12.2

Bhuta-Vidya

474-508

12.2.1

Vaidik Daimonologies

474-9

12.2.2

Ayus-vaidik Daimonologies

479-83

12.2.3

Graha : Grasper

483-6

12.2.4

Samkhya Entities

486-7

12.2.5

Bhuta-Vidya Sections of Samhita-s

487-97

12.2.6

Psychodynamics of Bhuta-s

497-508

12.2.1

Vaidik Daimonologies

474-9

p. 474

“The R.[c] V[eda] identifies … categories of ethereal beings … who opposed humanity rather than the gods. … Among the most important of these beings were the gandharva, raks.as, yatu or yatudhana, and, later, the pis`aca.”

p. 558, n. 12:10

“For convenient summaries see, e.g., Keith 1925:231-242; Oldenberg 1988:131-134. Bhattacharyya 2000 supplies much more detail ...; see ... ch. 2 on "Vedic Demonology.”

“The term bhutavidya first appears in Chandogya Upanis.ad … 7.1.2 …, where it is listed along with … divine knowledge (devavidya), and understanding of brahman (brahmanvidya).”

[according to (p. 558, n. 12:12) S`ankha-ayana Gr.hya-sutra 4:9:3, and according to As`vala-ayana Gr.hya-sutra 3:4:2 ] “the following celestial, semi-celestial … bhutas are to receive … offerings [of water] : apsaras, gandharva, naga, siddha, sadhya, … yaks.a, and raks.as”.

p. 558, n. 12:13

"Dhakry 1984 ...

p. 559, n. 12:13

posits bhutas and "elemental[spirit]s" and bhuta[-]nayakas as "captains of the elemental[spirit]s."

{More descriptive than either "elements" (Epistole to the Galates 4:9) or "elementals" is the term (employed by Paracelsus) "elemental spirits" : this last being the usual Rosicrucian mode of address.}

p. 474

“a ra'ks.as further identified as an a'miva …

{/Miva/ is 'a tape-worm' (S-ED) : so that, just as A-ghora is Ghora as honored by devotees; likewise A-miva must be Miva (the Tapeworm-deity) as honored by devotees.}

separates the thighs and enters the womb while the husband

p. 475

and wife are sleeping together, in order to lick the inside of the womb ([R.c Veda] 10.162.4)”.

“The R.V (10.161.1) speaks of a grahi : a female spirit that seizes people, causing … ya'ks.ma [“consumption” {“pulmonary disease” according to S-ED}] and royal ya'ks.ma. Or if the grasper [“grahi”] has seized …, free him from her,

O Indra and Agni.” (cf. AVS` 3:11:1, 20:96:6)

{This pair of gods – “twin brothers who have one father” (R.c Veda 6:59:2 – VM, p. 128) -- is reckoned as governing a single naks.atra.}

“This feminine grasper is further mentioned in the S`aunaka recension of the AV (AVS` 16.5.1), where Sleep (sva'pna) is identified as her son.”

{The mother of Hupnos ('Sleep') is Nukt- ('Night'), who is characterized (by Hesiodos : Theogonia 744 sq) as “evil”, and who is said (by Hesiodos : Theogonia 211 sq) to have given birth to “painful Oizys (Misery)” (“Nyx”).}

“The AVS` (2.25) identifies an embryo-eating (garbhada'm) being called a ka'n.va”.

“the Tantraraja Tantra (31.27-29, 67) prescribes ... a mannequin (puttali) of … ginger, garlic, asafoetida, and so on, … if … one is possessed by a pis`aca (pis`acavis.t.ha)”.

[p. 476] “[There are] two types of insanity or madness mentioned in the charm :

[ud-madita]

[ud-madta]

[p. 476-7] u'nmadita which implies the demented state brought on by the patient himself as a result of his infringement of certain divine mores or taboos; and

[p. 477] u'nmatta which suggests … possession by demons, such as raks.as-s (verse 3). ...

[p. 477] In order to cure such a condition, the healer had to return the mind to the body (verse 4). He did this primarily by making offerings to the gods in order to appease them, in the case of u'nmadita-madness (verse 1).”

[p. 477] He also prepared medicines …to drive away the evil forces ..., in the case of u'nmatta-madness (verses 2, 3).”

“In Tantr[a-]aloka (15.595-99), Abhinavagupta cites the authority of the Kula[-]gahvara[-]tantra and Nis`isamcara[-]tantra as … to … that … grahas are “obsession with caste (jati[-]graha), … the social standing of one's family (kula), with orthodox conduct (acara), with … one's country (des`a), and material prosperity (artha),” {in other words, the demons of” capitalist-stooge greed-mongering}.

“Kaus`ika[-]sutra 28.12 … is illustrated through the prescription of an Atharvavedic mantra (AVS` 5.1.7) as an antidote for a[-]mati[-]gr.hita, possession by “cluelessness” (a[-]mati) … . Darila … explains this term as “one with no idea about dharma, artha, and kama” (trivarga[-]s`unyabuddhi).”

{But because said a-mati ('cluelessness') is praecisely an absence of the very traits (acara = dharma; artha; etc.) which Abhinavagupta is denouncing as sign of being controlled by evil spirits, it is paramountly evident that Darila is propounding the very reverse definition of evil spirits from that which Abhinavagupta is propounding. Whereas Abhinavagupta is an advocate for oppressed social classes, Darila is apparently a proponent of those very classes' hypocritical oppressors! How could the author (F.M.S.) have missed noticing this ideological opposition?} [written Aug 3^rd 2013]

12.2.2

Ayus-vaidik Daimonologies

479-83

p. 480

“Caraka (Cikitsa[-]sthana [CaCi] 3) treats of … categories … brought about by external factors : …

(1) abhighata[-]ja ...;

(2) abhis.anga[-]ja (those resulting from … spirits …);

(3) abhicara[-]ja (those resulting from … hostile ritual, mantras and oblations); and

(4) abhis`apa[-]ja (… brought on by the curse of a spiritually advanced being {r.s.i}).

CaCi 3.123, addresses abhis.anga[-]ja … : “... nonhuman [symptoms are observed] in … possession by spirits [“bhuta[-]ves`e”].”

p. 560, n. 12:39

“One of the primary … causes of abhis.anga[-]ja … is abhicara (cf. Tu:rstig 1985); that is, a bhuta that “sticks to” (abhis.anga) a person is regarded as abhis.anga[-]ja, sent by a … sorcerer to possess the person.” Cf. Dwyer 1998”.

p. 480

“Caraka Samhita (6.9.167 ff.), Sus`ruta Samhita (6.60), and As.t.anga[-]hr.daya Samhita (ch. 6) discuss the “epidemiology of [spirit-]possession,” in this case bhuta[-]tantra (doctrine of bhutas), a category that includes bhutonmada (insanity produced by the influence of bhutas).”

p. 560, n. 12:41

“Sanskrit lexicographers also acknowledge bhut[a-]aves`a; cf. Trikan.d.a[-]s`es.a 3.230 and Hemacandra's An[-]ekartha[-]samgraha 4.161. The Rasa[-]ratna[-]samuccaya (5.2, 6.7) … prescribes a bhutaves`a[-]pras`anti (procedure for pacifying possession by bhutas).

For further attestations of bhut[a-]aves`a and pis`ac[a-]aves`a …, see Kalhan.a's Raja[-]tarangin.i … 8.114.6 and the late dramas Vasanta[-]tilaka … 25.19 and Amr.todaya … 3.7, 3.18.”

“all the canonical texts kept the bhutavidya sections distinct from the sections on bala[-]graha[-]s. … . … Sus`ruta (6.60.8-18) divides graha[-]bala[-]s into nine classes. … “A graha,” he says, “is well-known as an … entity that … has knowledge of what is hidden or lies in the future.

They … fracture [“social”] boundaries in whole or in part,

{They “fracture social boundaries” merely in the sense of conjoining such boundaries into a social harmony free of social-class hostilities. The canonical authors (including of this Samhita) are, of course, intent on maintaining all manner of internecine societal hostilities.}

even if the purpose … is … to satisfy a religious obligation” (6.60.27).

These are distinguished from bhutas”.

“The Das`a[-]rupa states [4:31], “Apasmara is aves`a induced, properly speaking, by the influence of the planets, by misfortune, etc. Its results are falling on the ground, trembling, … frothing at the mouth, etc.””

12.2.3

Graha : Grasper

483-6

“In Br.hadaran.yaka Upanis.ad … 3.2, Jaratkarava Artabhaga asks Yajn~avalkya how many graspers there are, and how many overgraspers (kati grahah. katy atigraha iti).

There are eight of each, replies Yajn~avalkya ,

and they come in pairs, a grasper that is overcome by its paired overgrasper … :

graha (grasper) __

is overcome by ati-graha (over-grasper) __

pran.a (inbreath)

apana (outbreath)

vac ([voice] speech)

naman (name)

jihva (tongue)

rasa ([flavor] taste)

caks.us (eye)

rupa (form)

s`rota-m [hearing] (ear)

s`abda [noise] (word)

manas (mind)

kama (desire)

hastau (two hands)

karman (action)

tvac (skin)

spars`a (touch)

“An eclipse is also called grahan.a (bhaskara[-]grahan.a[-]m [“solar eclipse”]) in Varahamihira's Br.hat Samhita. … The sun and moon during an eclipse, as well as individuals who are “afflicted” by grahas, require remedial procedures … . … Consequently, the remedial or expiatory procedures recommended in astrological treatises are called graha[-]s`anti (pacification of a planet).”

“Palsule states [1967, p. 11] that vigraha “... is something external, shell-like, which the jiva assumes (vigr.hn.ati) temporarily. An 'avatara' is a vigraha … .”

… vigraha appears in two contexts [Palsule 1967, p. 13] : “(1) … false impersonation or disguise; and (2) personification … .””

“Anugraha (lit. “favor, kindness, assistance” …) … . The Taittiriya Samhita (1.7.2.3) says …, “[I have invoked] her [Id.a] who favors us with kindness [“anugr.hn.ati, i.e., extends her grace to”] people in distress … .””

12.2.4

Samkhya Entities

486-7

p. 486

p. 487

Suvarn.a-saptati

Samkhya-saptati-vr.tti

Caraka Samhita

Su-s`ruta Samhita

Brahma

Brahma

Praja-pati

Praja-pati

Deva

Deva

Indra

Indra

Pitr.

Pitr.

Gandha-rva

Gandha-rva

Gandharva

Gandharva

Asura

Yaks.a

Yaks.a

Yaks.a

Yaks.a

Pitr.

Bhuj-anga

Raks.as

Raks.as

Raks.as

Raks.as

Brahma-Raks.asa

S`atru-gan.a

Guru-vr.ddha-Siddha-r.s.i

Pis`aca

Pis`aca

Pis`aca

Pis`aca

p. 486

p. 487

Samkhya-karika-bhas.ya

Jaya-mangala

Yukti-dipika

Brahma

Brahma

Brahma

Prajapatya

Prajapati

Prajapati

Saumya

Surya

Surya

Aindra

Asura

Asura

Gandharva

Gandharva

Gandharva

Yaks.a

Yaks.a

Naga

Raks.asa

Raks.as

Raks.as

Pais`aca

Pis`aca

Pis`aca