Devdutt Pattanaik

Indian Mythology (eBook, ePUB)

Tales, Symbols, and Rituals from the Heart of the Subcontinent

• Format: ePub

Produktbeschreibung

An exploration of 99 classic myths of India from an entirely non-Western paradigm that provides a fresh understanding of the Hindu spiritual landscape • Compares and contrasts Indian mythology with the stories of the Bible, ancient Egypt, Greece, Scandinavia, and Mesopotamia • Looks at the evolution of Indian narratives and their interpretations over the millennia • Demonstrates how the mythology, rituals, and art of ancient India are still vibrant today and inform the contemporary generation From the blood-letting Kali to the mysterious Ganesha, the Hindu spiritual landscape is populated by characters that find no parallel in the Western spiritual world. Indian Mythology explores the rich tapestry of these characters within 99 classic myths, showing that the mythological world of India can be best understood when we move away from a Western, monotheistic mindset and into the polytheistic world of Hindu traditions. Featuring 48 artistic renderings of important mythological figures from across India, the author unlocks the mysteries of the narratives, rituals, and artwork of ancient India to reveal the tension between world-affirming and world-rejecting ideas, between conformism and contradiction, between Shiva and Vishnu, Krishna and Rama, Gauri and Kali. This groundbreaking book opens the door to the unknown and exotic, providing a glimpse into the rich mythic tradition that has empowered millions of human beings for centuries.

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Produktdetails

• Verlag: Simon + Schuster LLC
• Seitenzahl: 256
• Erscheinungstermin: 24. April 2003
• Englisch
• ISBN-13: 9781594775581
• Artikelnr.: 49160851

Autorenporträt

A medical doctor by training, Devdutt Pattanaik moved away from clinical practice to nurture his passion for mythology. His unorthodox approach is evident in his books, which include introductions to Shiva and Vishnu and The Goddess in India. He lives in Mumbai, India, where he works as a health communicator and writes and lectures on Hindu narratives, art, rituals, and philosophy.

Inhaltsangabe

Introduction
Chapter 1--Mythology: Studying Myth
Vishnu and the Earth Cow (Bhagavata Purana)
Myth and Mythology
Expressions of Myth
Renuka's Umbrella (Mahabharata) • Renuka's Infidelity (Mahabharata) •
Renuka's Head (Yellamma Mahatmya) • Arjuna and the Navagunjara • (Orissan
folklore based on the Mahabharata) • The Half-Woman God (Tamil Temple Lore)
• A Golden Effigy of Sita (Uttara Ramayana) • Lakshmi's Symbols (Orissan
folklore)
The Function of Myth
Rama's Ring (Folklore based on the Ramayana) • A Palace for Indra
(Brahmavaivarta Purana) • Shambuka Beheaded (Uttara Ramayana) • The
Beheading of Brahma (Shiva Purana)
Coping Through Mythmaking
Conclusion
Chapter 2--Mythosphere: Comparing Myths
The Idea of God
Harishchandra (Bhagavata Purana) • The Past Life of Yashoda and Nanda
(Padma Purana) • The Doorkeepers of Vishnu (Bhagavata Purana)
Devils and Demons
Why Rama Went into Exile (Ramayana) • The Curse of Gandhari (Mahabharata) •
The Offering of Bel Leaves (Linga Purana) • Indra Seduces Ahalya (Ramayana)
• Churning the Ocean to Find Shri (Bhagavata Purana)
Creation with a Difference
The Birth of the Three Gods (Folklore) • Brahma Opens His Eyes (Vishnu
Purana) • Brahma's Mind-Born Sons (Brahmavaivarta Purana) • Brahma Splits
Himself (Shiva Purana) • The Creation of Death (Mahabharata) •
Transformations of the Daughter (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad)
Heaven or Hell
The Birth of Urvashi (Bhagavata Purana) • Mahabhisha (Mahabharata) •
Agastya's Ancestors (Mahabharata) • Heaven for Markandeya (Linga Purana) •
The Death of Yama (Rig Veda) • Vishnu Cursed (Padma Purana) • Fish to the
Rescue (Matsya Purana)
Conclusion
Chapter 3--Mythopoesis: Transforming Myth
March of the Vedic Hymns
The Beheading of Vishwarupa (Mahabharata) • Durvasa's Curse (Padma Purana)
• Mount Vindhya Bows (Uttara Ramayana) • The Birth of River Kaveri (Kaveri
Mahatmya) • Repelling Taraka (Ramayana) • Rama Befriends the Monkeys
(Ramayana) • The Burning of Khandavaprastha (Mahabharata) • The Marriage of
Marisha (Bhagavata Purana) • The Body of Society (Rig Veda) • Vishwamitra
Becomes a Rishi (Bhagavata Purana) • Ekalavya (Mahabharata) • Atoning for
Killing Ravana (Rishikesh Sthala Purana) • Ammaveru's Husband (South Indian
folklore) • The Birth of Krishna (Harivamsa)
The Ascetic Ideal
Parashurama Destroys the Warrior Race (Vishnu Purana) • The Golden Mongoose
(Mahabharata) • Yagnavalkya Rebels (Brahmanda Purana) • Nachiketa Questions
Yama (Katha Upanishad) • Vidura's Past Life (Mahabharata) • Shiva
Enlightens Matsyendra-nath (Nav-Nath-Charitra) • The Destruction of
Daksha's Yagna (Skanda Purana) • Kapila's Fiery Glance (Ramayana) •
Trishanku (Vishnu Purana) • Kumbhakarna's Asceticism (Ramayana) •
Dadhichi's Head (Jaiminya Brahmana) • Dadhichi's Bones (Mahabharata) •
Vishwamitra and Menaka (Bhagavata Purana) • The Seduction of Rishyashringa
(Mahabharata) • The Birth of Skanda (Skanda Purana) • Shilavati's Chastity
(Brahmanda Purana)
The Birth of God
Krishna Humbles Indra (Bhagavata Purana) • Kali's Tongue (Kalika Purana) •
Vishnu Enlightens Brahma (Vishnu Purana) • Shiva the Dancer (Skanda Purana)
• The Return of Vyasa's Son (Devi Bhagavata Purana) • The Death of
Parikshit (Bhagavata Purana) • The Power of Rama's Name (Ramayana) • The
Idol in the Termite Hill (Temple lore) • The Marriage of Valli (Skanda
Purana) • The Descent of Ganga (Shiva Purana) • The Pillar of Fire (Shiva
Purana) • Mohini to the Rescue (Vishnu Purana) • The Birth of Ayyappa
(Sabarimalai Sthala Purana) • God Turns for Kanaka Dasa (Udipi Sthala
Purana) • The Hunter's Eye (Periyar Purana)
Invasions and Immigrations
The Death of the Pandavas (Mahabharata) • Manikantha and Vavar (Sabarimalai
Sthala Purana) • Ranganatha's Muslim Bride (Shrirangam Sthala Purana)
Conclusion
Chapter 4--Mythography: Interpreting Myth
History and Prehistory
The Sons of Kadru and Vinata (Mahabharata) • Yudhishtira's Horse Sacrifice
(Mahabharata) • Krishna's Early Life (Harivamsa) • Krishna's Later Life
(Mahabharata) • The Sacrifice of Sunahshepas (Mahabharata) • The Children
of Vichitravirya (Mahabharata) • Oghavati's Obedience (Mahabharata) •
Gandhari's Children (Mahabharata) • Krishna Curses Ashwathama (Mahabharata)
• Shiva Destroys Tripura (Linga Purana)
Strategic Charters
The Churning of Vena's Corpse (Bhagavata Purana) • Shvetaketu's Law
(Mahabharata) • The Marriage of Draupadi (Mahabharata) • Shiva Blesses
Draupadi (Mahabharata) • Vrinda's Chastity (Shiva Purana) • Sita's Chastity
(Uttara Ramayana) • Three Boons for Kaikeyi (Ramayana) • How Mountains Came
into Being (Bhagavata Purana) • Dhruva (Folklore based on the Bhagavata
Purana) • Donations for Venkateshwara (Tirumalai Sthala Purana) •
Jayadeva's Verse (Folklore)
This in Terms of That
Chandra and the Nakshatras (Somnath Sthala Purana) • Rudra and Prajapati
(Shatapatha Brahmana) • Sapta Rishis and Their Wives (Mahabharata) •
Krishna's Rasa Leela (Gita Govinda) • The Rescue of the Elephant King
(Bhagavata Purana) • Shiva's Erect Manhood (Shiva Purana)
Metaphors of the Mind
Kunti's Magic Formula (Mahabharata) • The Sons of Yayati (Mahabharata) •
Devavrata's Vow of Celibacy (Mahabharata) • Arjuna's Exile (Mahabharata)
Conclusion
Glossary
Bibliography
Index