Globalwits

Sunday, 26 August 2018

BOOK REVIEW: SAGAS OF HINDU MYTHOLOGY


Purana * says: "There are two states of this Brahma—one with, and one without shape; one perishable, one imperishable; which are inherent in all beings. The imperishable is the supreme being; the perishable is all the world.

God is the Great Being who shines effulgent like the Sun, beyond all darkness. Knowing Him alone one crosses beyond death. There is no other way of going over there.

Shrimad Bhagavatam says: He is Brahman (the Absolute), Paramatman (God), Bhagwan (the Incarnation).

The Hindu epics

The Hindu epics were written to create moral and upright ideals for followers to look up to. These epics were written in Sanskrit and in their essence described the power of Hindu gods in poetic verses. The most popular among these poetic epics are the Ramayana and Mahabharata. The Ramayana is a magnificent narration of the story of Rama. It chronicles the life of Rama from his birth in the kingdom of Ayodhya to his decisive victory over the evil nemesis Ravana. The epic speaks volumes on the virtue of true brotherhood, love and the essence of sacrifices one must make to defeat the ultimate evil.

Mahabharata is the longest epic ever written and gives an in-depth insight on the rise of Hinduism between 400 BCE and 200 CE. In fact, its entire narration is seven times the length of the Iliad and the Odyssey combined. Apart from its glorious narration of tussle between the Kauravas and Pandavas, it also details the scripts of Bhagwat Gita. It is a recital from origin to end of a great battle that pits brothers against brothers. In time, the Bhagwat Gita went on to become the epitome of Hinduism’s sacred scripture.

                                       The profuse history of ancient Hindu mythology fascinates the Hindu followers and non – followers alike.

SAGAS OF HINDU MYTHOLOGY

Hinduism has gone through various stages, which can be linked to the most important texts surviving from each period. The earliest stage is associated with the Vedas, the oldest Indian documents. One of them, the Rig-Veda, is a collection of 1,028 hymns of praise and prayers to the gods with references to myths. The Vedas are based on ancient Aryan traditions that were long communicated only in oral form.

Hindu mythology includes a huge number of stories. Some have proved to be especially enduring and central to an understanding of Hinduism. Among these are the tales told in the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.

Hindu belief and mythology color every aspect of life and culture in India. They are the basis of countless works of art, from plays about Rama written in the 700s to modern Indian movies based on mythic stories.

Sagas of Hindu Mythology has brought the ancient tales to modern readers and the richness of a mythology that has expanded and taken on new meanings.











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