Epics from India

                                                       Image Details: Mythology, Source: flickr The crash course video, “What is Myth,” explains that mythology is a combination of literature, history, anthropology, sociology, psychology, religion, and even some concepts from science. Mythology is complicated for several reasons. First, mythology is derived from many older myths that have several different versions of the same story. Another reason why mythology is complicated is that it is open to many different interpretations. Different cultures and religions, individuals argue and theorize myths for hundreds of years. The video explains that most of the time in mythology, we are exposed to interpretations of a myth and not a solid fact. Also, another important thing to remember about mythology is that the line between myth and religion is ...

Mahabharata pg:54-83                                              Image Details: Draupadi, Source: Wikimedia After Yudhistira is challenged to place a game of dice with the Kauravas, he tells the men that he willing to play against them. However, he tells them that they must play a fair game. Sakuni tells Yudhistira that there is no such thing as cheating, just people who are smart enough to find another way to win the game. As the game progresses, Yudhistira soon becomes engrossed in the game and starts to raise the stakes. However, Sakuni wins every round against Yudhistira and conquers all his wealth. Vidura tells Dhristriasta to cancel the games as he thinks that Sakuni was cheating. Duryodhana becomes annoyed with Vidura and tells that no such thing is happening. Yudhistira begins to gamble each one of his brothers and then finally himself when he runs out of...

Ramayana pg: 1-39                                                                Image Details: Duryodhana, Source: Wikimedia Santanu was the ruler of a kingdom with the capital of Hastinapura. He meets a young woman and falls in love with her. When she reciprocates his feelings, she tells him that she is willing to marry him only if he lets her to whatever she wants. Furthermore, he is not allowed to stop her from doing anything. Santanu agreed with her wishes and they get married. However, whenever the woman became pregnant and had a child, she immediately drowned the child in a river. She does this with seven children until Santanu tells her to stop killing their children. She agrees with his demand, but she takes the child away from him and tells him that she will return the child once the child has grown up. She ke...