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 <[email protected]> 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 <[email protected]> on behalf of Paolo > E. Rosati via INDOLOGY <[email protected]> > *Sent:* Thursday, April 25, 2024 5:45 AM > *To:* Indology <[email protected]> > *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/>* > [email protected] > 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/>* [email protected] Mobile/Whatsapp: (+39) 338 73 83 472 Skype: paoloe.rosati
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