By Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik – Author, Speaker, Illustrator, Mythologist Mantra means a sound meant to connect the Gods outside (deva) to the God inside (atma). Vedic people were convinced the Rishi did not craft these sounds; they ‘saw’ them in the universe and simply transmitted them. Historians see mantras of the Rig Veda as human…

Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik – Author, Speaker, Illustrator, Mythologist Kings across East Asia, whether it’s China, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia consider the lion as the symbol of kings. In front of Chinese Palaces, there is the male and female lion, the male holding under his paw a globe representing the world while the female holds a…

Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik – Author, Speaker, Illustrator, Mythologist Today, anyone can go to a school or an institute, where a set of subjects are taught by experts who follow a fixed time-table, an approved curriculum, a standardised method of teaching and evaluation. That was not the case before. In the old Indian model, your caste…

The story of Rishyasringa Muni is found in the Ramayana. Dashratha had three wives, but no children. So, he called a sage to perform the ritual that would get him children. The rishi selected was Rishyasringa Muni. In Odia miniature paintings, Rishyasringa is depicted as having two horns. His father Vibhandaka was a rishi. Vibhandaka…

By Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik – Author, Speaker, Illustrator, Mythologist Of the thousand songs in the Rig Veda, we find 200 songs praising Agni. In fact, the first song of the Rig Veda is a praise to Agni, who is called the priest and messenger of the Gods. Agni must be placed in the eastern direction…

By Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik – Author, Speaker, Illustrator, Mythologist Many people asked me what is the significance of Chhat Puja. They want to know a story. For example, there is a story of Ram’s return to Ayodhya on Diwali and Lakshmi entering the house on Diwali. So there must be a story associated with Chhat…

By Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik – Author, Speaker, Illustrator, Mythologist In Hindu, Jain and Buddhist mythology, paradise or Swarga, is described as a place where the wish-fulfilling tree, Kalpataru, grows; where the wish-fulfilling cow, Kamadhenu, lives; and where Chintamani, the wish-fulfilling jewel is found. In other words, it is a place of infinite plant, animal and…

By Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik – Author, Speaker, Illustrator, Mythologist In folklore, Age of Mandhata refers to an ancient time, even before Krishna and Ram lived on earth. As per the Mahabharata, Mandhata was the son of Ram’s ancestor, Yuvanashva. Yuvanashva wanted a child. But he consumed the magic potion that was meant to make his…

By Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik – Author, Speaker, Illustrator, Mythologist Vedic Rishis are imagined with long hair, tied in a topknot. But Adi Shankara, the Vedanta philosopher, is depicted in popular artworks with a shaved head, covered with a drape. An enquiry into how the Hindu sage and monk treated his hair reveals how it has…

By Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik – Author, Speaker, Illustrator, Mythologist About a thousand years ago, we are told that the Chola king was drawn to a Jain epic called Jivaka Chintamani. It tells the story of a young man’s erotic and valiant adventures, who eventually becomes a Jain monk. To prevent local kings from becoming monks,…