Indian Epics

Arjuna was told that if he traveled to up the Himalayas and obtained the vision of the great god, no one would be able to defeat him. So Arjuna, wanting this power, went into the mountains to find this power. He promised himself he would conquer the mountain. Ever yday he would meditate and pray, to the point where he became strong. He comes across a boar that planned to attack him and killed it. The forest grew silent, and a hunter not so far was angry that Arjuna killed his prey. So they fought, but this huntsman appeared to not be a mere mortal. This huntsman was the Great God, and he was pleased with Arjuna, giving him divine weapons and blessing him, but forbidding him from using the weapons unnecessarily. Many other gods visited Arjuna up in the mountains, bringing gifts of other weapons and blessings. The gods sent Arjuna to live in the city of Swarga where music and dancing were plenty. Indra told Arjuna that he is to live there as a dancer and musician, and that he did. He...

A lonely king sat upon his throne. He had been looking for a wife for years to no avail. Most women in his kingdom were, ugly, married, evil, or could not have children. He had unsuccessfully dated in the past and each woman he wanted to marry ended up having flaws that were too big to allow them to become a queen. This king had prayed and prayed to his god to find a wife who could bare to have his children, a fertile wife. He was getting older and he needed to have a son, someone who could run his kingdom when he passes away. The king was out on a stroll along the river that ran through his kingdom. He’s grown up by this river, and it gave him peace of mind when he was troubled. This day was special, it was the five year anniversary of his first prayer in hopes of finding a lover. He knelt by his favorite tree and prayed again. “Oh god, hear me. I am getting old, my time is nearing an end and my life has been spent alone and without a true mate. My expectations are not high, I j...

Upichara was a king that didn’t want children but was given a crystal car that could fly. While out flying his semen fell into a river and was eaten by a fish. When caugt by a fisherman two childeren suddenly appeared. - maybe do a story over the crystal car or from the fisherman’s perspective as he discovers the children (maybe his wife and him could not concieve). Ganga was the goddess of the ganges river. She had promised the god Vasus, who had been cursed to be among men in 8 forms, that he may be born of her children and she would kill them all (to retirn Vasus to his god form) in exchange for 1/8 of his power onto her final son. Ganga marries king Shantanu with a promise that he will never disagree or say a mean thing to her, she proceeds to drown  every child they have till on the eigth child the king bursts into anger and breaks his vow. - story from Shantanu watching his children be born and drown and his conflicted feelings in the mattwr, wife or kids?  Gang...

Title : The Divine Archer Author : F. J. Gould Year : 1911  Link Rama and Lank had just completed a task given by them to kill a demon terrorizing the local villiage, they were tired, and wanted a place to rest, so they traveled to the nearest city. In the coty they were recognized as heroes, the citizens were estatic that they had been blessed to host such heroines. Rama and Lank were invited to a great feast held by the king. They were given plate after plate of some of the best food they had ever tasted. After the feast, Rama decided to take a nap while Lank walked the palace, intrigued by it’s uniqueness in comparison to theirs at home. As Lank walked the gardens he saw the most beautiful maiden, the princess Sita and her helpers wisped by him as he was awestruck. Lank thought to himself “I’m gonna marry that girl”. How could she refuse him, being such a hero in the eyes of the king. I’m sure the king would even give her to him. Rama awoke from his s...

Vishvamitra, a brahmarishi, comes to Dashartha from Siddhashrama and ask for his help. Two devils have been terrorizing his dwelling, polluting his sacred fire and ruining sacrifices. Dashartha promised Vish anything, and Vish asked for the help of his son, the only one able to defeat the devils. Dash was not happy about this, but had to keep his promise so sent Rama and his brother Lakshmana to help. They came across Thataka, a rakshasa. She ravaged the country continuously. Rama challenges her with his bow, but did not want to kill her because she was female. After removing both her arms, nose, and ears, she became invisible and was still able to rain stones down upon the party. The sage urged them to finish her and Rama did with a single shot. The sage summoned spiritual weapons for Rama who in turn asked for them to wait to when they were most needed, and he thought about them, to appear.  Maricha and other rashasas appeared for a surprise attack on the offering and Rama summon...

Indian Epics Portfolio Rama rejects Shurpanakha, illustration by Warwick Goble ( Image source )

Newest version here on my portfolio! https://sites.google.com/view/portfolio-indian-epics/an-infidelidous-sita Rama and Sita had returned to the throne. Sita had spent so much time with Ravana that he was skeptical that she remained virtuous and had not consummated in the time she was away from Rama. The people of Ayo were rampaged and assumed that Rama was allowing Sita to stay his wife after so much time with another man, they were foaming at the mouth to see Sita punished for being an infidelidous wife. Rama sat back and let the people convince Sita she was unpure and unfit to be his wife. In mourning she built a fire as a means to commit suicide, but the gods were watching over them both that day. “Oh Rama, who is a god, why doth though allow thee wife to burn? “She was unfaithful to me and my name, she has volunteered her execution.” He said unremorsefully. “Oh Rama, you don’t understand, thee wife is innocent, her only love has been you, and only you.” Staring int...

After Sita’s capture and rescue from Ravana, the people questioned her purity. In turn, Rama banned her to Valmiki’s hermitahe where she gave birth to two sons. These two sons ended up foghting Rama, their father, in the future, Rama saw himself in them, knowing they were children of Sita’s. Sita was called to the kingdom to fight for her purity, and in turn, was taken by the gods.  Source .  Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists  by Sister Nivedita (1914). [800 words] I mage source : Sita goes into the earth, by Raja Ravi Varma

Sita had been stolen by Ravana and lay in his prision quarters, still covered in the jewels from her kingdom. Ravana wanted her so he tried to convince her to be his wife, but she refused saying she was only to be with Rama, When Hanuman offered go save her after she was sentenced to months in captivity, she refused on the idea that she would touch no man besites Rama.  Hanuman devised another plan to save Sita, and started destroying things in Ravanas kingdom. When they captured him they forgot how Brahma weapons work, and the bond were not complete. But Hanuman decieved Ravana’s men into thinking he was captured so he could speak to Ravana.  Source:  Indian Myth and Legend   by Donald A. Mackenzie  Image source : Hanuman, Rama, and Lakshmana attack Ravana

For this post I read “Be a Mirror: Guve Readers Feedback That Fosters a Growth Mindset” and “A simple 5-Second Habit to Rewire Your Harshly Self-Critical Brain”. The first article was ok, I feel it explained it’s premise not simply enough and it had me confused on what it was trying to say. What I understood from it is to give feedback based on what the students thought process was instead of their work. The author emphasizes this idea, saying that you want to look at the person behind the work rather than the work itself. Hop into their mind to understand why they did it that way... The second article I read was from last week. The article focused on this idea of looking forward instead of into the past. So when you are stressed or make a mistake, instead of reminiscing, treat that experience as one to learn from and have it spring you into a better future, with small steps to change your path away from that failure reoccurring. I think knowing how to give and recieve feedback i...

Newest version here on my portfolio! https://sites.google.com/view/portfolio-indian-epics/week-3-story-the-she-demon-and-the-prince There was once a young and handsome price named Rama. He was was married to a beautiful young woman, one of the most beautiful in the land, a woman named Sita. Whilst Rama was known for his beauty, he was also known for his heroism after killing demons in the past. It was a quiet night and Sita and Rama were taking a walk in the forests next to the place they call home. What they had yet to realize was that demons often lurk in this forest, and one had had her eye on Rama for quite some time. Shurpa was considered to be the most beautiful of all the demons. She was so beautiful that she had managed to seduce all of the men that crossed her path. Word quickly got around of her presence in the woods and people began to call her a succubus, as men who fell under her spell were never seen again. Shurpa had been waiting in the forest for Rama all nigh...