The Inner Conflict of Tradition: Essays in Indian Ritual, Kingship, and Society c19.s7.16

c19.s7.16

16. The legend is found in *AB* 7. 13–18 and *ŚāṅkhŚS* 15. 17–19 (cf. F. Weller, *Die Legende von Śunaḥśepa* [Berlin, 1956]). The sons who rebel against the adoption are expelled by their father with the words: “Your progeny will have the end (or the ends, *antam*, *antān*) as its share.” This refers to the far out areas at the end of the world, where, as the text says, they will become the peripheral tribes of Andhras, Puṇḍras, Śabaras, Pulindas, and Mūtibus (or Mūcipas). But the word *anta-* seems to refer to death and impurity as well. The expelled sons are burdened with the evil of death, as is in keeping with their impurity as tribals on the fringes of brahminic civilization. The commentator Sāyaṇa speaks here of “caṇḍālas and the like.”