After looking back at this week's announcements, I stumbled across a very funny video. If you have ever experimented with Google Translate, then you will probably find this pretty funny. The faces that she makes at the funky sentences are hilarious.
Saturday, April 30, 2016
Week 14 Review
I just finished backing up my blog and storybook and double checking that I have not missed any declarations. This is the last post that I will be doing, because this assignment gets me to my desired A! Woo-hoo!
After looking back at this week's announcements, I stumbled across a very funny video. If you have ever experimented with Google Translate, then you will probably find this pretty funny. The faces that she makes at the funky sentences are hilarious.
After looking back at this week's announcements, I stumbled across a very funny video. If you have ever experimented with Google Translate, then you will probably find this pretty funny. The faces that she makes at the funky sentences are hilarious.
Week 14 Learning Challenge: The Science of Procrastination
I just watched the video: The Science of Procrastination. This was a very informative video that showed how our motivation is highly dependent on how imminent a reward is perceived to be. That means that we have a tendency to go for immediate rewards over long term rewards. This shows why we cram for tests. We can spend a lot of time procrastinating and not studying for a test because we don't see the immediate pay off a long way out from the test date, but when the time draws nearer and nearer to the test date we start to give the test more value and begin to cram all night long. I have been a victim of this a few times myself.
One of the ways the video says to combat procrastination is to change your mindset and not say that studying is torture, you should think that you enjoy being productive. This will help you enjoy the process of achieving something and not let you get sucked into procrastination.
Source: A year from now you will be glad you started today
Week 15 Growth Mindset: Making a Meme
For this challenge, I made a growth mindset meme. This was my first time making a meme and I found Cheezburger to be really easy to use.
Always try to raise the bar. (Image from Cheezburger)
Friday, April 29, 2016
Week 14 Growth Mindset
Image from cheezburger
This image really captured my attention because of how stealthy that cat is in the background. The message is also really powerful. It is so easy to just give up when things are going bad or you are having a hard time, but if you embrace the challenge then you can gain the confidence to reach your true potential. Here is a diagram of what growth mind-set looks like when compared to a fixed mind-set:
Source: Growth Mind-set vs. Fixed Mind-set
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Reading Evaluation
My favorite readings for this course were the PDE versions of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. I also really enjoyed the video options. The Epified Mahabharata was my favorite overall.
I usually focused in on the story I was going to base my storytelling off of in my reading diaries. I would give a brief summary and remind myself in the blog post that I would use this as my basis.
I felt the balance of reading to writing to commenting was great. I personally dislike writing, so it is usually a challenge for me to get motivated to write a story.
I really liked all of the readings that I did, but I didn't always make the time to do both halves of the reading assignments. I would suggest that future students set aside time to try to read both halves in one day. That way they will have a clear idea what they want their weekly story to be about.
I usually focused in on the story I was going to base my storytelling off of in my reading diaries. I would give a brief summary and remind myself in the blog post that I would use this as my basis.
I felt the balance of reading to writing to commenting was great. I personally dislike writing, so it is usually a challenge for me to get motivated to write a story.
I really liked all of the readings that I did, but I didn't always make the time to do both halves of the reading assignments. I would suggest that future students set aside time to try to read both halves in one day. That way they will have a clear idea what they want their weekly story to be about.
Week 14 Reading Diary Continued: Tales of Ancient India
This my take on the second half of my reading of Tales of Ancient India by Edmund Charles Cox.
My favorite stories from this half of the reading include Indra, Soma, and Vishnu. This should be no surprise to those that have visited my storybook because these are the main characters.
In the story about Indra, it was interesting to see the character Ahi, who was jealous of the praise for Indra, trying to rise up and challenge Indra. Ahi had stolen the Indra's rain and caused a drought, but Indra eventually killed him and returned the life-giving rains to his worshipers.
I never knew that Soma was also a god. I always thought is was just a drink that gave immortality and strength, but this story captures him as a god that steals Vrihaspati's wife, Tara. Brahma forces Soma to return Vrihaspati's wife and then Soma's dominion on Earth was taken away from him for his wrong-doing. I think a good story could use the aspects of how Soma became a curse to men and forced them into madness.
The story of Vishnu was very interesting to me. I like the last portion of it where Bhrigu went to Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu to see which one was the greatest of them. Both Brahma and Shiva were pissed that he would dare ask such a question, but they spared his life. When Bhrigu went to Vishnu, he found him sleeping. Bhrigu tapped Vishnu on the chest and Vishnu was embarrassed at his negligence and apologized profusely. This was all Bhrigu needed to here to make him see Vishnu was the greatest of the three. I will most likely do a retelling of this story for my storytelling post.
My favorite stories from this half of the reading include Indra, Soma, and Vishnu. This should be no surprise to those that have visited my storybook because these are the main characters.
In the story about Indra, it was interesting to see the character Ahi, who was jealous of the praise for Indra, trying to rise up and challenge Indra. Ahi had stolen the Indra's rain and caused a drought, but Indra eventually killed him and returned the life-giving rains to his worshipers.
I never knew that Soma was also a god. I always thought is was just a drink that gave immortality and strength, but this story captures him as a god that steals Vrihaspati's wife, Tara. Brahma forces Soma to return Vrihaspati's wife and then Soma's dominion on Earth was taken away from him for his wrong-doing. I think a good story could use the aspects of how Soma became a curse to men and forced them into madness.
The story of Vishnu was very interesting to me. I like the last portion of it where Bhrigu went to Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu to see which one was the greatest of them. Both Brahma and Shiva were pissed that he would dare ask such a question, but they spared his life. When Bhrigu went to Vishnu, he found him sleeping. Bhrigu tapped Vishnu on the chest and Vishnu was embarrassed at his negligence and apologized profusely. This was all Bhrigu needed to here to make him see Vishnu was the greatest of the three. I will most likely do a retelling of this story for my storytelling post.
Source: Bhrigu talking to Vishnu
Reflections
The semester has been pretty hectic. I have never had an online class before this one, and I also had never heard of any of the Indian Epic stories. Even so, I feel like I learned quite a bit and I found this course to be really fun. The amount of reading that is required really helps you retain the material.
Most of the writing I do in other classes is technical, so creative writing was a welcome break from the norm. I think my biggest achievement in this course is my storybook. I spent many hours on it and I am really proud of the stories. I never thought of myself as a great writer, but this class helped me towards becoming a better writer. The positive feedback from the other students was really nice and helped give me the motivation to keep writing stories.
Finally, the Learn by H.E.A.R.T. and Growth Mindset sites were great resources that I would like to continue on with.
Most of the writing I do in other classes is technical, so creative writing was a welcome break from the norm. I think my biggest achievement in this course is my storybook. I spent many hours on it and I am really proud of the stories. I never thought of myself as a great writer, but this class helped me towards becoming a better writer. The positive feedback from the other students was really nice and helped give me the motivation to keep writing stories.
Finally, the Learn by H.E.A.R.T. and Growth Mindset sites were great resources that I would like to continue on with.
Monday, April 25, 2016
Week 14 Reading Diary: Tales of Ancient India
This week I chose to read Tales of Ancient India by Edmund Charles Cox. The first half of this reading focused on the life of Krishna.
One of my favorite stories was How Krishna Stole the Milk and Slew the Demons. I thought it was strange that Krishna would lie about stealing the milk and play tricks on the towns people to make them not suspect him. I was under the impression that as an avatar of Vishnu, Krishna would be more noble. Also, I liked the description of the bird demon Trinawart. Krishna seemed to be having a blast riding Trinawart, but he eventually killed the demon when he saw the destruction he was causing to the town.
Another of my favorites was How Indra Worshiped Krishna. This story had some great content that I could use for my storybook. Indra was angered by all the offerings going to Krishna and none to his alter, so he summoned some rain clouds to drown a city. Krishna stepped in and raised a mountain shield the city from the rain. Since Krishna is an avatar of Vishnu, this will work nicely as a part of the final battle in my storybook.
The final story that caught my eye was How Krishna Slew Kansa. The reason I liked this story so much was because of the elephant Kubaliya, who was had the strength of 1000 elephants. I think a good story could come from a battle with Kubaliya.
One of my favorite stories was How Krishna Stole the Milk and Slew the Demons. I thought it was strange that Krishna would lie about stealing the milk and play tricks on the towns people to make them not suspect him. I was under the impression that as an avatar of Vishnu, Krishna would be more noble. Also, I liked the description of the bird demon Trinawart. Krishna seemed to be having a blast riding Trinawart, but he eventually killed the demon when he saw the destruction he was causing to the town.
Another of my favorites was How Indra Worshiped Krishna. This story had some great content that I could use for my storybook. Indra was angered by all the offerings going to Krishna and none to his alter, so he summoned some rain clouds to drown a city. Krishna stepped in and raised a mountain shield the city from the rain. Since Krishna is an avatar of Vishnu, this will work nicely as a part of the final battle in my storybook.
Source: Krishna holding up the mountain Govardhan
The final story that caught my eye was How Krishna Slew Kansa. The reason I liked this story so much was because of the elephant Kubaliya, who was had the strength of 1000 elephants. I think a good story could come from a battle with Kubaliya.
Sunday, April 24, 2016
Learning Challenges: Empathy
This week I did a Learning Challenge focused empathy. I learned that there are four qualities of empathy: 1) perspective taking, 2) the ability to take the perspective of another person, 3) staying out of judgment, 4) recognizing emotions in others and communicating.
Brene says she likes to think of empathy as a dark hole where someone finds themselves when they are stuck or overwhelmed, and then someone else comes down and says they know what it's like down there and you're not alone. I think that is a great analogy.
When someone opens up to you, the best thing you can do is just listen and not offer advice or sympathetic responses. Offering advice and sympathetic responses is the easy way to go, but listening and choosing to remember a time when you were in a similar spot is difficult and can leave you just as vulnerable.
Brene says she likes to think of empathy as a dark hole where someone finds themselves when they are stuck or overwhelmed, and then someone else comes down and says they know what it's like down there and you're not alone. I think that is a great analogy.
When someone opens up to you, the best thing you can do is just listen and not offer advice or sympathetic responses. Offering advice and sympathetic responses is the easy way to go, but listening and choosing to remember a time when you were in a similar spot is difficult and can leave you just as vulnerable.
Tech Tip: Google Timer
This week I chose to try out the Google Timer. I had never heard of this before, and it is very easy to set up.
Currently, my time management for school work is mostly about finishing an assignment or a certain section of it before I take a break. Sometimes I get off track when I take a break and it lasts longer than I had planned. This technique is a great way for me to remember to get back to work.
Here's a fun picture for those that struggle with time management:
Currently, my time management for school work is mostly about finishing an assignment or a certain section of it before I take a break. Sometimes I get off track when I take a break and it lasts longer than I had planned. This technique is a great way for me to remember to get back to work.
Here's a fun picture for those that struggle with time management:
Week 13 Growth Mindset: Harnessing Stress
This week I took a look at the article: How Harnessing the Positive Side of Stress Can Change Student Mindsets by Katrina Schwartz and also the TED talks video: How to Make Stress Your Friend by Kelly McGonigal.
The subject of stress and how I deal with it is very interesting to me. I find that I can become paralyzed by large amounts of stress, which negatively affects my academic performance. I have always been led to believe that stress is damaging to our health, but after reading this article and watching the video I came to realize that stress can be used as a tool to rise to a challenge.
It is believed that just changing your mindset about stress can help you to live a longer, more fulfilling life. People that view stress as bad for their health showed a much higher risk of dying than people that viewed health as a tool.
I have dealt with various levels of stress throughout my time in the Army and through sports, but the times that I overcame the negative effects of it were when I felt confident in my abilities to address the situation. I was able to harness the rush of adrenaline and make clear headed choices and actions. The countless hours of preparation gave me confidence.
For some reason, harnessing stress in the world of academia is not as easy for me. I know I spend a lot of time studying, but every now and then I freeze up due to anxiety. This article and video gave me some great advice on how to think about my responses to stress when I feel the negative effects consuming me.
By changing my mindset about stress, I believe that I can more effectively deal with my anxiety and perform at my best, even in the most stressful situation. I highly recommend reading this article and watching the video. Below I have embedded the video. Check it out!
The subject of stress and how I deal with it is very interesting to me. I find that I can become paralyzed by large amounts of stress, which negatively affects my academic performance. I have always been led to believe that stress is damaging to our health, but after reading this article and watching the video I came to realize that stress can be used as a tool to rise to a challenge.
It is believed that just changing your mindset about stress can help you to live a longer, more fulfilling life. People that view stress as bad for their health showed a much higher risk of dying than people that viewed health as a tool.
I have dealt with various levels of stress throughout my time in the Army and through sports, but the times that I overcame the negative effects of it were when I felt confident in my abilities to address the situation. I was able to harness the rush of adrenaline and make clear headed choices and actions. The countless hours of preparation gave me confidence.
For some reason, harnessing stress in the world of academia is not as easy for me. I know I spend a lot of time studying, but every now and then I freeze up due to anxiety. This article and video gave me some great advice on how to think about my responses to stress when I feel the negative effects consuming me.
By changing my mindset about stress, I believe that I can more effectively deal with my anxiety and perform at my best, even in the most stressful situation. I highly recommend reading this article and watching the video. Below I have embedded the video. Check it out!
How to Make Stress Your Friend by Kelly McGonigal
Thursday, April 21, 2016
Week 13 Reading Diary: The Mahabharata by Peter Brooks
This week I chose to watch The Mahabharata by Peter Brooks. I began watching this film at the start of the war. The links to this film are not accurate, but I kept thinking it may have just been a change up from the original story. I turned out to be wrong, so I watched the second half instead of the first half. Either way, I am pretty familiar with the Mahabharata from the previous readings.
My favorite part of the Mahabharata actually happens to be the war, so this was a welcome surprise. I was thinking the whole time about a story that would involve the loss of someone close and the effects that it would have on someone. Arjuna turns is infuriated and the loss of his son motivates him to carry on with the war, but Drona is just told that his son has died and he is unable to go on with life, let alone the war. Bhima also loses his son in the war and he grieves for a time, but then it just shows him going on like nothing happened. I suppose people grieve in different ways.
I also really like the character Ghatotkacha, who was Bhima's half-rakshasa son. Ghatotkacha has many powers and that make him a huge threat to Karna and his side of the war. Ghatotkacha would have won the war if Karna hadn't been forced to use his invincible dart that was given to him by Indra. I think I would like to write a whole story just about him.
My favorite part of the Mahabharata actually happens to be the war, so this was a welcome surprise. I was thinking the whole time about a story that would involve the loss of someone close and the effects that it would have on someone. Arjuna turns is infuriated and the loss of his son motivates him to carry on with the war, but Drona is just told that his son has died and he is unable to go on with life, let alone the war. Bhima also loses his son in the war and he grieves for a time, but then it just shows him going on like nothing happened. I suppose people grieve in different ways.
I also really like the character Ghatotkacha, who was Bhima's half-rakshasa son. Ghatotkacha has many powers and that make him a huge threat to Karna and his side of the war. Ghatotkacha would have won the war if Karna hadn't been forced to use his invincible dart that was given to him by Indra. I think I would like to write a whole story just about him.
Source: Ghatotkacha being killed by Karna
Sunday, April 17, 2016
Growth Mindset: Multiple Intelligences
I have encountered the concept of multiple intelligences before, but it was refreshing to see it explained through a comic. After watching the short video about Multiple Intelligences by Marek Bennett, I learned that Howard Gardner and other researchers pioneered this concept. They concluded that there are 8 different intelligences, which include: linguistic, logical-mathematical, visual-spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, and naturalistic.
I have often heard that people learn in different ways and I always thought that I am more of a kinesthetic learner, meaning that I like to be hands-on. My favorite part of the video was the quote "While the linguistic and mathematical intelligences are important in their own right, they function most strongly in combination with other intelligences." I feel like a premium is placed on these two intelligences in the academic setting, especially in my chosen field of study, and this decreases the proficiency in the other intelligences. This video was a great reminder that we should focus on expanding and using all intelligences and not let certain ones dominate our lives.
Multiple Intelligences by Marek Bennett
I have often heard that people learn in different ways and I always thought that I am more of a kinesthetic learner, meaning that I like to be hands-on. My favorite part of the video was the quote "While the linguistic and mathematical intelligences are important in their own right, they function most strongly in combination with other intelligences." I feel like a premium is placed on these two intelligences in the academic setting, especially in my chosen field of study, and this decreases the proficiency in the other intelligences. This video was a great reminder that we should focus on expanding and using all intelligences and not let certain ones dominate our lives.
Learning Challenge: Single Tasking
This week I did a Learn by H.E.A.R.T. challenge that focused on attention. Multitasking seems to be the norm, and sometimes expected, for people these days. I always find myself working on a wide assortment of things at one time, and it can turn out to be pretty stressful. After watching the funny video Single-Tasking is the New Multitasking by James Hamblin, I found a great way to focus on one thing at a time. The narrator said he used "Tabless Thursdays" to focus on a single task and not be distracted by other things. "Tabless Thursdays" work by only having one tab on your browser open at a time. I think this would be nice to try every now and then because I tend to switch between tabs a lot and end up not getting much done. Even now I have six tabs and a few PDFs open! Maybe this technique will help me finish a task and not get so distracted.
Interior Life by Grant Snider
Thursday, April 14, 2016
Week 12 Storytelling: Valmiki's Explaination
“It wasn’t even my fault”, sighed Sita with her head falling
to her hands.
“I know my dear child, but you have to try and see things from
his point of view”, replied a stoic Valmiki.
“And just what point of view is that? A coward’s?! Someone
who cannot listen to his heart for fear of ruining his reputation?”
Sita is shaking with thoughts of the wrong that has been
done to her.
“I proved myself to have remained faithful to Rama already.
I allowed a fire to engulf my body to show my devotion to him. Agni did not
allow the fires to harm me, because even he agreed that I had unwaveringly remained
true.”
Source: Sita
protected by Agni
Sita was now pacing back and forth, tears beginning to well
in her eyes. Valmiki slowly rises to his feet and embraces the distraught girl
in his long, wiry arms.
“Calm down Sita. Rama must provide leadership for the
kingdom above all else. If his people do not respect him, then he cannot be an
effective leader and the kingdom would surely fall into chaos.”
“Wouldn’t you say that all the lives in Ayodhya outweigh the
hopes and wishes of one individual?”
Source: Ayodhya
Sita wipes away a few tears that have made their way down
her cheek.
“I suppose you are right, wise one. But why did he even come
to save me from the evil Ravana if he was just going to treat me this way? It
seems like he went through all of this trouble and sacrificed so many lives to
retrieve me from my captor, and yet he cast me aside like I willingly betrayed
him!”
Sita is sobbing uncontrollably now. Nothing Valmiki says or
does has any effect on the hysteric girl.
Finally, Valmiki shakes Sita with a
quick jolt and shares with her a secret.
“Have you ever wondered why the gods look so favorably upon
Rama?”
Sita is puzzled by this question. She had often wondered why
Rama always seemed to have the grace of the gods. She gave the only answer that
she could think of:
“It is because he has led such a virtuous life, and the gods
respect a man that can put others before himself.”
“This is partly true, but the real reason the gods love Rama
is because he is a god himself. Rama is actually a reincarnation of Vishnu!”
Sita dropped to the ground in disbelief, but it all seemed
to be so clear to her now.
“Yes, your dear Rama is actually the supreme being in human
form. He came to Earth to guide us mortals to a more prosperous future. Who are
you to question the actions of Vishnu? Are you so certain that you know better
than the god of gods?”
The shock always remained with Sita, but she had finally
found solace.
Bibliography:
Sita Sings the Blues by Nina Paley (2008)
Author's Note:
Something that really bothered me about the Ramayana was how cold Rama was towards Sita in the end. He went through so much trouble to get Sita back from Ravana, only to doubt her purity. Sita even goes through a trial by fire to show that she was devoted to Rama. Agni does not allow the flames to harm Sita, because she was indeed always faithful to Rama. Even after this, Rama's subjects do not believe Sita and say that she is tarnished by living in another man's house. Rama banishes Sita to the forest to save face with his subjects where Sita meets up with Valmiki. Apparently Valmiki writes the Ramayana based off of the stories that Sita tells him.
In this story, I wanted to show my frustrations with how Sita was treated by Rama by having her question his ethics. Valmiki plays the role of mediator and tells Sita the truth about Rama's origins. This was the only logical explanation I could come up with about why Sita would ever be ok with how she was treated. After all, who can question the supreme god?
Week 12 Reading Diary, Continued: Sita Sings the Blues by Nina Paley
For this post I finished the film Sita Sings the Blues by Nina Paley. This was much shorter than the first portion of the film, but it was still interesting.
I continued to enjoy the humor that was randomly injected into both the narration and the animation. I finally came to realize that the break-aways to Dave and Nina were supposed to be a reflection of how Sita gave her all to Rama but he still rejected her. I was pretty sad for Nina and I hope this did not happen to her in real life.
Anyways, Nina found comfort in reading the Ramayana because such a similar situation occurred to her as did to Sita. I may have forgot, but I think I learned that Sita told the stories of the Ramayana to Valmiki when she came across him during her exile with her twin sons.
The best story to come out of this portion was the one where Sita asks to be reclaimed by the Earth if she had always been true to Rama. I just cannot believe that Rama, who was supposed to be so virtuous, always doubted his one true love. Sita was reclaimed by the Mother Earth because she, as any rational person would know, had been always faithful to Rama. Rama was deservedly crushed by losing Sita once and for all.
I'm just baffled that Rama went through all the trouble to get Sita back if he was always going to distrust her. Seems like a lot of trouble to be that cold-hearted in the end.
I think a good story would be to use this doubtful attitude towards a loved one followed by that person losing them forever.
I continued to enjoy the humor that was randomly injected into both the narration and the animation. I finally came to realize that the break-aways to Dave and Nina were supposed to be a reflection of how Sita gave her all to Rama but he still rejected her. I was pretty sad for Nina and I hope this did not happen to her in real life.
Anyways, Nina found comfort in reading the Ramayana because such a similar situation occurred to her as did to Sita. I may have forgot, but I think I learned that Sita told the stories of the Ramayana to Valmiki when she came across him during her exile with her twin sons.
The best story to come out of this portion was the one where Sita asks to be reclaimed by the Earth if she had always been true to Rama. I just cannot believe that Rama, who was supposed to be so virtuous, always doubted his one true love. Sita was reclaimed by the Mother Earth because she, as any rational person would know, had been always faithful to Rama. Rama was deservedly crushed by losing Sita once and for all.
I'm just baffled that Rama went through all the trouble to get Sita back if he was always going to distrust her. Seems like a lot of trouble to be that cold-hearted in the end.
I think a good story would be to use this doubtful attitude towards a loved one followed by that person losing them forever.
Source: Sita with Valmiki
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
Week 12 Reading Diary: Sita Sings the Blues by Nina Paley
This week I started watching Nina Paley's film, Sita Sings the Blues. This was an animated film that focuses on the Ramayana.
I really enjoyed the narrators arguing and trying to remember certain stories about the Ramayana. It sounded like each of them had been told these stories while they were growing up, but they could not remember all of the details about them.
It has been a little while since I have read the Ramayana, so this was a good refresher for me. The best part of the film for me so far was the retelling of how Hanuman went to Lanka to find Sita. I learned that Hanuman was actually a reincarnation of Shiva, sent to help the reincarnation of Vishnu, Rama. The story didn't mention the part where Hanuman burnt the city of Lanka with his burning tail, but it did show Hanuman doing so in the animation.
At this time I do not know why the film keeps cutting back to the couple with the cat. The guy moves away to India for a contract job and the girl leaves their apartment to go live with him. He acts very cold towards her when she arrives. I'm not sure how this is going to tie into the Ramayana, but I guess I will figure that out in the second half of the film.
There were plenty of gory scenes where Rama decapitated and dismembered the rakshasas. Rama shot arrows at two rows of rakshasas during one of the songs Sita was singing, which caused fountains of blood to cascade around them.
I really like the humor that is going on throughout the film so far. The dramatic music playing with Ravana's mouth gaping after Sita says she will never be his wife and Rama was going to come and kill him.
I really enjoyed the narrators arguing and trying to remember certain stories about the Ramayana. It sounded like each of them had been told these stories while they were growing up, but they could not remember all of the details about them.
It has been a little while since I have read the Ramayana, so this was a good refresher for me. The best part of the film for me so far was the retelling of how Hanuman went to Lanka to find Sita. I learned that Hanuman was actually a reincarnation of Shiva, sent to help the reincarnation of Vishnu, Rama. The story didn't mention the part where Hanuman burnt the city of Lanka with his burning tail, but it did show Hanuman doing so in the animation.
Source: Hanuman burning down the city of Lanka
At this time I do not know why the film keeps cutting back to the couple with the cat. The guy moves away to India for a contract job and the girl leaves their apartment to go live with him. He acts very cold towards her when she arrives. I'm not sure how this is going to tie into the Ramayana, but I guess I will figure that out in the second half of the film.
There were plenty of gory scenes where Rama decapitated and dismembered the rakshasas. Rama shot arrows at two rows of rakshasas during one of the songs Sita was singing, which caused fountains of blood to cascade around them.
I really like the humor that is going on throughout the film so far. The dramatic music playing with Ravana's mouth gaping after Sita says she will never be his wife and Rama was going to come and kill him.
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Week 11 Reading Diary, Continued: Pattanaik's Seven Secrets from Hindu Calendar Art
This is the last portion of viewing from Pattanaik's Seven Secrets from Hindu Calendar Art. The stories from this portion were Vishnu's Secret Part 2, Brahma's Secret Part 1, and Brahma's Secret Part 2. Below are some of my favorite moments from these stories.
From Vishnu's Secret Part 2, I liked the focus on the Siddhas or Naths, who were magical sages that roamed the countryside performing miraculous feats. I also liked the explanation of the Nav Naths, or nine greatest Siddhas.
In Brahma's Secret Part 1, I liked the part where it explained how Brahma created the world, his daughter, to better understand who he was. Brahma grew four heads so he could better watch her and follow her where ever she roamed. She would constantly change her shape and Brahma would always change his shape to the male counterpart of her. He was obsessed, but he never realized she was the great delusion of life, Maya.
In Brahma's Secret Part 2, I liked the story about Vishnu rescuing the elephant, who happened to be man, from the jaws of a crocodile. This man was enchanted by the material world and had deluded himself into thinking the purpose of life was to attain wealth, fame, and power. The crocodile represents the pain and struggle which we encounter in life when we only seek wealth, fame and power. The lesson was that man could not go through life on his own, instead he needed the help of god, which manifested itself as Vishnu in this story.
From Vishnu's Secret Part 2, I liked the focus on the Siddhas or Naths, who were magical sages that roamed the countryside performing miraculous feats. I also liked the explanation of the Nav Naths, or nine greatest Siddhas.
In Brahma's Secret Part 1, I liked the part where it explained how Brahma created the world, his daughter, to better understand who he was. Brahma grew four heads so he could better watch her and follow her where ever she roamed. She would constantly change her shape and Brahma would always change his shape to the male counterpart of her. He was obsessed, but he never realized she was the great delusion of life, Maya.
In Brahma's Secret Part 2, I liked the story about Vishnu rescuing the elephant, who happened to be man, from the jaws of a crocodile. This man was enchanted by the material world and had deluded himself into thinking the purpose of life was to attain wealth, fame, and power. The crocodile represents the pain and struggle which we encounter in life when we only seek wealth, fame and power. The lesson was that man could not go through life on his own, instead he needed the help of god, which manifested itself as Vishnu in this story.
Wikimedia: Vishnu Saving the Elephant from the Crocodile
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Week 11 Reading Diary: Pattanaik's Seven Secrets from Hindu Calendar Art
This week I am continuing on with my viewing of Pattanaik's Seven Secrets from Hindu Calendar Art. The stories from this portion are Devi's Secret and Vishnu's Secret Part 1. Below are some of my favorite moments from these stories.
I liked the part from Devi's Secret about the merger of Shiva and Vishnu. Shiva is called Hara and Vishnu is called Hari. Together they are called Hari-Hara, the observers of life. Hari-Hara shows the merger of the absence of society, Shiva's half, and the existence of society, Vishnu's half.
I liked the part from Devi's Secret about the merger of Shiva and Vishnu. Shiva is called Hara and Vishnu is called Hari. Together they are called Hari-Hara, the observers of life. Hari-Hara shows the merger of the absence of society, Shiva's half, and the existence of society, Vishnu's half.
Wikimedia: Hari-Hara
My favorite part from Vishnu's Secret Part 1, was the story about Vishnu's first avatar, Matsya. Matsya was a fish that was saved by Manu and was cared for in a pot. The fish continued to grow under Manu's care until he was needed to be transferred to a sea. Matsya kept growing until rains fell in order to make the sea large enough for the fish. So much rain fell that the Earth was submerged and was being destroyed. Matsya eventually saves Manu and teaches him that too much compassion leads to the destruction of society.
Wikimedia: Matsya
Week 10 Storytelling: Shiva's Sacrifice
Long ago, there were many battles
between the gods and asuras for power over the universe. These battles usually
ended in stalemates, but occasionally, the gods would pull out a victory that
further established their place as rulers of the cosmos. After countless
battles, the asuras finally started to win some conflicts and began to truly
challenge the gods for dominance. Many gods and asuras lost their lives to this
eternal war, but the gods had a plan to ensure that they would never lose to
the asuras again.
Following
many consecutive defeats, Vishnu approached the king of asuras, King Bali, and
proposed a peace treaty on the conditions that the gods would relinquish control
of the universe to the asuras. King Bali was ecstatic with this proposition and
immediately signed the treaty. Vishnu then went on to suggest that they should
purify the nectar of immortality from the Ocean of Milk so that both the asuras
and gods would live forever. Of course King Bali agreed, seeing that if the
asuras were immortal they would never have to worry about the gods rising up
again.
Now,
Vishnu knew that in order to purify the nectar of immortality he would need the
help of the asuras, but he had no plans of sharing the nectar with them. There
were many dangers associated with churning the Ocean of Milk, such as the
production of a deadly poison that accompanied the purification process and
Vishnu was going to use this poison to his advantage.
In
order to churn the Ocean of Milk, Vasuki, the serpent king that resided around
the neck of Shiva, was wrapped around a mountain and pulled back and forth to
mix the ocean. The asuras demanded to hold the head of Vasuki, while the gods
took the tail. After many hours of churning, poisonous fumes started to arise
from the surface. Vishnu instructed all of the gods to hold their breath, but
the asuras did not know of the dangerous fumes and they continued to breathe
normally. The poison killed a vast majority of the asuras and the survivors ran
for their lives.
Wikimedia: The Churning of the Ocean of Milk
With
the asuras out of the picture, the gods were able to collect the nectar and
separate the poison from it. All the gods knew that this was the most powerful
poison ever created and even the nectar was not able to counteract its effects.
If this poison was not destroyed, it would destroy the universe that the gods
had just regained back from the asuras. Knowing that the cosmos were in great peril,
Vishnu sought out the assistance of Shiva.
Being
told of the danger, Shiva took it upon himself to consume the poison to protect
the universe. He took all of the poison and began to swallow, but his wife,
Parvati, grabbed his throat in an effort to prevent him from ingesting the
harmful liquid. Parvati held her hands tight on Shiva’s neck for many years until
the poison had harmlessly evaporated. During this time, Shiva’s throat had
turned blue and he was dubbed Neelakantha, the blue-throated one. Shiva’s blue
throat now serves as a reminder of his great sacrifice for the preservation of
the universe.
Bibliography:
Shiva's Secret Part 2 from Pattanaik's Seven Secrets of Hindu Calendar Art (2009)
Sumadra Manthan from Wikipedia
Author's Note:
I was really intrigued by a short segment from Shiva's Secret Part 2, where it touched on a story about how Shiva swallowed a poison to save the universe. I then went back to the reading guide and found a link to a Wikipedia page that explained the story a little more thoroughly. I kept the plot from the original story the same, but it is important to note that in some versions of this story, the poison is emitted from Vasuki and not formed from the churning of the ocean.
Week 10 Reading Diary, Continued: Pattanaik's Calendar Art
For this post, I continued on with my viewing of Pattanaik's Seven Secrets of Hindu Calendar Art which consisted of Ardhanari's Secret, Shiva's Secret Part 1 and Shiva's Secret Part 2.
My favorite parts from this portion of the viewing were all from the videos about Shiva. I like the concept of a Destroyer God. Shiva seems to be a very complex god, with his desire to remain unmarried and many forms.
My favorite story was about how Shiva consumed the poison that arose from the churning of the Ocean of Milk. As a Destroyer God, one would expect Shiva to not care about the fate of the world, but he shows that he can also be a protector in this story. After Shiva consumes the poison, he is then saved by Parvati when she clasps her hands around Shiva's throat, preventing him from swallowing the deadly poison. This clasping of the throat turned Shiva's neck blue and earned him the name Neelakantha (the blue-throated one). I think this could make for an interesting retelling with a few modifications.
My favorite parts from this portion of the viewing were all from the videos about Shiva. I like the concept of a Destroyer God. Shiva seems to be a very complex god, with his desire to remain unmarried and many forms.
My favorite story was about how Shiva consumed the poison that arose from the churning of the Ocean of Milk. As a Destroyer God, one would expect Shiva to not care about the fate of the world, but he shows that he can also be a protector in this story. After Shiva consumes the poison, he is then saved by Parvati when she clasps her hands around Shiva's throat, preventing him from swallowing the deadly poison. This clasping of the throat turned Shiva's neck blue and earned him the name Neelakantha (the blue-throated one). I think this could make for an interesting retelling with a few modifications.
Source: The Churning of the Ocean of Milk
Week 10 Reading Diary: Pattanaik's Calendar Art
I watched the first two videos of Pattanaik's Calendar Art which were titled Ganesha's Secret and Narayan's Secret. I really liked how these videos explained the Hindu faith in an easy to follow format. The author shared the reasoning behind the Indian beliefs and the difference between Gods, Goddesses, gods and goddesses. I found both videos to be very informative and they definitely helped in my understanding of this faith.
My favorite portion of this viewing was how Ganesha came into this world. I thought it was almost absurd that Shiva beheaded his own son, Ganesha. Shiva then righted his wrong by replacing the severed head with one of the heads of Airavat, Indra's elephant. I also like that Ganesha represents the union of two opposites. He represents the union of metaphysical goals and luck when facing the troubles of life.
My favorite portion of this viewing was how Ganesha came into this world. I thought it was almost absurd that Shiva beheaded his own son, Ganesha. Shiva then righted his wrong by replacing the severed head with one of the heads of Airavat, Indra's elephant. I also like that Ganesha represents the union of two opposites. He represents the union of metaphysical goals and luck when facing the troubles of life.
Source: Parvati, Ganesha, and Shiva
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Week 9 Reading Diary: Sacred Tales of India
For this week I decided to read the book Sacred Tales of India by Dwijendra Nath Neogi. For this portion of the reading there were three stories titled The Divine Brothers, Snatched From Death, and By Itu's Favor.
The Divine Brothers was my least favorite story, but it still had some interesting parts. I liked how the two snake brothers decided to try and make Lahana feel like she had a family with them and their mother, Manasa. The brothers were so pleased with how well they had been treated by Lahana that they eventually find a way to give her a mortal family. The snakes bit a prince and then returned as Brahmins that promised to cure the prince if the king permitted Lahana to be adopted by him. The king agreed and Lahana finally had a family of her own.
My favorite story of the three was Snatched From Death. I liked this story because it displayed how devoted Savitri was to her husband, Satyavan. I particularly liked how she found a way to deceive Yama into restoring her husbands life without specifically asking for it.
The other story that I liked was By Itu's Favor. I liked this story because it showed how generous the god Itu was to his worshipers, but he also turned out to be extremely forgiving. I thought the Brahmin that deserted his daughters only because they ate some of his cakes deserved what he got in the end. The two daughters showed how kind they were to ask Itu to make their vengeful father prosperous even though he had just recently deserted them.
The Divine Brothers was my least favorite story, but it still had some interesting parts. I liked how the two snake brothers decided to try and make Lahana feel like she had a family with them and their mother, Manasa. The brothers were so pleased with how well they had been treated by Lahana that they eventually find a way to give her a mortal family. The snakes bit a prince and then returned as Brahmins that promised to cure the prince if the king permitted Lahana to be adopted by him. The king agreed and Lahana finally had a family of her own.
My favorite story of the three was Snatched From Death. I liked this story because it displayed how devoted Savitri was to her husband, Satyavan. I particularly liked how she found a way to deceive Yama into restoring her husbands life without specifically asking for it.
Image: Savitri, Satyavan, and Yama
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Future Reading Plan
I have decided that I will focus my reading on the various gods and goddesses of India for the remainder of this semester. Since my storybook topic is geared towards the exploits and plights of Indra, I think it will be interesting to introduce some of his peers. This focused reading will also work as a bit of research about what the other Devas and Devis were up too while Indra was going through his own journey. I want to mesh some of these stories together with Indra's background to further shape the slightly unstable and narcissistic character direction I am hoping to portray for him.
In order for me to avoid committing myself to only reading about the other gods for the rest of the semester, I will focus on this topic for weeks 9-10. As long as this topic remains interesting to me I will continue with this plan.
In order for me to avoid committing myself to only reading about the other gods for the rest of the semester, I will focus on this topic for weeks 9-10. As long as this topic remains interesting to me I will continue with this plan.
Source: Collection of Indian Gods
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Week 8: Blog Ideas
I recently went back to my Introduction post and I noticed that I didn't even tell anyone what I actually do in the Army. I decided to add a little detail about my job and some background on some of the artillery pieces I have worked with. I also included pictures of the artillery pieces because I do not believe many people would recognize them just by their nomenclature.
As I was browsing through the class directory I came across a few aspects within some blogs that caught my attention. Here is a list of the things I found during my exploration:
I really liked Ashlyn's blog design/template. The background with the books on the shelves makes me feel like I am in a giant library, which I think is pretty cool. I have gotten some comments that people like my blog design/template, so I am reluctant to change it if it is already aesthetically pleasing to my visitors.
I was really impressed with Kayla's font choice in her blog. The cursive font adds a personal touch to the blog and avoids the mundanity of traditionally academic fonts (i.e. Arial and Times). I think I will update my blog to incorporate a more unique font. Hopefully this alteration will attract more readers.
The final aspect that caught my eye came from Savannah's blog. Savannah found a way to include a section of her sidebar that displayed recent posts and recent comments on her blog. I thought this was a very useful tool for not only Savannah, but also her visitors. I noticed that she was using wordpress for her blog, so I do not know if blogger will allow for this addition to come to fruition for me. I definitely want to add this same section to my blog, but I will most likely need to tinker with the layout in order to find a solution. I'm not sure if this is already a tech tip, but it would be a great addition if someone had the time to write up some instructions.
As I was browsing through the class directory I came across a few aspects within some blogs that caught my attention. Here is a list of the things I found during my exploration:
I really liked Ashlyn's blog design/template. The background with the books on the shelves makes me feel like I am in a giant library, which I think is pretty cool. I have gotten some comments that people like my blog design/template, so I am reluctant to change it if it is already aesthetically pleasing to my visitors.
I was really impressed with Kayla's font choice in her blog. The cursive font adds a personal touch to the blog and avoids the mundanity of traditionally academic fonts (i.e. Arial and Times). I think I will update my blog to incorporate a more unique font. Hopefully this alteration will attract more readers.
The final aspect that caught my eye came from Savannah's blog. Savannah found a way to include a section of her sidebar that displayed recent posts and recent comments on her blog. I thought this was a very useful tool for not only Savannah, but also her visitors. I noticed that she was using wordpress for her blog, so I do not know if blogger will allow for this addition to come to fruition for me. I definitely want to add this same section to my blog, but I will most likely need to tinker with the layout in order to find a solution. I'm not sure if this is already a tech tip, but it would be a great addition if someone had the time to write up some instructions.
Time Strategies
Taking a look back on how this semester has gone I have noticed that I need to spend more time than I originally anticipated. At the beginning of this course I chose to start my week on Monday, where I will complete readings and continue the readings and storytelling assignments on Tuesday. I also chose to complete the remainder of the assignments over the weekend (i.e. half Saturday and half on Sunday).
I am pleased with the days that I chose to complete these tasks on, but seeing as the second half of this semester will be much more hectic in all of my courses, I will make an effort to work on this class almost every day of the week. I see the importance of working ahead so that there will be a bit of a buffer when unexpected circumstances prevent me from completing tasks on time. I recently fell a little behind due to a four day drill for National Guard where I was without an internet connection.
My commitment to the Oklahoma National Guard will continue to present a time challenge for me throughout the remainder of this semester, so I will need to work ahead in order to allow myself to better serve this great state and the soldiers under me.
My other classes require a great deal of my time as well. I will attempt to set aside time blocks for these courses, just as I have for this course. Fortunately, all of my courses are on Tuesday and Thursday, so I have more time on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I will try to make the most of Wednesday and Friday for my other classes since I have chosen Monday as a time slot for this course.
Below is a graphic of something that I really need to take to heart because I spend a lot of time worrying about things outside of my control.
I am pleased with the days that I chose to complete these tasks on, but seeing as the second half of this semester will be much more hectic in all of my courses, I will make an effort to work on this class almost every day of the week. I see the importance of working ahead so that there will be a bit of a buffer when unexpected circumstances prevent me from completing tasks on time. I recently fell a little behind due to a four day drill for National Guard where I was without an internet connection.
My commitment to the Oklahoma National Guard will continue to present a time challenge for me throughout the remainder of this semester, so I will need to work ahead in order to allow myself to better serve this great state and the soldiers under me.
My other classes require a great deal of my time as well. I will attempt to set aside time blocks for these courses, just as I have for this course. Fortunately, all of my courses are on Tuesday and Thursday, so I have more time on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I will try to make the most of Wednesday and Friday for my other classes since I have chosen Monday as a time slot for this course.
Below is a graphic of something that I really need to take to heart because I spend a lot of time worrying about things outside of my control.
Source: What you should focus on (Image by Paul Brown)
Monday, February 29, 2016
Week 7 Reading Diary Continued: Epified Mahabharata
This is a continuation of my viewing of the Epified Mahabharata by Karmic Revolution. Like last week, this version left me wanting more. Here is a couple of my favorite moments from this portion of the viewing:
I thought the episode: Bhima Kills Bakasura was a really great story idea. I can envision a back story of Bakasura and how he came to be such a terror for his village. What I like most about this story is that Bhima is just waiting on Bakasura to come and collect his food, but Bhima eats the entire cart full during his wait. I bet he did that just to enrage the terrible demon, but then again, Bhima seems like a never ending pit when it comes to food.
I thought the episode: Bhima Kills Bakasura was a really great story idea. I can envision a back story of Bakasura and how he came to be such a terror for his village. What I like most about this story is that Bhima is just waiting on Bakasura to come and collect his food, but Bhima eats the entire cart full during his wait. I bet he did that just to enrage the terrible demon, but then again, Bhima seems like a never ending pit when it comes to food.
Bhima Slays Baka the Asura
Another story that I enjoyed was the Creation of Indraprastha. I mostly like this story because it gave me some themes to possibly use in my storybook. This story has Vishvakarman, the god of engineering and architecture, who creates Indraprashta in the image of Indra's celestial city. I think I will make a story about how Vishvakarman is instructed to build Indra a palace after he defeats Vritra.
Week 7 Reading Diary: Epified Mahabharata
For this week's reading, I chose the Epified Mahabharata written by Vijayendra Mohanty. This was an amazing version of the Mahabharata that made it much easier for me to understand. I was captivated the whole time I was watching! My favorite moments from this portion of the video series are listed below:
I really enjoyed the episode: Drona Trains the Pandavas. This episode caught my attention because it showed the preparation for the war that was to take place later on. I liked how Drona quickly found out what each of the Pandava brothers were most likely to excel in and then crafted their training to make them experts. I especially liked that Drona chose Arjuna and Ashwatthama to wield the celestial weapons.
Another favorite moment was the episode: Ekalavya's Story. It was incredible to see that Ekalavya had gained such skill as an archer by just practicing in front of a figure of Drona. Ekalavya was so skilled that he was the superior of Arjuna, who is supposed to be the greatest archer that ever lived. I was mortified by the devotion that Ekalavya showed to Drona when he cut off his own thumb when Drona asked him to. If he did not cut his thumb off, there could have been a whole new hero in the Mahabharata. This story will most likely be my inspiration for this week's storytelling.
I really enjoyed the episode: Drona Trains the Pandavas. This episode caught my attention because it showed the preparation for the war that was to take place later on. I liked how Drona quickly found out what each of the Pandava brothers were most likely to excel in and then crafted their training to make them experts. I especially liked that Drona chose Arjuna and Ashwatthama to wield the celestial weapons.
Another favorite moment was the episode: Ekalavya's Story. It was incredible to see that Ekalavya had gained such skill as an archer by just practicing in front of a figure of Drona. Ekalavya was so skilled that he was the superior of Arjuna, who is supposed to be the greatest archer that ever lived. I was mortified by the devotion that Ekalavya showed to Drona when he cut off his own thumb when Drona asked him to. If he did not cut his thumb off, there could have been a whole new hero in the Mahabharata. This story will most likely be my inspiration for this week's storytelling.
Image source: Ekalavya cuts off his thumb and presents it to Drona
Saturday, February 27, 2016
Tech Tip: Reverse Image Search
I just used the reverse image search tech tip instructions to find a larger version of the sample images posted. It turns out that this technique brought me to the PDE Ramayana that I read earlier in the semester. This was a really cool tip and it could prove to be useful for me in the future. Here is my image results:
Tech Tip: Sidebar Box
I just added an HTML/Javascript box to my blog. This is a very useful tool and I am choosing to use it to display a quotes that I find uplifting. Check it out!
Tech Tip: Embedded YouTube
I just uploaded an embedded YouTube video to my introduction post. For those of you who have not seen what field artillery looks like, this will be a great way to see what goes on during a fire mission. By the way, those rounds are about 100 pounds each.
Friday, February 26, 2016
Week 6 Storytelling: Breaking News
Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Cliff Simon here, reporting to
you live from the front-lines of the war between the Pandavas and Kauravas. As
you all know this war has been raging on for many days now with no side being
able to gain a clear advantage.
Things are really ramping now, late in
this day. Taking a look at the battlefield we see the noble Bhishma plowing
through the Pandava lines like a brush fire. There he is on his chariot pulled
by a mighty elephant. By the looks of it, it seems like he just cannot be
stopped. Yes, this is a very bad sign for the Pandavas. They must get this
valiant warrior under control or we could be witnessing the end of the war
right here and now!
Oh what’s this now?! It looks like there is another chariot on a
direct line to Bhishma. We are now getting word that this chariot is carrying
the warriors Shikhandin and Arjuna. This could be a great battle indeed, folks!
They are just about to collide. Oh, I can’t think of a more
incredible match up, save the match of Arjuna and Karna. But wait, what’s this?
It looks like Bhishma has dropped his arms. What could possibly have brought on
this lapse in judgment against such formidable opponents?
It looks like Arjuna is going to take full advantage of this
mistake. Yes, there he goes unleashing arrow after arrow at Bhishma. Down goes
Bhishma! Down goes Bhishma! Oh, what will happen to the Kaurava troops now
without this great warrior?
Bhishma looks to be just barely clinging to life. I don’t think we
can expect him to last much longer.
We are now getting word that a truce has been called for the day.
Each side is now sending in parties to clear their dead and wounded off the
field and we see Karna going out to Bhishma now.
We are going to go in to get a closer look at what will surely be
an incredible conversation.
Bhishma
“We must end this senseless slaughter of kinsmen by kinsmen. We
should return the lands that the Pandavas seek in order to achieve peace. The
Pandavas and Kauravas were once friends and we should strive to return to those
days of prosperity.”
Karna
“Please save your breath my friend.”
Bhishma
“Listen to me Karna. Arjuna is your brother. Avenging my death
would mean the slaughter of your own blood. I cannot ask you to commit such an
act on my behalf and I would urge you to pursue peace instead.”
Karna
“I do not care that Arjuna is of my own blood! He will meet his
end at my hand before this war is done! Now rest and know that Arjuna will pay
for what he has done.”
You heard it here ladies and gentlemen! Karna is out for Arjuna’s
head. Make sure to join us tomorrow for more coverage of the war between the
Pandavas and Kauravas. This is Cliff Simon, thank you for joining us and we
will bring you updates as we get them.
Bhishma being struck down by Arjuna.
Bhishma Falls from Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913).
Authors Note:
I chose to write this story in the style of a breaking news report. I wanted to show what the battle between the Pandavas and Kauravas may have looked like from the eyes of an enthusiastic onlooker. I kept the plot the same from the story with the only change being the language in the conversation between Bhishma and Karna.
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Week 6 Reading Diary Continued: PDE Mahabharata
This last section of the PDE Mahabharata was all about the war between the Pandavas and Kauravas. Here is a brief summary of my favorite moments:
I liked the story of Ashwatthaman's Jewel from Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913). This jewel was really special, in that it could revive people from the dead, and it made an appearance when Arjuna just up and dies out of nowhere. It was really strange that Arjuna is suddenly killed off, but it makes sense for the author to use the jewel seeing as it had been introduced earlier. I would like to know why Indra even let his son, Arjuna, die in the first place.
I liked the story of Ashwatthaman's Jewel from Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913). This jewel was really special, in that it could revive people from the dead, and it made an appearance when Arjuna just up and dies out of nowhere. It was really strange that Arjuna is suddenly killed off, but it makes sense for the author to use the jewel seeing as it had been introduced earlier. I would like to know why Indra even let his son, Arjuna, die in the first place.
I also really liked the last two stories The Pandavas Depart and Afterlife both from Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913). I like this story mostly because it involves my storybook topic, Indra. In these two stories Indra acts almost like a gate keeper and takes Yudhishthira into heaven to show him around. It was interesting that Indra still decided to deceive Yudhishthira even after the entire Mahabharata continually praised the virtuous life that he led. Yudhishthira proved his worth once again, choosing to rather go to hell with his kin than stay in heaven without them and his hound.
I would have really liked to know what Arjuna did in heaven with Indra. Maybe Indra gave him a place as a god.
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Week 6 Reading Diary: PDE Mahabharata
This weeks reading portion of the PDE Mahabharata started to get really interesting. Here are some of my favorite moments:
I thought the story of Riddles at the Lake from Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913) was a very interesting story. It was interesting that all of the Pandava brothers besides Yudhishthira just ignored the voice, which turned out to be Dharma, that told them to stop before they drank. This story seemed more closely related to the fable genre because it had a moral to be drawn from it.
I thought the story of Riddles at the Lake from Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913) was a very interesting story. It was interesting that all of the Pandava brothers besides Yudhishthira just ignored the voice, which turned out to be Dharma, that told them to stop before they drank. This story seemed more closely related to the fable genre because it had a moral to be drawn from it.
I really like the drama that is unfolding between the rivalry between Arjuna and Karna. Karna seems to really hate Arjuna, but it seems like they are both just wanting to fight the other for selfish reasons (the glory and recognition of defeating a powerful warrior).
I also really liked that Indra came to try and get Karna's armor so that his son, Arjuna, would have its protection and to weaken Karna so that he could be destroyed. Karna says the armor is part of his body, but he proceeds to cut it off of his own flesh in exchange for a celestial weapon. The weapon Indra gave to Karna was an invincible dart that could be used only once, which I bet plays a pivotal role later on in the Mahabharata. This is the story was Indra and Karna from Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists by Sister Nivedita (1914).
Sunday, February 21, 2016
Thoughts About Comments
I think the hardest thing about giving a good comment is the fact that you have to be critical of someone else's work. I do not see myself as a very good writer, so telling someone else to change certain aspects or pointing out flaws feels like it is borderline rude. I am a usually good at finding mistakes in grammar or spelling, but I make mistakes just like everyone else.
Some of the most helpful comments I have received so far are about formatting changes. My week 3 story was originally in a large block and I had my picture at the end of the story. A few people pointed out that I should break the story up into smaller paragraphs and change the location of the picture. After making these small changes I could see that the story looked much better and I even got a comment that said the changes were good.
Another helpful comment that can be given is about what the readers feel should be expanded upon in your story. I think it is nice to get a range of imaginative ideas coming in so that I can create a plot that I may not have thought of otherwise.
I try to give mostly positive feedback followed by a critique so that the sting is less severe. Like I said before, it is hard for me to be critical because I do not see myself as a good writer. That being said, I believe criticism is crucial to the writing process.
Some of the most helpful comments I have received so far are about formatting changes. My week 3 story was originally in a large block and I had my picture at the end of the story. A few people pointed out that I should break the story up into smaller paragraphs and change the location of the picture. After making these small changes I could see that the story looked much better and I even got a comment that said the changes were good.
Another helpful comment that can be given is about what the readers feel should be expanded upon in your story. I think it is nice to get a range of imaginative ideas coming in so that I can create a plot that I may not have thought of otherwise.
I try to give mostly positive feedback followed by a critique so that the sting is less severe. Like I said before, it is hard for me to be critical because I do not see myself as a good writer. That being said, I believe criticism is crucial to the writing process.
Thursday, February 18, 2016
Week 5 Reading Diary Continued: PDE Mahabharata
This is a continuation of my reading of the PDE Mahabharata.
So far I have noticed this epic is far more difficult to read than the Ramayana because there are so many characters and places that are being described.
One of the moments that stuck out to me was the battle between Arjuna, Krishna and Indra. This battle was for Agni to be able to consume the forest with fire. Arjuna and Krishna promised to help Agni only if he gave them celestial weapons. There was no description of the battle that took place, but the fact that Arjuna fought against his father for the sake of another intrigued me. I wonder what was going through Indra's mind as he lost to his own son in battle.
So far I have noticed this epic is far more difficult to read than the Ramayana because there are so many characters and places that are being described.
One of the moments that stuck out to me was the battle between Arjuna, Krishna and Indra. This battle was for Agni to be able to consume the forest with fire. Arjuna and Krishna promised to help Agni only if he gave them celestial weapons. There was no description of the battle that took place, but the fact that Arjuna fought against his father for the sake of another intrigued me. I wonder what was going through Indra's mind as he lost to his own son in battle.
I also liked the story where Arjuna won Draupadi's hand in a contest. This story made me think of the animated Robin Hood, where he disguises himself to win a kiss from the princess. The story was interesting in that they Pandava brothers all agreed to take Draupadi as their wife.
There was a great similarity between Rama and Arjuna because of their exile. I thought it was very strange that Arjuna went into exile over just looking at Draupadi when she was with one of his brothers, but then again the whole Mahabharata is extremely far fetched.
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Week 5 Reading Diary: PDE Mahabharata
For this week's reading, I chose to read the PDE Mahabharata. Some of my favorite moments are listed below.
Since my story book is centered around Indra it was nice to see a reference to him in the story of Vyasa and Ganesha. Here Indra is sent to bribe Uparichara, king of Chedi, with a celestial car because the other gods thought he was trying to challenge them for power. A story of the conversation between the other gods and Indra about trying to get him to give up his car could be fun.
Another reference to Indra is made in King Shantanu and Ganga, about his eight attendants (Vasus). These attendants angered Vashishtha, who condemned them to be born as mortals. I think it would be fun to have Indra be angry about losing his Vasus and having to pick up the slack while they are gone.
One of the craziest stories that I came across was Pandu and His Wives. This story had a brahmin who was killed by Pandu while having intercourse with his wife in the form of a couple of deer. The brahmin cursed Pandu, much like Dashartha, to never be able to have children because he would die as soon as he was sexually aroused. Really strange story.
I really liked the story of Bhima and the Nagas. After being poisoned by his evil cousin Duryodhana, Bhima is saved by the counteraction of the nagas poison and gains the strength of a giant from the king of the nagas, Vasuki.
I absolutely loved the story of how Indra stepped up to defend his son, Arjuna, in the Arrival of Karna. There was great imagery in this story when it said the clouds thickened and thunder and lightning were crashing down behind Arjuna and meanwhile Surya, the sun god, was backing his son, Karna by shining a beam of light off of his golden armor. It must have been a magnificent stand off between these two sides and it would have been filled with tension. I really wish there was a picture for this scene.
Friday, February 12, 2016
Week 4 Storytelling: Ravana's Plea
Dear Indrajit,
I have been under siege in Lanka for weeks now. Rama has come to Lanka in order to destroy me. There has been talk that the gods have sent this mortal, Rama, to destroy me because they do not possess the power to do so themselves. I am beginning to fear for my life my dear son. Rama has brought many forces and the tide of this great war is surely turning in his favor. I am not sure how much longer we can hold out, so I implore you to come to Lanka as quickly as you can to stave off this attack. Your prowess as a warrior and leader is much need in these dire times.
Sincerely, Ravana
Dear Father,
I have heard rumors that you stole Rama's wife, Sita, and are holding her captive in Lanka. Rama is just in his quest for retribution. A prince-warrior such as myself should not become entangled in matters such as these. This is a situation you have brought on yourself.
Sincerely, Indrajit
Dear Indrajit,
The rumors are true that I took Sita from Rama. I only did this because she is the fairest woman I have ever laid eyes on and she deserves to be with a king as great as I. If you do not come to Lanka and assist in this war, there will no longer be a Lanka to recognize your divine claim as a prince. I have seen you challenge gods on much weaker grounds. Why will you not help your own flesh and blood in his time of need?
Sincerely, Ravana
Dear Father,
My answer remains the same. I cannot be entangled in the matters of another's tarnished honor. You must find a way to make do with your forces at hand.
Sincerely, Indrajit
Dear Indrajit,
If you promise to come to my aid, I will step down as king of Lanka and relinquish my throne to you. There is no hope now left for Lanka besides the power that you posses. I hope you see this is truly how dire the war has become.
Sincerely, Ravana
Dear Father,
If your words are true then your plea for aid will be recognized and I will leave at once for Lanka. I only ask that it be me to challenge this legendary Rama in combat. It has been so long since I have had a challenge!
Sincerely, Indrajit
Ravana's Court from Ramayana, The Epic of Rama, Prince of India, condensed into English verse by Romesh Dutt (1899)
PDE Ramayana
I have been under siege in Lanka for weeks now. Rama has come to Lanka in order to destroy me. There has been talk that the gods have sent this mortal, Rama, to destroy me because they do not possess the power to do so themselves. I am beginning to fear for my life my dear son. Rama has brought many forces and the tide of this great war is surely turning in his favor. I am not sure how much longer we can hold out, so I implore you to come to Lanka as quickly as you can to stave off this attack. Your prowess as a warrior and leader is much need in these dire times.
Sincerely, Ravana
Dear Father,
I have heard rumors that you stole Rama's wife, Sita, and are holding her captive in Lanka. Rama is just in his quest for retribution. A prince-warrior such as myself should not become entangled in matters such as these. This is a situation you have brought on yourself.
Sincerely, Indrajit
Dear Indrajit,
The rumors are true that I took Sita from Rama. I only did this because she is the fairest woman I have ever laid eyes on and she deserves to be with a king as great as I. If you do not come to Lanka and assist in this war, there will no longer be a Lanka to recognize your divine claim as a prince. I have seen you challenge gods on much weaker grounds. Why will you not help your own flesh and blood in his time of need?
Sincerely, Ravana
Dear Father,
My answer remains the same. I cannot be entangled in the matters of another's tarnished honor. You must find a way to make do with your forces at hand.
Sincerely, Indrajit
Dear Indrajit,
If you promise to come to my aid, I will step down as king of Lanka and relinquish my throne to you. There is no hope now left for Lanka besides the power that you posses. I hope you see this is truly how dire the war has become.
Sincerely, Ravana
Dear Father,
If your words are true then your plea for aid will be recognized and I will leave at once for Lanka. I only ask that it be me to challenge this legendary Rama in combat. It has been so long since I have had a challenge!
Sincerely, Indrajit
Image Source: Indrajit talking with Ravana (Left)
Sita in Lanka's gardens (Right)
Author's Note:
I chose to write in a series of letters this week. I have never used this style before so I thought I would give it a try. This story comes from the story of Ravana's Court in the PDE Ramayana. In this story Ravana's court tries to persuade him to give back Sita in order to stop the war with Rama and Sugriva. I thought it would be fun to have Ravana have a secret correspondence with his son, Indrajit. I found Indrajit to be a fascinating character because he was said to have beaten a few gods in his battles. I wanted to make Indrajit a sort of noble warrior that would not stop Rama in his just cause of retrieving Sita. I then showed Indrajit's rakshasa side by having him change his mind once he was offered power over Lanka.
Bibliography:
PDE Ramayana
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Week 4 Reading Diary: Nine Ideal Indian Women
For this week's reading assignment I chose to read Nine Ideal Indian Women by Maharanee Sunity Devee. I read Sita's story and it seemed like it was exactly the same as the PDE Ramayana. The only difference in Devee's version was that the battles were rushed through and not explained very well at all.
Since I have chosen to make my storybook about Indra it was hard to find many interesting parts in this story because there was no reference to Indra in this portion.
I still cannot get over how bad Sita is treated in the end. She had to prove her honor was intact twice and the final time was just too much for her to bear. I was interested in the part where Sita was taken into the a cavern by Mother Earth, never to return. I think it could make a good story to have Sita be saved by Rama and then live together raising their sons.
I was also interested in the life that Sita lives when she is exiled. Maybe a story could be made to expand on what Sita, her sons and Valmiki did for the many years they were living in the forest. They could even have their own adventures.
Since I have chosen to make my storybook about Indra it was hard to find many interesting parts in this story because there was no reference to Indra in this portion.
I still cannot get over how bad Sita is treated in the end. She had to prove her honor was intact twice and the final time was just too much for her to bear. I was interested in the part where Sita was taken into the a cavern by Mother Earth, never to return. I think it could make a good story to have Sita be saved by Rama and then live together raising their sons.
I was also interested in the life that Sita lives when she is exiled. Maybe a story could be made to expand on what Sita, her sons and Valmiki did for the many years they were living in the forest. They could even have their own adventures.
Image Source: Sita and her sons saying farewell to Valmiki
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Week 3: Brainstorming Storytelling Styles
I have decided to make my story book all about the god Indra. Through my research I have found that Indra was once the supreme god, but somewhere along the course of history he was almost entirely replaced by gods such as Vishnu and Shiva. I think it would be interesting to make a story explaining Indra's fall into obscurity. I also found that Indra was a very unpredictable god that would indulge in his favorite drink, soma, and would go on a rage or do something do wreak havoc. A completely fabricated tale could be made where Indra becomes intoxicated off of soma and causes a natural disaster or does some other mischievous act that causes him to be disliked by his fellow gods and the humans. The most important story that Indra was a part of was his slaying of the demon Vritra, who caused a drought by hording all of the Earth's water for himself. Indra defeated Vritra with the help of his beloved soma and restored the Earth's waters, thus making him a great hero and savior of the Earth. I will most likely make a story that highlights this battle and Indra's rise to fame. There were not very many references to Indra in the Ramayana, but from what I can tell he plays a pivotal role in the Mahabharata. I already created a story about Hanuman's encounter with Indra titled Indra's Sun that I based off of Hanuman's Leap from Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists by Sister Nivedita (1914) in the PDE Ramayana. I will most likely use this story with a few changes since it was one of the only references in the Ramayana.
Bibliography:
PDE Ramayana, Various Authors
Hanuman's Leap from Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists by Sister Nivedita (1914)
Mark Cartwright. “Indra,” Ancient History Encyclopedia. Last modified August 08, 2013. http://www.ancient.eu /Indra/.
Image source: Indra on his elephant Airavata.
PDE Ramayana, Various Authors
Hanuman's Leap from Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists by Sister Nivedita (1914)
Mark Cartwright. “Indra,” Ancient History Encyclopedia. Last modified August 08, 2013. http://www.ancient.eu /Indra/.
Possible Styles:
Indra As The Storyteller. I think this style will be interesting because it would give Indra the chance to show that he's not such a bad guy after all. It seems like everyone says he is unpredictable and kind of crazy, but he hasn't gotten the chance to defend himself yet. I could make Indra very narcissistic or I could make him a genuinely nice guy. I like that this style would provide for a completely new way of looking at Indra.
Therapy Session. This style would sort of go hand in hand with the Indra as the storyteller style. I was thinking that I could use this style for Vishnu or Shiva as the therapist. I could then make Vishnu or Shiva leak the information about Indra's confessions to the public, which would be a reason for Indra falling out of favor in history.
Characters Grown Old. By using this style I could show what happens to Indra after he is replaced by Vishnu and Shiva. There could be a lot of resentment that Indra holds for Shiva and Vishnu and he could be planning his revenge against them.
Twist the Ending. I really like making up my own endings to stories. This style would go very well with my writing style because it lets me use a little more creativity. I usually like to make endings that go against what people think would happen. I could use this style as the last story of my storybook and have Indra be killed off, or maybe have Indra kill Vishnu and Shiva but use his godly powers to divide and disguise himself as Vishnu and Shiva. Now that would be interesting!
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