Sri Charitropakhian Sahib jee Series - Charitar #7

[amardeep]

Quote

These seem irrelevant to me. They are just fillers, to give a more rounder story without being important in themselves or having any bearing or influence on the outcome of the story.

Politically they appear to be relevant. The composition includes the ruling elites of the times into the scandalious behavioirs of the stories. Very similiar to the 10th century Arabian Nights written in Baghdad which is based on similiar content as the Charitro Pakhyan and included the ruling Abbasid Caliphate elites into the sexual stories. It was considered scandalius that the author destroyed the high aura of the Caliphs by making stories about their sexual lives. It was a way of "making them mortal" so people would'n elevate them that much. Maybe as we proceed along with further charitras we will see similiar stories about the Mughal kings?

In Rattan SIngh Bhangus account we can see that the Sikhs also elevated the Mughals to mighty warriors. When Guru asked them to rise and destroy the Mughals the Sikhs responded by saying that the Sikhs were only meek sheep so how could they rise against mighty tigers and lions (Mughals) ?. Maybe the purpose of including the Mughals and Afghans etc into the charitras was a way of showing that behind their mighty castles and forts they are just as human as everyone else?

I dont know, - just speculating here.

Edited February 27, 2016 by amardeep

[dalsingh101]

1 hour ago, amardeep said:

Politically they appear to be relevant. The composition includes the ruling elites of the times into the scandalious behavioirs of the stories. Very similiar to the 10th century Arabian Nights written in Baghdad which is based on similiar content as the Charitro Pakhyan and included the ruling Abbasid Caliphate elites into the sexual stories. It was considered scandalius that the author destroyed the high aura of the Caliphs by making stories about their sexual lives. It was a way of "making them mortal" so people would'n elevate them that much. Maybe as we proceed along with further charitras we will see similiar stories about the Mughal kings?

In Rattan SIngh Bhangus account we can see that the Sikhs also elevated the Mughals to mighty warriors. When Guru asked them to rise and destroy the Mughals the Sikhs responded by saying that the Sikhs were only meek sheep so how could they rise against mighty tigers and lions (Mughals) ?. Maybe the purpose of including the Mughals and Afghans etc into the charitras was a way of showing that behind their mighty castles and forts they are just as human as everyone else?

I dont know, - just speculating here.

I agree that humanising the then 'all powerful' Moghuls is likely to have been one aspect. But lets also consider the wide breadth of characters and their social standings that we've come across so far - is that not alluding to the point that everyone can fall for the types of devious, lust based games being played; from royalty to a bear-like pendu. 

[Jatro]

WJKK WJKF

I will make an attempt (i'm sure not very good) at trying to get into the antriv arths of the Charitar. IMO the treatment which the fake Vaid gives to the lustful/sinning man is similar to what fake mayadhari gurus do to their disciples. They shave their hair, make them beg, wear torn clothes etc all in the name of curing their spiritual ailments. In other words fake gurus have complete license over their followers whose mind has no bibek and is caught in the web of and attachment to Maya (represented in the Charitar by the women named Zainabdi, Zainab means a fragrant flower). "Tridokh' or triple disease is a concept in Ayurvedic medicine but here i think it represents the suffering produced by the three gunas of prakriti/maya, which create division between us and Akal Purakh.

Bhul chuk maaf