(특집 : 세계의 여신신화) 『Devi-Mahatmya』에 나타난 힌두 여신(Devi)의 특성과 그 등장 배경

Abstract

Hindu Goddess, or Devi come to reach the highest rank in Hindu pantheon in one of the most popular mythological texts, Devimihitmya (5C. AD)that describe in detail the battles between the Goddess and Asura(demon). Though the worship of female principle in India have a long history from Indus civilization to modern times, it is not before this text is popularised that a goddess takes the supreme power over male gods. Devimihitmya, however, adops a form of frame stories that have already been narrated in previous mythological texts that crystalized the position of male gods. In this way, the tradition of Sanskrit myths have been preserved a system of self-cloning system, and provided the other new-born myths with ideas and power, by which the myths gain their own authority and populatity. Devimihitmya, thus, with the name of Durga, substitutes the names of male gods and geographic situations in cycles of the preexited Sanskrit myths.