[INDOLOGY] mythologies of the pearl

[Paolo E. Rosati]

Hi James,

It is difficult to say... I was reading parts of Eliade's books that
discuss mystic alchemy. I suppose, as Egene Ciurtin pointed out to me, he
found it in Vedic material.

Best,
Paolo


Il giorno gio 25 apr 2024 alle ore 14:56 Reich, James David <jreich at pace.edu>
ha scritto:

> Dear Paola,
>
> Various versions of the myths concerning the origins of pearl are found in
> the texts translated by Louis Finot in *Les Lapidaires Indiens. *
> https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.291975/mode/2up
>
> There are various types of pearls described in these texts, some of them
> seemingly mythical or hypothetical—oyster pearls are only one type. The
> myths about oyster pearls usually have something to do with rainwater
> dropping into oysters but no lightning, as far as I'm aware. I do vaguely
> recall one text describing how to obtain pearls from *nāgas*, or check if
> a pearl is truly from a *nāga*, and as I recall that process does have
> something to do with lightning. But I don't think lightning is present in
> the formation of the pearl. Perhaps Eliade confused these stories?
>
> Best,
> James Reich
> ------------------------------
> *From:* INDOLOGY <indology-bounces at list.indology.info> on behalf of Paolo
> E. Rosati via INDOLOGY <indology at list.indology.info>
> *Sent:* Thursday, April 25, 2024 5:45 AM
> *To:* Indology <indology at list.indology.info>
> *Subject:* [INDOLOGY] mythologies of the pearl
>
> Dear all,
>
> while I was reading Eliade's *Images and Symbols*, my attention was
> struck by his vague reference to an "oriental mythology", which affirms
> that the pearl was born from the penetration of a lightning inside a
> shell/oyster.
>
> I think he got this information from *Realencyclopädie der Classischen
> Altertumswissenschaft* (entry: "Margaritai"), but I am not sure at all.
>
> Can someone indicate a more specific reference to this myth? or to other
> myths related to the pearl?
>
> With my best wishes,
> Paolo
>
> --
> *Paolo E. Rosati*
>
> * PhD in Asian and African Studies *
> *https://uniroma1.academia.edu/paolo
> <https://uniroma1.academia.edu/PaoloRosati/>**er**osati/
> <https://uniroma1.academia.edu/PaoloRosati/>*
> paoloe.rosati at gmail.com
> Mobile/Whatsapp: (+39) 338 73 83 472
> Skype: paoloe.rosati
>


-- 
*Paolo E. Rosati*

*PhD in Asian and African Studies*
*https://uniroma1.academia.edu/paolo
<https://uniroma1.academia.edu/PaoloRosati/>**er**osati/
<https://uniroma1.academia.edu/PaoloRosati/>*
paoloe.rosati at gmail.com
Mobile/Whatsapp: (+39) 338 73 83 472
Skype: paoloe.rosati
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