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Biotica H o w t o c i t e t h i s a r t i c l e?
Karthik and Kukanur, 2020. Insects in Hindu Mythology
Research Research Today 2(5) Spl.: 321-322.

Today
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Vol 2:5 322
I
ndia being the center for world’s major religions like Hinduism has

2020 Spl. a great mythological significance. The involvement of insects in

Hindu mythology is not well explored. Here, we made an attempt
to quote the involvement of insects in various classical writings of

Insects in Hindu
Hindu mythology and have described their importance in Hindu
mythology.

Mythology Introduction

I
nsects have evolved on the surface of the earth some
G. Sai Karthik1* and Vinod S. Kukanur2 500 million years ago. Since their appearance, they have
dominated every habitat on the surface of the earth. In
1
Dept. of Entomology, Prof. Jayashankar Telangana State contrast, human civilization started more recently (a few
Agricultural University, Hyderabad, Telangana (500 030), thousand years ago). Since very then, man started to observe
India insects, live with them and use them for his various purposes.
2
International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics, India being the center for many religions is an ancient
Hyderabad, Telangana (502 324), India mythogenic center whose beliefs were spread to other cultures
over time. It has wide cultural and religious practices, Hinduism
being the major. However, the involvement of insects in Hindu
mythology has been less studied. The earliest reports on
insects in Hindu mythology were given in Vedic literature and
many other classical myth writings. It would be interesting
to know how the indigenous people responded and received
the insects. Whether they have known their beneficial and
harmful traits? In what forms they have been observed in the
Open Access various classical writings? These questions need to be explored
and answered to know the presence of insects during age old
Corresponding Author
civilizations itself and to highlight the importance of insects.
G. Sai Karthik
e-mail: karthik.sai6677@gmail.com Insects have been used as symbols in wide array of roles in
Hinduism. In Hindu mythology the vertebrates were assigned
the major role of gods while the insects were given only minor
Key wo r d s roles. In spite of that, we can observe certain sharp similarities
Insects, Mythology, Gods, Human of gods with insects. They are
1. Multi armed structure like hexapods
2. Ability to fly to long distances
3. Solid, tough metallic ornaments resembling insect
exoskeleton.
4. Gods sitting on flowers like Honey bees
Article History 5. The hard shell of Lord Vishnu (called panchajanya) is more
Received in 10th May 2020 related to hard shell of crustacean. These evidences indicate
Received in revised form 23rd May 2020 the possibility of relation between insects and Hindu gods
Accepted in final form 24th May 2020 (Cherry and Sandhu, 2013).
The unequal separation of Hindu religion into upper and lower
castes serves as striking example of resemblance with the caste
system of eusocial insects like Honey bees and ants. Further,
E-mail: bioticapublications@gmail.com there are more specific references of various insects involved

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Karthik and Kukanur, 2020

in Hindu mythology. Goddess Parvati was summoned by the of lac. The source of this lac was an insect belonging to family
gods to kill the demon, Arunasura in the form of Brahmara Kerridae, Hemiptera.
Devi. She kills the demon with large number of bees emerging Apart from these examples showing direct involvement of
from her body which stinged him to death. From then, Goddess insects, insect products also served a major purpose in Hindu
Brahmara Devi has been called as ‘Queen of Black Bees.’ The Mythology. For example, Honey produced by Honey bee is
Hindu love god, Kamadeva had a bow whose string is made used a food, in many rituals, to induce rain and as a medium
of Honey bees. Fireflies belonging to Lampyridae, Coleoptera to take many medicines. More over silk threads tied to wrist
are called by names Kita-mani (Gem of insects) and Khadyota is believed to negate the effects of an evil eye.
by Chandogya Upanishads. The epithet of Kali, a terrifying
war goddess who wears necklace of skulls is ‘The bee.’ It was Insects thrived well in all the possible habitats at times when
believed in Hindu Mythology that spider sitting in the center man didn’t start his life. Of late, the entomologist Karl Kjer
of web causes illusion and reminds Hindus of a supernatural has recently said, “Insects did just about everything first. They
force called Maya behind the creation of world (Stutley and were the first to form social societies, farm, and sing — just
Stutley, 1977) about anything you can imagine.”

The termite mounds which are wrongly called as ant hills Conclusion
T
are worshipped in Hindu mythology. The clay obtained from
his paper highlights the involvement of insects since age
the mound is used in Rajasuyagnas performed by Kings. In
old times, in Hindu mythology.
Mahabharata, there was an incident where Parshuram was
resting in the lap of his disciple, Karna. At that time, Lord Indra References
in the form of a bee stings Karna to bleed. In spite of that, Karna
remains calm and bears the pain. When Parshuram came to Cherry, R., Sandhu, H., 2013. Insects in the Religions of
know about it, he realized that only a Kshatriya can bear pain India. American Entomologist 59(4), 200-202.
in silence and Karna lied to him. He then curses Karna that Stutley, M., Stutley, J., 1977. Harper’s dictionary of Hinduism.
his Brahmastra would not work when he needed it the most. Harper and Row, New York.
Finally, it happened during Kurukshetra and Karna died in
hands of Arjuna when his Brahmastra failed him. In another
incident, Kauravas try to kill Pandavas during their Vanavasam
by building them a highly flammable house (Laksha griha) made

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