Epics of India MLLL 4993

Image on  Pinterest Vishnu’s eyelids are becoming heavy, and he realizes that he is growing tired again after billions of years without sleeping. The water levels on the innumerable worlds throughout the universes are steadily rising. Vishnu knows that in a few million years, those waters will grow into raging storms, and all life will be eliminated from the planets. He knows, too, that cosmic disasters like the explosions of stars and the widening of black holes will become more frequent until his droopy eyelids finally close. With Vishnu’s sleep always comes the end of the world. Rather, the end of all the universes. Vishnu is finally asleep, so he is now referred to as Narayan, and his body floats on an endless bed of unmoving milk. Imagine a soft white ocean with no edges and no land to contain it stretching on forever. All is calm, and Narayan does not dream. Perhaps there is no sense of consciousness within him at all, only perfect peace. He drifts al...

Read the updated version of this story on my Indian Epics portfolio blog here: link . Image on  YouTube I clearly remembered giving birth to a girl, yet when I awoke the next morning, the child was a boy, and he was blue. Maybe I was so distracted by the pains of childbirth that I was not able to think clearly… I had decided that I would call my girl Maya, but I then decided to go with the name Krishna. Also, my husband had brought another baby to be cared for by me, a boy, Balram. I was so confused when people came from far-off cities to meet Krishna, for I didn’t know any of them and they wished to pay him respect. There was none of the same excitement for Balram. The two boys grew up to be quite the troublemakers, and I often had to vouch for them when the neighboring women came to the house and claimed that they had stolen butter. At first, I did not want to believe that I could have raised thieves, but I eventually began to punish the boy...

Image on  Pexels Rosalie was a spirited girl with fire-red hair to match her personality. She was not good at holding still and frequently got into trouble at school for this and for her quick temper. The other children were friends with Rosalie and admired her eccentric personality, but none of them dared behave as she did in the classroom. She was not afraid to speak her mind and often pestered the teachers with many questions that they found extremely annoying. There was one teacher, though, who did not mind the girl’s questions, and this was Rosalie’s favorite teacher. Ms. Simmons taught science and regularly took her students outside to observe the stream that ran next to the playground. Not only did her pupils like going outside during class, they also loved learning from Ms. Simmons who cared about each one of them. This included Rosalie, who found it easiest to concentrate in Ms. Simmons’ fun lectures. The teacher knew that any of her students would ...

Image on  Flickr Inez and her husband Victor did not make much money, but they were a happily married couple. The couple had two adopted children from Victor’s deceased sister who they loved as their own. They did not spend money on things that they knew they couldn’t afford, but they always had enough and lived a much more fruitful life than most people. The one thing that they thought would really make a difference to their happiness was their want for a biological child. After trying to conceive for five years, they were finally blessed with the news that Inez was pregnant. Not only that, but she was carrying triplets, two girls and one boy. The prospect of three children altogether was nice , but five was more of a financial burden than the couple expected. Still, Inez and Victor were looking forward to the additions to their family. Victor took up extra hours at work, and the couple prepared everything they needed for the delivery of the three infants. ...

Read the updated version of this tale on my Portfolio  here . Surya gifts Yudhishthira the Akshayapatra on  Wikimedia Upon entering their period of exile in the mystical woods, the Pandavas and Draupadi quickly began to hunger, for it was difficult to find food. When too faint, Bhima would carry the five others on his back until they reached a water source. Weeks went by in this same manner, until one day Yudhishthira happened upon a brahmin and told him of his sorrows. The brahmin, sensing the desperation in Yudhisthira’s voice and wanting to help, suggested that the Pandava pray to the Sun God, Surya. Yudhisthira, who had always been true to his faith, agreed. He began wholeheartedly praying to Surya: Powerful Sun, You who sees everything in the universe, You are our Creator. You are Vishnu, Brahma, and Prajapati at once. You are the Brahman! Please, help my brothers and our wife in our trials. Surya, pleased by Yudhisthira’s devoutness an...

Read the updated version of this story on my Indian Epics Portfolio here: link . Amba on  Wikimedia Bhishma had been overseeing King Vichitravirya as his regent since he was a boy. When the King came of age and was ready to marry, Bhishma went out and stole three princesses from far away, Amba, Ambalika, and Ambika. Since no one dared to fight Bhishma to win the princesses back, the three women went to live in Bhishma’s kingdom. The eldest, Amba, went in private to confess something to Bhishma. “Sir”, she said, “I am honored that you have chosen me to be a wife of your king. However, I must be honest with you and tell you that I have promised myself to wed King Salwa. It would not be honorable to marry anyone else.” So saying, Bhishma wished her well on her journey to the King of the Salwas. Upon arriving at the gates of the Salwa city, Amba was immediately taken to meet with King Salwa and his advisors. Expecting the one she had promised herself to to be joy...

Ravana Approcaches Sita on  Wikimedia Lovely Sita was seated on a bench with her husband, Rama, in their little garden that led into the woods where they lived. The two were engaged in conversation when Sita spotted a beautiful golden deer. She said to her husband, “Oh, Rama! I have never seen anything quite so divine as that golden deer! I must have it! Will you follow it into the woods and catch it for me?” Rama, who was swayed by Sita’s passion for the animal, tried to deny her of her request. “Sita”, he said, “You know that it is my duty to protect you here in these dangerous woods. I cannot go retrieve the deer.” Sita, knowing that she was indeed in a very dangerous part of the woods, offered to have Lakshmana, Rama’s brother, watch over her for awhile. She knew that Rama trusted him with his life. Finally giving into his wife’s request, Rama went after the deer. It did not take long for Rama, a skilled hunter, to locate the precious animal. He dr...

Sita on  Wikimedia Sita was to finally return to Rama after being held prisoner in Ravana’s palace for years. This was to be a beautiful reunion, as Rama had journeyed across the earth for his love, and had had much help along the way. He had encountered sages in many woods, called on the Birds to defeat the Serpents who had entangled him and his brother, and crossed the seas with the Bears and Monkeys to finally bring Sita home. A large crowd had gathered for this glorious reunion, but the atmosphere turned dark and accusatory even before Rama caught sight of Sita. He heard whisperings of Sita’s probable infidelity while incarcerated by Ravana, and these thoughts angered him. Instead of embracing his lovely wife and telling her kind words after so long apart, Rama’s face grew red as he approached Sita. Sita, who had expected her husband to be ecstatic for this encounter, was baffled by Rama’s temper. He demanded, “Sita, is what these people say true? Have you been unloyal...

Brahma Riding his Goose  Wikimedia Vishnu on  Wikipedia For my Storybook, I think I might do Hindu creation stories. I loved the idea that creation is a continual process and that there are an infinite number of possible universes. There are three important gods in the creation process that I have looked into for possible Storybook plots. Brahma is the creator of everything in the universe(s), Vishnu preserves these creations and looks over the good things in the worlds, and Shiva is the Destroyer who creates mandatory change. If I were to do a Storybook on Brahma, I would focus mainly on his intentions for the earth. These would include why he created certain creatures, different sexes, certain emotions, and his intentions for his four main types of beings. These beings are gods, demons, ancestors, and men. I could write a chapter of my Storybook devoted to Brahma’s “birth” from the cosmic egg, as well as a chapter for each of the four beings. In each chap...

Dasharatha on  Wikimedia Now I lay dying, my chest replete with sorrow and grief, And I remember an incident from long ago, Before it was the last that I knew of peace, My heart must repent before to the celestial heavens I go. In my youth, I was known for my hunting skill, I could track an animal by the sound of it drinking water, To the stream I would go and my excitement would instill, In my body the energy for which the animal I would slaughter. I did this routine one fine, bright day, The sun gleaming through patches in the swaying leaves, The heavenly object bestowed graciously upon me its ray, Or so I thought, until a sound I did misconceive. An animal! I could hear it drinking in the stream, A Deer, I supposed, as was most common around there, I fired my good crossbow to hear an unexpected scream, Which was no Deer, but a boy of a most youthful year. What have I done? Sun, have you lead me astray? Sprinting to the source of t...