Indian Epics

Durga the mind without nature = Shiva the withdrawn hermit nature without the mind = Brahma the controlling priest a key theme of the Puranas a preferred form of the goddess is Durga riding lion, defying domestication unbounded hair signifies that she is still wild like Kali nose ring signifies that she is domesticated like Gauri weapons in multiple hands reveal a different kind of violence restrained unlike Kali offers protection but also can be used for punishment Brahma's defiant daughter Vishnu's protected and protective sister Shiva's affectionate wife affection cannot be taken for granted she will not be exploited domestication of nature (goddess) must be mirrored by the awakening of the mind (god) Kanya-Kumari a tale from southern India challenges idea of domestication in order to establish culture name means one who is a virgin expresses a desire to be Shiva's wife Shiva agrees but devas aren't pleased because without a husb...

Reading D: Sita's Ramayana Comic Book p. 111-149 after Ravana is defeated Sita is freed Rama is distant and won't look at Sita He claims that he cannot take her back because Ravana must have touched her so she is no longer pure Sita finds herself defending her virtue but Rama rejects her and does not listen Sita insists that Ravana never touched her but still Rama rejects her Sita has Lakshmana build a pyre and steps in it but the flames don't touch her the fire god Agni shows up and tells Rama that Sita's purity burns hotter than any flame and that he should not doubt her Storytelling notes: I chose to take notes on this particular part of the end of Sita's Ramayana because it makes me angry every time I read it, no matter the version. I want to rewrite it so that Sita has more agency and does not have to throw herself on a fire to prove her "virtue" to Rama. I'm just not cool with. And after all Rama put her through she leaves with him ...

"Draupadi Dragged to the Assembly" I chose to read and take notes on this particular story because I have a soft spot for Draupadi Tells the story of Draupadi after her husbands gamble her away in a game  When she is fetched by the pratikamin she becomes angry and tells him to return to her husband and ask who her lord was when he gambled her away, was it before or after he had gambled himself  Duryodhana sends the pratikamin back to get Draupadi so that she may come to the hall and ask Yudhiṣṭhira the question herself the pratikamin returned to Draupadi again and she gives a speech about morality and sends the man to return to the assembly without her again Yudhiṣṭhira tells the pratikamin to fetch her even if she is clothed only in a single cloth because it is Duryodhana's command Yudhiṣṭhira's 4 brothers, who were also married to Draupadi, were ready to challenge Duryodhana and his 100 brothers to a fight but still awaited Yudhiṣṭhira's next move mor...