Archetypes In Indian Mythology: The Jester

By Prakhar Patidar

Archetypes are characters with universal appeal. We know them enough to be familiar, but not too much for them to be redundant like stereotypes. They are notably recurrent in the human experience. Think about the protective father or the intuitive mother. There are 12 archetypal characters and in this article, we look at the archetype of the Jester in Indian mythology.

The Jester is known for his fun demeanor. Often the comic relief, or the trickster, and on occasions, the wise truth sayer. Their strong suits are humor, insight, and light-heartedness, but what falls weak about these characters is that they can come across as annoying.

We don't have to think too much to spot the jester in Indian mythology. If you are familiar enough with Hindu deities or have grown up watching any renditions of Mahabharat or Ramayana, you'd know about the Vedic sage Narad Muni. He is a traveling musician and storyteller who acts as a carrier of news and wisdom.

He carries a Veena and travels through heaven and earth carrying important messages. In popular representations, he is depicted as a jovial figure who often talks in riddles. These riddles hide warnings and pearls of wisdom for others and even provide predictions. He is often seen saying his catchphrase "Nayaran, Nayaran" before and after delivering news.

He is known to have been birthed out of Brahma's mind. The popular instances of Narad's appearance in our epics are in Mahabharata where he tells Yudhishthira the story of Prahlad, and in Ramayana where he comes to warn Ravan.

Keywords: Indian mythology, archetypes, narad muni