It is significant that the only character in Hindu mythology, a king at that, to be given the title of ekam-patni-vrata, devoted to a single wife, is associated with the most unjust act of abandoning her in the forest to protect family reputation. This seems a deliberate souring of an uplifting narrative. Ram's refusal to remarry to produce a royal heir adds to the complexity. The intention seems to be to provoke throught on notions of fidelity, property and self-image. And so the mythologist and illustrator Devdutt Pattaanik retells the Ramayana, drawing attention to the many oral, visual and written retellings composed in different times, in different places, by different poets, each one trying to solve the puzzle in its own unique way. This book approaches Ram by speculating on Sita: her childhood with her father, Janaka, who hosted sages mentioned in the Upanishads; her stay in the forest with her husband, who had to be a celibate ascetic while she was in the prime of her youth; her interactions with the women of Lanka, recipes she exchanged, emotions they shared; her connection with the earth, her mother, and with the trees, her sisters; her role as the Goddess, the untamed Kali as well as the demure Gauri, in transforming the stoic prince of Ayodhya into God.

Sita: 9

Pattanaik, Devdutt

Literature & Fiction

PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE INDIA PVT.LTD.

He is Eka-vachani, a king who always keeps his word; Eka-bani, an archer who strikes his target with the first arrow; and Eka-patni, a husband who is eternally and absolutely devoted to a single wife. He is maryada purushottam Ram, the supreme upholder of social values, the scion of the Raghu clan, jewel of the solar dynasty, the seventh avatar of Vishnu, God who establishes order in worldly life. Hindus believe that in stressful and tumultuous times chanting Ram's name and hearing his tale, the Ramayan, brings stability, hope, peace and prosperity. Reviled by feminists, appropriated by politicians, Ram remains serene in his majesty, the only Hindu deity to be worshipped as a king.

The Book of Ram

Essays & Correspondence

Penguin Global

FINE CLEAN AND TIGHT - SOFT COVER. SHIPS FROM WA- USPS. EXPEDITED SHIPPING AVAILABLE. A decoding of Hindu mythology Hindus have one God. They also have 330 million gods: male gods; female gods; personal gods; family gods; household gods; village gods; gods of space and time; gods for specific castes and particular professions; gods who reside in trees; in animals; in minerals; in geometrical patterns and in man-made objects. Then there are a whole host of demons. But no Devil. In this groundbreaking book Dr Devdutt Pattanaik; one of India's most popular mythologists; seeks an answer to these apparent paradoxes and unravels an inherited truth about life and death; nature and culture; perfection and possibility. He retells sacred Hindu stories and decodes Hindu symbols and rituals; using a unique style of commentary; illustrations and diagrams. We discover why the villainous Kauravas went to heaven and the virtuous Pandavas (all except Yudhishtira) were sent to hell; why Rama despite abandoning the innocent Sita remains the model king; why the blood-drinking Kali is another form of the milk-giving Gauri; and why Shiva wrenched off the fifth head of Brahma. Non-Fiction; Hindu; Mythology; Religion

Myth = Mithya: A Handbook of Hindu Mythology

Religion & Spirituality

High above the sky stands Swarga, paradise, abode of the gods. Still above is Vaikuntha, heaven, abode of God. The doorkeepers of Vaikuntha are the twins, Jaya and Yijaya, both whose names mean 'victory'. One keeps you in Swarga; the other raises you into Vaikuntha. In Vaikuntha there is bliss forever, in Swarga there is please for only as long as you deserve. What is the difference between Jaya and Vijaya? Solve this puzzle and you will solve the mystery of the Mahabharata. In this enthralling retelling of India's greatest epic, the Mahabharata originally known as Jaya, Devdutt Pattanaik seamlessly weaves into a single narrative plots from the Sanskirt classic as well as its many folk and regional varians, including the Pandavani of Chattisgarth, Gondhal of Maharastra, Terukkuttu of Tamil Nade and Yakshagana of Karnataka. Richly illustrated with over 250 line drawings by the author, the 108 chapters abound with little-known details such as the names of the hundred Kauravas, the worship of Draupadi as a goddess in Tamil Nadu, the stories of Astika, Madhavi, Jaimini, Aravan and Barbareek, the Mahabharata version of the Shakuntalam and the Ramayana, and the dating of the war based on astronomical data. With clarity and simplicity, the tales in this elegant volume reveal the eternal relevance of the Mahabharata, the complex and disturbing meditation on the human condition that has shaped Indian thought for over 3000 years.

Jaya

India Penguin

Gauri And The Talking Cow

Puffin Books

This Book is Brand new international softcover edition delivered within 7-12 working days via UPS/USPS/DHL and FEDEX.(FOR SALE ONLY U.S. & U.K.)

Fun in Devlok: Kama vs. Yama [Jul 31, 2011] Devdutt Pattanaik

Penguin/Random House India

Fun in Devlok: Saraswati's Secret River [Jul 31, 2011] Devdutt Pattanaik

Discover how a fish saves the world, how a horse flies across the sky, and how a king finds out that his beloved wife is actually a frog! Few animals are looked upon with fear while the others are associated with Gods and worshipped. Some seem to mould the fate of the world while others form enduring bonds with humans. From Vishnu s avatars to Shiva s asanas, this book delves into questions such as the following: how was a deer responsible for a lot of events of the Ramayana? Why is Garuda the archenemy of the nagas? How did a mongoose teach Yudhishthira the meaning of sacrifice? Pattanaik answers all these questions and more in this title with his usual charm and wit.

Pashu

Politics & Social Sciences

Philosophy

India Puffin

Book Of Ram,The

Penguin India

What intrigued me to buy this book was the name, 'The Pregnant King'. How can a king, a man, become pregnant? Is it at all possible??? This book revolves around the various emotions that surround humans; love, anger, submission to power &amp; desire, helplessness, confusion, jealousy, hunger for power... In this book, emphasis has also been laid on following the right path or 'dharma'. This book, a work of fiction, revolves around a king named Yuvanashava. How desperately he wants to father a son! It's only after he has a son can he rule his kingdom and ensure his lineage is carried forward. He marries thrice in the need of a son. His mother, Shilavati, till then is the acting 'king' as she wants to be known. She does everything to follow the right path to run the kingdom successfully. Is Yuvanashava ever able to father a son? Is he able to rule the kingdom? Which of the wives bear him a son? Readers whose engagement with ancient texts runs along orthodox lines might not be too interested in a modern myth. But in a sense, this book is meant for such readers. At its best, this story is about the imperfection of the human condition and our stubborn refusal to make room for all those in between.

Pregnant King

Science Fiction & Fantasy

Fantasy

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