This week, I found this cool video about sacred trees in India in the stream. It talks about all kinds of different tress and their place in the culture. As someone who really likes plants, this was just neat to watch.
Wow I love the idea of sacred trees! There's a book series I love by the author, Libba Bray. In that story, there is a tree from which all the power emanates for this magical land. However, someone must live in/give their life up to the tree and control its power. So if a good person in the tree, the tree's power will be used for good. This has really gotten my creative gears turning thinking about how I could use the concept of mystical/sacred trees in my own writing for the course!
In the Mahabharata, Arjuna's acquisition of Gandiva is very briefly mentioned. It was gifted to him from the god Agni, after he burned a forest with the aid of Krishna. They burned the forest for Agni for his own 'well-being,' as he needed the fats of the animals consumed in the inferno. That is more or less all the story has to offer of this incident. Looking further into the tale, I have found several extra details regarding Gandiva, Agni, and Arjuna. Gandiva is a mythical bow with 108 strings, one of them celestial in nature, that thundered when an arrow was loosed from it. With it, Arjuna defeated entire armies, before eventually relinquishing it when his fighting was done. Arjuna is son of Indra, and the reincarnation of Nara (Vishnu's companion). Also of particular interest to me is the fact that his chariot bore a banner of Hanuman, whom I've already had a bit of fun writing about. Apparently, Arjuna met Krishna (Vishnu) in the Khandava Vana, an...
In days long past, there was a great and prosperous kingdom suddenly ravaged by drought and hardship. The once green fields had turned brown, and beasts prowled the countryside. Farmers fled from their herds, leaving for the safety of the keeps. For the beasts, oxen were tough to hunt, as they banded together in large groups for protection. A lone beast watched the largest herd and had a great idea, he would have the oxen voluntarily come with him alone. "Friends!" Exclaimed the beast as he boldly approached the herd. "Why are you staying here where the grass has died? There lies a lush meadow on the far side of the forest." "Come no further beast. We know of your kinds hunger." Proclaimed the largest of the bulls. "And why would we go through that forest; it holds the den of your brothers." "I have no hunger for oxen, your meat is too tough. I think only of your well being. As for my brothers, I know a path upon which they wont ...
This week, I decided I would look deeper into the role of animals in Indian mythology. I started with looking at Vishnu again, as he has a total of 4 animal incarnations. He is incarnated as a fish, turtle, boar, and man-lion. Of these, I enjoyed reading the tales of his fish form, Matsya , and his turtle form, Kurma , the most. In the tale of Matsya from the Mahabharata, some guy is doing some rituals along a river and a little fish asks for his protection. He protects the fish for quite some time and it grows enormous, then saves him from a storm on the ocean. It's pretty neat, and I'm excited to read the full story when we get there instead of just this little summary. This is the first story I've thought about using as a core concept. The story of Kurma is also a really cool story to read. Some gods get cursed, and need the nectar of immortality to survive. Vishnu becomes Kurma, a giant sea turtle, and puts a mountain on his back and swims into the cosmic...
Wow I love the idea of sacred trees! There's a book series I love by the author, Libba Bray. In that story, there is a tree from which all the power emanates for this magical land. However, someone must live in/give their life up to the tree and control its power. So if a good person in the tree, the tree's power will be used for good. This has really gotten my creative gears turning thinking about how I could use the concept of mystical/sacred trees in my own writing for the course!
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