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Hindu Epics in the West

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Hindu Epics in the West

When you go to Bolivia and to the south of Peru, you can see a very famous festival called "La Diablada" (Demoniac Dance). This festival depicts a very ancient story: two angel-like warriors fight against a ten-headed demon. This demon has a army and the angelical warriors are being helped by animal armies, especially by a society of well organized monkeys. Jaya Shree Raamaayan.

I have also heard that the word "Dinka" means "Children of the Sun" or "Worshipers of the Sun" in Sanskrit or some other Indian language. The word "Inka" in Quechua (language spoken by the Inca culture) means "Children of the Sun". And worshiping the Sun gives the worshiper intelligence and gold, a very notorious feature of the Inca empire. Their society was very similar to Varn Aashram.

American Indian Karn
There are many similarities between Vaidik culture and the American Indian traditions. In the Pueblo (Indians of the South-West USA) traditions there is an amazing tale which parallels the story of Karn from the Mahaabhaarat. There are some variations but the similarities are striking. Here is the story as retold by Gerald McDermott. He published it in a children story book form and thus many of the details have been simplified. More research will surely find the parallels an even better match.

"Long ago the Sun God sent the spark of life to Earth. It traveled down the rays of the Sun, through the heavens, and it came to the Pueblo. There it entered the house of a Young Maiden. In due course, the Boy came into the world of men. He lived and grew and played in the Pueblo (village). However the other boys would not let him join in their games. "Where is your father?" they asked him. "You have no father!" they mocked him and chased him away. The Boy and his Mother were sad.

One day he said to his mother - "Mother, I must look for my father. No matter where he is, I must find him." So the boy left home.
He traveled through the world of men and came to a Corn Planter. "Can you lead me to my father?" he asked.
Corn planter said nothing, but continued to tend his crops.
The boy went to the Pot Maker. "Can you lead me to my father?" Pot Maker said nothing, but continued making his pots.
Then the boy went to the Arrow Maker, who was a wise man. "Can you lead me to my father?" Arrow Maker did not answer, but, because he was wise, he saw that the Boy had come from the Sun God. So he created a special arrow.

The Boy Becomes the Arrow
Arrow Maker fitted the arrow to his bow and drew it. The Boy flew into the Heavens. In this way the Boy traveled to the Sun.
He met the Sun God there. After meeting the Sun God, and passing his tests, father and son rejoiced. The Boy was transformed and filled with the power of the Sun. The Sun God said - "Now you must return to Earth, my son, and bring my spirit to the world of men." Once again the Boy became the Arrow. When the arrow reached the Earth, the Boy emerged and went to the Pueblo. The People celebrated his return in the "Dance of Life."

Anyone familiar with the story of Karn can see the similarities. The Sun God is Soorya Dev. The Maiden who received the spark of life through his rays is the Maiden Princess, Kuntee. The Boy is Karn. The other boys who would not let him join in their games are the Paandav who mocked Karn for not knowing who his father was. The Corn Planter and Pot Maker represent the teachers Dron and Kripaa. The Arrow Maker represents Parashuraam, who accepted Karn as his disciple and made him the greatest archer on earth.

Of course there are many points in the Mahaabhaarat story that don't seem represented here but since the source is a modern retelling of an ancient Pueblo Indian tale, thousands of years of separation from the original version will always create variations. This phenomenon can be found in Vaidik culture itself. Example: Hanuman is a well known Brahmachari, yet in Thailand he is married.>

 

 

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Created by Sushma Gupta on 8/9/09
Contact: sushmajee@yahoo.com
Updated on 11/16/12