Week 10 Reading Diary B: Dasha Avatar The Ten Incarnations of Lord Vishnu

Vamana:

• Bali attacks the Devas and invades the Heavens. Vishnu's avatar is that of a short-statured Brahman (midget) who goes up to Bali and asks him for three paces of land. Bali readily agrees but quickly realizes it is Vishnu but cannot go back on his word. Bali's wife then washes the Brahman's feet and he began to grow. He claims that he could cover his land in two paces and he is not worthy of his word. Bali tells him to use his third pace to step on top of his head which is more valuable than anything. He lets him go. 

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Rama: 

• It is such a weird concept to me to have such a long story like Ramayana condensed in 6 pages. The story goes from Vishnu's reincarnation of Rama to his banishment to the forest, to Shoorpanakha's attack on Sita, to the battle with Ravana, and his demise. 

Rama and Sita

Buddha:

• Prince Siddhartha, grew up with the privilege of not knowing about disease, death, etc. One day while going on a ride in a carriage, he sees a sick man and a old man using a cane to walk. Greedy for more knowledge, he desired truth. After years of meditating, he becomes Buddha-or the enlightened one. 

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Kalki:

• The tenth and final Vishnu reincarnation. It is also the shortest story in the comic book. 

Source

Week 10 Reading Diary A: Dasha Avatar The Ten Incarnations of Lord Vishnu

Matsya:

• Hayagnva stole the vedas from Brahma so Vishnu appeared on earth to save the next veda. Brahma decided to save the day while also helping a devotee named Satyavrata. Vishnu's avatar is that of a big fish that continues to grow out of his habitat. 

Matsya Parana

Kurma:

• King Indra of the Sevas go to Mount Mera to ask Brahma to lift the curse of Durvasa. Brahma places trust in Vishnu to protect the people. Vishnu tells the Devas to make peace with the Asuras, cast plants and herbs into the ocean, and use mount mandera as a churn. They use the King serpent as the vessel to churn in order to obtain the nectar of immortality. Shanwantari appears with the jar and the Devas do not quarrel with the Asuras. Pleased, Vishnu reincarnates into a beautiful woman who takes the jar and gives it to all the Devas. They get into a huge battle and Drahma decides to give glory to those who were gentle and sought refuge from him and punish those who were aggressive and did not believe in him. 

Varaha:

Varaha the Boar

• Brahma tells Swayambhuva Manu and Shatarupa to take care of the earth and its children. Vishnu's avatar is of a huge boar who finds earth at the bottom of the ocean. On the way to bring mother earth to the surface, an asura named Hira challenges Vishnu but he ignores his request when they reach the top, the two get in a fight and Vishnu wins.

Narasimha:

• A continuation from the Varaha avatar. Hiranyakcashipu sought vengeance for his slain brother and seeks help from the Asuras to destroy Earth. Brahma decides to give Hira whatever he wanted. Feeling betrayed, the Devas go to Vishnu.  Hira gets upset by his son's devotion to Vishnu. His Man Lion avatar shows up and defeats Hira by splitting him in half. 

 

Narasimha the Man Lion

Dasha Avatar: The Ten Incarnations of Lord Vishnu by Amar Chitra Katha

Week 9 Growth Mindset

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Week 9 Review

Thursday March 24

Week 9 Reading Diary B: Tales From the Indian Epics

I decided to do reading diary B instead of A this week because it was not a continuation of reading diary A and the titles were more curious to me. The first story was that of Ruru and Pramadvara. It is a story of a man who instantly fell in love with a woman. He takes her to his home but she dies from a snake's bite. He prays to the gods and allows to give half of his remaining life to his wife. However, he grows to resent snakes and kills as many as he can. That is until he meets a cursed rock snake who tells him to stop being bitter and enjoy the rest of his days being happy with his living wife. I like this story because it reminds us to forgive and not live our lives with bitterness and resentment.

Indian rock snake Source

The second story was that of The Frog King's Daughter. Another story set in Ayodhya. He should have known something was up when she said that she would marry him on the condition that he will never let her look at water on the ground. He honestly believed that a frog, killed his wife and ordered an all out execution of all frogs. The frog King cursed his daughter's sons with hatred of the Brahmas. This is the second story of the series that calls for the execution of an animal race due to spitefulness.
The last story is called the Tale of the Pole Star. A King had two wives but favored the beautiful one over the good natured one. The beautiful one resented the son of the good natured one. So much so, that he went into the forest to pray for years. The god Krishna then told him to go back home and win the love of the people. The son of the beautiful one was cocky and died in battle while Prince Dhruv vindicated his death and eventually became King but then eventually turned into the pole star.



Title: Tales from the Indian Epics
Author: C. A. Kincaid
Illustrator: M. V. Dhurandhar
Year: 1918

Week 8 Time

There are simply not enough hours in a day. I feel like time is escaping my grasps. Luckily, Spring break is in T minus 2 days and I am so stoked to catch up on home works and readings. Lame, I know but I am not going anywhere this year and it would be nice to have a bit of a staycation. I am not sure if my weekly schedule starting on Saturdays is working out for me at the moment. I thought it would be put me ahead but instead it is not. I am going to have to rework it to fit my schedule better.

School be like...

Spring Break be like..

Week 7 Labeling Challenge: Time

I literally just spent an hour of my Sunday trying to read my chemistry book while listening to a book on Audible and texting like that was OK. After an hour of rereading multiple paragraphs and still not grabbing the gist of it, I had to give myself a break from accomplishing nothing. I can see why multitasking is a good thing, it is important in our jobs and in how we handle our lives. However, when coupled with technology, I can see that we do the most sometimes. So heres to Tabless Thursday and Taco Tuesday.

Week 7 Review

The passive aggressive voice is golden. Like, wait, you really just say that?

Sunday, March 6

Week 7 Reading Diary B: The Indian Heroes: Mahabharata

• This guy and his gambling "skills". He has nothing better to do in the last 12 years than practice dice throwing?
• All the Pandavas disguise themselves on their last year of exile to get away from the spying eyes of their eldest cousin. 

Yudhishthira disguises himself as Kanka, a gambler. Bhima becomes a cook named Ballaba. Arjuna takes the name Brihannala and will be a dancing teacher. Nakula takes the name Granthika and works in the stables, while Sahadeva takes the name Tantripala and becomes a cowherd. Draupadi will be Queen Sudeshna's maid under the name Sairandhri. Source

• I think it is interesting that the subject of rape was brought up in both Indian epics. What is most curious is the responses in both stories. Even though Sita stayed loyal to her husband, Rama did not want anything to do with her for it looked bad to his kingdom. Draupadi almost got raped, went to one of her husbands (Bhima), and demanded vengeance. Which, he ultimately gave her quite willingly. 
• It is really messed up that upon seeing her face, the court decides to laugh off the attack rather than stand up to Prince Kichaka. Shame on them, bet they wouldn't have said that if they really knew she was a princess. 
• I definitely enjoy Draupadi's strong personality to that of Sita's. She took her punishment like a champ. Although, it must be nice to be married to five of the strongest and most powerful men alive. 
• Prince Duryodhana really is super hateful for wanting to demolish the city after Prince Kichaka's doom. 
• I am glad they decided to go to war instead of favoring peace by going into exile for another 12 years. Reoccurring pattern. 
• I wonder how old Prince Arjuna's son and his wife was. Like around 13, 14, 15 years old? Old enough to bear a son, I guess. 
• I guess King Yud makes it up to everyone in the end with his loyalty and takes everyone to heaven. Way better ending than Ramayana. 

Source. pg. 123

Story: The Indian Heroes: Mahabharata-The Princes of Elephant City by C.A Kinclaid Read Here

Week 7 Reading Diary A: The Indian Heroes: Mahabharata

• I like how the story starts out with a shout out to Ramayana. 
• Poor Queen Gandhari. I can't imagine having a hundred sons. 
• It is rumored that the boys' sires were actually gods.
• I can see why the eldest Kauruva hated the Pandavas so much. His father was the rightful king but due to his blindness he did not take the throne until his brother died. Then, the King's nephews still get special treatment even though they were not the king's sons. Rivalry at its best. 
• It is interesting that Prince Vidura was entitled to everything the Kauruvas and Pandavas had but could not have, and still wasn't nearly as bitter as Duryodhana. 
• It is sad that the poor family had to burn in the castle. 
• Hidimvi and Bhima, talk about love at first site. She turned her back on her brother for him and everything.
• Funny how Kunti was talking about Bhima, he appears. Looks like chief Vaca will soon meet his doom.
• Draupadi soon becomes wife of all of the sons which makes her father happy because he knows this will cause tension between the Kauruvas and Pandavas, whom he hates.
•  Arjuna ends up falling for Draupadi's sister and marries her too. She wasn't very happy about it but got over it. Meanwhile, home girl is married to four other guys.

Source

• Yud becomes king but ruins it all because he has a bit of a gambling addiction. After being saved from Dhritarashtra and Draupadi, the Yud gambles again, this time forcing the brothers and their wife to go into exile. 

Story: The Indian Heroes: Mahabharata-The Princes of Elephant City by C.A Kinclaid Read Here