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Indra And Sachi
Even gods can be prey to their inner torments. Lying and killing for the sake of peace and order, Indra felt he was unworthy of being king of heaven. A new king was installed on his throne! Now it was up to Indra’s wife Shachi to ensure that his honour survived. Would the gods ever regain their respect for her beloved?
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Prahlad
Prahlad drove his monstrous father to a murderous rage. He insisted on praising Lord Vishnu who was considered a sworn enemy by his father Hiranyakashipu. When he tried to punish his disobedient son, Hiranyakashipu's potent poisons turned to nectar while his lethal weapons fell harmlessly away. In this tale of bloodthirsty revenge, Prahlad's only defence is his devotion which dramatically puts an end to all evil.
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The Syamantaka Gem
To the women of Dwarka, Krishna is the most coveted jewel, the husband they yearn for. For most of the men, the Syamantaka, the sun-god's shining gem, is the most sought-after prize. This is hardly surprising, it is known to regularly bestow a hoard of solid gold on their Prince Satrajit. When the gem goes missing, suspicion falls on Krishna. He must prove his innocence, but danger and upheaval threaten at every turn.
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Gandhari
A hundred sons, the sages say, are a hundred blessings. Gandhari's hundred Kaurava sons, however, were more of a curse. Did they become evil by some divine plan or was it because she was proudly blind to their faults? Helpless as they heaped dishonour on the family, she was furious with Lord Krishna for abetting in her son's eventual slaughter. Unfortunately, her grief was overpowering, and threatened to wreak further havoc...
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Agastya
He outwitted the Vindhya mountain when, in its pride, it tried to obstruct the natural path of the sun. He drank all the waters of the ocean to expose the wicked Kalkeyas, who hid there after challenging the Gods to battle. Agastya is the most well-known among the Saptarshi. His stories are found not just in the Vedas but are scattered through the Brahmanas and the Puranas as well. These stories are known not only in India but are also a part of S.E. Asian mythology.
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Aruni And Uttanka
Aruni was willing to give up his life for his Guru; Uttanka cast aside his dreams fo rhis teacher. Young or old, their devotion and obedience were almost superhuman. Luckily, as described in the Mahabharata, the gods looked kindly on them. After all, these young men had earned the right to happiness.
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Tapati
Tapati, the daughter of Surya, catches the site of the mortal Samvarana and falls in love with him. She appears before him in the forest and he is so enchanted by her, he swoons and falls on the ground. Tapati and Samvarana had a son named Kuru, the ancestors of the Pandavas and the Kauravas. The field of Kurukshetra upon which the battle takes place is also named after Kuru.
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Prabhavati
The demon, Vajranabha, performs severe penance. Pleased, Brahma grants him the city of Vajra, and says that not even air will enter the city, unless Vajranabha wants it to. Now, powerful in his impregnable city, Vajranabha turns his sights on Indra's kingdom. Indra goes to Krishna for help. What Vajranabha does not realise is that his daughter, Prabhavati, has set her heart on marrying Pradyumna, the son of Krishna.
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Mahiravana
When his rakshasa army was destroyed in the battle against Rama, the prince of Ayodhya, Ravana, the Lord of Lanka, called for his son Mahiravana, a powerful magician. Would he succeed in killing the noble Rama and Lakshmana? Not while Hanuman was around, for this faithful friend had a trick or two of his own. The Bengali "Krittivasa Ramayana" written by poet Krittivasa in the 15th century describes how Hanuman manages to get around the wily sorcerer's schemes.
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Jayadratha
Jayadratha was a despicable man - vindictive, arrogant and selfish. In the Mahabharata battle, Jayadratha had shamelessly hidden himself away, for Arjuna had taken a terrible vow to put an end to his own life if he failed to kill the villain before sunset that day. With the wise Krishna by his side, would the mighty Arjuna fail to find his mark?
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Elephanta
Lord Shiva, it is believed, has many faces and multiple forms and each tells a tale. Visitors to an emerald-green island off the coast of Mumbai are reminded of these dramatic episodes by the work of skilful, dedicated sculptors, who lived more than 1,300 years ago! Their carvings have survived in the caves of Elephanta, despite the ravages of time and vandals and destroying armies.
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The Churning Of The Ocean
The three worlds of the universe were reeling from shock: the asuras had taken control! Even the plants were withering away. Only the great Lord Vishnu could make things right again. He got both devas and asuras to churn up life-giving nectar from the ocean of milk and then ensured that the asuras were kept away from this gift of immortality.
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Ghatotkacha
He may have looked like a demon, but Ghatotkacha was a guardian angel - always ready to help, always cheerful. The Pandava brother, Bheema, was lucky to have him as a son, for he saved his life more than once. And if it were not for this brave young rakshasa, the Kauravas may well have been the victors of the famous battle of Mahabharata.
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The Parijata Tree
When Satyabhama, Krishna's fiery wife, gets offended by the behaviour of Indra's wife Sachi, the two gods come to war over the lovely Parijata tree. The princess Lakshmana is determined to marry Krishna. Her father must ensure that during the swayamwara only Krishna will win his daughter. Sage Narada provokes Satyabhama into agreeing to give him Krishna, unless she can find something heavier than him. But all her possessions together prove to be lighter than Krishna.
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Kacha And Devayani
While the war was raging between the devas and asuras, the devas sent Kacha to the preceptor of the asuras. Kacha approached the asura guru as a student. It was in this background of hate, war and rivalry that the beautiful Devayani, the proud daughter, of the asura guru, fell in love with Kacha, the man who was being watched by the asuras with increasing suspicion - they knew Kacha was seeking the key to immortality from their guru. Then a twist in the tale throws the dreams of the young couple into dissarray.
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Jnaneshwar
t was predicted by a sage that the children of Vithal and Rukmini would be great spiritual leaders. But of their four children it was little Jnanadev who seemed to have a special inclination for the scriptures. In his brief life as a preacher Jnaneshwar, as he was called later, spread the message of Bhagwat Dharma or love of God and brotherhood of man. He was the founder of the Bhakti movement in Maharashtra. Jnaneshwar renounced the world at the age of twenty-one.
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Swami Chinmayananda
Nurtured on modern learning and ancient wisdom as a child, he taught himself to meditate even as he dreamed of dinner, skipped out of family visits to the temple but spent hours in solitary prayer and campaigned for indias freedom while aiming for a masters degree in english literature chinmaya means true knowledge and it is what swami chinmayananda taught the world.
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Lal Bahadur Shastri
Lal Bahadur Shastri may have been small in size but he had an immense vision. Determined to build a new India, he took on every challenge with a cheerful smile and a humble heart. Years of hard work took their toll, however. In her moment of triumph, the country was suddenly left grieving for a wise, honest and courageous prime minister.