Shukra
Shukra ( Sanskrit शुक्र śukra m. "Shiny") or Ushanas , also Kavya Ushanas ( Sanskrit उशनस् Uśanas m. ), Is a divine sage in Hinduism and the priest of the demonic Daityas . In traditional Indian astronomy it belongs to the Navagraha , the Nine Planets, and represents the planet named after it (corresponds to Venus ).
myth
The figure of Ushanas in mythology is complex and has gone through various changes. He is considered the son or grandson of the sage Bhrigu and the Puloma. The names of his wives and children are not given uniformly.
In the Rigveda , the oldest layer of Indian mythology, Kavya Ushanas was a friend of the thunder god Indra . Ushanas supported him in the fight against the demon Shushna. He got him the Thunderbolt Vajra and entertained him with the intoxicating potion Soma .
According to the stories in the Indian epic Mahabharata , Ushanas acquired supernatural abilities ( Siddhis ) through hard asceticism . With these he succeeded in robbing Kubera 's will and all of his treasures. Shiva , called for help by Kubera, then swallowed Ushanas, as he was unable to kill him. Ushanas was now wandering around inside Shiva, singing hymns in praise of Shiva, who meanwhile remained in deep asceticism. After countless years, Shukra managed to get outside through Shiva's penis opening. That is why it is also called Shukra ("shiny" and "sperm"). Shiva wanted to kill him now, but Uma , Shiva's wife, forbade him to kill him, since Shukra, who had come out of Shiva's penis, would now be his and therefore also her son.
Shukra thereby acquired even greater abilities, including the power to revive the dead. In the war of the gods against the demons, he supported the latter by bringing the fallen back to life.
After the Yogavasishtha , the young Shukra saw an apsara in heaven and fell in love with it. He ascended to heaven and came to the palace of Indras. When he found his beloved one, they both fell in love and remained in love for years until both fell exhausted as drops of dew to the earth.
Kauui Usan
In the Iranian Avesta a Kauui Usan ( Altpers . : Kay Ūs) is mentioned twice , who lives on in the Shahnameh of Firdausi as the mythical king Kay Kāvūs .
The avestan Kauui Usan has wonderful powers (Yasht 14.39) and gained dominion over all people and demons (Yasht 5.45ff). The French religious researcher Georges Dumézil compared the Indian tradition about Kavya Ushanas and the Iranian stories and came to the conclusion that this mythical figure is at least of Indo-Iranian origin and could possibly also have Indo-European roots.
The following parallels can be made between Kavya Ushanas on the one hand and Kauui Usan, Kay Us and Kavi Kavus on the other hand:
- Ride or ride in the sky with a later fall
- extraordinary wealth
- the ability of supernatural powers, including a remedy for death and old age
- Priesthood or rule over demons
literature
- Hans Wilhelm Haussig , Heinz Bechert (ed.): Gods and myths of the Indian subcontinent (= dictionary of mythology . Department 1: The ancient civilized peoples. Volume 5). Klett-Cotta, Stuttgart 1984, ISBN 3-12-909850-X .
- Sukra . In: John Dowson : A classical dictionary of Hindu mythology and religion, geography, history, and literature. Trübner & co., London 1879, p. 307 ( Textarchiv - Internet Archive ).
Individual evidence
- ↑ śukra . In: Monier Monier-Williams : Sanskrit-English Dictionary . Clarendon Press, Oxford 1899, p. 1080, col. 1 .
- ↑ uśanas . In: Monier Monier-Williams : Sanskrit-English Dictionary . Clarendon Press, Oxford 1899, p. 219, col. 3 .
- ↑ Georges Dumézil: Mythe et épopée II. P. 216 ff.
