The Kathá Sarit Ságara; or, Ocean of the Streams of StorySomadeva Bhatta, active 11th century
General
The Kathá Sarit Ságara; or, Ocean of the Streams of Story
Somadeva Bhatta, active 11th century
Folk literature -- Themes, motives; Hindu mythology; India -- Social life and customs; Tales -- India
After hearing this from my companions I went, my husband, and
worshipped an image of Ganesa, that stood in a lonely part of the
garden, and after I had finished the worship, I suddenly saw that those
companions of mine had flown up by their own power and were disporting
themselves in the fields of the air; when I saw that, out of curiosity
I called them and made them come down from the heaven, and when I
asked them about the nature of their magic power, they immediately
gave me this answer; "These are the magic powers of witches' spells,
and they are due to the eating of human flesh, and our teacher in this
is a Bráhman woman known by the name of Kálarátri." When my companions
said this to me, I being desirous of acquiring the power of a woman
that can fly in the air, but afraid of eating human flesh, was for
a time in a state of hesitation; then eager to possess that power, I
said to those friends of mine, "Cause me also to be instructed in this
science." And immediately they went and brought, in accordance with
my request, Kálarátri, who was of repulsive appearance. Her eyebrows
met, [308] she had dull eyes, a depressed flat nose, large cheeks,
widely parted lips, projecting teeth, a long neck, pendulous breasts,
a large belly, and broad expanded feet. She appeared as if the creator
had made her as a specimen of his skill in producing ugliness. When
I fell at her feet, after bathing and worshipping Ganesa, she made
me take off my clothes and perform, standing in a circle, a horrible
ceremony in honour of Siva in his terrific form, and after she had
sprinkled me with water, she gave me various spells known to her,
and human flesh to eat that had been offered in sacrifice to the gods;
so, after I had eaten man's flesh and had received the various spells,
I immediately flew up, naked as I was, into the heaven with my friends,
and after I had amused myself, I descended from the heaven by command
of my teacher, and I, the princess, went to my own apartments. Thus
even in my girlhood I became one of the society of witches, and in
our meetings we devoured the bodies of many men.
Story of Sundaraka.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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