Hindu mythology
Hindu mythology or Hindu narrative encompasses the oral and written traditions of folklores and epics of the Hindus. Much of the oral narratives was eventually written down in Hindu texts such as the Vedic literature,[1] epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana,[2] the Puranas,[3] and regional literature like Periya Puranam, while many, especially among tribals continue to pass down in oral forms to this date. Hindu narratives are also found in widely translated popular texts such as the Panchatantra and Hitopadesha, as well as Southeast Asian texts.[4][5]
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Hindu mythology does not often have a consistent, monolithic structure. The same stories typically appears in various versions, and can be represented differently across socio-religious traditions.[6] Many of these legends evolve across these texts, where the character names change or the story is embellished with greater details.[6][7] According to Suthren Hirst, these stories have been given a complex range of interpretations.[6] while according to Doniger O'Flaherty, the central message and moral values remain the same.[7] They have been modified by various philosophical schools over time, and are taken to have deeper, often symbolic, meaning.[6]
See also
References
- Macdonell 1978, pp. 1–9.
- Washburn Hopkins.
- Bonnefoy 1993, pp. 90–101.
- Olivelle 1999, p. xii–xiii.
- Waldau & Patton 2009, pp. 186, 680.
- Suthren Hirst 1998.
- Doniger O'Flaherty 1975, pp. 11, 21–22.
Sources
- Bonnefoy, Yves (1993). Asian Mythologies. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-06456-7.
- Doniger O'Flaherty, Wendy (1975), Hindu epics: A Sourcebook translated from the Sanskrit, Penguin, ISBN 978-0140449907
- Washburn Hopkins, Edward (1986). Epic Mythology. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-81-208-0227-8.
- Macdonell, Arthur Anthony (1978). Vedic Mythology ((reprint) ed.). Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-81-208-1113-3.
- Olivelle, Patrick (1999). Pañcatantra: The Book of India's Folk Wisdom. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-283988-6.
- Suthren Hirst, Jacqueline (1998), "Myth and history", in Bowen, Paul (ed.), Themes and Issues in Hinduism, Cassell
- Waldau, Paul; Patton, Kimberley (2009). A Communion of Subjects: Animals in Religion, Science, and Ethics. Columbia University Press. ISBN 978-0-231-13643-3.
Further reading
- Dowson, John (1888). A Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion, Geography, History, and Literature. Trubner & Co., London.
- Buitenen, J. A. B. van; Dimmitt, Cornelia (1978). Classical Hindu mythology: a reader in the Sanskrit Puranas. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. ISBN 0-87722-122-7.
- Campbell, Joseph (2003). Myths of light: Eastern Metaphors of the Eternal. Novato, California: New World Library. ISBN 1-57731-403-4.
- J. L. Brockington (1998). The Sanskrit Epics. BRILL Academic. ISBN 90-04-10260-4.
- Roshen Dalal (2010). Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide. Penguin Books India. ISBN 978-0-14-341421-6.
- Dallapiccola, Anna L. (2002). Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend. ISBN 0-500-51088-1.
- Pattanaik, Devdutt (2003). Indian mythology: tales, symbols, and rituals from the heart of the Subcontinent. Inner Traditions / Bear & Company. ISBN 0-89281-870-0.
- Walker, Benjamin (1968). Hindu World: An Encyclopedic Survey of Hinduism. London: Allen & Unwin.
- Wilkins, W.J. (1882). Hindu mythology, Vedic and Purānic. Thacker, Spink & co.
- Krishna, Nanditha (2009). The Book of Vishnu. Penguin Books India. ISBN 978-0-14-306762-7.
- Nanditha Krishna (2010). Sacred Animals of India. Penguin Books India. ISBN 978-0-14-306619-4.
- Rao, T.A. Gopinatha (1914). Elements of Hindu iconography. 1: Part I. Madras: Law Printing House.
- George M. Williams (2008). Handbook of Hindu Mythology. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-533261-2.
- Macdonell, Arthur Anthony (1995). Vedic mythology. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 81-208-1113-5.
- Dimitrova, Stefania (2017). The Day of Brahma. The Myths of India - Epics of Human Destiny. Alpha-Omega. p. 186. ASIN B06XQPRJP4. ISBN 978-954-9694-27-7.
External links
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- Clay Sanskrit Library publishes classical Indian literature, including the Mahabharata and Ramayana, with facing-page text and translation. Also offers searchable corpus and downloadable materials.
- Sanskrit Documents Collection: Documents in ITX format of Upanishads, Stotras etc.
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