Date: Wed, 29 Apr 1998 14:36:11 -0700
From: Soumitra Bose <soumitra-AT-ix.netcom.com>
Subject: Re: Behula's Dream


Rinita Mazumdar wrote:
> 
> Soumitra,
> Well, it seems that my reply did not fully reach you. Yes, I know the
> ``problems'' of essentialism and representation VERY WELL. I do
> have a great sympathy for the subaltern to speak, ect. Nonetheless,
> I also believe that being in a priviledged position such as mine
> I MUST have EMPATHY for those I represent and believe it or not,
> I did it with FULL EMPATHY otherwise I would have written a sociological/
> philosophical article not a POEM.
> 
> Also, do read up Isvarakrishna's Samkhyakarika (the only surviving
> commentary on Samkhya), there is ONE PRIMORDIAL PRAKRITI (nature)
> as avaykta and many Purusas. This prakriti (as I read it) is
> ``passive''. Woman to me (or the feminine principle) is also
> nature and it is through her subtle passive yet resisting mode that
> she asserts her subjectivity.
> 
> Again, I am PRETTY SURE coming from a bourgeois woman this will NOT
> satify you,
> 
> RinitaSure it will not. First of all the pattern of scholarship that you are 
convinced with in quoting the Samkhya vashya is faulty and smacks of 
challenging perseverence in pursuing a topic. There are innumerable 
translations, connotations and authentic concordance studies and 
annotations of Samkhya thoughts. I have just checked both versions of 
Samkhya that by the non-dualists and the qualified-dualists. Prakriti is 
there very clearly described as the sole creator and destroyer and the 
Purush is a temporal catalyst( as I said). Passivity of Prakriti is being 
seen by only one group. The group , whose thoughts and culture became 
popular in eastern India, from where the Behula anecdote came, very 
clearly believes in the active role and the only active role of Prakriti.


Your attitude in this poem here smacks of the typical whining persecution 
complex of the reactionary privilege seeking bourgois (in the french 
sense of the word)mentality. I do not find any responsible voice which 
wishes to take things in stride and change for the more empowerment and 
more consciousness of the suba-altern. This has been a deja vu throughout 
the history of human civilization. A kind of manufacturing virtue out of 
false persecution complex, while trying to maintain the privileged 
position and prepared to sacrifice nothing.

The story and myth of BEhula is a wonderful story showing the strength 
and creative power of the feminine who represent the sub-altern 
symbolically.