| dc.description.abstract |
Gender and sexuality in the Indic myths have long been a subject of
academic research (Brodbeck and Black, 2007; Smith, 1985; Dumezil,
1988; Hiltebeital, 1980). Asexual reproduction has been referred to
several times over in The Mahabharata. The celebrated Guru
Dronacharya proudly proclaimed that he was born ‘ayonija, i.e. not out
of a womb (1:61). The fabled Guru of the Pandavas was born out of a
‘water pot’ (1.120). Guru Kripacharya took birth from a clump of reed
(1.120). The commander-in chief of the army of the Devas, Kartikeyan,
also called Skanda, was born when Fire met Fire, i.e. from the union of
Lord Shiva and God Agni (1.60). The Epic recounts the haunting story
of Shikhandi, the trans-gender, who was presented as Shikhandini the
princess. In yet another instance of gender-bending The Mahabharata
cites the example of King Yuvanashwa who drank the sacred water
meant for his wife and gave birth to Mandhata, who in turn was wetnursed
by Lord Indra (3:126). Vashishtha, the great sage, was born of
two Vedic Gods, Mitra and Varuna (1.59). The Epic makes Arjuna take
up the role of Brihannala, the eunuch, who as a warrior saves the
fortunes of the Matsya Empire (4: 2). The Epic casts Vishnu as Mohini,
the enchantress, who saved the Devas by killing Rahu and Ketu (1:16).
It reiterates the Upanishadic rendition of Shiva as the primal ‘Purusha’
who was one with Prakriti, lauding him as ‘Ardhanarishwara’. |
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