Classical Hindu Mythology

CONTENTS Preface xiii The Puranas :An Introduction 3 1. Origins Introduction The origin of Brahma from the Lotus in Visnu’s navel 30 Prakrti and Purusa 31 The Cosmic Egg 32 The Origin of the World from Brahma 32 The Four Heads of Brahma 34 Purusa, the Cosmic Person 35 The Origin and Nature of Time 36 The Four Ages 38 The Kali Age 41 The Dissolution of the World in Visnu 41 The Dissolution into Prakrti and Purusa 43 The Shape of Space 45 The Seven Heavens 46 The Seven Netherworlds 48 The Hells 49 The Regions of Earth 52 The Origin of the Seers and the Manus 55 The Manvantaras 57 2. Visnu Introduction The Four Forms of Visnu 66 The Twelve Avataras of Visnu 67 The Twenty-Two Avataras of Visnu 68 The Avataras of Visnu and the Story of Anasuya 69 Matsya, the Fish 71 Kurma, the Tortoise 74 Varaha, the Boar 75 Narasimha, the Man-Lion 76 Aditi and the Birth of Vamana, the Dwarf 79 Vamana, the Dwarf, and Bali 80 Parasurman, Rama with the Axe 82 Rama in the Ramayana 85 Krsna in the Mahabharata 88 Vaikuntha, Visnu’s Celestial City 90 Sudarsana, Visnu’s Discus 91 Bali and Sudarsana, the Discus 93 The Churning of the Ocean 94 Visnu and Sri 98 3. Krsna Introduction Childhood The Conception of Krsna 106 The Birth of Krsna 109 Putana, the Child Killer 111 The Naughty Children Rama and Krsna; the Move to Vrndavana 112 Kaliya, the Snake 114 Mount Govardhana 116 Conversation with the Cowherds 117 Youth Krsna and Radha 118 The Theft of the Clothes 122 The Rasalila Dance 124 Radha and the Dance 127 The Departure of Krsna 130 Kamsa The plotting of Kamsa 131 The invitation to Rama and krsna 132 The Hunchbacked Girl 133 The Death of Kamsa 134 Adulthood The Building of Dvaraka 138 The Longing of the Cowherd Women for Krsna 139 The Abduction of Rukmini 140 Pradyumna and the Fish 141 The End of the Yadavas 142 4. Siva Introduction The Origin of Rudra, the Howler 155 The Birth of Parvati 157 The Test of Parvati’s Tapas 161 The Betrothal of Siva and Parvati 164 The Wedding of Siva and Parvati 167 Daksa’s Insult 171 The Destruction o Daksa’s Sacrifice 174 Ganesa 179 Karttikeya 185 Sukra 188 The Burning of Tripura 189 Sunartaka the Dancer 198 The Tandava Dance of Siva 200 The Dance of Siva in the Sky 202 The sages of the Pine Forest 203 Brahma, Visnu and the Linga of Siva 205 The Skull –Bearer 206 Kamadeva, the God of Love 209 The Illusions of Siva 212 The Weapons of Siva 213 The Origin of Women 215 Hari- Hari 216 5. The Goddess Introduction The Blazing Tower of Splendor 227 Siva and Sakti; the Great Goddess 229 The Demons Madhu and Kaitabha 232 The Origin of the Goddess from the Gods 233 The Death of Mahisa, the Buffalo Demon 237 The Birth of Kali and the Final Battel 238 Bhadrakali and the Thieves 240 Sarasvati and King Navaratha 241 6. Seers,Kings And Supernaturals Introduction Seers Markandeya and the Cosmic Ocean 253 Narada 256 Kandu 258 Sukra and Kaca 262 Agastya and Vasistha 265 Vasistha and Visvamitra 30 Kings Prthu and the Milking of the Earth 268 IIa and Sudyumna 269 Pururavas and Urvasi 271 Hariscandra and His Son 273 Hariscandra and Visvamitra 274 Pariksit 286 Yayati 288 Viduratha 292 Saubhari 295 Sakuntala 297 Vedic Gods and Demons The Mandehas at Twilight 298 The Battle between the Gods and Demons 299 Indra and Vrtra 303 Dadhici’s Bones 306 Diti and the Maruts 307 The Seers’s Wives and the Maruts 308 Soma 310 Prahlada and Hiranyakasipu 312 Indra and the Ants 320 Rivers and Sacred Fords The Descent of the Ganges River 322 The Hermitage of Atri 323 The River Sarasvati and Kuruksetra 327 The River Yamuna 329 The Virtues of Varanasi 330 Varanasi and the Yaksa 331 The Pilgrimage of Siva to Varanasi 334 Gaya 336 Prayaga 337 Supernaturals The Fathers 340 The Mothers 342 Garuda 345 Denizens of the Netherworlds 347 Glossary 351 Notes on Sources 361 Bibliography of Sanskrit Puranas 365 Index 367