Essay name: Vasudevahindi (cultural history)
Author:
A. P. Jamkhedkar
Affiliation: Savitribai Phule Pune University / Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute Pune
This essay is an English study of the Vasudevahindi reflecting cultural history and traditions of the life of people in ancient and medieval India during the 6th century. The Vasudevahimdi is a romantic and religious tale that revolves around the wanderings of Vasudeva (a former Jain monk) and religious teachings in the guise of love stories, a common theme of poetry in Jainism.
Chapter 4 - Economic Conditions
15 (of 79)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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390
Disease and demi-gods :
The origin of a disease was many times
attributed to demigods or demons. An epidemic like mari
have been
was believed to spread by a god named Mahakala. The
disease was brought under control by Brahmins with the
performance of animal sacrifices鹿. Thinking that Princess
Sirimati's dumbness was because of the Jambhaga gods,
was offered to them, so also sacrifice and other
pacificatory rites were performed 虏. Similar rites were
a bali
performed also when Amsumamta thought that Vasudeva was
possessed by Pisaya鲁.
Charms :
Charms were employed to ward off (ussarani)
wild animals like tigers and serpents 4. Reference to
a peculiar way of curing a person of snake-bite has been
referred to in the Vh(P). The snake charmer, it seems,
could summon the serpent, ask him to suck back the poison
injected by it. If the serpent did not suck the poison,
the alternative for it was to die in fire 5. Medicinal
herbs were also employed sometimes in cases of snake-bite.
2. Ibid., 171, also 222.
6 1. Vh(P), 189.
3. Ibid., 213.
4. Ibid., 55.
5. Ibid., 254.
6. Ibid., 317.
