Uncensored Mythology

[sepdet]

In the Hindu Ramayana, which like many long epics contains hundreds of mini-stories within it, there is a typical Zeus-rapes-girl tale. Indra, the sky god and king of gods who seems to have been imported with a suspiciously Olympian pantheon (who are subsumed and often seem rather irrelevant compared to Vishnu, Shiva, etc), had designs on a Pandora-archetype: a woman who was created by Brahma with all beauty, virtue, gifts, etc. that a woman could have. She had been placed in the care of an ascetic. In reward for never even thinking of sex the whole time he had her under his charge, the ascetic was given her to marry when she came of age. (I am not sure why lack of sexuality is the best recommendation for a partner, but then, I'm not sure why lack of pedophilia is deserving of reward either). So the lady and yogi continued to live together, and Indra was highly offended. He observed the yogi's routine closely, saw that he left the house for prayers every dawn, and accordingly disguised himself as a rooster and crowed a little prematurely to get the husband out of the way. Then Indra made love to the woman in the dark, so that she did not at first realize it was a stranger. The ascetic soon came home and discovered them in flagrantio. Indra turned into a cat and tried to slip away, but the ascetic was not fooled. He cursed Indra, since he was obsessed with carnal love, to be covered over every inch of his body with hundreds of vulvae, after which Indra hid away in shame and refused to let anyone see him. Eventually the gods had to petition the saint to alleviate the curse, at which point they were turned into eyes. Typically, the victim also got blamed; the ascetic cursed her by turning her into a rock before asking her what happened. As she was transforming, she spoke in her own defense, and he softened the curse to "until you are touched by the feet of Rama" (Vishnu, born into the body of a folk hero).

I think it a pity that Hera never thought of this trick. Of course, if Indra were NOT the ultimate patriarchal god of India, he might have found some compensations in his new shape!