the tops of trees, mountains, ditches, ramparts and sea and interchange the foetus from one pregnant woman to another. This 辫耻谤腻峁嘺 advised that a pregnant woman should not visit a tree, a mountain, a rampat, a ditch and the sea.[2]
Six Sons of Ga峁囜笉apr膩ntarati鈥�
The six sons of Ga峁囜笉apr膩ntarati are identified as evil spirits of woman. All are supposed to dwell in women's menses or periods. One should take possession of the first four day after menstruation and the thirteenth day. Also powerful on the eleventh day, at dawn, tow others on occasions of 艣谤腻诲诲丑补蝉 and alms giving, at festivals. A man should avoid sexual intercourse on these particular days.[3]
骋补谤产丑补丑补苍鈥�
This word [garbhahan] means the foetus-destroyer.[4] This evil spirit destroys the foetus of the pregnant ladies. For the remedy the woman should always remain secure and take protection against this evil spirit. For this woman should take constant personal purification, to write out famous spells, wear auspicious garlands and other decorations, dwell in well cleaned house and should abstain from over exertion.[5]
Nighna and Mohan墨鈥�
The word nighna means slayer and 尘辞丑补苍墨 means beguiler.[6] Nighna enters with in the womb and eats foetus of a pregnant woman. Then Mohan墨 beguiles it as a result of which the offspring born at a later stage as snakes, frogs, tortoise and reptiles or as ordure. Nighna enters into pregnant woman within some particular situations. Such as-at the six months pregnant woman who in waywardness eats flesh, who seeks the shade of trees by night, who stay at a place where three or four roads meet, who stands in a burning ground or cemetary or any place pervaded by strong smells, who leaves off her upper cloths and who weeps at mid-night.[7]
峁歵耻丑腻谤颈办腻鈥�
峁歵耻丑腻谤颈办腻 is an evil spirit directly connected with a woman after puberty. The word 峁歵耻丑腻谤颈办腻 means the stealer of the menses.[8] This demon spirit rob the monthly courses or periods of women when they have begun and before they have begun. For the remedy one should have to bathe at the place of pilgrimage, at temples, besides sacred public objects, on mountain tops, at river confluence, in excavated places etc.[9]
碍耻肠补丑补谤腻鈥�
The word 办耻肠补丑补谤腻 means the breasts stealer.[10] This evil spirit deprives the maiden of their breasts. Kucahar膩 robs the breast of the maiden whose marriage rite is not performed duly or marriage rite is performed after the prescribed proper time.[11]
痴测补帽箩补苍补丑腻谤颈办补鈥�
The word 惫测补帽箩补苍补丑腻谤颈办补 refers to one who steals the signs of puberty.[12] This evil spirit snatches puberty of married women, if she gets married without duly offering 艣谤腻诲诲丑补 ceremony and without paying debts she owes to her mother or without worshipping her mother.[13]
厂尘峁泃颈丑补谤腻鈥�
The word Sm峁泃ihar膩 means stealer of the memory.[14] This evil spirit deprives the memory of women. It can be overcome by staying separately or alone.[15]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Ibid., 48.13 cd-15 ab; 峁欢惫别诲补, 4.4.4-5; Atharvaveda, 1.28; 5.29; 罢补颈迟迟颈谤墨测补蝉补峁僪颈迟腻, 1.2.14.1-2
[2]:
M膩rka峁囜笉eya辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 48.63 b-66 a
[3]:
峁岣峚paty膩ni kathyante ga峁囜笉apr膩ntaratest补迟丑腻 //
str墨n膩峁� rajasyavasth膩na峁� tes膩峁� k膩la艣 ca me 艣ru峁噓 /
catvaryah膩ni p奴rv膩峁噄 tathaivanyat trayoda艣am //
ekade艣峁� tathaiv膩nyadapatya峁� tasya vai dine /
anyaddin膩bhigamane 艣谤腻诲诲丑补d膩ne t补迟丑腻pare //
parvasv补迟丑腻nyat tasm膩ttu varjy膩nyet膩ni pa峁囜笉itai岣� / Ibid., 48.74 b-77 a
[4]:
F. E. Pargiter, The M膩rka峁囜笉eya辫耻谤腻峁嘺, p. 223
[5]:
[6]:
F. E. Pargiter, The M膩rka峁囜笉eya辫耻谤腻峁嘺, p. 227
[7]:
M膩rka峁囜笉eya辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 48.77 b-81 a
[8]:
F. E. Pargiter, The M膩rka峁囜笉eya辫耻谤腻峁嘺, p. 224
[9]:
M膩rka峁囜笉eya辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 48.42-44
[10]:
F. E. Pargiter, The M膩rka峁囜笉eya辫耻谤腻峁嘺, p. 229
[11]:
[12]:
F. E. Pargiter, The M膩rka峁囜笉eya辫耻谤腻峁嘺, p. 229
[13]:
samyak sr膩ddamadattv膩 ca t补迟丑腻nabhyarcya 尘腻迟峁沰腻岣� /
viv膩hit膩y膩岣� kany膩y膩岣� harati 惫测补帽箩补苍补峁� t补迟丑腻 // M膩rka峁囜笉eya辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 48.106
[14]:
F. E. Pargiter, The M膩rka峁囜笉eya辫耻谤腻峁嘺, p. 225