Epics of India

The King's White Elephant carpenters lived on a river bank near a forest they noticed a wounded elephant they tended to the elephant, and he was so grateful that he helped the carpenters with their work he would bring them tree trunks, fetch their tools. move logs into the river etc as the elephant grew older, he started bringing his son with him to show him the ways of the work one day the king spotted the beautiful white elephant the king paid the carpenters a lot of money to keep the white elephant for his own Father Son Elephants

How the Turtle Saved His Own Life A king built a lake in his backyard for his songs to swim and play in the boys swam and sailed their boats in it the king then asked some of his workers to put some fishes into the lake the sons ran to the lake to see these new additions and they noticed something they had never seen before, a turtle  they saw it and thought it was a demon so they got scared they ran back to the their father and the king ordered for the turtle to be killed  when the workers caught the turtle and brought it back to the house, the boys ran away from it and cried  the king, very empathetic of his sons, demanded that the turtle be killed  the workers thought of many ways to kill it  pound it to power, back it in hot coals, or throw it into the lake  the workers agreed to throw the turtle into the lake where it will be smashed to pieces by the rocks the turtle hearing all this talk, thrusted his head out of the shell  he dema...

The Hare that Ran Away  Buddha was reincarnated as a Lion in order to help his fellow animal friends  There was a rabbit who lived in the forest who was afraid of everything  one day she heard a slight noise that was unfamiliar to her it was a fruit falling of a tree but she jumped to the conclusion that the Earth was falling in The rabbit took off in a full spring thought the forest yelling that the sky is falling  he first passed a group of his fellow rabbits  then deer began to slide up, as well as sheep and boar and buffalo and camels and tigers, then finally elephants  Enough animals have heard and believed this that Lion surely had to involve himself  the lion asked the elephant who told him and he said the lion.  each animal went along in a line and repeated who told them of this idea  finally the lion got to the rabbit, and the rabbit admitted that he saw proof the Lion took the rabbit to the spot of the noise  The...

The Golden Goose  there was goose who had golden feathers he lived near a mother and a daughter who were very poor he thought to himself that once and while he would give them one of his feathers to sell and they would be able to live comfortably time went on and the mother and daughter did indeed sell the feathers and live comfortably the mother feared that one day the goose would never return and they would go back to living poorly so the mother devised a plan to pluck all the goose's feathers the next time he came the next time the goose came, the mother held him down and pulled out every one of his feathers little did she know, if the feathers are plucked out against the goose's wishes, they turn white and no longer carry a monetary value  as time went on, the goose grew more feathers but never returned again Goose

Granny's Blacki e there was an old grandma, known as Granny to the town, who owned a baby elephant  all the children were very fond of this elephant  one day the elephant wanted to go to the woods, but granny said she had too much work to do realizing she was aging, the elephant sought out to work to get money the elephant goes up to the woods and finds a man who was struggling  there were so many wagons that were too heavy that the man's oxen could not drag them through the river when the man saw the elephant he thought to ask him for his help in exchange for money the man told the elephant that he would pay him two silver pieces for each wagon drawn once the work was finished, the man only paid the elephant one silver piece per wagon seeing that the elephant noticed, the elephant stood in the river and blocked the man and his wagons from going anywhere until he was paid the ma, caught in his unfairness, paid the elephant the elephant took the money back to...

The Quarrel of the Quails  there were many quails who lived together in a forest  a man would come often and grab and bunch by a net to take home and sell to make money one day the leader of the quails came up with a plan all the quails who are caught in the net should all fly up and away with much force the plan worked a couple times one day the quails got into a quarrel  they were no longer working together because they were divided onto two sides the man came back to catch them in a net because they were in a fight and not working together, they got taken away from their home The King's White Elephant carpenters lived on a river bank near a forest they noticed a wounded elephant they tended to the elephant, and he was so grateful that he helped the carpenters with their work he would bring them tree trunks, fetch their tools. move logs into the river etc as the elephant grew older, he started bringing his son with him to show him the ways of th...

The Battle  the two armies faced each other on the day of the war the conch shells and battle trumpets played to dictate the start With shouting and roars, both sides rushed to meet in the middle The Pandavas and the Kurus fought like demons as family fought family the heart of the battle was where Bhishma, the leader of the Kurus was no warrior he struck could survive Darkness came and both sides withdrew for rest  days went buy and it became clear to the Pandavas that as long as Bhishma was alive, they could not win on the 10th day, the war ceased Bhishma died and Drona was appointed the new commander under Drona, the Kurus won the Kurus main focus was to capture Yudhishthira because Drona made a vow to the Pandava king to do so The Pandavas only goal was to personally defeat Drona  Battle Field  

The Princes Arrive at Benares 10 days into their stay with the people of Benares, Purochana tells the Pandavas of a great house outside the city they are welcome to stay in He describes it as a mansion, but it is really known as haunted Yudhishthira went with his mother and brothers to check it out Upon reaching the house he smelled tar and oil all over Yudhishthira tells Bhima that he believes this house is highly flammable and that they out not to return But alas, they decided to stay so that they did not look suspicious to Purochana  While in their new home, their uncle Vidura, came to visit he told them that on one night this house would be burned to the ground he proposed to them that they should dig a tunnel in order to escape  the Pandavas agreed and started quickly to build this tunnel the Pandavas did so and spend their days hunting and gathering in the forests nearly and always slept within locked doors and their belongings near Cabin in the Woods ...

The Forest and its Ghosts years had passed and a day came when Yudhishthira and his brother and their wife Draupadi adventured to the homage of their elders  they found they all their to save Vidura who had departed to a sacred place on the banks of the Ganges River to wait for Yama, the god of death Many people went to find Vidura but when they came to him, he was aged and starved  they all waited beside him while died and mourned tougher  the great sage Vyasa then appeared and said to the people that if they should bathe in the river at sunset, their dead loved ones will appear throughout the night  as the sun went down, they chanted mantras and went into the river  the waters began to heave and foam, and Vyasa spoke holy words and calling out the names of the dead all the heroes who had been slain appeared one by one  drums and trumpets were sounded and it looked as if the armies of the Pandavas and Kauravas were once again ready for battle...

Riddles at the Lake While still in exile, the Pandava brothers thought to leave the forest before they could leave, a strange adventure awaited them  one of them climbed a banyan tree to look for water they found a pond nearby and Yudhishthira sent Nakula towards it Nakula went and a voice said to him that he should answer some questions and if he does not he should not drink the water Nakula was so thirsty and afraid he drank the water anyways Nakula died instantly  Sahadeva followed him and was confused why his brother had died, he also did the same thing and fell dead Arjuna and Bhima repeated the same  Yudhishthira was next to approach the pond he was smart and responded to the voice, agreeing to answer his questions  Yudhishthira got all the questions right and the voice revealed himself in the form of Dharma: god of wisdom and justice  Dharma granted Yudhishthira two boons  he wished for his brothers to be restored to life and that the...

The Gambling Match Duryohdhana was in a jealous rage when he saw others being praised for the trump of the Pandavas So he set up a gambling match to prove he is also worthy of praise he went before his father and asked if they could invite the Pandavas - Yudhishthira  the Pandavas agreed despite not knowing how to play and knowing the game may be played unfairly D practiced with his uncle, a renown gambler, to ensure that he wins  when the gambling match started, Duryohdhana asked his uncle to play and they both conspired to play together- one would roll the dice and one would place bets because their team was unstoppable, Yudhishthira lost everything even after lost all of his possessions, money jewelry, chariot, cattle, elephants, slaves, slave girls etc., he bet in Draupadi  Y lost yet again and Draupadi was handed over the Duyrohdhana as a slave Birth of Draupadi  When Drupada lost half of his kingdom, he sought to do whatever to grant him a so...

King Shantanu and Ganga King Shantanu was wedded to the goddess Ganga  Ganga consented to be the human mother to the Vasus and cast them into the Ganges as soon as they were born so they could return to their celestial state  Ganga made each of them promise an eighth of their power onto her son who would live to stay human the goddess gave birth to the first son and casted him into the Ganges, the king was horrified  this continued seven times finally the king was disgusted by his mouth and broke his vow  she eventually came back to bring the king their one son named Devavrata  Vyasa and Ganesha the king Chedi, uparichara, scared other gods into thinking he was going to steal their power the gods sent Indra to bribe him with a flying car  he was flying one day and his semen fell into a river a female fish swallowed the semen ten months pass the female fish was caught by a fisherman and two children came out also the fisherman tells th...

Hanuman Burns Lanka Hanuman was destroying many Rakshasis in order to get to Sita He defeated arrows and lightening and could not be slain Indrajit sent a million shafts toward the Hanuman but he escaped them all knowing he was not human, Indrajit took a Brahma shaft and successfully bounded Hanuman Hanuman told his story and his allegiance to Rama while conversing with Ravana's minister  Hanuman warned everyone that in order to escape a soon death, Ravana should give up Sita this angered the Rakshasis and Ravana and they sought to light Hanumans tail on fire to kill him instead, Hanuman burned Lanka to the ground  Ravana at War Click here for link

The Scheming of Kaikeyi  here we are told that the real person behind Rama's banishment is, Manthara, Kaikeyi's servent When Kaikeyi heard of the news that Rama would be crowned king she was happy for him, she believed he would be fit, and thought her son Bharata would bask in the glory as well  Manthara convinced Kaikeyi with jewels and gifts that she could have if she came up with a plan to have Dasharatha make Bharata be king and Rama to be banished Manthara reminded Kaikeyi of her three boons Dasharatha gifted to her, and persuaded her to use one of them for this  Kaikeyi goes to talk to Dasharatha  Sita Stolen Ravana sees Sita waiting alone for Rama's return he goes to her and Sita, thinking he is a Brahman, gives him food and water Ravana orders her to be his wife at once and Sita grows angry and scolds him Rama seizes her to take her away, but Jatayu, a great vulture catches Ravana doing this As he departs to let Rama and Lakshman know, Rava...

Rama Attacks War was coming about, the sky darkened, the earth shook, and destruction was foretold Ravana's spies disguised as Monkey's to spy on the Monkey army and bring back news  The spies came back and advised him of Rama's power and encouraged him to surrender Sita to Rama  Fearful of Rama, Ravana decided to betray Sita He tells her that Hanuman and Rama are both killed, presenting her with a head and bow similar to that of Rama's Sita begged for Rama to kill her as she cry out mourning for her slain groom  Ravana's spies burst in to inform Ravana to prepare for battle  The head and bow then disappeared  Sita knew she had been tricked with illusions  Kumbhakarna The Rakshasas were in desperate shape and resulted to their last result to help slain Rama and the monkey army: to awake Kumbhakarna  Kumbhakarna was the mightiest of all demons, he ate humans and has a curse casted upon him He is forced to sleep for six months at a t...

Sugriva and Hanuman Sugriva and Hanuman disguised themselves to ask Rama and Lakshman who they were and what their business was Sugriva told Rama that his brother, Vali, drove him out of his kingdom and kidnapped his wife Hanuman was very happy to see Rama because they saw him as an ally who could help Sugriva Rama and Lakshman also explained that Rama was in exile  Everyone left to meet Sugriva in order to help him from his brother Vali Sugriva's Story  One night Vali was being attacked by an enemy and dragged the enemy into a hole Vali ordered Sugriva to watch the hole until the enemy came out; he watched it for one year Sugriva saw blood spill out of the hole and returned to the kingdom because he thought Vali had been killed Vali had not died and struggled to escape the hole because Sugriva filled it with a mountain Once Vali returned to the kingdom, he was so angry with Sugriva that he took away Sugriva's wife  Hanuman's Leap   As hanuman...

Battle with Khara Main Characters: Rama, Lakshmana, Sita, Khara, Rakshasas in the preparations for battle, Rama tells Lakshmana to take Sita and go hide  Rama is dressed in a shiny armor with a bow and many arrows Khara came trolling towards Rama with an army of Rakshasas following him like a black cloud Rama flung flaming arrows into the arming wounding lots Rama drew his bow and killed Khara thus finishing the battle The Sandals Main Characters: Rama and Bharata  Bharata gave Rama his gold sandals and said he could accomplish all good with these sandals Bharata says he will live as protector of the throne for fourteen years until Rama returns Bharata returns to a neighboring town to wait until Rama returns Rama returns to the forest the shoes symbolized royal authority  Shurpanakha and Rama   Main characters: Rama. Sita, Shurpanakha, Bharata Shurpanakha is a rakshasa who takes the form of a young and beautiful girl she plans to dri...

Rama Wins Sita Main Characters: Rama, Janak, Sita, Vishvamitra Monarchs, Nobles, Warriors gathered about to compete for Sita's heart talks about the history and lavishness of the bow lots of imagery to the setting  main plot: Rama bent the bow to win Sita's heart lots of room for retelling because plot is so simple and to the point Kaikeyi and Dasharatha  Main characters: Kaikeyi, Dasharatha, Bharata Kaikeyi asks that her husband grant her the two wishes he had promised her long ago otherwise she will drink poison he agrees and explains he will never be happy again unless he grants her whatever wish she desires her first wish: for her son, Bharata, to be crowned as King/Leader her second wish: for Rama to be sent into exile heartbroken, Dasharatha scolds Kaikeyi but knows he must grant the wish she again reminds him that if he does not fulfill, she will kill herself "So he lamented through the night, and unto Kaikeyi he said, 'I grant the boons,...

The Foolish, Timid Rabbit Jataka Tales by Ellen C. Babbitt Rabbit and Lion: main characters; Monkey, Elephant, Fox: secondary characters Story similar to children's movie, Chicken Little Monkey drops coconut on ground, Rabbit thinks the earth is breaking, causes a frenzy to other animals to join in on rampage All mighty lion comes in to prove all rumors of the earth to be false The Monkey Who Gathered Lotuses Tayodhamma Jataka in The Jataka: Volume 1 translated by Robert Chalmers. Main Characters Bodhisatta--> monkey son Monkey father Ogre Secondary Characters Monkey mother  Son grew up without a father because it was known the father was frightened by his children that they would one day surpass him as King Son was eager to meet his father, so he questions his mother on where he resides. He finds out he is located at the foot of a certain mountain, so thus he goes to seek out his father.  Weary of his son coming to meet him and overtaking the thro...