Noise created by slapping the armpits in battle

[Full title: Parallel elements in Folk and Epic literature (2) Noise created by slapping the armpits in battle]

This is an epic element which is peculiar to the Indian conception of creating noise in battle, to scare away the enemy, and causing all that is around to tremble at the dreadful sound. In the MBH., there are at least five scenes where this peculiarity is dramatically depicted. In the Jarasandhavadha parva, the killing of king Jarasandha by Bhima in a hand to hand battle is vivid - 19 The peculiarity of the Indian phenomenon is that sudana, mara, han, etc., are appended to the name of the vanquished, which generally means, "killer, or slayer of.."

-251- "And seizing each other's arms and twining each other's legs, (at times) they slapped their armpits causing the enclosure to tremble at the sound... and each pressing every limb of his body against every limb of the other, they continued ... to slap their armpits. "20 In the parvas describing the great battle between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, the noise created by the armpits' being slapped or clapped resounds. In the Abhimanyuvadha parva - "(causing the earth to resound) with noise of diverse musical instruments, with shouts and slaps of the armpits"; 21 in the Jayadrathavadha parva - "and that noise mingled with the noise of diverse (other) musical instruments, with shouts of warriors and slaps of their armpits.. 22 that peculiar sound is heard in the midst of the din of battle. In the Ghatotkachavadha 23 and Dronavadha 24 parvas, 20 Sabha P., xxiii (Sabha P., JarasandhavadhaP., xxiii, v. 11: kaksaih kaksam vidhunvanavasphotam tatra cakratuh. Srimanmahabharata). 21 1 DronaP., xxxvi (DropaP., Abhimanyuv.P. 36, v. 17- 19: nanavaditra ninadaih...karanemisvanairapi. Srimanmahabharata). 22 DronaP., 1 xxxviii (DronaP., Jayadrathav.P. 88, v. 28: nanavaditra samhradaih kaveditasphotitkulaih. Srimanmahabharata). 23 Dronal., clxxx (DronaP., Chatotkacav.P. 180, v. 4: tatah parisvajyapunah parthamasphotyacasakrt... Srimanmahabharata). 24 DronaP., exciii (DronaP., Dronav.P., 192, v. 82: bahusabdena prithivim kampayamasa pandavah... Srimanmahabharata).

-252 the slaps of the armpits are heard in the fury of the combatants, to the fear of the weak in heart. On the eighth 25 day of the war, clapping and slapping of the armpits still resound. And, on the tenth day "and when the thousands of trumpets were blown, the mighty Bhimasena slapped his armpits". 26 Finally, in the Bhagavadgita parva, Safijaya describes the preparation for the battle of the next day, "with the blare of conches, and the sound of drums..., with the neigh of steeds, and the clatter of car wheels with the noise of obstreperous elephants and the shouts, clapping armpits.. #27 In the folk-epos, Lam-ang, the episode of the armpit clapping and slapping is also equally dramatically described, as the hero (Lam-ang) descends upon his enemies in battle. 28 25 BhismaP., 1 xxxviii (BhismaP., Bhismav.P., 87, v. 23: bherisabdaicca vimalair vimisraih sankhanisvanaih/ ksveditasphotit krstair naditah sarvato disah// Srimanmahabharata). 26 BHISMAP., cxx (BhismaP., Bhismav.P., 199, v. 117- 118: tatasturya sahasresu nadatsu sannahabalah/ asphotayamasa bhrsambhimasenc nandaca// Srimanmahabharata). 27 BhismaP., xvi (BhismaP., Bhagavadgitav.P. 16, v. ksveditasphotitotkrstaih... 2-3: ... Srimanmahabharata). 281. Y. Yabes, "The Ilocano Epic: A Critical Study of the 'Life of Lam-ang'", Philippine Social Sciences and Humanities Review, xxii, 2-3, p. 283-338 (with Text and Translation). Strophes lix-ix.

-253 Limmagto a naminpinsan Ni lalaki a ni Lam-ang A napan iti katay-akan Ket (pag)pakpakupakennan Daydi kilikili ken sel-lang Idi luppb agsidormang Ken takiag a kannigid ken kannawan Ni lalaki a ni Lam-ang. He leaped with speed incredible 29 He, Lam-ang, the brave; Upon the mountains high and steep; With vigour - clapping and slapping The pits of (his) arms and groins, Thighs (mascular and strong)31 And the arms - the left and right Of the brave Lam-ang. This epic scene in Philippine literature, though the only example citable, certainly echos the Indian scenes, particularly in the MBH. Whether it is a parallel to or an influence of the MBh episodes, it is not known. The remote relationships of these episodes in Philippine(s) and Indian literatures, however, may only be surmised, yet certain that this peculiar source of noise created in battle may 29 Professor Yabes renders the word, litl. "immediately, at once". The present rendering seems more acceptable. 30 Litl. lalaki, "man", but here it is used with_a fig. sense, n. "hero, brave" adj. "brave, courageous". Professor Yabes renders the verses according to their context. render the word agsidorProfessor Yabes does not mang, in fact, the entire line. The Iloko word is unfami Har to the present writer, and checking up the lexicons available has been futile. The entire strophe as it is understood by the present writer is rendered tentatively as above.

-254 have its origins in the great epic of the Indians. A point or two may be considered relative to the episodes. In the Indian epic, the noise created from the clapping and slapping of the armpits apparently proceeds from the combatants of both camps, which sound is expected to be created only by the heroes. In the Philippine(s) folk-epos, the hero, Lam-ang, engages a whole tribe of painted Igo rots 32 in a single-handed combat. The noise proceeds only from him. No bare-arm combat is evident in the epos, in contrast to that which is found in the Sabhaparva (Jarasandhav.P.). Perhaps, corollary to this type of battle noise, battle cries are also uttered in another Philippine(s) folk-epos, the Hud-hud ni Aliguyon. Mayehtu gohomdan pumbangan, Pumalpalituk di gohomdal pumbannagan. 33 Their armed clash was fierce on the embankment Like thunder the field shook to their battle cries.34 The battle cries causing the field to shake is comparable to the cries, noise, etc., in the MBH: "They slapped their 32 An ethnic group in Northern Philippines. 33 Ll. 455-456. 34 Daguio translation.

-255 armpits, causing the enclosure to tremble at the sound."