Footfalls of Indian History

Re: # 9and #10 jambawan was one of those beings who had the gift of a long life.......

KaalChakra,

Indeed, I felt exactly the same way. I have told
that story to both my daughters at bedtime when
they were little so many times.

I felt the same way when I read the story about the
encounter of Parshuram and Ram when everybody is
coming back from Mithila to Ayodhya after Ramchandra's wedding and Parashuram and Ram come
across, two incarnations of Vishnu, coming across,
face to face, never happened before and after.

Fascinating stories.

Shishapa, the way they intermingle stories is breathtaking.

I remember reading, for the first time, an account of that fight, and when that ramayana reference came, what a pleasant jolt that was!

That moment in still fresh somewhere in my mind. :)

Re: # 6

Dost Mittar, one of the Ramayan characters mentioned
in Mahabharat is Jambawaan, father of Jamabawati,
with whom, Krushn fights for syamantak pearl for
21 days, and when Krushn tells him who he is, Jambawaan breaks down stops the fight.
Also, Parashuram one of the characters common to
both the epics.

A common factor of both epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharatha, was that in each Vishnu appeared in an incarnation or avatar, as Prince Rama in the Ramayana and as Krishna the dusky cowherd who was accepted by royalty and common folk, in the Mahabharatha.
In the sequence of Vishnu's ten Avatars, the Rama avatar precedes the Krishna avatar and this indicates that the Ramayana preceded the Mahabharat, in chronological order.

Whether Sister Nivedita knew India in as much depth as one would wish, is debatable. I for one think that a single life time is probably not enough to really understand or know all the facets of a huge country, especially one with the size and diversity that is India. To me it seems that whether it is Sister Nivedita or Sir Vidia Sagar Naipaul or Dalrymple, each has got hold of one part of the elephant and describes his/her idea of the beast. The more descriptions,the merrier for readers and reviewers alike!!

I can testify to at least one statement in the article. The cave murals of Ajanta and Ellora are, indeed, second to none in the world and whoever wishes to be proud of our heritage must visit them.


ahmadmadani:

As you are no doubt aware, the Hindu mythology places The Ramayan in the Treta Yuga and the Mahabharat in the Dwaapar Yuga, which comes after the Treta Yuga. Mahabharat also makes reference to the Ramayan characters (it's a long time but wasn't Bheem an incarnation of Hanuman?). Also, it seems that meat eating was quite okay during the Ramayan period but less so during the Mahabharat period.

I have also read somewhere that, mythologies not withstanding, both Ramayan and Mahabharat were composed during the Gupta period, the so-called golden period of Indian History.

ahmadmadani#4:

When are you going to admit that you are one of "us"? :-)

Re: # 2 I was under impression Ramayan predates Mahabharat. Can you kindly clarify it . I have read in English both epics I considered moralaty discussion and later more socialogical and more complex not ideal characters. These are great epics of for i was moved by starting of both and ends of boths. ( and I have read most epics). Both have great stunning starts. Specially start of Ramayan is very sobering the death of courting birds and demise of one bird by arrow while sage trying to stop arrow and when birds fails down to ground the other mates dives down with screm of pain , it is very dramitic and sober how nature is and sage starts commentay a great moral story. Other is dramatic scene at battlefront great warrier getting nervious breakdown and philosopher king and student start chatting.
I vagely remember demon king kidnappers of gods wife was worshipper of Major God Shankar. And as per stories elephant headed god was child of God Shankar. If Ramayan redates Mahabharata then Ganesh predates mahabharat ?
I will look for your comment

"I came to know from her that to the Mohammedan the tamarind tree is holy.."

hain?

Gopal,

You ahve done a dis-service to Nevedita. If what you have quoted are the highlights of the book, they are totally rubbish and points to the venture into an are by Nevedita about which she has no clue. Thje gensha , parvathi and the whole lot are from the mahabharat, a much later stories when compared to teh vedas and the upanishands. Ganesh cannot predate mahabharat

Is it all just hagiagraphy or does the author also see any problems?