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jondoe
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Hindu Mythology Characters
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Jan 10 11:13 UTC 2005 |
We have various characters in hindu mythology which run into
thousands and a rich web of interwoven tales. while each being the
greatest when being described, there are some like brahma who can't be
bypassed in doing any great deed. what fascinates me is that i have
rarely seen a rule laid in one story or tale not followed in others.
like no god has ever given a boon for immortality to any one without
some way of ensuring that he can be killed as soon as he starts to make
trouble.
another fact is that how mythology and history interwine. like
mahabharath and ramayan both have the appearance of gods while also set
in places relics of which are still existing in india.
I am basically looking for some comprehensive coverage on hindu
mythology but too impatient to read the texts. hope to get it from you
grexers .the following would give you pointers to tap your memories and
give more info about each:
-characters: thier main deeds;relatives etc.
-beginning of the universe: this has many versions with different god
being invovved at different stages.
-mahabharath and ramayana: i still don't know who was the biological
father. she was found in a box in the earth while tilling, but how did
she end up in a box?? in mahabharath, bhishma was give the boon of
'ichchamrithyu' ( deciding the time of his death).does this mean that he
could have been immortal if he wished? (I can't digest this)
-various types o fliving: humans, gods, rakshasas( equivalent of demons)
, apsaras (celestial nymphs, but how were they born etc), ghandarvas(
what are they?)
-rishis: their involvement in the affairs of world. eg. i've heard that
rishi kashyap was the father of birds and reptiles, garuda and takshak
being his sons.
I can see it getting out of hands even as i write. ok so let's first
concentrate on the characters and thier stories.
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| 9 responses total. |
mooncat
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response 1 of 9:
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Jan 11 20:30 UTC 2005 |
the only one I really remember much about is Kali- and I don't remember
too much about her.
Sorry. I think you know more than anyone else around- so share more!
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kami
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response 2 of 9:
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Jan 12 04:04 UTC 2005 |
Wish I could help. I could, if I would take the time to do some research...
Kali is fascinating, and in some ways similar to the Egyptian Sekhmet; she
is both a creator and a destroyer. But where Sekhment becomes destructive out
of anger at the abuses of the gods one to another (specifically murder of
Isis's son, if I'm remembering correctly.) and snaps out of it when the other
gods get her drunk, Kali begins as a creator/mother, and as the proper order
of things disintegrates with time (entropy), will basically tear up the world
and start over periodically. Now, who's the creator god that starts things
over after Kali has sent them for recycling? I seem to recall that Shiva is
both a dancing joyous creator, and a life-harvesting destroyer. It's all about
that balance thing, I guess.
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jondoe
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response 3 of 9:
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Jan 12 11:57 UTC 2005 |
let's see what all I can remember.
the main three are brahma vishnu and mahesh(shiva). creator, maintainer
and distroyer resp.
brahma is seated on a lotus. he is not worshiped and has only one temple
in entire india ( and world I guess) due to a curse and lotus is not
used in prayers or worships. IIRC, brahma with the help of lotus, tried
to do something profane.
vishnu is the one who has 10 avtars( incarnations). ie, gods in motal
form. they are fish, tortoise, narsimha( lion-man), rama, balarama(?),
krishna, among others. vishnu incarnates to protect the good and distroy
the evil when ever righteousness is inthe decline( as said in the geeta)
. last one kalki (seated on a white horse and a naked silver sword in
hand) is yet to come.
shiva is considered naive and very easy to please. he is very fond of
his devotees and is known to give distraeous boons unknowingly. he has a
third eye on his forehead which when opened, causes pralaya ( total
distruction). he is known to reside in cremation grounds so that no one
distrubs his meditation. he performs tandav dance to initiate the
distruction. in the famous pose as a nataraja he is doing tandav.
when ocean was churned by the gods and demons using a tortoise(2nd
avtar) as support meru mountain as the rod and a snake( takshak?) as a
rope seven( I think) things came out including kamdhenu( a cow which
fulfills al wishes), kalpa vriksha( a tree underwhich one doesnot age)
vish( deadly poison) and amrit( necter guranteeing immprtality). gods
and demons were fighting for amrit when brahma imposed the comdition
that whoever takes has to distroy the poison also by consuming it. shiva
took the poison and placed it in his throat( where it rests till day)
and amrit were distributed among the gods making them immortal.
indra is the king of gods and the god of rain and fertility himself.
whenever a sage is performing too strict a penance, indra gets worried
that the sage may please the god he is worshiping and usurp him ( even
gods HAVE to resopnd to te devotees if they worship or meditate hard
enough) and sends the apsaras( celestial nymphs) to disturb them. the
famous ones being menaka and urvashi.
we have 9 goddesses. lakshmi, saraswathi, parvathi. kali( she is mainly
worshiped in bengal). to all further confusion all these gods have many
names. shiva is known to have 1008 wellknown names which are chanted by
the preists in various rituals.
siva and parvathi( his wife) have ganesha and karthik( also known as
murga, shanmuga etc) as thier some.
most gods have a vehicle. like ganesha has rat and murga has a peacock.
question are very much welcome. i wanted to compile what I knew but
didn't knew how to do it as the mythology is convoluted, both in
characters and time. eg. it is not clear if saraswathi( goddess of
learning) is brahma's daughter or consort!
can someone start a similar cf for other mythologies. I think a larger
number of grexers can respond to roman mytho. whichI am particualrly
interested in. invovling apollo, hercules etc.i don't even know what
other mythologies exist. I am sure kami can help in a broad overview of
all.
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cyberpnk
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response 4 of 9:
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Jan 24 21:05 UTC 2005 |
They have Complete Idiot's guides for Wicca and Islam; perhaps there's
one for Hinduism?
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kami
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response 5 of 9:
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Feb 2 04:23 UTC 2005 |
You're asking for help, but you know more than the rest of us. Kepe
talking,please, and share what you discover.
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jondoe
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response 6 of 9:
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Feb 9 10:03 UTC 2005 |
I stopped because I thought not many people would be interested. sure if
you are interested, i will be happy to continue. this is a reversal of
roles, what say, kami??
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kami
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response 7 of 9:
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Feb 10 04:03 UTC 2005 |
Please!
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mooncat
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response 8 of 9:
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Feb 15 20:47 UTC 2005 |
Yes please!
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kami
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response 9 of 9:
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Jul 18 16:37 UTC 2005 |
hellooooo?
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