Vish Kanya
Encyclopedia
The Vish kanya (Poison girl) were young women reportedly used as assassins, often against powerful enemies, during the Mauryan Empire (321–185 BCE). Their blood was purportedly poisonous to other humans, and was mentioned in the ancient Indian treatise on statecraft
, Arthashastra
, written by Chanakya
(Kautilya), an adviser and a prime minister to the first Maurya Emperor Chandragupta
(c. 340–293 BCE). A Hindu mythology
text, the Kalki Purana
, mentions that they can kill a person just by looking at them, and talks about a Vish Kanya named Sulochana, the wife of a Gandharva
, Chitragreeva.
However, in time, 'Poison Damsel' passed into folklore
, became an archetype
explored by many writers, resulting in a popular literary character that appears in many works, including classical Sanskrit
texts, like Sukasaptati.
at a very young age (known as mithridatism
). Many of them used to die but the ones who had developed the immunity to poison would survive. Body fluids of these girls would be "poisoned" and sexual contact was lethal to other humans.
They were used by kings to destroy enemies. This is believed to be started by Chanakya
. It is believed that Vish kanya was sent by Nanda
's minister Rakshasas to kill Chandragupta Maurya
and Chanakya diverted them to kill Parvatak.
and folklore
, and apart from appearing in classical Sanskrit
texts, it has appeared repeatedly in various works like Vishkanya by Shivani
and Ek Aur Vish Kanya by Om Prakash Sharma, who use Vishkanya as an archetype
in their stories -- a beautiful girl who kills when she comes too close. More recently, the archetype has taken a new hue in the HIV/AIDS era, for example in Vishkanya, a 2007 novel, based on the AIDS
epidemic in society.
Over the years, many Hindi films have been made on the subject. The first film, Vish Kanya, was made in 1943, starring Leela Misra, and more recently, Vish Kanya (1991), starring Pooja Bedi
as the lead role.
Public policy
Public policy as government action is generally the principled guide to action taken by the administrative or executive branches of the state with regard to a class of issues in a manner consistent with law and institutional customs. In general, the foundation is the pertinent national and...
, Arthashastra
Arthashastra
The Arthashastra is an ancient Indian treatise on statecraft, economic policy and military strategy which identifies its author by the names Kautilya and , who are traditionally identified with The Arthashastra (IAST: Arthaśāstra) is an ancient Indian treatise on statecraft, economic policy and...
, written by Chanakya
Chanakya
Chānakya was a teacher to the first Maurya Emperor Chandragupta , and the first Indian emperor generally considered to be the architect of his rise to power. Traditionally, Chanakya is also identified by the names Kautilya and VishnuGupta, who authored the ancient Indian political treatise...
(Kautilya), an adviser and a prime minister to the first Maurya Emperor Chandragupta
Chandragupta Maurya
Chandragupta Maurya , was the founder of the Maurya Empire. Chandragupta succeeded in conquering most of the Indian subcontinent. Chandragupta is considered the first unifier of India and its first genuine emperor...
(c. 340–293 BCE). A Hindu mythology
Hindu mythology
Hindu religious literature is the large body of traditional narratives related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and the Puranas. As such, it is a subset of Nepali and Indian culture...
text, the Kalki Purana
Kalki Purana
The Kalki Purana is a prophetic work in Sanskrit that details the life and times of Kalki, the tenth and final Dashavatara of the Hindu deity Lord Vishnu...
, mentions that they can kill a person just by looking at them, and talks about a Vish Kanya named Sulochana, the wife of a Gandharva
Gandharva
Gandharva is a name used for distinct mythological beings in Hinduism and Buddhism; it is also a term for skilled singers in Indian classical music.-In Hinduism:...
, Chitragreeva.
However, in time, 'Poison Damsel' passed into folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
, became an archetype
Archetype
An archetype is a universally understood symbol or term or pattern of behavior, a prototype upon which others are copied, patterned, or emulated...
explored by many writers, resulting in a popular literary character that appears in many works, including classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
texts, like Sukasaptati.
Mythology
The myth states that girls were made poisonous by exposing them to low intensity poisonPoison
In the context of biology, poisons are substances that can cause disturbances to organisms, usually by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale, when a sufficient quantity is absorbed by an organism....
at a very young age (known as mithridatism
Mithridatism
Mithridatism is the practice of protecting oneself against a poison by gradually self-administering non-lethal amounts. The word derives from Mithridates VI, the King of Pontus, who so feared being poisoned that he regularly ingested small doses, aiming to develop immunity...
). Many of them used to die but the ones who had developed the immunity to poison would survive. Body fluids of these girls would be "poisoned" and sexual contact was lethal to other humans.
They were used by kings to destroy enemies. This is believed to be started by Chanakya
Chanakya
Chānakya was a teacher to the first Maurya Emperor Chandragupta , and the first Indian emperor generally considered to be the architect of his rise to power. Traditionally, Chanakya is also identified by the names Kautilya and VishnuGupta, who authored the ancient Indian political treatise...
. It is believed that Vish kanya was sent by Nanda
Mahapadma Nanda
Mahapadma Nanda was the first king of the Nanda dynasty. He was the son of Mahanandin, a Kshatriya father from the Shishunaga dynasty, with a shudra wife. Sons of Mahanandin from his Kshatriya wives opposed the rise of Mahapadma Nanda, on which he eliminated all of them to claim the throne...
's minister Rakshasas to kill Chandragupta Maurya
Chandragupta Maurya
Chandragupta Maurya , was the founder of the Maurya Empire. Chandragupta succeeded in conquering most of the Indian subcontinent. Chandragupta is considered the first unifier of India and its first genuine emperor...
and Chanakya diverted them to kill Parvatak.
In popular culture
Vishkanya has been a popular theme in Indian literatureIndian literature
Indian literature refers to the literature produced on the Indian subcontinent until 1947 and in the Republic of India thereafter. The Republic of India has 22 officially recognized languages....
and folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
, and apart from appearing in classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
texts, it has appeared repeatedly in various works like Vishkanya by Shivani
Shivani
Gaura Pant 'Shivani' , better known as Shivani, was one of the popular Hindi magazine story writers of the 20th century and a pioneer in writing Indian women based fiction. She was awarded the Padma Shri for her contribution to Hindi literature in 1982...
and Ek Aur Vish Kanya by Om Prakash Sharma, who use Vishkanya as an archetype
Archetype
An archetype is a universally understood symbol or term or pattern of behavior, a prototype upon which others are copied, patterned, or emulated...
in their stories -- a beautiful girl who kills when she comes too close. More recently, the archetype has taken a new hue in the HIV/AIDS era, for example in Vishkanya, a 2007 novel, based on the AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
epidemic in society.
Over the years, many Hindi films have been made on the subject. The first film, Vish Kanya, was made in 1943, starring Leela Misra, and more recently, Vish Kanya (1991), starring Pooja Bedi
Pooja Bedi
Pooja Bedi is a former Bollywood actress and currently a television talk show host. She is the daughter of actor Kabir Bedi. She has also participated in Bigg Boss 5 and was voted out on 26th of November.-Biography:...
as the lead role.
Further reading
- The Vish-Kanya or Poison Damsel of Ancient India, Illustrated by the story of Susan Ramashgar. Folklore Society, Britain, 1927.
- Poison-damsels: Folklore of the world, by Norman Mosley Penzer, Somadeva Bhatt. Ayer Publishing, 1980. ISBN 0405133367. Excerpts
- Vishkanya: True stories of famous women spies of the world in story form. by Yashvant Mehta. Publisher: Gurjar, 1996.
- Vishkanya, by Esa Mehta. Rajasthani Granthagar, 2007.