Comparing The Iconography And Mythology Of Two Major Hindu...

Comparing the Iconography and Mythology of Two Major Hindu...
Comparing the Iconography and Mythology of Two Major Hindu Deities
In Hindu tradition, Brahma created the universe, Vishnu maintained it and Shiva destroyed it. These
three gods comprise the Hindu trinity (the trimurti) and are considered to be the leading gods of the
religion, especially Brahma, who is the oldest of all the gods. This point is questionable though as
the Visnu Purana talks of Brahma emerging from Vishnu's navel to maintain the world after Vishnu
has created it and then he returns to the navel after Shiva has destroyed it. If this is the case then
Vishnu's position as a god is elevated from merely the maintainer to the creator. This essay intends
to compare and contrast the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It is when he awakens out of this sleep that Brahma appears from Vishnu's navel enfolded in a lotus
as mentioned above. Vishnu is also seen riding, sometimes with his wife Laksmi, but mainly he is
represented as one of his incarnations or avataras.
Unlike Shiva, Vishnu is particularly associated with his avataras and by the end of the Puranic
period he was especially connected with ten of these manifestations. These were Vamana (the
ignorant dwarf), Kurma (the tortoise), Matsya (the fish), Narasimha (the man–lion), Varaha (the
boar), Parasurama (Rama with the axe), Kalki (the white horse), Rama, Buddha and of course the
most popular of all his incarnations, Krishna. "Vishnu incarnates into the world from time to time to
preserve or to reinstate righteousness" (Herman, 1991:107). Krishna being his principle avatara, is
often seen slaying demons and so is considered a hero. He also teaches the discipline of karma yoga,
meaning "the way of selfless action" (Herman, 1991:179), to Arjuna the warrior hero and the
dialogue is written down in the Bhagavad–Gita. Krishna is in disguise and offers Arjuna guidance,
advising that one should acct selflessly without thinking of the rewards and should be satisfied in
offering action in the name of the lord. Since Krishna is only a manifestation, it is actually Vishnu
who is behind this teaching of devotion, proving himself to be a praiseworthy and
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

An Introduction To The Sanaetana Dharm Hinduism And Hinduism
Background Information
Hinduism is often referred to as Sanātana Dharma which means eternal religion. For many Hindus,
religion is a matter of practice rather than of beliefs. It's more what you do, than what you believe. It
is the world's third most popular religion with around 750 million followers. Hinduism is practiced
by more than 80% of India's population. There are an estimated 1 billion Hindus worldwide, making
Hinduism the third largest religion after Christianity and Islam. About 80 percent of India's
population regard themselves as Hindus and 30 million more Hindus live outside of India.
An Introduction to the Hindu religion
How and where it started.
Hinduism is older than any other living religion. It began so long ago that no one really knows how
old it is, but it is believe to be at least 5,000 years old.
India is the country in which Hinduism began. India is a country located in Asia, the capital city
there is New Delhi. There are some very high mountains (Mount Everest) on the northern border of
India called the Himalayas. India has a mixed climates . Some parts of the country become
extremely hot and others are cold. In India, the River Ganges is a scared river. People will often
travel hundreds of miles to bathe in the Ganges because they believe the water will make them pure.
Hinduism was not begun by a single person, it developed gradually as different groups of people
met and shared their ideas and ways of practising their beliefs. The name Hindu

Comparing The Great Flood And The Epic Of Gilgamesh
Introduction:
Global accounts of the Great Deluge are documented as history or legend by cultures in nearly all
regions on earth. Flood myths are found not only in the current religious doctrines of near eastern
societies, but also in those of the ancient civilizations of the world, ranging from the remnants of
Ancient Greek and Mesopotamian tablets to the oral traditions of the Maya and Chinese. Of over
500 flood legends from a multitude of different cultures, it seems the most ancient accounts of the
Great Deluge date back to the Epic of Gilgamesh from the Ancient Sumerian Civilization. Two of
the most popular religions, Christianity and Hinduism, also have accounts of such a devastating
flood in their religious scriptures. Although their stories of the Great flood are incredibly similar,
they both have differences that reflect the beliefs of their respective cultures, which are in turn
reflected in their societies. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The similarities, for example, can be explained with the proposition that the Great Deluge was a
historic event or with the theory that the flood myths are variations of an original account, which
would most likely be the Epic of Gilgamesh. In contrast, the discrepancies between the Hindu and
Christian versions of the myths can be explained as varying due to the different beliefs central to
their respective religions. Thus, the topic to be explored henceforth is the impact that the differences
in the Hindu and Christian cultures had on their retellings of the Great Flood. By completing a
thorough analysis of the Great Flood myth, one can gain a better understanding of the beliefs of each
culture and how they manifest in their religious manuscripts and affect their societies as a

Mahabharata Summary
Adi–Parva, First Book: The Origins of the Families
The story opens as Sauti, a storyteller returning from the snake sacrifice of King Janamejaya,
approaches several wise men, or rishis, in the forest of Naimisha. He relates to them the
Mahabharata as he has heard it from Vaisampayana, a disciple of the poet Vyasa. Sauti begins by
recounting the death of King Parikshit of the Bharatas at the hands of Takshaka, aNaga, or snake–
man. King Janamejaya, Parikshit's son and successor, had held the snake sacrifice in order to avenge
the death of his father, but the ceremony was stopped by the intervention of the learned Naga,
Astika. Sauti then recounts the origins of the Bharatas (also known as the Kurus), a race descended
from the great King ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This is Karna. The son of Kunti and Surya (the sun god), Karna was born with golden armor
attached to his skin. But Kunti, young and unmarried, set her son adrift on a river to be found and
raised by suitable parents. He was adopted by Adhiratha, a charioteer. None of the Pandavas realize
that Karna is their brother, and the armored warrior bests them all in martial feats. Kripa, however,
questions Karna's presence, noting that he is not a prince. Duryodhana is impressed with Karna–and
more importantly, he has been looking for a warrior who could defeat Arjuna. Duryodhana and
Karna become friends, but according to traditions of obligation, Karna is indebted to Duryodhana
for his kingship and hence owes the prince a great favor. Led into battle by Drona, the Pandavas
attack the nearby kingdom ruled by Drupada, and Drona seizes one half of the king's lands.
The Pandavas return to Hastinapura and Yudhishthira becomes heir to the throne of Kurujangala.
Jealous and fearing the loss of his future throne, Duryodhana hatches a plot to destroy the five and
acquire the kingdom for himself. While his cousins and Kunti are visiting the town of Varanavata,
they are to stay in a special house constructed by one of Duryodhana's henchmen which he plans to
have burned. Before the Pandavas leave, however, Vidura warns Yudhishthira of the planned trap.
Bhima plans an escape route by digging a tunnel under the house through which they escape. Kunti
and

3. Research and explain these gods or goddesses: Durga,...
3. Research and explain these gods or goddesses: Durga, Kali, Sarasvati, Ganeshe. The goddess
Durga is the protector, vanquishing the demons that threaten Dharma. (Fisher, 2003). She is
represented as a beautiful woman with multiple arms that rides a lion, wielding weapons to use to
defend the good. The reason she yields so many weapons is to show that one weapon cannot kill
different kinds of enemies. (Goddess Durga). Since Durga is the protector of good, she is invoked by
the seeker to destroy all his desires and unveil his supreme Self (Morris, 2014).
The goddess Kali is compassionate and loving, yet fierce and terrifying. Kali is the destroyer of evil.
She is represented as a blue woman, dripping with blood, carrying a severed head ... Show more
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He is believed to have the head of an elephant because his father, Siva, removed it when he forbid
him access to his mother, Parvati. When Parvati demanded he be restored, an elephants head was the
first found (Fisher, 2003).
6. What are the 5 yoga paths? Describe each in detail.
Hatha yoga focuses on the body and creating a healthy physical vehicle for spiritual development.
This is done through diet, deep breathing, and stretching exercises (Morris, 2014). Ha means "sun"
and tha means "moon," signifying that hatha yoga brings the unions of pairs of opposites, in this
case the mind and the body. It helps activate the chakras, the centers of energy, and remove
blockages in the mind and body. It is also translated as "forceful yoga," because it requires a lot of
physical effort (Marchand, Hagatha, n.d.). The idea behind hatha yoga is that if you can control and
master your breathing, then controlling the mind is within reach. Karma yoga is entirely selfless
service. This is done through actions and choices (Marchand, Karma, n.d.). Karma yoga follows the
law of dharma, uniting everything and giving back through action. Helping and healing, doing
positive actions in order to promote spiritual growth. Bhakti yoga focuses on the love and devotion
the bhakta (devotee) bestows by worshipping a god (Morris, 2014). This does not mean that they
just worship and love

Indian Caste System
The Indian caste system describes the system of social stratification and social restrictions in India
in which social classes are defined by thousands of endogamous hereditary groups, often termed
jātis or castes. Within a jāti, there exist exogamous groups known as gotras, the lineage or clan of an
individual. In a handful of sub–castes such as Shakadvipi, endogamy within a gotra is permitted and
alternative mechanisms of restricting endogamy are used (e.g. banning endogamy within a
surname).
The Indian caste system involves four castes and outcasted social groups. Although generally
identified with Hinduism, the caste system was also observed among followers of other religions in
the Indian subcontinent, including some groups of Muslims ... Show more content on
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Hart stated that "the earliest Tamil texts show the existence of what seems definitely to be caste, but
which antedates the Brahmins and the Hindu orthodoxy". He believes that the origins of the caste
system can be seen in the "belief system that developed with the agricultural civilization", and was
later profoundly influenced by "the Brahmins and the Brahmanical religion". These early Tamil texts
also outline the concept of equality. Saint Valluvar has stated "pirapokkum ella uyirkkum", which
means "all are equal at birth". Likewise, Saint Auvaiyaar has stated that there are only two castes in
the world: those who contribute negatively and those who contribute positively. From these
statements, it can be inferred that the caste system is a socio–economic class system.
[edit] Caste and social status
Traditionally, although the political power lay with the Kshatriyas, historians portrayed the
Brahmins as custodians and interpreters of Dharma, who enjoyed much prestige and many
advantages.[17]
Fa Hien, a Buddhist pilgrim from China, visited India around 400 AD. "Only the lot of the Chandals
he found unenviable; outcastes by reason of their degrading work as disposers of dead, they were
universally shunned... But no other section of the population were notably disadvantaged, no other
caste distinctions attracted comment from the Chinese pilgrim, and no oppressive caste

The Theme Of Flood Themes In The Gilgamesh Epic
[Title] The concept of ravaging waters destroying all of earth except one sole man and woman is a
constant theme across cultures. Almost all ethnic groups possess a story of a family surviving a
flood to repopulate the rest of the world. This idea is present in the Bible, in the Gilgamesh epic, to
even the Chinese. I will argue that mythological journeys across culture demonstrate a reoccurring
flood theme. The first flood myth recorded was in the Gilgamesh epic. Gilgamesh was a demigod
who sought after immortality after his best friend Enkidu dies. During this quest he aims to find
Utnapishtim, the one man that survived the great flood of the gods. According to Moran, the flood
was not a part of the original Gilgamesh epic (1995). The ancient Mediterranean flood story states
that Utnapishtim was chosen by the gods because mankind was intolerable. The deity Ea warns
Utnapishtim to build and ark and save the human race. Following the completion of the ark, it
begins to rain for 6 days and 6 nights. Concluding the rain, Utnapishtim's boat is trapped on a
mountain top for 7 additional days. At the end of his ordeal, Utnapishtim offers a sacrifice to the
gods, but Enlil is enraged that he escaped their efforts. Ea comes to Utnapishtim rescue and
convinces the gods that he escaped without any assistance. As a reward for his survival, the gods
grant Utnapishtim immortality. Moran argues that the story found it's way to be attributed with the
epic because it demonstrates that

Persuasive Essay On Prescription Drugs
Prescription drug misuse has seen some steady growing numbers in America throughout the last 10
years. Vashishtha Devish explains: "In the USA, over 2.4 million people meet the criteria for severe
opioid use disorder (OUD) involving dependence on opioid analgesic medications, heroin, or both."
(Device 1) According to StatNews if we don't do anything about this more than 650,000 people will
die in the next 10 years from opioid misuse. If we don't stop now, we may not be able to take control
of this epidemic.(STAT 2) Dan Nolan and Chris Amico from PBS FrontLine states: "In 1999, there
were more than twice as many motor vehicle deaths as fatal drug overdoses. By 2014, those
numbers had flipped, with almost 40 percent more deaths from overdoses than car crashes." Heroin
and other prescription opioids are the reason for an average of 27,000 deaths a year, more than triple
the rate in 2000.(PBS 3) Opioids are medications that interact with opioid receptors in the brain and
the spinal cord to reduce pain in the body; also affecting the part of your brain that control emotion.
Opioids have been used for centuries to treat pain, cough, and diarrhea. Besides relieving pain,
opioids activate regions in the brain that control pleasure. This causes the euphoria or high and
therefore showing potential for misuse and addiction. When taken, Opioids quickly attach to
receptors in our brain and spinal cord and block the perception of pain, it also floods your brain with
dopamine; a chemical

Saivism: The Oldest Practice of Hinduism Essay
Saivism is a pan–Hindu religion that focuses on the traditions of Hinduism that worships the deity
Shiva (or sometimes his consort and power, Sakti), practiced widely across India, Nepal, and Sri
Lanka. Saivism is also the oldest form of Hinduism worship. Like Vaisnavism, Saivism has obtained
many varieties of ritual practices and ideologies, though it has leaned more towards ascetic ideals.
An important myth in the tales of Shiva is the story of Daksa, which is told in the Mahabharata,
where we learn that Shiva was originally excluded from the vedic sacrifice, and conceivably a deity
from outside the pantheon, but came to be accepted as a god. Many can interpret the myth as a
metaphor for the development of Saivism. As Shiva is outside ... Show more content on
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There are other early references to Siva and Saiva worship, notably in Patanjali's "Great
Commentary" and with Puranas, ancient Hindu texts rhapsodizing various deities. It is with Puranic
literature and texts in the Gupta Dynasty (c. 320 – 500 CE) that Saivism began to spread rapidly.
The Saiva Puranas contained the usual puranic subjects as well as exclusive Saiva elements, and it is
with those that we see Saivism develop as a major strain of Hinduism.Apart from material on the
worshipping of Shiva, Puranas such as the Linga also withhold information asceticism and yoga of
the Pasupatas, which is the earliest sect of Saiva that people of today know of. The bulk of the
material contained in the Puranas was established during the reign of the Guptas, with subsequent
information being added slowly over time, information reaching all the way to the medieval times.
There are eighteen major Puranas, and these are traditionally classified into three groups of six each,
with Shiva considered to be the central deity in the Shiva Purana, Linga Purana, Matsya Purana,
Kurma purana, Skanda Purana, and Agni Purana. Within the atimarga, the higher path, two
important orders existed, which are the Pasupata order (along with its sub–branch the Lakula) and
the Kalamukha order. The Pasupatas are the oldest Saiva sect, assumed to be from the second
century

Parable of the Burning House
Final Exam Questions 1. 10 incarnations of Vishnu 1) Matsya – The fish a) Shatapatha Brahmana
(900 BCE) –Manu was brought water for ablutions (washing hands), when a fish came into his
hands and said "care for me, and I will save you" – fish said : " A flood will carry all these creatures
and I will save you from it" –destruction of fish is great, as fish eat fish –told Manu to keep him in a
pot, and then a trench, and once he outgrew it, to put him in the ocean and for then he said , "I will
be beyond destruction". – fish grew into a "jhasa", which grows the largest ( large fish of indefinite
species) –told Manu to build a ship, and when the flood comes, use it to come to him ( once he
enteres the ship, he will be saved by the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
and it is ambivalent by virtue of its amphibious nature The boar lives in water and on land, and late
dwells at the boundary of universe and non universe * Lord brahma arose from his night sleep and
saw that the world was empty * – Narayana – supreme incomprehensible, the lord of all others, the
lord without a beginning , the source of everything, he who as the very form of Brahma * waters are
called Nara, for the aters are the offspring of the Man (nara) and as they were formerly his abode
(ayana) therefore he is known as narayana * Prajapati wished to raise the earth when he realised it
was still in the waters * Then Prajapati entered the waters, and when the goddess earth saw that he
had entered the Mediterranean region of hell, she bowed to him in devotion and praised him, which
caused a low growl like a chanting of the Sama veda and the boar's eyes were like full blown lotuses
and whose body as dark and smooth as lotus petals resembled the dark blue mountain and lifted the
earth from the regions of hell on his own tusk * As the supreme soul, supporter of the earth, he lifted
up the earth and placed her upon the great ocean * Earth stayed on top of the flood water and did not
sink because her body was so spread out * The highest lord, the lord who as no beginning piled up
mountains on the earth in order to divide it * Divided the earth into 7 continents and he created the
four worlds, earth and the others as before –ananta –

Lord Vishnu Research Paper
Lord Vishnu is one of the most important and influential Gods in Hinduism. He is able to take on
many different avatar forms and obtain special powers. Lord Vishnu is the protector of the universe
meaning he was set out to conserve the world we live in. Lord Vishnu has been incarnated nine
times, the tenth time is predicted to happen, it is said that he will return in the form for Kalki at the
age of decline. Lord Vishnu's consort is Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity. Hinduism
has four main aims of life and Vishnu's implements, powers, symbolism, and stories relate directly
back to those four aims of life. Lord Vishnu is one of the three Gods in the triumvirate, the other two
are Brahma and Shiva. Their goal is set out to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Vishnu has been incarnated nine times, each time is a different energy for a different purpose but
generally his returns have the same underlying theme. The first incarnation was into Matsya, which
is a fish. The second is Kurma, a turtle, he became this when the churning of the ocean was
happening. The third is Varaha, a boar, he returned the Vedas after they were stolen in this
incarnation. The fourth is Narasimha, who is half man half lion, in this incarnation he defeated a
demon that had gained immunity from pain against human force. The fifth is Vamana, which is a
dwarf like creature that has the ability to grow great heights. He convinced the demon Bali to let
him have as much land of Bali's new empire in three steps, then he transformed into a large giant
and covered the world in 1 step, defeating the demon Bali. The sixth Parasurama which is the form
of a fierce hunter, in this form he ridded all the sinful monarchs. The seventh is Rama, this is
probably the most known incarnation of Vishnu, in this form he defeated the demon king Ravana
who captured one of his wives, Sita. The eighth is Krishna, also one of the more known stories
because in this form he brought forth the Bhagavad Gita, which is his famous message. His most
recent incarnation was as Buddha the all knowing one, who appeared in the 5th century

The Main Role Of Lord Vishnu And Lord Shiva
Vishnu is the middle god in the Hindu triumvirate (or Trimurti). The trio consists of three gods who
are responsible for the creation, upkeep and destruction of the world. The other two gods are
Brahma and Shiva. Lord Vishnu's job is to protect the people of Earth, restore, and to preserve. So
his overall theme is to protect the people of Earth. He reigns in Heaven with his wife, Lakshmi, the
goddess of wealth. Lord Vishnu weirdly enough originated when Lord Shiva rubbed nectar on his
ankle1 (Shiva Purana) .The Shiva Purana is one of eighteen Sanskrit texts in Hinduism. It primarily
centers around the Hindu god; Lord Shiva and the goddess Parvati, but references all gods. What
makes Vishnu one of the Trimurti, and so important to praise? Vishnu's purpose is to protect the
people who live on Earth. So his main theme is to protect people, specifically the people of the
Hindu belief. So everything Lord Vishnu does should boil down to, protecting Earth or the people of
Hindu belief 2. Vishnu lives in Param Padam, the supreme abode. In this place, liberated souls spend
eternity living in supreme bliss. He promises people who are well, eternal bliss which comes with
protection in the Param Padam. Vishnu would constantly come down to earth in the form of Lord
Narayana in order to deliver messages or to make sure that things are going according to the Divine
plan. Lord Shiva would protect people from doing bad and ruining their chances of going to Param
Padam. Vishnu is the

Divine Reality In Hinduism
Hinduism is a religion practiced all over the world and has gained a large following. Hinduism got
its start in the Indus Valley civilization and since then has evolved into a open and tolerant religion
upon which every and anybody from all walks of life are welcome. In Hinduism there is a divine
reality which can best be described as all reality is ultimately one for monistic Hindus or that there is
no distinction between the divine reality and the rest of reality for dualistic Hindus. Either way it is
put Hindus try to understand divine reality through their different gods, images, nature, and avatars.
Dualistic Hindus try and understand divine reality through their many different gods. With that there
is a focus put onto the one god Brahman which Brood describes as, "supreme, unitary reality, the
ground of all Being." (Brood et al., 2016). The monistic viewpoint of Brahman can best be described
as the belief that all reality is ultimately one. Brahman is, "treated as a basic cosmic principle."
(Hopkins, 1971). According to Hopkins in the, "Atharva Veda, brahman is said to have the lowest
and highest forms and to be 'the womb of both the existent and the nonexistent.' In 10.2 it is said that
'by brahman the earth was disposed, as brahman the sky was set above, as brahman this atmosphere,
the wide expanse, was set aloft and crosswise.'" (Hopkins, 1971). Brahman can most easily relate to
the Christian, Islam, and Judaism God.Both Brahman and the God of Christianity, Islam,

Comparing Buddhism And The Buddhist Eightfold Path
Buddhism and Hinduism are two different religions, but they are actually somewhat similar.
Buddhism and Hinduism both believe in many deities. The two religions also have similar temples
and depictions of deities. Both religions also have somewhat similar sacred texts and scripts. For
instance, the Hindu Vedas and the Buddhist Eightfold Path both discuss how one should live their
life. Even though the religions are based on entirely different things, there are still some aspects of
both religions that are similar.
One area of comparison of the two religions is the people or gods that they believe in. Buddhism
does not believe in God, but treats the Buddha, Bodhisattvas and other Buddhist masters like they
are gods. Bodhisattvas are monks that are able to reach enlightenment, but delay their ability in
order to help others reach enlightenment. Hinduism believes in nine main gods, but all of those gods
are reincarnations of the one god, Brahmin. The nine main reincarnations of Brahma have a few
reincarnations of themselves, that makes Hinduism contain 32 total "core" reincarnated Hindu gods,
and one supreme god. For example, Vishnu is a reincarnation of Brahma and Matsya is a
reincarnation of Vishnu. Both of the religions are fairly similar because they both believe in many
deities or super ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Hinduism and Buddhism both worship in temples, but Buddhism also worships in monasteries. One
of the most famous buddhist temple is Wat Phra Kaew, in Bangkok, Thailand. At Wat Phra Kaew,
there is a buddha statue that is made out of one piece of green jasper. A famous Hindu temple is
Angkor Wat, in Cambodia. Angkor Wat is the worlds largest religious building. In Buddhist temples,
the Buddha is usually represented as a statue. Gods and Goddesses are represented with two
dimensional image art in the Hindu temples. Places of worship is the strongest area of similarity of
Hinduism and

The Process of the Advancement of the Human Soul Towards...
The Process of the Advancement of the Human Soul Towards its Perfection in Ramayana and the
Mahabharata
The whole of the Ramayana is an Epic of humanity. Humanity does not mean mankind but that
which particularly human nature. It is in this sense, Sri Rama is oftentimes called the paragon of
humanity, an example of the perfection of human nature. This perfection is not inclusive of the
foibles of man in his lower endowments. That majestic feature of bodily personality, the ideal
perfection of physiological structure, the beauty of understanding, dignity of behavior, exemplary
nature of conduct––to put it in one word 'perfection' as conceived or as conceivable by the human
understanding––this is what comes forth as an answer from the ... Show more content on
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There, for the first time, is a proclamation divinity of Rama, where Mandodari in deep sorrow over
the death of Ravana, her husband, exclaims that it is Narayana that has come as Nara which in fact
is unknown to Ravana and due to his ignorance, he has mistaken Rama for a human being. The
contradiction that Valmiki brings out is that while he puts these words in the mouth of Mandodari,
he puts a different type of statement in the mouth of Rama himself. When the whole theme is over,
the drama has been played, Brahma comes and speaks to Rama, "Thou art Lord Narayana, Thy play
in this world is over, and we seek Thy entry back into Vaikuntha." And Rama says in reply: "What
are you speaking? I do not know anything. Am I Narayana! I think I am only a man––Atmanam
Manusham Manye. Whatever you may think or speak about me, I think I am a man, I am a human
being." These are the words of Rama himself. While Rama himself is thinking that he is only a man,
Brahma speaks of Him as Narayana and wants Him to go back to His Abode, as His drama in this
world is over. These interesting dramatic contradictions are brought into play by the genius of
Valmiki, deliberately to fulfill the purpose of the Epic. Otherwise, there would be no meaning in the
play itself.
It was not at all given to Rama to proclaim himself as Narayana. That was not the purpose of the
Avatara at all. Sometimes, we are told that the ten Avataras, incarnations of Visnu beginning from
the

An Analysis of Robert Frost's Once by the Pacific Essay
An Analysis of Robert Frost's Once by the Pacific
Most readers are familiar with the poetry of Robert Frost, but they may not be familiar with his
poem "Once by the Pacific." This poem stands out from most of his popular poems, which
frequently relate to rural New England life. Many critics have thus commented that his works are
too simple. "Once by the Pacific," however, seems to challenge this opinion, as it is one of Frost's
more "difficult" poems to interpret.
Although this poem also is connected with nature, the theme is more universal in that it could be
related to Armageddon, or the end of the world. Even though this theme may seem simple, it is
really complex because we do not know how Frost could possibly ... Show more content on
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Furthermore, God promised in Genesis 9:15 that "never again will the waters become a flood to
destroy all life." It seems that Frost portrays nature as having its own plan, as he writes with nature
in the active voice. Also, why does Frost speak of this in the past tense? Perhaps Frost was thinking
back to the Great Flood and painting a picture of someone by the shore before the waters started to
rise. Thus, the "age" Frost writes about could be interpreted as the pre–Noah days on earth.
Perhaps Frost is not implying that the earth was or will be destroyed by flood, even though it seems
water is the destructive element. Frost could simply be creating a mood or atmosphere as a setting
before the destruction to come. The "low and hairy" clouds create a gloomy feeling that Frost later
describes as a "night of dark intent." The intense images and confusing tense can fool the reader into
thinking that this event has already taken place. A close examination of the tense and words reveal
that the event has not occurred, but the strong images create a feeling of certainty that the "end" is
beginning. Frost brings this intensity to a climax with the line "someone had better be prepared for
rage." Also, Frost speaks of an event much more powerful than flood with the last two lines, "There
would be more than ocean–water broken / Before God's last Put out the Light was

Even Though They Have Close Relations, There Exist Many
Even though they have close relations, there exist many differences between Islam and Hinduism.
Both religions existed near each other, and still do to this day. The term Hinduism actually comes
from the word Hindu, which meant not Muslim in Arabic. While both religions might have
originated out of the same area, their belief systems are nearly opposites of each other. Muslims
believe in a pantheon of gods, so to speak. The list of the Hindu gods is nearly never–ending, with
each god having multiple offspring and versions of themselves, called avatars. For example, Vishnu,
a relatively well know god within the Hindu religion, has avatars such as Koorma, Matsya, and
Varaha, among others. In Islam, however, there is only one god. They refer ... Show more content on
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It is the Muslim version of heaven, which promises everything that one could ever want on the
mortal plane. This helps those that are worshipers of this religion stay faithful to the practices and
rituals, as they don't want to lose their opportunity of Jannah. The prophets of Islam are the
messengers of Allah, those who are chosen to speak and spread his word. These are regarded as the
highest level of divinity one can achieve, as they also reside in the highest level of Jannah. Even
though the prophets are the outlet Allah used to use to spread his word and faith, there has not been
one since Mohammed, who is also the cause of the birth of the religion. In Hinduism, divinity is
handled very differently. The divine are those that are considered otherworldly. There are multiple
gods that exist within the religion, all who are lesser to the Supreme Being. While there exists a
supreme being, this does not mean that it is the entity that worshipers pray to. In Hinduism, you do
not need the favor of the most powerful god for guidance, as any god will do the job. This, in
essence handles the aspect of the Hindu pantheon and its place in the religion. For a worshipper to
achieve Moksha, or their salvation. When saying Moksha is the Hindu salvation, what is really
meant is that it is the release from the continuous cycle of death and rebirth. The caste system also
plays a part in Moksha, as it is a common belief that you are

Illusions : Test, Defense, Or Both?
Illusions: Test, Defense, or Both?
"Krishna was pushing at the door. Then he gave up and went to a smaller doorway next to it. 'I'll get
in, or else!' He stepped up, pushed, and fell right through. Krishna lay on the beautiful floor. 'Well,
come in. There is no door here, just empty air'" (Buck, 88). In this quote, the illusions of the palace
are meant to further beautify the palace, and is a defense against enemies who would try to barge in.
It is also a way to test a man's pride, the answer being his reaction when he falls for the illusions.
Another example of illusion is in the story of the Golden Mongoose, where, the family is sent to
heaven when they see past the illusion, and give Yama the last of their food. In Nala and
Damayanti's story, Nala uses illusions to hide himself, from the world, from Nala, and from himself.
Throughout the Mahabharata, there is a strong emphasis on the illusions that cloud our eyes from
reality, and how one must look past them to find resolution. They are often a test made to test one's
values and beliefs. However, illusions are also a form of self–defense–used to hide from others,
from people important to you, or from even yourself. This is seen just as often in the book, in the
story of the Golden Mongoose and Nala and Damayanti; and is also reflected elsewhere in the story
when Yudhishthira is tested before being able to go to heaven, and when the Pandavas disguise
themselves in the thirteenth year.
Illusions in the Mahabharata are

Life Of Pi Religion Essay
In his novel, Life of Pi, Yann Martel (2001) conveys a complex story of religious encounters that
takes place within Pi's unconscious mind. Faith is especially vital to Pi during the worst of times, as
the three religions he has learned, Islam, Hinduism and Christianity, give Pi guidance during his
traumatic journey. Throughout the course of the narrative, Pi is stranded in the middle of the Pacific
Ocean on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. An essential portion of the novel is
revealed to us when Pi finds himself yelling at the ocean, which represents God. This passage is
significant because Pi begins to lose hope in surviving until he comes upon a free–floating island the
next day. Some readers may recognize the island ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Green is often used as decoration of Mosques in the Islamic religion, and represents nature and life.
Once Pi arrives on the island, he feels comfort when exposed to the colour of green. For instance,
"since the trees continued to stand, I continued to look. To take in green, after so much blue, was
like music to my eyes" (Martel 285). This quote demonstrates how the sight of the trees amaze Pi
which increase his faith in surviving and ultimately leads him deciding to stay longer on the island.
As Pi adjusts to his new surroundings, he begins to see how Allah has come to save him. For
example, "after some minutes I crept up to the side of the boat ... well, this was green. In fact, it was
chlorophyll heaven"(286). This quote shows that Allah has presented himself in the form of an
island, compelling Pi to find strength within to survive. The very green island, signifying a safe
heaven for Pi, creates happiness and rebirth in way that an actual Elysium would. In summary, the
Island takes the role of Allah, as Pi would have not been able to survive without the colour green
and the optimistic effects it had on

Compare And Contrast Buddhism And Dalai Lama
Throughout the whole world there are world leaders that lead their respected countries into a
peaceful era. Presidents, dictators, tsars, monarchs, Kings and queens have been some political
leaders that people tend to elect and also look up to for advice and even protection. Even though
these figures are known to be very influential in everyday lives, by making decisions that change the
face of the world, there are also others that have been known to bring peace to places that others
couldn't do. These are religious leaders such as the Pope, the Dalai Lama, and also God figures have
been known throughout history to be the solution of problems where the military, and money cannot
solve. This essay will go through some of the similarities and differences between the religions, ...
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The Dalai Lama is known to be the figurehead to Buddhism. The most recognized Dalai Lama's are
probably the 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso, and the third Dalai Lama Sonam Gyatso. The 14th
Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso states: "From one viewpoint, Buddhism is a religion, from another
viewpoint Buddhism is a science of mind and not a religion. Buddhism can be a bridge between
these two sides. Therefore, with this conviction I try to have closer ties with scientists, mainly in the
fields of cosmology, psychology, neurobiology and physics. In these fields there are insights to
share, and to a certain extent we can work together." Tenzin Gyatso was appointed as the Dalai
Lama the age of two, and was formally recognized when he was 15. Because assassination is a
common problem with political leaders and religious leaders, he fled from Tibet and stationed
himself and thousands of refugees in Dharamsala Himachal Pradesh, India. He preaches as well as
practices the importance of nonviolence and peace and significance of compassion as Ghandi once
did. The Dalai Lama has received many types of recognitions, one being the Nobel Peace

Mermaid Myths
The mystical maidens of the sea, better known as mermaids, have been featured in everything from
the folklore of the past to the fiction of the present, but what do we really know about them?
Legends of these half–human, half–fish creatures exist all over the globe, and even if they are
merely legend, they're a pretty fascinating manifestation of what the human imagination can
produce. Here are six things you might not know about these mythical creatures.
Number One: The first mermaid was a goddess of fertility.
The original mermaid came out of ancient Assyria in 1000 B.C. According to legend, Atargatis, or
Derecto, as some scholars refer to her, was a goddess of fertility who fell in love with a young
shepherd. While some sources say the young man impregnated her, others say she accidentally
killed him. Maybe both happened, but either way, she ended up throwing herself in a lake out of
shame and transformed into a human with a long fish tail as a result. She is also said to have
inspired the worshipping of Venus and Aphrodite, the Roman and Greek goddesses of love, beauty,
and fertility. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Oannes, as referred to by the Greeks, was a respected figure in ancient Mesopotamia with two
heads–one of a fish and one of a man, and both a tail and human legs. Freaky, huh? In ancient
Babylonian mythology, he was said to provide humans with knowledge, religious counsel and the
arts. Some ancient alien theorists believe he might be historical evidence of an otherworldly
presence on

Atrahasis Account Of The Great Flood Essay
Atrahasis: Account of the Great Flood
The relationship between gods and humanity in Atrahisis: The Account of The Great Flood seems to
carry great irresponsibility. Most of the gods display the weak characteristics of humans. They
whine about work, constantly complain, selfishly create humans and then wish them dead. Enki and
Atrahasis, two of the main characters in the flood story (one god and one human), gain a mutual
respect that displays the proper relationship between humans and the divine. A relationship of
prayerful 'calling out' to the gods, followed by a merciful response toward humankind, is the healthy
and correct picture this story shows us. A correct relationship between gods and humans carries the
possibility of eternal life ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In the story, humans in Sumeria are flourishing, increasing their population, growing; and this
creates a bothersome preponderance of noise on earth. The gods become angry, due to the racket,
claiming that it keeps them awake all day and all night, providing no time to sleep. They prevail
upon the god of the earth, Ellil, who creates disease and sickness. / Let sickness: headache, suruppu,
asakku, Blow into them like a storm. (PFP 9)
When the disease hit, the good man, Atrahasis, who had his "ear open to his god Enki" (PFP 8), used
his relationship with this god to spare his people. He was spoken to and guided to perform certain
rituals and sacrifices with his people, in order to be freed from the sickness. This was successful.
"600 years, or less than 600 passed" (PFP 8) Again; The country was as noisy as a bellowing bull
The God grew restless at their clamour, Ellil had to listen to their noise. He addressed the great gods,
"The noise of mankind has become too much. I am losing sleep over their racket. Cut off food
supplies to the people! Let the vegetation be too scant for their hunger! Let Adad wipe away his
rain. Below let no flood–water flow from the springs. Let wind go, let it strip the ground bare, Let
clouds gather but not drop rain, Let the field yield a diminished harvest, Let Nissaba stop up her
bosom.
No happiness shall come to them. (PFP 8)
The drought put upon the earth did not put an end to the racket for

Carl Jung Archetypes
A universal subconscious, a part of the human brain that shares the same thoughts and ideas as
everyone else, seems crazy, right? Carl Jung didn't seem to think so in fact, he spent his career
studying such things called Archetypes, signs and patterns that all humans share in their universal
subconscious. The first examples of archetypes appear through the creation and flood stories of
ancient cultures. Now, the real question is how did these civilizations that were thousands upon
thousands of miles apart possibly have such similar stories? Carl Jung's idea of archetypes and a
universal subconscious is correct in that all the flood stories are similar.
In the flood story from the ancient Hebrew writings; God told Noah, that he would be able to bring
on the ark with him: himself, his wife, his children, and their wives. In all, that was a total of eight
people. As well, in the story of Matsya, Manu took on his boat with him: himself and seven wise
men in all totaling to be eight people. Also in Genesis it says "And Noah went in, and his sons, and
his wife, and his sons' wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood." I chose this
quote because it demonstrates how the story portrays eight as the number ... Show more content on
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Noah was told by God "Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his
female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female of fowls also of the air by
sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth." As well as in the
story of Matsya, Manu was told "As well as every plant and seed and two of every kind of animal he
could fine." These two quotes yet again pose to show how there is a universal subconscious between
humans through the similarity between the two stories from these ancient

Buddhism Hinduism Essay
The goal of tantra is to transcend duality caused by the spiritual ignorance and bondage that prevent
people from realizing the truth of Ultimate Reality (p261). Tantrics attempt to weave the dualistic
beliefs together through the Right Hand and Left Hand paths. The Left Hand path is the path of
impurity and pollution through the 5 M's. The 5 M's are mamsa (flesh), matsya (fish), madya
(liquor), mudra (parched grain, sacred gestures or female sexual partner), and the maithuna (sexual
union) (p265). Tantrics believe that by embracing these impure aspects it will break the bonds of
ignorance and bondage.
The Vedas are the very foundation of the Brahmanical Hinduism whereas in Tantra the Vedas are
viewed as incomplete and inferior. Tantrics ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
There is only one Supreme Being known as Brahman. Brahman is everything. Nothing really exists
because it is all just Brahman (Unit 2 ppt). We must let go of the belief that we exist to end samsara.
Only when one realizes that everything is an illusion and that they themselves are really just part of
the Divine Being then they are free from the cycle of death and rebirth. Once samsara has been
defeated then and only then can Hindus reach moksha. This is done through rituals and sacrifices
that can only be performed by specific people. These rituals and sacrifices are generally performed
by Brahmin males, but tantric practices can be performed by

Essay about The Flood of Noah and the Flood of Gilgamesh
Myths, some parts speculated to be true and many not, have always been part of our lives. However,
as one glances across the different myths of different cultures, one can find that some portion of two
different myths can be eerily similar to each other, causing one to speculate whether they have made
contact with one another long time ago in history. This led to the question that people constantly try
to prove: do myths that have overlapping ideas verify actual historical truths and similar culture
between origins of myths? Almost all myths around the world have the particular section on the
"Great Flood." It has been universal, indicating that at some point in their lifetime, all of the cultures
experienced a flood that almost wiped ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, on the seventeenth day of the second month – on that day
all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. And rain
fell on the earth forty days and forty nights. Pairs of all creatures that have the breath of life in them
came to Noah and entered the ark. The animals going in were male and female of every living thing,
as God had commanded Noah. Then the Lord shut him in. For forty days the flood kept coming on
earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth. The water rose and
increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. They rose greatly on
the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered. The waters rose and
covered the mountains to a depth of more than twenty feet. Every living thing on the face of the
earth was wiped out; men and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds of
the air were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark. These verses
of the Genesis helps people to understand the ferocity of the flood at that time, but also offers many
questions. Did it truly happen? Did it really cover entire earth? These questions overtime has been
researched and some parts of them were answered. However, the water covering the entire world is

Essay on Flood Legends From Around the World
There are flood stories from many cultures. The flood stories usually consist of a higher power that
floods a civilization due to some act that has made the higher power angry. The stories talk about
one specific family and how the flood consumes the entire globe. So many cultures have a story
about a great flood that have many similar details that it is hard to not believe that it is not true, but
whether the story of a great flood is true or not, it is up to the individual to decide. Judaism is
religion that many Hebrews are a part of. Many Christian religions like Catholicism also believe the
same story that the Jews do about the great flood. They believe that God had become so upset with
mankind's evil ways, he wanted to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He then sent out a dove that came back without anything. A week later Noah sent the dove out
again, and the dove returned with an olive branch. The next week the dove did not return to the ark.
After a year and ten days of being in the ark, Noah and his family emerged with the animals. Noah
sacrificed some of the animals to God, and God was so pleased he vowed to never destroy all of the
living creatures with a flood again. The rainbow that appeared was like the signature to an
agreement that he would never do it again. The animals ran wild and began to produce and God told
Noah's family to repopulate the earth (Genesis 6–9).
In Greek mythology, Zeus wanted to destroy the men of the Bronze Age so he sent a flood. He
thought the people of this age were very wicked. "Prometheus advised his son Deucalion to build a
chest. All other men perished except for a few who escaped to high mountains" (). After Deucalion
and his wife floated in the chest for nine days they land on Parnassus. Then, he made a sacrifice to
Zeus in which he threw stones and they became men. Then his wife threw stones and they became
women. This story focuses on one family in particular, Deucalion and his wife. There is a great
flood that wipes everyone out but them, and a great higher power, Zeus, did this to the earth. In
Roman mythology, which is very similar to Greek mythology, there is a flood story as well.

Evidence for the Biblical Flood
"And God said to Noah, "I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with
violence through them. Behold, I will destroy the earth. Make yourself an ark..." (Genesis 6:13–14,
English Standard Version) "For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all
flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die." (Genesis
6:17, ESV) "And of every living thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to
keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female." (Genesis 6:19, ESV) "Noah did this; he
did all that God commanded him." (Genesis 6:22, ESV) "In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in
the second month, on the seventeenth day of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
(1995–2013) Finally, many evolutionists use the Grand Canyon as proof for millions of years, but
evidence shows it actually formed from the overspill from two post–Flood lakes. (Creation Today,
n.d.) Obviously, all of this evidence creates major problems for evolution, but is fully explained by
Noah's Flood. One of the biggest pieces of evidence for the Flood is the Cambrian explosion. The
Cambrian explosion is taught by evolutionist to be a sudden burst of evolution caused by an increase
in favorable environments. An evolutionist article states, "Fossils provide solid evidence that
organisms from the past are not the same as those found today; they show a progression of
evolution... The resulting fossil record tells the story of the past and shows the evolution of form
over millions of years. For example, scientists have recovered highly–detailed records showing the
evolution of humans and horses." (Evidence of Evolution, n.d.) In reality the fossil record shows
that there was a sudden and nearly simultaneous appearance of all known phyla as well as species
from the most distant parts of the family tree during the Cambrian period, instead of a gradual
evolution. (Wieland, n.d.) (Wise, 2009) Fossils have been found worldwide in Precambrian rocks,
but they were too bizarre and different

The Story Of The Tain And The Mah Ā Bh Ā Rata
In The Táin and the Mahābhārata, brothers slaughter and mourn over brothers, parents are separated
from their children, and husbands and wives quarrel and grow apart; the ideals of these epics seem
to suggest that avoiding desires and violence will resolve such familial conflict. However, it is
difficult to generalize from these dramatic epics since they do not necessarily resolve conflicts
within families or settle disputes realistically. Nonetheless, the texts offer explanations as to why
dysfunctional relationships exist, in that The Táin points to materialistic desires as the root causes of
familial disputes, while the Mahābhārata focuses on the conflicts between relative and absolute
dharmas in forcing individuals to turn against one ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Regardless of all her material possessions and haughtiness, she suddenly feels poor, due to her
unquenchable thirst for more wealth and power. Although Medb already has much wealth, her
notion of possessing power will no longer be satisfied if she is not equally as affluent as her
husband; her focus is not upon the bull itself, since she initially only wants to borrow it for one
year–rather, she desires to have control and assert herself as an equal to her husband, symbolically
through possession of the bull. She is so hinged upon this desire that she is overconfident that she
will own the bull, stating "it was well known it would be taken by force if it wasn't given
freely...taken it will be," (The Táin 58). Her nonchalance and her determination mark her as a fierce,
independent woman, which explains why her relationship with Ailill involves a power struggle,
since both of them aspire for power and control.
As a couple, Medb and Ailill have an interesting dynamic, where they quarrel over their prowess
and wealth in comparison to one another, putting their honor and power at stake, but they still fight
on the same side during the war. Even though they are able to work together during the war, there is
still inevitable tension in their relationship since they struggle to balance their diplomatic roles with

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