Reading Notes: Seven Secrets of Vishnu (Part A)

Reading Notes: Seven Secrets of Vishnu (Mohini)

I thought this reading was really interesting. It discussed the idea of having two realities: a tangible or material reality, represented with the female form, and an intangible or spiritual reality, represented with the male form. Mohini is the female form of Vishnu, but unlike any of the female deities, Mohini represents spiritual reality. This reading does a really good job of reinforcing the idea of balance.

I appreciated that the narrator in the first video tried to reconcile some of the irritation associated with the separation of the two realities into genders, however I am not sure that I understand the reasoning enough to agree with the narrator. I recognize this is more than likely a cultural difference that is making it more difficult for me to really understand this kind of reasoning.

Mohini on a swing by Raja Ravi Varma (Web Source)

Bibliography:

Seven Secrets of Vishnu by Devdutt Pattanaik (Web Source)

Reading Notes: Sita Sings the Blues (Part B)

Reading Notes: Sita Sings the Blues (Part B)

The beginning of this part started off very grimly, showing the film's author receiving a breakup email from her boyfriend who is in India. Later in the film, she calls him to beg him to take her back and the narrators (who have until this point only commented on the story between Rama and Sita, although at this point it is still a little ambiguous if they are commenting on Nina's situation or Sita's situation) discuss the problems associated with the unconditional love that Sita (and Nina) seem to be displaying. This reminds me of the difference between Sita's unconditional love and Parvati's unconditional love. While Sita is obedient and sadly takes the neglect from Rama, Parvati is angry and demands Shiva to respect her and fix the mistakes that he makes. Parvati and Shiva seem to share a very passionate and mistaken-ridden, yet nonetheless happy and devoted love, while Rama and Sita seem to share a more one-sided love. At the end of the story, Nina is working on this film with her cat and Sita has asked to be swallowed up by Mother Earth's womb in a final act of devotion to Rama, an act that denies Rama to have Sita back. I felt like this ending was very fitting and I really enjoyed this animation. 

Sita Returns to Mother Earth (Web Source)

Bibliography:

Sita Sings the Blues by Nina Paley (Web Source)

Reading Notes: Sita Sings the Blues (Part A)

Reading Notes: Sita Sings the Blues (Part A)

I feel like a lot of the stories I have read about have really detailed the endeavors of the male deities, so I felt like this would be a really great way to get a different perspective on the female deities, specifically Lakshmi. The format/layout of this animation was a lot different than I thought it would be, but I think it really helps explain the complexity of the overall story. I also really like the fact that there are three narrators throughout the animation that discuss and sometimes disagree with one another about what actually happened in the story or how one character is actually portrayed, which also adds to the complexity of the story.

Rama and Sita (Web Source)

Bibliography:

Sita Sings the Blues by Nina Paley (Web Source)

Reading Notes: Krishna Epified (Part B)

Reading Notes: Krishna Epified (Part B)

 I really enjoyed seeing the interplay between Brahma and Krishna. It is very interesting to see such a different perspective on the creator deity and I felt like this story did a good job of explaining why.  From what I have heard so far, the Hindu religion has a very passive view of Brahma, defining him as a creator unworthy of worship since he had forgotten the purpose of his creation. I think that Krishna, as the avatar of Vishnu and the maintainer of the world, represents the purpose of that creation to the people and is therefore worthy of worship.

Krishna (Web Source)

 Bibliography:

Krishna Epified (Web Source)

Reading Notes: Krishna Epified (Part A)

Reading Notes: Krishna Epified (Part A)

I really enjoyed the Mahabharata Epified series and so I wanted to look into the Krishna Epified series. I thought the part about Vasudev crossing the river under the protection of the serpent was really interesting. I wonder if the serpent mentioned is anything like the serpent from the creation story that I had read. I also was really surprised that Maya and Krishna were switched at birth. For some reason I had not remembered that in any of the stories that I had read. Even better was when Kamsa was about to kill Maya and then she turned into Durga and told him that he was still doomed and chastised him for assuming he was safe because she had come to the Earth in the form of a woman. 

Durga (Web Source)

Bibliography:

Krishna Epified (Web Source)

Reading Notes: Seven Secrets of Hindu Calendar Art (Part F)

Reading Notes: Seven Secrets of Hindu Calendar Art (Brahma)

Brahma's Secret

I thought this reading was really interesting because it points out the differences between Brahma and the other Hindu deities, especially relative to the way Christianity views "the creator" deity. I know that I definitely had questions when I first started researching Brahma because I had a much different view of any deity that is deemed "the creator" from my own religious experiences with Christianity and what I learned in Latin about Roman and Greek mythology. 

Brahma The Creator (Web Source)

 

Bibliography:

Seven Secrets of Hindu Calendar Art by Devdutt Pattanaik (Web Source)

Reading Notes: Seven Secrets of Hindu Calendar Art (Part E)

Reading Notes: Seven Secrets of Hindu Calendar Art (Vishnu)

Vishnu's Secret: Detached Engagement Brings Order

I really liked this reading because it provided a contrast between Vishnu and Shiva, whereas a lot of the other readings have focused on the differences between Shiva and Devi. This reading also explained why cows are sacred in Hindu culture and introduced Kamadhenu, the mother cow that resides with the Hindu gods and goddesses in the heavens. Vishnu was then compared to a cow that produces milk for his family and for others.

Vishnu represents a different kind of balance when contrasted with Shiva; as the maintainer, Vishnu represents a caretaker for the world and Lakshmi represents the caretaker for the man.  Both exist in harmony with each other and cannot exist without the other. Shiva, on the other hand, represents the opposition to societal constraints, which Parvati seems to represent. I think this is an interesting concept and I had not considered this contrast earlier when I watched the first few parts of this series.

Kamadhenu (Web Source)

Bibliography:

Seven Secrets from Hindu Calendar Reading Guide by Devdutt Pattanaik (Web Source)

Reading Guide: Seven Secrets of Hindu Calendar Art (Part D)

Reading Guide: Seven Secrets of Hindu Calendar Art (Shiva and Devi)

Shiva's Secret (continued)

After a thoroughly confusing introduction to Shiva in part 1, this again makes a little more sense. Shiva becomes the householder after Parvati is able to bring him out of a hermit-like state that starts when his first consort, Sati, kills herself because of her father's disapproval. Shiva then kills Sati's father, becoming the destroyer of social constructs. The Shri Yantra is the representation of balance between spiritual and material aspirations. I thought this was another really interesting concept and related well to what I am trying to explain in my storybook.

Shri Yantra (Wikimedia)

Devi's Secret: Desire and Destiny Create Life

This part of the reading made a lot of sense because I've done a lot of reading about Devi and the Tridevi already. I really like that the feminine aspect of the divine represents a balance between power and love, which translate into the concept of a mother. I think this is a very respectful view of the feminine aspect that isn't always appreciated or represented in this particular way in some cultures and is even lacking in some of the stories we read from the epics.

Bibliography:

Seven Secrets from Hindu Calendar Reading Guide by Devdutt Pattanaik (Web Source)

Reading Guide: Seven Secrets from Hindu Calendar Art (Part C)

Reading Guide: Seven Secrets from Hindu Calendar Art (Ardhanari and Shiva)

"For most Hindus, God is best embodied in the form of three human couples: Brahma and Saraswati, Vishu and Lakshmi, Shiva and Shakti."

I thought this quote was especially important for the storybook that I am working on because these three couples form the basis of my story. I will need to read a little more about Shakti, though, since my story relates to Sati and Parvati.

Ardahanari's Secret

I thought this part was really interesting because it related the cultural view to the modern day perception of male and female counterparts. This really relates back to last week's reading that I did, where Shiva represented the spiritual aspirations and Parvati represented the materialistic desires. I find this to be an interesting perception because the materialistic desires mentioned specifically translate to having a family.

Ardhanari (Web Source)

Shiva's Secret

I liked this part because I felt like it really clarified the difference between Shiva and Parvati as far as their aspirations. Shiva is essentially the "destroyer of desires." 

Then Kali entered the picture and Shiva became a little bit more confusing again. It's just difficult sometimes to understand the exact role of each deity in Hinduism because they all seem to be interconnected and there seem to be several different ways to explain every god, goddess, or divine concept. Although it is confusing, it really exemplifies the message I'm trying to portray in my storybook.

Bibliography:

Seven Secrets from Hindu Calendar Reading Guide by Devdutt Pattanaik (Web Source)

Reading Guide: Seven Secrets from Hindu Calendar Art (Part B)

 Reading Guide: Seven Secrets from Hindu Calendar Art (Narayan)

I thought it was interesting that death was not seen as a "full stop" in Hindu culture. I feel like this principle is embodied in the creation story with all of the creators and important deities interconnected.

Brahma, Vishnu, Sesha, and Lakshmi at the Beginning (Web Source)

 

 

Bibliography:

Seven Secrets from Hindu Calendar Reading Guide by Devdutt Pattanaik (Web Source)

Reading Notes: Seven Secrets from Hindu Calendar Art (Part A)

Reading Notes: Seven Secrets of the Hindu Calendar (Ganesha)

I really enjoyed the analysis in this reading and found the part about Ganesha representing the balance between pursuing what's best for the individual (Shiva/spiritual aspirations) and pursuing what's best for the family (Parvati/material aspirations) to be interesting.

Parvati, Shiva, and Ganesha (Wikimedia)

Bibliography:

Seven Secrets from Hindu Calendar Reading Guide by Devdutt Pattanaik (Web Source)

Reading Notes: The Mahabharata Epified Part F

The Mahabharata Epified: Reading Notes (Part F)

 

I was really interested in Urvashi's curse because even though Arjuna was only trying to show her respect by refusing her hand in marriage, it enraged her and she cursed him. It was also interesting to see Indra involved in lessening the severity of this curse, given his history of being cursed.

 

Urvashi's Curse (Web Source)

 

 

Bibliography:
The Mahabharata Epified Reading Notes (Web Source)

Reading Notes: The Mahabharata Epified Part E

The Mahabharata Epified: Reading Notes (Part E)

 

I really enjoyed hearing more about Draupadi's story. When I initially read it, I couldn't believe how incredibly unfair the entire situation seemed. It was nice to hear this story told with a little more outrage from several people involved, including Draupadi herself.

 

Draupadi in Virata's palace, by Raja Ravi Varma (Web Source)

 

Bibliography:
The Mahabharata Epified Reading Notes (Web Source)

Reading Notes: The Mahabharata Epified Part D

The Mahabharata Epified: Reading Notes (Part D)

My favorite part of this reading was hearing about Arjuna's exile again. I felt like this version of the story gave me a very different perspective on the events that took place as well as more respect for Arjuna.

Arjuna Grabbing his Bow and Arrows (Web Source)

Bibliography: The Mahabharata Epified Reading Notes (Web Source)

Reading Notes: The Mahabharata Epified Part C

The Mahabharata Epified: Reading Notes (Part C)

Karna

My favorite part of this video series was learning about Karna. Despite all of the roadblocks he faced, he continued to work hard towards his goal in order to overcome his family's status. Although he technically was adopted into that status and he was of a higher status by birth, he works to overcome societal constraints and represents a much different type of character than we are used to seeing in these epics.

Karna and Krishna (Web Source)

Bibliography: The Mahabharata Epified Reading Guide (Web Source)

Reading Notes: The Mahabharata Epified Part B

The Mahabharata Epified: Reading Notes (Part B)

Ekalavya's Story: This was my favorite story from this video series because it gave me a completely different perspective of Arjuna. I did not realize that he had exhibited such jealousy or that Drona had done anything so unfair. This could make a really story for this week's readings.

Ekalavya Cuts off his Thumb (Wikimedia)

Bibliography: The Mahabarata Epified Reading Guide (Web Source)

Reading Notes: The Mahabharata Epified (Part A)

The Mahabharata Epified: Reading Notes (Part A)

I really enjoyed this reading guide! I feel like I really retain more by watching the epified videos, and I even went to the Epified YouTube page to see what other videos they do.

When I read The Mahabharata by Narayan, I felt like this whole first section that really provides the background for the epic was passed over. I know I read about all of it, but it just didn't seem to really stick with me and watching the first nine videos of the series really helped establish that background for me.

I found it really interesting to hear about all of the secrets that kept popping up for the different characters involved, especially Satyavati. It just reminds me how complex the entire story is and that past lives come back to ensure each person receives what is truly just.

Devavrata Takes a Vow of Celibacy (Web Source)

Bibliography: The Mahabharata Epified Reading Guide (Web Source)

Reading Notes: Narayan's Mahabharata Part C

The Mahabharata: Reading Notes (Part C)

My favorite part of this reading was having an inside perspective on the exile of the Pandavas and see them sneak back into a position where they can right the wrongs that have been committed against them. There are certain parts of the story that seem to reappear from the Ramayana to the Mahabharata, such as chasing a deer and the chase ending in death for the hunter. Also, both of these scenarios involve the hunter or hunters being tricked, which then leads to their death. This kind of recurring theme could be very useful for my storybook later on. I also might consider looking into the meaning of a deer in Hindu culture to see if there is in fact a deeper, hidden meaning.

Another important part of this reading was the conversation between Krishna, Arujuna, and Duryodhana, in which Arjuna chooses to have Krishna aid him in battle while Duryodhana takes the million soldiers. These choices reflect on their characters and could provide an interesting topic for a story.

Krishna Advising the Pandavas (Web Source)

Bibliography:

Narayan's Mahabharata Online Reading Guide (Web Source)

Reading Notes: Narayan's Mahabharata Part D

The Mahabharata: Reading Notes (Part D)

My favorite part of this reading was Krishna revealing his divine form to Arjuna before battle and getting him ready to fight. I have heard of the Bhagadvad-Gita several times when doing my own research, but it was really interesting to see its actually purpose in The Mahabharata.

Arjuna and Krishna (Wikimedia)

Bibliography:

Narayan's Mahabharata Online Reading Guide (Web Source)

Reading Notes: Narayan's Mahabharata Part B

The Mahabharata: Reading Notes (Part B)

My favorite part of the second half of this week's reading was the dice game. The entire story seemed like one bad judgement call after another, mostly fueled by pride. I was very surprised when Yudhishthira lost everything he owned and then continued to gamble away his brothers, then himself, and finally Draupadi. I really enjoyed when Draupadi questioned the legitimacy of Yudhishthira's bet when he had already gambled away himself. I really developed an appreciation for Draupadi in this part of the story because she is granted one wish, but because of her humility (something some of the other characters at this point seem to certainly lack), she is able to turn that one wish into three, using only two to selflessly free Yudhishthira and her other husbands, and resulting in them gaining all of their possessions again.

The Game of Dice (Wikimedia)

Despite the very obvious warnings that Yudhishthira receives, he decides to engage in another game of dice with Shakuni and again loses, but this time receives 13 years of exile, 12 years of poverty, and a year of hiding. Although the Pandavas receive help that makes this endeavor much easier, the idea that so much could be lost in just a game of dice seems outrageous and completely irresponsible once Yudhishthira risks everything again. I am interested to see if this time in exile will result in some personal growth that might prevent him from making such reckless decisions in the future.

Bibliography:

Narayan's Mahabharata
Online Reading Guide Part B: Narayan's Mahabharata (Web Source)