Epic Mythology c7.9

c7.9

§ 99. Kiṃnaras and Kiṃpuruṣas. — These spirits are nct formally distinguished in the epics, though named separately and ascribed to different progenitors, Kiṃnaras being decended from Pulastya and Kiṃpuruṣas from Pulaha (1, 66, 7). The Kiṃnaras are a kind of Gandharvas, distinguished from Naras (2, 10, 14), at Kubera's court; in the worship of Nārāyaṇa (1, 228, 21); and as subjects of Śiva, "lord of Naras, Kiṃnaras, and Yakṣas" (14, 44, 15). They are raudradarśinaḥ, rude of appearance (14, 63, 15; as separate spirits, ib. 88, 37). Kiṃpuruṣas accompany gods, seers, serpents, Gandharvas and Yakṣas, to see the ocean drunk up (3, 104, 21). Their lord is Druma (2, 10, 29), ācārya in an assembly of kings (2, 37, 13), a teacher, also renowned for prowess (2, 44, 16); as if he were king of a northern people (Gaṅgādvāra is the home of Kiṃnaras, 3, 90, 20; cf. H 5014, Kiṃpuruṣa Druma Parvatīya). Drumaputra is a fighting lord of the Kiṃpuruṣas in the northern White Mountain (2, 28, 1). Gandhamādana is the abode of Druma, the "lion of the Kiṃpuruṣas" (5, 158, 3 and 7); from him Rukmin got his bow and knowledge of arms. Like Gandharvas, the Kiṃpuruṣas are "wise in song", gītakovidāḥ (S has Kāpuruṣas for Kiṃpuruṣas here, v. l. to 12, 169, 5; cf. S 2, 71, 39). Kiṃpuruṣas wander in the forests with friendly Yakṣas, making it as charming as Nandana (with song, 12, 169, 7; with vānaras, 1, 70, 15). They fight (7, 111, 31) and Rāvaṇa says they cannot be around a hermitage (but he errs, R 3, 43, 11; cf. ib. 46, 28 and 67, 6); and they group themselves with frightened gods on fearful occasions (5, 12, 2; R 5, 56, 31). In 7, 199, 2, aśvakiṃpuruṣa, the battle-field is likened to a mountain "having horses as its Kiṃpuruṣas", possibly in reference to the horse-form of the spirits, who live chiefly in the mountains (3, 136, 2; 139, 6, etc.), where they go "in pairs", male and female (R 2, 54, 39; R ib. 93, 11; ib. 94, 11), wearing swords and fine garments (ib.). Royal praisers are likened to "skilled Kiṃnaras with lovely voices" (R 7, 37, 3). The females serve as type of loveliness (R 3, 46, 22; R 5, 33, 5 f.), and often as type of desertion on the part of fickle lovers (R 2, 12, 74). This is the meaning of the "fallen Kiṃnarī" simile (R 2, 9, 65; ib. 10, 24, etc.). A woman with a sweet voice is addressed Kiṃnarodgītabhāṣiṇī (1, 172, 10). They dance as well as sing but are not individualised like the Apsarasas (R 7, 23, pra. 3, 12). There is not the slightest allusion in either epic to the distinction (now become classic) made by the scholiast to VP. 1, 5, 57: "Naras have a human body except for an equine rump and Kiṃnaras have an equine head on a human body". There is little to indicate that any of the three classes was of equine form at all and only the mention of Kiṃnaras and Kiṃpuruṣas to support the (late) difference genealogically. Kiṃnaras here go with Rākṣasas, Yakṣas and monkeys to make one group, as opposed to Kiṃpuruṣas and fierce wild animals (śarabhas, lions, tigers, bears, and wolves; S has ṛkṣā for Yakṣā īhāmṛgāḥ in 1, 66, 8). Savagery can scarcely be the cause of differentiation, for in 3, 153, 9, Kiṃnaras go with Rākṣasas and Kiṃpuruṣas with the milder Yakṣas. According to the late genesis of H 11794, Naras and Kiṃnaras were born from the feet of Brahman (VP 1, 5, 47, confines this origin to animals). In R 7, 88, 22, Kiṃpuruṣīs are equivalent to Kiṃnarīs and they were created by Budha, who changed Ilā's companions into these mountain spirits (perhaps androgynous).[^1) ]