The Hungry God

The folklore and classical literature of India abound with stories of parents who sacrifice their children. In this book the author examines one set of such tales - Hindu texts that bear similarities to the biblical aqedah, the account of Abraham's near-sacrifice of Isaac. In all the stories that Shulman explores, the sacrifice proceeds from a divine command and has no utilitarian explanation or rationale. Both the biblical and Indian aqedah texts are central to their cultures: later texts resume the narrative, rework its premises, and develop its paradigmatic character so that it comes to function as a "root metaphor" for its civilization. Shulman traces this history by unravelling the cumulative meanings of the Hindu, aqedah, particularly the Tamil tale of the Little Devotee and the stories of Sunahsepa and Suka. Throughout, Shulman is sensitive to the poignant tones and overtones of each text. His final chapter contrasts the Hindu tales of child sacrifice and their counterparts in Hebrew and Greek.