Now, if you recall the previous Avatar of Vishnu, Narasimha, you might remember that the crux of that story was a battle of wills between father and… Read more “One Small Step…Vishnu’s Fifth Avatar, Vamana”
Category: Hindu Mythology
Loopholes and Lions: Narasimha, the Fourth Avatar of Vishnu
Imagine this: your father is a powerful Demon king, made all the more powerful after being granted a magic boon from the creator God, Brahma. Now, your… Read more “Loopholes and Lions: Narasimha, the Fourth Avatar of Vishnu”
Wisdom from Ganesha: Work Smarter not Harder
The Hindu elephant headed God Ganesha shares some interesting features with the Egyptian God Thoth, and Thoth’s Greek counterpart, Hermes. Like Thoth, he is the inventor of… Read more “Wisdom from Ganesha: Work Smarter not Harder”
Got the Whole World On His Tusks: Varaha, Vishnu’s Third Avatar
Compared to the two previous Avatars of Vishnu, Matsya the Fish and Kurma the Tortoise, Varaha, Vishnu’s third “official” incarnation, isn’t given much backstory. Historically, there are… Read more “Got the Whole World On His Tusks: Varaha, Vishnu’s Third Avatar”
A Folktale from India: the Brahmin and the Gruel Pot
The following tale is a fable from the Panchatantra, a collection of folktales penned between 300 BCE and 550 CE (the earlier date is preferred by most… Read more “A Folktale from India: the Brahmin and the Gruel Pot”
Rahu and Ketu: Hindu Eclipse Mythology
In Hindu mythology, solar eclipses are caused by the decapitated head (Rahu), or lifeless body (Ketu) of the demon Svarbhānu, otherwise known as: “He who darkens the… Read more “Rahu and Ketu: Hindu Eclipse Mythology”
The Nectar of Immortality: Kurma, Vishnu’s Second Avatar
As we saw in a prior post, Vishnu’s first manifestation was a fish named Matsya; that was a flood tale, where as in many a flood tale,… Read more “The Nectar of Immortality: Kurma, Vishnu’s Second Avatar”
A Big Fish Story: Matsya, the First Avatar
Mythologicaly speaking, the Hindu God Vishnu had ten Earthly incarnations. So where do we start? By jumping in the water – literally. Flood tales run through human… Read more “A Big Fish Story: Matsya, the First Avatar”
Ganesha: Benevolent, Like Most Elephants
Imagine you’re a child, made from the dead skin of a Goddess. Imagine you’ve been given one instruction: don’t let Him in. Not while I’m bathing, showering… Read more “Ganesha: Benevolent, Like Most Elephants”
Sita Sings The Blues
Who is Sita, and why is she singing the blues? In the Hindu epic poem the Ramayana, we come across Sita. Born of the Earth, she was… Read more “Sita Sings The Blues”
Myth Crafts 