Epic Observations About Indian...Epics.

The gods smiled. Again and again they smiled. The gods smiled down on a million men and gave them big strong muscles to string bows and lift mountains and so they did all of these spectacular things while the gods smiled all the wider. Their teeth are stars. When the great and wonderful whoever performed such great and magical feats of whatever the stories were written so the heroes could be lauded remembered revered mimicked by all of the ordinary people that the gods just acknowledge. But the women. That's it. That's every damn story. But the women. But they did this or that, don't forget that . But they weren't enough this or that, you're getting it now. Long ago it seems every single woman needed some sort of test or trial to prove that they were worthy but the measure of a woman's strength is not how much abuse she can bear because even women without the world's trauma are strong. A young woman read about histori...

Personal Photo of Artemisia Gentileschi and Pippy Longstocking, June 2016 They gon' raise a bull Shiny people in the woods Ceremony: labor of love He is king Girl marries Yama, king of the dead He says don't go south Guess what she does Her mother is suffering torment for refusing to feed a Brahman She asks Yama what can be done He says if her brother will part with some of his reward, then their mother can be freed Her brother doesn't wanna do that Yama says there's a Brahman woman suffering child birth who could They work out  deal where the woman lives instead of going straight to heaven, the girls mum goes straight to heaven, and the girl is happy next story Poor sad wife and goddess who eats elephants son with no father Cut him to pieces next story Enormous snake next story Daughter of the Destroyer is gonna mess you up Also more snakes JK he worships her now Source:  D. N. Neogi, "Sacred Tales of India." 1916

Personal photo of Pippy Longstocking, January 2017 snake boys adopt girl who feeds them girl is taken to snake boys' mom's place but messes up feeding all the other snakes girl is gracious with only half the jewels given the rest and king is tricked into adopting girl as a daughter next one the one with the girl who loves the hermit so much that its impossible for him to die next one a brahman who lives upon charity is a greedy asshole and won't share cakes with his wiffe and two daughters even though his wife is the one who made the cakes wife can't refuse her daughters and gives them cakes, father is resolved to abandon them father takes them into the woods, fakes his death while they nap, then leaves them to die tree opens up and saves them they find ladies worship and the lake dries up because they weren't sincere enough and they apologize with a ring of hay, and the god asks their wish and they wish to live happily and for their father to be ...

The stardust was thick as the King chased the Comet deer, stone wrought into long legs and a twist of antlers, through the cosmos. He urged his charioteer faster, ever faster, as they sped after their prize. They were almost upon it when they heard a voice. The glowing emptiness of the king's eye sockets hunted the voice now, the deer momentarily forgotten. "That song must be the hermits." Two cascading forms, dark swirling purple ether tumbling into and over itself, drew closer. The king, hulking light and shining gold, rose to meet them. "King, please leave the deer be. It deserves to live, no?" "Of course," rumbled the king. The hermits tumbled into the shape of a bow, then led the king away to the grove of their hermitage, tucked in the tendrils of a supernova. The kings strayed from the hermits who lead him when he spotted a swirl of fair maidens, luminescent green ether, delicate and bright. He watched them, quickly falling in love w...

Turmoil He doesn't remember marrying her? The gem is found in the mouth of a fish and the police think the fish man stole it but it smells like its been in a fish She pretty and he imagines her pretty Disbelieving reunion yay happy Personal Photo, July 2016 Source:  Kalidasa. Shakuntala and Other Works

An elegant deer chase in a chariot King visits a hermitage, sees a fair maiden, watches her creepily Lots of bees, very good Clown wants to not hunt Goes to guard the hermitage instead of feed his mother when she breaks four day fast Sweet words in the trees interrupted by a mother A guest scorned, curses the marriage but after the girl's friends' kindness he says when the king sees a gem he has given her. Her friends adorn her. Personal Photo, August 2016 Source: Kalidasa. Shakuntala and Other Works

It had been 20 generations since it rained. Around The Mountain, next to a mountain stream, the last of humanity clung to life. They grew their food and kept their records and moved along one day at a time. Many of them were barren, and so children were surrounded by great celebration. There was one couple who were blessed with a great many children: eight, to be exact. However, most of their children died. Only two of their boys survived to reach adolescence. Their eighth son, Krishnu, was very respected in their community. When he was young, all the women fawned over him. As he grew and proved himself an excellent farmer and explorer, the men lauded him. He led expeditions further and further into the forgotten world, exploring caves and palaces, looking for remnants of the past, trying to find something their careful historical records may have missed. On one journey, they came across a temple full of scrolls. The men handled them tenderly, looking through to see if there...

Photo: Cat by Jerry Liu One by one the seasons had gone by Oh yay more bow stuff It's a trap! Reunion with parents Princely duties Hey look the Pandavas are back The sun itself was pale Indra's back at the very end Source:  Sister Nivedita, Cradle Tales of Hinduism

Photo: Earthworm by pfly 'Put in prison, eigth child Krishna, cross river on ford following jackal, baby very heavy, give to king of cowherds Baby kills vampire nurse, baby kills other demons, knocks over two trees Young Krishna does cool shit that's still celebrated Krishna and the Alaskan Bull Worm Krishna and the snake with a million heads that poisoned a lake Peacock feather on Krishna's crown Krishna was born to put an end to worship of weather deities, and encourage worship of Narayan, so when he saw the rain sacrifice being prepared, he got angry. He suggested they worship the mountain instead, cause it's their home, and so they did. Indra gets pissed cause he wants his offering, dammit. Indra sent enough rain to kill them, but Krishna lifted up the mountain so they could use it like an umbrella, and they stayed under there for a week, until Indra tuckered himself out and began to worship Krishna, who was greater than he. Source: Sister Nivedit...

Leona was tired. It was hot, and she had been working all day at the local Waffle House. It was hard work, but it fell to her, and she would do it without complaining. The little ones had to be fed. Leona poured another cup of coffee, pushing the image of her father lazing about on the couch while her siblings ran circles around him out of her mind. She smiled at the customers, the only way she was allowed to bare her teeth. When her shift was finally over, she trudged home. It was only two blocks away, but it felt much further when she had been standing for hours upon hours. She could tell, when she stepped through the door, that her mother had gotten home before she had. Her pressed shirt with it's fancy embroidered logo on the chest hung by the door. Her mother had recently gotten a job at a much better restaurant, and she was making great tips, which was great for all of them. A small gaggle of children rushed by her in the hallway on her way to the kitchen, lovingly tug...

Flowers by Christina Rutz If there's an ornery horse, find one that's worse. If you open your mouth to talk about one thing gone, more things will leave. That crane again. If you fight, you get eaten. If you're different, don't talk. (Half Jackal, half lion) Just stay home. Lies will feed you. Female lions are the ones that hunt, dumbass. "Let me tell you a story about a girl who had actual standards and wouldn't just marry the first thing that proposed to her." If you stink, you won't be eaten. The Goblins again. No nose man gives flowers to honest boy. Source: W. H. D. Rouse, The Giant Crab, and Other Tales from Old India

Fairy Cat by Stu Rapely If you have enemies, crush them. Crocodile tears "Tell-tale tit" If someone steals your plough, steal their son. What the fuck does Buddha have against cats? It's that talking turtle again. Don't put monkeys in charge of a garden.  Only a great fool entrusts tasks to the foolish. If no one blesses you when you sneeze, Goblins can gobble you up. Straws will save you from Goblins. Poems are hard. Faeries will fuck you up. Source: W. H. D. Rouse, The Giant Crab, and Other Tales from Old India

The stars twinkled above, but they were blurry through the thick windows that kept them safe from the crush of space. Ami stomped her boots again to get some more of the moon dust off her boots. It clung so horribly to everything, and she didn't want to upset her parents again.  Ami set her boots down with a dull echoing thud by her parents' boots and called out for them. Her mother called back from the kitchen area. "Come here, dear, I'm trying to decide what we should have for dinner." Even though her parents were the king and queen of the colony, they didn't spend much time in the grand palace. Her parents prefered the smaller module attached to the back of the palace, where the echoes of the ancient gods were not so loud and constant. "We should try something new, mother. It could be fun." Ami's mother nodded and pressed a button on the screen. The food producer began to whir, and Ami's mother turned her attention to a smud...

Orion Playing with a Feather by Tambako the Jaguar Uttara "Of Lunar Race" Dice always ends badly for someone Went off with the Pandavas God can't decide who to favor  Abhimanyu must tell his wife goodbye, but Uttara says something bad is gonna happen, don't go Helped him dress for battle She plays with dolls and toys, so she's gotta be pretty young? Hopped up on a funeral pyre cause that's what widows do? Sati Learns about Siva Smeared his body with the ashes of the dead? Siva loves Sati very much and she's his life Siva doesn't stand when Sati's dad walks in so he's pissed He let's her go even though it's probably gonna be bad Oh no you abused my husband with your words now you have a goat head and I'll die ...like wow could you not have just left instead of dying? Siva gets pissed and destroys shit so Vishnu has to chop him up in little pieces Source:  Sunity Devee, Nine Ideal Indian Women

Maggie and Yellow Rose by Ann Savitri Visited hermitages and was well educated Soul mates love at first sight  Kind to old people  Princess can't marry exiled beggar but loves him only but doesn't want to disobey her parents bit her parents love her and don't want to force her to obey He's destined to die in a year Woman's destiny is to love? "The year may short, but the happiness will be heavenly to me, and it's memory will live forever! And, if it is written for me to become a widow, I shall be one, no matter whom I marry." They get married and she leaves the palace to help care for his blind father. Yom, Lord of Death She was granted children but she can't have kids without a husband so she got him back? Damayanti "A crumpled leaf lay in his bed of roses" Has a daughter Damayanti who even has 4 gods as her suitors Nal wins her heart with a letter in a bird's beak More blushing Oh good there are tests...

The young woman was wearing the most elaborate sari the old woman had ever seen. The young woman's dark nose was wrinkled in disdain at the scent of incense smoke that wafted through the tent. The old woman lit another stick of incense. "I have told you all I can, child. You should not marry. Wait until an auspicious time." "Could you read the stars again?" the young woman begged. "Child, I have read all the signs and portents. Nothing will change today." The young woman let out a huff and turned, spinning on her heel and rushing out of the tent. The old woman remained seated. She wished for the millionth time in her long life that she had been born in the time of Rama or the Pandava brothers, in a time when her knowledge would've been respected. Those of that time were heeded without question, sought out by the greatest of kings. The only people who sought her out were love-struck women who were called superstitious by their friends. Whe...

Happy tongue Tuesday from Amber! by hehaden "Is it worth all this conflict?" All people can do is fight WHY AM I BEING IGNORED I AM GREAT (Draupadi) [The day is coming. Do not fear.] No, I won't eat at your house; I'm not desperate and I don't like you. Bad omens: Cloudless blood showers, whirlwinds, earthquakes, meteors, jackals howl Sobbing on the floor of his chariot Source:   Narayan, R. K., The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Version of the Indian Epic.

Source "Stop, this pond is mine. Don't touch it until you answer my questions." Nobody listens. Are these the five stupidest boys alive? So many questions from Yama, God of justice Did the Pandavas disappear? They couldn't have! If you hit them with a tree, they'll know it's you. The auspicious hour for a wedding? 17 kinds of foolish men Assured them that their end was coming Source:   Narayan, R. K., The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Version of the Indian Epic.

Enemies by John Finn Agni took fine sons, but not the right ones (they laughed grimly) Gods support them, so ask them back Purification ceremony World ruled by demons until they fought over a girl Agni needs animal fat; forest and animals burned down; pyro given good weapon I read the signs and portents Pandava brothers loose everything gambling--even their wife The miracle of endless saris "Hey, why didn't you dense motherfuckers defend me?" Draupadi goes OFF Source:   Narayan, R. K., The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Version of the Indian Epic.

In a hundred lifetimes, in a hundred worlds, in any version of reality, I'd find me and I'd choose me . Al filo by Diego Lopez

She had been clear. She was not to be questioned. Ever. But he questioned her, and so she ran away with his eighth daughter, with the promise to return her in a time. She raised her daughter as a goddess, despite her humanity. She raised her daughter to be as she was. Unflinching. Unforgiving. Unstoppable. King Shantanu, of course, had wanted sons before, but now all he wanted was his dear daughter back. He wanted one of his offspring to survive. When Ganga returned with his daughter and said that her name was Devavrata and she was to be respected in the utmost and inherit his kingdom, he agreed. He would have agreed to anything. He was a desperate man. As Devavrata grew, she was afforded every luxury. She excelled in everything. Then, her father fell in love with a fisherman's daughter, and he promised away her throne and her chance to bear children. Devavrata had been raised by Ganga, and she remembered her upbringing. She wanted her throne. She disappeared, and her f...

I'll marry you, but you must never question anything I do. Vows to be celibate, but urged to impregnate widows. "First pray to Yama, the God of Death and Ultimate Justice. He is the most judicious among the celestial beings. The son born to him will always lead our Kuru race along the right path at all times." (9) Giving back half of the kingdom because they're friends. Five godly sons versus one hundred human ones secret code SECRET TUNNEL "Remember that the jackal emerges from many outlets underground" One wife married to five brothers Why must wives always be tested? Six Cats by Robert Skorek Source:   Narayan, R. K., The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Version of the Indian Epic.

The dim dive bar was smoky. Sita knew her throat would be dry tomorrow. The dark wooden paneling on the walls made the room feel smaller; it wasn't a comforting smallness until about four drinks in, usually. Ahalya and Sita went to the bar on Saturday nights to watch other people karaoke, stumbling drunkenly through lyrics they only half knew. It was endearing, watching people put their all into something that had no reward, other than the joy of belting into a microphone. "You could do that, you know," Ahayla commented after a particularly drunk man had powered through a spot on rendetion of a Taylor Swift song. The shouting coming from his table was deafening. They were obviously enjoying themselves. Sita shrugged. "We come to watch. You know I'm really not a performer." Still Ahayla persisted. "Come on. You finally got rid of Rama. We're not just watching tonight. We're celebrating. If you sing something, you can pick a song for me t...

Cave by Sheep"R"Us Argument about Rama's motivations and doubt Sita banished while pregnant Ice castle Literally walks all over her Skeleton covered in flower vines River Sita's sons are taught to sing Rama's praises She's still not over him. Crazy. Rama finds his sons, and wants to take them back but not Sita. "If I have always been pure, may mother earth take me back into her womb because fuck you." Source: Sita Sings the Blues by Nina Paley, 2008.

woman warrior 2 by Shavawn The sun and the moon are being pulled by chariots. (I can't watch this movie full screen. It's so wobbly, it's making me nauseous.) "Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out" Sita singing. (Post-Ramayana Sita singing in a smoky old bar or something about her blue man.) Ravana wasn't all bad? According to the narrators the only bad thing Ravana did was steal Sita. "The only reason I don't destroy you with my own divine power is because Ramma has not ordered me to" Honey he's not there he can't say nothing. Something about fire Sita is happily struck by lightning (Is the static just on my computer or does everyone hear that? Because that's unbearable.) Source:   Sita Sings the Blues by Nina Paley, 2008.

Ravana's owner had just brought home two new kittens. He could smell them through the bedroom door. His owner had cooed to him about keeping them separate until they got used to each other's scents, and fed him near the door, so that he would be near them. It wasn't going to work, though. This was his house, and he didn't want to share. It was a few days before his owner scooped him and carried him into the living room, scratching him under the chin the whole way. It was enough to temporarily distract him, that is, until she set him down next to two frolicking kittens. They paused their play to watch him with wide eyes that were too big for their little heads. They abandoned their toys to sniff Ravana. "Ravi, this is Sita and Rama. They're going to live with us, okay? You be sweet to them." Ravana refused to make eye contact with his owner or the kittens, who were now circling him curiously. He would bide his time, then he would teach these newco...

Hamuman watches Sita awhile before he rescues her and sees Sita refuse Ravana. Sita's about ready to hang herself. Hamuman let's himself be captured to tell Ravana about Rama and urge him to change his ways? Hamuman sets everything but the trees that Sita sits under on fire. Vibishana betrays his brother Ravana and goes to seek Rama. They all throw crap into the sea, even the little squirrels, and the god of the sea arranged it into a bridge so they can cross to Lanka. The sleeping brother and the invisible son. Omens: his bow strings suddenly snapped, mountains shook, thunder rumbled, horses cried, elephants moved dejectedly. "Sita was overjoyed. She had been in a state of mourning all along, completely neglectful of her dress and appearance, and she immediately rose to go out and meet Rama as she was.  But Hanuman explained that it was Rama's express wish that she should dress and decorate herself before coming into his presence." (161). And she told hi...

Ravana gets to Sita by taking care of her charity. They have fairies of the woods? The younger monkey, Sugreeva, asks Rama to help him kill his brother who is unjustly murderous. Rama does, and when Vali is shot he has to be explained to why Rama wasn't unjust. "When the Rains Cease" -- "Yes, later. The rainy season is coming. At the end of it, come with an army. There will be time enough." (116) "Women can lead one to death," (115). Wow, what a crock. Manmatha, god of love. Lakshmana, upon meeting the women of Sugreeva's court, is reminded of his mothers, and nearly weeps. "I will not describe to you her waist, which is, as it should be, delicate and unseen." (126) No, nu-uh, no bueno. snmky-009.jpg by Koji Ishii Narayan, R. K., The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Version of the Indian Epic.  (Reading Guide)

The idea of feedforward outlined in Try Feedforward Instead of Feedback by Marshall Goldsmith is an interesting one. I especially admire how the theory allows groups to get together and help each other even if they don't know a lot of background information about the others around them. They can simply be told what the person hopes to achieve in the future, and receive a few tips on how to achieve that. It seems like a foolproof method. Though this may not help when simply reading and commenting on posts, it may be helpful in the wider scope of life. In Presence, Not Praise by Maria Popova, the importance of process and progress is exemplified, something perhaps even more important than the concept of feedforward. Popova talked about how praising children for effort rather than innate skill was significant. This should, perhaps, be applied to all praise, and perhaps I can find a way to apply it to my commentary this semester. Cheerleader by pecanpieguy

Really, with the way that Sita, Rama, and Lakshmana interact, they would be a lovely Star Trek bridge crew, like Kirk, Spock, and Uhura. They could be lost, or exiled, on some planet somewhere. Or, they could live in modern day New York, and have weird adventures in Central Park. Either way, Sita is going to be the POV. Story one: Sita saves herself from Ravana, because she's awesome. If I go with Star Trek, she can defeat her alien captors through pure cleverness, whether she knows how to hack their system to trigger her release or she can speak their language and talks her way out of it. If they're in modern day New York, Ravana will be her stalker, and she'll mace him in the face then kick him in the crotch. Story two: Sita refuses to undergo some test to prove her purity. If Star Trek, then Sita refuses the medical scan and berates Rama for not trusting her. If New York, then Rama suggests she go to the clinic and she refuses, and they yell at each other. They k...

It was cold. Always too cold. What had it been like...to be...what was it? Too hard to remember. Too hard. Then suddenly, light. As the stone crumbled away from Ahalya's form, everything came rushing back. She had been tricked, then punished. Now a beautiful man was talking to her, and old habits kicked in, stretching her lips into a courteous, humble smile even as her hands curled into fists. " May you seek and join your revered husband, and live in his service again. Let not your heart be burdened with what is past and gone. " Rama was saying, and then he was walking away. Even before he had left, though, Ahalya had decided for herself that she would not be going back until she was ready. Ready to make him pay. That had been a year ago. Every night she woke from that nightmare again and again. She had found out by asking around that Indra's sentence had been lessened, which only fueled her more. It fueled her as she learned to aim throwing stars, hol...