Posted by Suresh on January 25, 2007 at 15:52:16:
In Reply to: Sunahsepa and the Rajasuya posted by Panku on January 22, 2007 at 21:38:32:
The Visvamitra-Vasistha feud provides the background to the Sunahsepa story. Visvamitra was a king who opposed the brahmin Vasistha but upon witnessing the powers of the latter determined to become a brahmin himself.
With some difficulty he accomplished his goal. The breaking of caste barriers is an important theme in the Sunahsepa myth.
The brahmin Sunahsepa becomes a substitute for the crown prince which also represents an exchange of traditional positions. The doggie characteristics of Sunahsepa and his brothers no doubt relate to the use of the dog as royal sacrifice substitute.
When Visvamitra adopts Sunahsepa as his 'eldest' again he takes the position of crown prince, but 50 of Visvamitra's son's declare they would rather eat dog that accept Sunahsepa.
Visvamitra thus curses those 50 sons to become forest-dwelling dog cookers, another transposition. This also helps explains the India-wide relationship between forest tribes and royal families found often in royal consecration ceremonies.
Visvamitra himself had been cursed by Vasistha to eat dog meat, which in a way alludes to the royal dog sacrifice. His adoption of a descendant of Vasistha as his eldest or in the position of crown prince again shows a switching of places from the traditional order.
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