Hack thy Śepa – Crush thy Muṣka: Emasculation of Supernatural Sex Criminals in the Atharvaveda

International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VI, Issue VI, June 2019 | ISSN 2321–2705

Hack thy Śepa – Crush thy Muṣka: Emasculation of Supernatural Sex Criminals in the Atharvaveda

Rohana Seneviratne

Department of Classical Languages, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

Abstract: The Atharvaveda that deviates from the hieratic tradition of Hinduism becauseof the popular or applied dimensions of Vedic religion in it contains numerous spells directed to the supernatural. The spells for exorcising spirits who commit sex crimes are notable for their coarse language and uncouth content, particularly when compared to Vedic laudatory hymns in a refined language. The Gandharvas and other supernatural beings notorious for sexually abusing mortal women encounter mantric threats characterised by derision. This paper examines the Vedic practice of imprecating upon supernatural sex criminals and analyses the language of the Atharvavedic spells employed for that purpose. Further, it argues that similar practices may have been in use to penalise mortal sex criminals as reflected in pertinent Vedic terms and phrases.

Keywords: Atharvaveda, supernatural beings, sex criminals, emasculation, Vedic literature

I. INTRODUCTION

One of the ways the content of the Atharvaveda (AV), aptly designated as the Veda of the masses, could vary is in terms of its language. Among the two categories of its spells recognised as ‘atharvan’ and ‘aṅgiras’, which roughly translate as white magic and black magic respectively, are found a good number of spells belonging to the latter category and presented in an intimidating and coarse language. The entire content of a spell of that sort cannot be generalised as linguistically and semantically uncouth but most of it deviates from the norm. Nor could the overall effect anticipated from the exercise of such spells be determined solely as black magic on the ground of its language since even the spells aimed at good purposes may contain coarse language against the evil. The Vedic literature is replete with loads of revealing references not only to the ancient Indians’ sexual life but also to both supports and disturbances to it by non-humans. Further, as reflected in the literature, most of the mundane dimensions of life, like sexuality, have anthropomorphically been attributed to non-humans. This fact is not different regarding manhood too. The objective of this paper is to examine briefly the Vedic practice of casting imprecations upon supernatural sex criminals and then to analyse the peculiarities of the language exercised for that purpose. The scope of this study is narrowed down to the sorcerous spells aimed at emasculating male sex criminals, the mortal in general and the supernatural in particular – precisely the Gandharvas.

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