Shiva's Own Story: An SOS for Your SoulThe 'Brihakatha', or Lord Shiva's narrative to his wife Parvati, is featured in Gunadhya's epic composition 'Katha Sarita Sagara' in Sanskrit. Somadeva's adaptation retains the storyline, with Lord Shiva substituting for Lord Kubera, the God of Wealth. C H Tawney, blending pure Hindu mythology with Buddhist and tantric beliefs, translated the story into English as The Ocean of a Story, which runs 12 volumes and includes footnotes. Shiva's Own Story is a condensed version of Tawney's work. The setting of the stories is India in the 10th and 11th centuries, when the country was composed of many small kingdoms and fiefdoms. There was no dearth of monarchs with dynastic ambitions. The king was usually advised by an intelligent and devoted Brahman minister. The heir apparent, the crown prince, had a circle of friends, mostly sons of the king's ministers, who became part of the cabinet when the prince became king. Intrigue was rife and matrimonial alliances were often a strategy to expand the kingdom. In a country where illiteracy is still formidable, storytelling is a means of promoting and propagating religious and moral culture. |
Contents
Parvati | 1 |
Kathamukha | 42 |
Lavanaka | 75 |
Naravanahanadatta Janana | 118 |
Chaturdarika | 134 |
Madanamanchuka | 157 |
Ratnaprabha | 213 |
Suryaprabha | 266 |
Vetala Katha | 556 |
Madiravati | 659 |
Pancha | 664 |
Mahabisheka | 691 |
Suratamanjari | 698 |
Padmavati | 712 |
Vishamasila | 744 |
Conclusion | 786 |
Common terms and phrases
ascetic asked Asuras auspicious beautiful beheld Bhimabhata bird blessed boon brahman brahman named brother celestial Chandraprabha Chandrasvamin chariot Chitragupta concluded corpse curse Daitya daughter delighted demon Devadatta dream elephant escorted father felt flew fool forest gandharva Garuda gave Goddess gods Gomukha Gunasarman head heaven hermit hermitage husband informed jewels Jimutavahana Kalingasena Katyayana Kausambi killed king named King of Vatsa King Trivikramasena King Udayana King Vikramaditya king’s Kubera later Lord Indra Lord Shiva Lord Vishnu lotus lover Madanamanchuka magical maiden marriage married mendicant merchant mighty minister morning mortal Mrigankadatta Naravahanadatta narrated the story nearby night offered once lived Padmavati palace Parvati Pataliputra prayers Prince Naravahanadatta princess Pushkaraksha queen remained requested returned rushed Saktideva snake Somaprabha soon spotted Sridarsana Sridatta summoned Suryaprabha sword temple took tree Udayana Ujjayini uttered vampire Vararuchi Vasavadatta Vatsa vetala Vidushaka Vidyadharas Vikramaditya Vinitamati warder wife wife’s wives woman Yaksha Yaugandharayana young