Ethan Kahn India Epics

Goddess Worship      Bibliography. Seven Secrets of the Goddess by Devdutt Pattanaik.  Web Source      Notes:       * Izanami speaks first and demons are born. Izanagi speaks first and normal human babies are born. This serves a justification for men speaking first in Japanese society.       * In ancient cultures, men were often associated with culture and domesticating nature while women were associated with nature. They were seen as needing domestication.       * Pandora opens a box handed to her by Zeus, even when Zeus explicitly tells her not to. This serves as justification in ancient cultures for why women shouldn't be trusted. This caused men to become wary of women. 

Seven Secrets of the Goddess      Bibliography. Seven Sectrets of the Goddess by Devdutt Pattanaik.  Web Source      Notes:      * The theme of a mother deity overtaken by a father deity is prevalent in many worldwide mythologies.       * The Inuit tell of a goddess who is unhappy with her marriage to a seagull and asks her father take her back.       * Once in his boat, they're attacked by a flock of seagulls. To save himself, Sedna's father pushes her overboard. She continuously tries to climb back in but her father continuously mutilates her.       * Pedna's dismembered limbs sink to the bottom of the ocean and become the various sea mammals.       * The Inuits who hunt sea mammals bring comfort to Sedna through Shamans who speak soothing words to her.       * Tantric Hinduism has a story of Adya, a pr...

Krishna in Dwarka      Bibliography.  Shri Krishna of Dwarka  by C. A. Kincaid.  Web Source      Reading Notes:      *Balarama revisits Vrindavan.       *Krishna defeats Jambavan and marries Jambavati      *Krishna kills a King who falsely claims to be Vishnu incarnate.       *That King's son asks for a boon from Shiva.      *The boon summons a great flaming being who destroys who it is commanded to unless that person is righteous.      *Since it was summoned to kill Krishna, it spares Krishna and kills the man who asked the boon of Shiva. 

Krishna and Rukmini      Bibliography.  Shri Krishna of Dwarka by C. A. Kincaid.  Web Source      Reading Notes:      *Krishna defeats Aghasur and many other powerful demons including one that takes the form of a mountain-high bull with fiery red eyes.       *Krishna and Balarama travel to the kingdom of Mathura and slay King Kansa's wrestlers, boxers, and courtiers. Krishna kills Kansa in a single blow.       *Krishna tells his fellow villagers to stop worshipping Indra. Indra revolts and Krishna protects them.       *Krishna runs away with Rukmini. 

The Buddha as a Monkey      Bibliography. Eastern Stories and Legends by Marie Shedlock.  Web Source      Reading Notes:      *A Monkey King saves his herd of 80,000 from a water-ogre.      *A merchant strikes water and saves his carts in a desert.       *A Minister saves a King's old Elephant from being yolked.       *A Brahmin is reborn as a Golden Mallard.

The Jataka Tales      Bibliography. Jataka Tales from  Eastern Stories and Legends by Marie Shedlock.  Web Source      Reading Notes:      *A King wants to give more to his people than just material items. He wants to literally give himself away.      * Sakka, the King of the Gods, disguises as a blind man to test the King's virtue. Sakka asks the King for one eye and the King joyfully gives him both.       * A Tree Spirit is about to have its massive tree cut down by a King.       * The Tree Spirit appears to the King at midnight and talks with him about its concerns.       * A Hare is willing to give his life for the food of a Brahmin.       * A man lives to give alms simply for the price of giving. 

The Pandavas and Draupadi Walk the Path to Mount Meru      Bibliography. Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie.  Web Source      Notes:      *Ashwattaman and Duryodhana remain.       *The Pandavas find Duryodhana hiding beneath the waters of a nearby lake.       *Duryodhana is slain and Ashwattaman's jewel gets ripped out of his forehead. He lives forever after.       *Krishna and Balarama leave Dawarka for the jungle, where they die and are cremated with their father, Vasudeva.       *As Arjuna leaves Dawarka, the whole city is drowned by the ocean.       *Vyasa assembles the dead from the battle at the Ganges. All is made well.       *The Pandava Brothers and Draupadi die after Krishna and they walk the path to Mount Meru.       *All but the eldest...

The Battle Ensues      Bibliography. Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie.  Web Source      Notes:      *The Pandava brothers bid their kingdom away.       *Rovalries ensue.       *Arjuna and Duryodhana seek out Krishna for his alliance in the upcoming war.       *Arjuna chooses Krishna, who will not fight, but be Arjuna's charioteer. Duryodhana gladly takes Krishna's army.       *The two sides meet in battle.       *Duryodhana's forces outnumber Arjuna's. He feels doubtful, as many people in the opposite army are also dear to him. Krishna reveals his true form to Arjuna and speaks to him about why he should feel guilty or fear going into battle.       *The battle is underway. 

Rama and His Followers Enter Heaven      Bibliography. "Ramayana" from Indian Myths and Legends by Donald A. Mackenzie  Web Source      Reading Notes:      * The monkeys build a bridge to Lanka.       * They attack the rakshasas and a great battle ensues.       * Many powerful rakshasas are slain.      * Ravana has his subjects wake Khumbakarna with music, dancing, and elephants. None of which work. Finally, he awakens to beautiful women caressing him.       * Khumbakarna is fed swine, deer, and humans.      * He's not satisfied and goes to the battlefield to devour the monkeys.      * Thousands of monkeys are devoured by Khumbakarna. He also injures Hanuman and captures Sugriva.       * Rama defeats Khumbakarna.       * Indrajit joins the fight. ...

Hanuman in Ravana's Palace      Reading Notes:      * Rama and Lakshmana meet the monkeys and the bears.       * Rama helps Sugriva defeat Vali and become King.      * Rama and Lakshmana gather forces with the monkeys and the bears.      * The monkeys and bears search for Sita.      * Sampati, the Vulture King, tells them that Sita is in Lanka.      * Hanuman leaps over the ocean to Lanka.      * He searches through the city of Lanka.      * Hanuman finds Sita in an Ashoka grove, guarded by rakshasis.       * Hanuman burns the forest.      * Ravana sends forces after Hanuman. Hanuman finishes them all off.       * Hanuman lays waste to Lanka and then leaps back to India.       

Ravana and Sita      Bibliography. "Ramayana" from Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie  Web Source      Reading Notes:      * Bharata returns and finds his father dead and Rama exiled.      * Sets out into the jungle to find Rama.      * Finds him, but Rama refuses to return to the kingdom. He still wishes to fulfill his deceased father's wishes.       * Rama and company pass through a few jungle hermitages, meeting different sages and ascetics along the way. Some give him and his brother powerful celestial weapons.       * They battle a demon who tries to run off with Sita. They kill him and bury him, freeing him from a curse. The demon rises to heaven.       * They meet Ravana's sister who tries to seduce Rama. Rama refuses.       * Ravana's sister goes to one of her brothers. He...

Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana      Bibliography. "Ramayana" from Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie  Web Source      Notes:      * Vishnu agrees to incarnate on Earth in human form on behalf of the gods.       * He must be human to defeat Ravana, king of the Rakshasas.       * Born in as the four sons of King Dasharatha. Rama is the eldest.      * Rama and his brother, Lakshmana, become known for slaying demons.       * Rama lifts Shiva's bow in Mithila.       * King Janaka weds Rama to his daughter, Princess Sita.       * The 4 brothers are each wed.       * Rama becomes heir to the throne.      * Bharata is made the heir and Rama is exiled, joined by Sita and Lakshmana.      * Bharata is with Shatrughna when their fa...

Mohini Wood Carving Goblin City W.H.D. Rouse      This story was about a large crew of 500 sailors that crashed ashore the island Ceylon. This island was home to a large city whose inhabitants were all female goblins. The She-Goblins ring in travelers and marry them so that they can eat them later on. The captain of the crew finds out what these creatures really are and what they're up to. Him and the crew members that believe him escape the island on a winged horse while the non-believers meet their end.       This story gave me an idea that takes Goblin City and turns it around into something more peaceful. Rather than travelers meeting a violent death in that city, I could write a story that explores the culture and society of the Goblins.       I could even go further in-depth with it and talk about their religious rituals, food (besides man's meat), agriculture, overall lifestyle, and origins. 

Ravana Lifting Kailasa Mountain Ganesha: The Remover of All Obstacles      This comic book sounds like it contains the origin story of Ganesha which caught my interest. Any story with Ganesha also seems adventurous since he's the remover of all obstacles.  Krishna and Rukmini: A Love That Will Not Be Denied      This caught my attention because all of the stories that I've read about Krishna so far feature him as a supremely powerful god-child showing up the gods, even brahma, or as a King-like figure. While I always enjoy those types of larger-than-life stories, I haven't read much about Krishna's romantic life. I also know that it's another prominent aspect to his story and I want to see what all of the hype is about.  Agni: God of Fire      I chose Agni out of the characters' list because I haven't learned too much about him. From what I know, he's a god that is more widely worshipped in the Vedic sec...