PAOLA MARIA ROSSI
University of Milan paola.rossi@unimi.it
THE FIGURE OF SARASVATĪ IN THE MAHĀBHĀRATA: BETWEEN DHARMIC-BRAHMANICAL VALUES AND TRACES OF VRĀTYA CULTURE
In the third Parvan of the Mahābhārata (MBh 3,184), in Mārkaṇḍeya’s discourse aiming at teaching the Pāṇḍavas about the dharma, the theme of the svadharma is introduced: sage’s words focuses especially on the dharmic role of the brahmins, by means of a form of brāhmaṇamāhātmya. In this didactic and narrative context, dominated by male figures, the figure of Sarasvatī stands out as a teacher of wisdom to the ascetic sage called Tārkṣya: it is he who, as disciple, poses profound questions to the goddess of the streams regarding the uttama pada. Sarasvatī answers in the triṣṭubh metre, educating Tārkṣya not only on the duties of a Brahmin but also on how those who are not Brahmins should behave towards a Brahmin. Therefore, this passage can be considered an example of homiletic literature, clearly of a Brahmanical orientation, in keeping with the Brahmanical ‘dharmisation’ of the narrative material incorporated into the epic. Sarasvatī herself is depicted as the goddess of knowledge, thus corresponding to a portrayal that emerges in the late Vedic period and, above all, in the Pūraṇic tradition. However, there are some incongruities: in the Mahābhārata, Sarasvatī as river is correlated to the ritual section called sattra (sārasvata yātsattra), and in general to what is considered a vrātya context: in this kind of ritual session there is not a form of dakṣiṇā as prescribed in the Brahmanical ritualistic texts, that is a gift given on behalf of the yajamāna tothe officiant priest, as, for example, emphatically recommended in MBh 3,184.8–10 The same figure of Tārkṣya is not clear: he is defined vipra, as a priest, but also muni; moreover, the ancient Vedic tradition features him as an expert in chariots, if not actually as a horse, and thus belonging to a warrior context. Moreover, the uttama pada is pictured as the ultimate abode of the gods, but very similar to the Indraic Nandana (cf. st. 25), that is, a sort of warrior paradise: it is an idyllic and delightful place, with even a hint of eroticism, due the presence of the seductive Apsarasas; in fact, it is characterized by the prītiyoga (3,184.5). Finally, verses 12-14 emphasise that the performance of the Agnihotra must be the exclusive prerogative of the Brahmins; however, according to the scholars this rite is closely related to the Pravargya rite, that is, a heroic solar rite. This paper aims to offer an interpretation of this passage in the light of these remarks.
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