The Inner Conflict of Tradition: Essays in Indian Ritual, Kingship, and Society c19.s7.19

c19.s7.19

19. The idea of the fallen warrior’s ascent to heaven is found in India in various forms, especially as salvation in later times. Thus, for instance, the demon who attains salvation when slain by the goddess or Śiśupāla’s fiery essence being united with the divine Kṛṣṇa after the latter has decapitated him with his discus weapon (*Mbh* 2. 45. 25–29; *Viṣṇu-Purāṇa* 4. 15. 12–15; in the second passage, the salvation motif is stressed). See, in general, J. Filliozat, ‘L’Abandon de la vie par le sage et les suicides du criminel et du héros dans la tradition indienne,” *Arts Asiatiques* 15 (1967): 65–88. In this connection, it is interesting that the victim of violent death and the deceased ascetic are put on a par as beneficiaries of the Nārāyaṇabali sacrifice (H. Krick, “Nārāyaṇabali und Opfertod,” *Wiener Zeitschrift für die Kunde Süd und Ostasiens* 21 (1977): 71–141.