Indian Epics

The Holy Mother VS Kali Mary, Mother of God, see how the people flock to you – sunshine flowing from your marble cheeks in the bright light of the church. A lonely sinner kneels before my pedestal, gazing at my open arms, the shadows pouring from my cloak, before he prays against a headstone. My scales glow from the haunting of ghosts and phantoms, the murky glare of specters in the shade, scabs that have grown into scars. You are covered in stars, clutching to your chest the sweetness of innocence – an airy perfume in the fall of Judgement. I keep the thieves of the night close to my heart, hide them in my breast-pocket, and console the grieving as I take the dead into my boney hands. Gentle Mother, when we pass paths, your eyes glow with the glitter of the dove, preening in the castle of Paradise as I stand at the gate, guiding another fate. My eyes glower with the shivering dogs, snarling as I travel in empty courtya...

This story is interesting because it invokes language and the symbolism within it.   The beginning really details the difference between language of different places where tongues form different words.   It takes it to an idea of exploration and causation, stating that if the culture is explored, there will be found a reason for this particular language’s deviation from the rest.   Nivedita discusses the differences of words which are essentially used to describe the same thing, but with different meanings and connotations behind them as the ideas themselves retain a different meaning in these different places.   An example is “twilight”   and “time of union” referring to the time of day with the sky’s sun and darkness seem to meet.   The words contain visual responses, visual ideas or illustrations, that bloom out of connotation and understanding. Nivedita says something is similar about religious symbols.   She brings in the idea of fire, ...

I was looking through the options over Indian Legends when I saw two words that caught my eye: Sacred and Cow .   I know/knew about how cows are sacred within Hinduism but I have never really heard any story relating to how that came about, so I was very intrigued.   I decided to read Sabala, The Sacred Cow and I am delighted with my choice.   There is something about the narrator’s voice that makes it an easy and entertaining read. The first character to be introduced it “the Elephant among Kings” who is Visvamitra.   It says he’s of great height – probably physically and spiritually since he descended from the Gods – but also of great haughtiness.   Since it looks like it’s trying to list his positive attributes, I am assuming being haughty is a good thing. The narrator speaks easily, really connecting with the reader.   They even use second-person at some points to really include the reader. Visvamitra is really well-loved by all those ar...