Essay name: Vaishnava Myths in the Puranas
Author:
Kum. Geeta P. Kurandwad
Affiliation: Karnatak University / Department of Sanskrit
The essay studies the Vaishnava Myths in the Puranas by exploring the significance of the ten principal incarnations of Lord Vishnu as depicted in various ancient Indian texts like the Vedas, Upanishads, and Puranas. The research also investigates the social, political, philosophical, and religious impact.
Chapter 2 - Varieties of Myths
84 (of 93)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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After Bhadrajina there will be no more Tirthankara in the
Ustarpini. The world will progress towards Susama Susama and then
this age
is completed, Avasarpini will start again and thus the wheel
whirls on endlessly.
E. Non-Hindu Myths:
Apart from the Hindu myths in the world literature a reader does
find many facets of different religions in the vast ocean of literature.
No doubt the world literature comprises many cultural sections
originated from Greek, Zorastrian, Egyptian, Islamic and Christian
religions. The myths pertaining to these religions may be regarded as
non-Hindu myths. As the Greek religion has been most ancient one,
some of the myths related to that religion are referred to and
explained here in brief.
i) Greek Myths
A study of Greek mythology begins with a consideration of what
political and religions systems existed in Europe before the arrival of
Aryan invaders from the distant North to East. The whole Neolithic
Europe, to judge from serviving artifacts and myths, had a
remarkably homogeneous system of religious ideas, based on worship
of the many titled mother-goddess who was also known in Syria and
Libya. Early Greek Mythology is concerned, above all else, with the
changing relations between queen and her lovers, which begin with
their yearly or twice yearly sacrifices, and end, at the time when the
Iliad, was composed and king boasted. We are far better than our
