Reading Notes: Neogi's Sacred Tales of India Part D

(Calf)

The Fatal Oath

The fatal oath is an interesting story that explores the junction of grief, piety, and desperation. Bijaya learns through her sufferings that there is great reward for those who face suffering with patience and continuous worship to a merciful god. I think it's fitting that this story centers around the mistake this woman made and the lengths she went to to remedy her mistake to the best of her ability. I like this mode of storytelling where the character is allowed to make a mistake then go out and find some way to begin reparations.

Sacrificed to Varuna

I love the way that so many of the tales I have read thus far tend to operate in a cyclical pattern where the beginning is closely related to the end and often the story's problem and resolution mirror or in some way bear resemblance to each other. In this story, the problem was created as a result of a necessary sacrifice to a god. The solution was the result of willing devotion to a goddess.

Joyabati - The Gift of Joya

Testing the gods seems to be a very dangerous but sometimes rewarding practice in these stories. When Joyadev tests Chandi, he is eventually rewarded with a message directly from Joya who teaches him great faith in Chandi. In other cases, though, testing the gods and goddesses can result in their divine wrath and punishment.

Saved from the Cat

I find many of the demands and requests made by the gods, especially those intended to be penances for past crimes, to be particularly strange. I don't understand how the penance the poorly behaved boy had to perform had anything to do with his mother's sins.

The Wife who Used to Eat the First Morsel

This story was barely 2 pages long. It was mainly about greed and  sacrilege. I don't plan on writing about this piece, but I will say that it reflects the theme of sin and atonement I've been noticing.

The Wife who Cooked Beef

This story harks back to the idea that one person's sin can damn another just as one person's atonement can save another. It was the servant girl who actually killed the calf, but it was the woman of the house who felt the need to atone for the sin committed. I like the woman's character, though. I understand her devotion and her resulting fear. It may not have been her fault, but she certainly feared punishment in case it was viewed as her doing since she didn't check carefully what kind of meat was brought to her.

The Banished Girls

One thing I really like about the stories that I've read in this storybook is the theme of punishment paired with that of forgiveness. Although many of the characters sin and are punished for their sin, it isn't hard for them to regain the favor of their patron god or goddess given they show sincere regret and shame in regards to their transgressions.

Bibliography: Archived Neogi's Sacred Tales of India