Indian Epics Spring 21

Radha and Krishna Krishna's heart ached as he said goodbye to each and every member of his village. These were the people who had helped raise him — they say it takes a village, after all. While each one was special to him in their own way, he didn't have trouble picturing his life without the majority of them. He knew his destiny was here, and if he had to sacrifice familiarity and comfort and friends along the way, he could. He was of course deeply saddened to leave his adoptive father and mother, the people who really had raised him even though they knew he wasn't their blood. They had known for awhile that he would have to leave them, and the peace in their hearts cultivated a peace in his.  There was one person who it truly tore him apart to leave. They had grown up together, played together, loved each other in every way possible. His soul had been knit with hers. He still loved her, he always would, but knew that being with her was not what the gods had planned. And ...

The Monkeys and Bears build the bridge to Lanka. By Anonymous, Made in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, India - Philadelphia Art Museum, Public Domain The family, a mother, father, and son, was walking around their home village one day when a palm squirrel was noticed by the son. The squirrel looked to be eating a nut, and there was another chittering about around a tree. "Why do the squirrels have stripes across their backs?" The young boy asked his parents, looking at the squirrels in wonder. "That is a very good question, my son," the father answered with a smile. "There is a story that will tell you the answer. Would you like to hear it?" "Yes please!" The boy exclaimed. The mother and father smiled at each other and the family of three sat down under the shade of a tree, the son leaning his head on his mother's shoulder as he got ready to listen to the story. "Long ago, the deva Vishnu was born as a man named Rama," the father began. ...

Forest of Enchantments by Chitra Divakaruni They say love finds you when you least expect it, or when you're not looking for it. For Sita, it was the opposite. Hundreds of men came to her father's palace each year, trying to marry her. The catch was that her father, Janaka, would only allow a man to marry her if he could lift and string a bow that used to belong to Shiva. So far, the only person known to be able to lift it was Sita herself. Janaka believed this was the only way to find Sita a worthy husband. *** The day started out like any other, and I was praying in the temple to the goddess, asking for a worthy husband. It felt like thousands of men had tried to lift and string the bow in order to marry me, and I was just ready to finally be done with all of it and find love. When I finished my prayers, I took the arm of my friend and we began to stroll through the gardens. These had always been my favorite place at the palace. They were so peaceful, being in them gave me th...

Devadatta attempting to assassinate the Buddha. Could not find artist info.  Source . One day, as the Buddha was tending to his garden, one of his most beloved monks, Sāriputta, came to him with great concern. "Sāriputta, what is troubling you?" the Buddha asked. "Teacher, I must tell you that the monk Devadatta is plotting to kill you," Sāriputta said with quiet urgency. "I overheard his plan, he desires to take your place. Tell me what you want me to do, you know that I and your disciples will protect you." The Buddha simply smiled and nodded. "I knew this day would come," he said, not seeming nervous at all. "Since the day I encountered him in this life, I remembered. We met in a past life, I a monkey and he a crocodile, and he tried to kill me then as well so that his mate could have my heart. He wasn't successful then, and he won't be now, brother." "But-" Sāriputta started, but was cut off with the Buddha raising...