SAST 006 - Hindu Mythology

Institution:

University of Pennsylvania

Subject:

Description:

Arts & Letters Sector. All Classes. Staff. Premodern India produced some of the world's greatest myths and stories: tales of gods, goddesses, heroes, princesses, kings and lovers that continue to capture the imaginations of millions of readers and hearers. In this course, we will look closely at some of these stories especially as found in Purana-s, great compendia composed in Sanskrit, including the chief stories of the central gods of Hinduism: Visnu, Siva, and the Goddess. We will also consider the relationship between these texts and the earlier myths of the Vedas and the Indian Epics, the diversity of the narrative and mythic materials within and across different texts, and the re-imagining of these stories in India's vernacular languages as well as in the modern world. and fears. The settlers of the Indus Valley civilization believed in divine powers and the Aryans in the Vedic times believed in presiding deities of natural phenomena.As a result, thousands of stories have been generated to convey the supernatural powers and the Aryans in the Vedic times believed in presiding deities of natural phenomena. As a result, thousands of stories have been generatedto convey the supernatural powers and/or divinity of these entities.Different gods and goddess in various forms have dominated different regions of India and different eras. For ages, these traditional legends,which were later codified in the Puranas have beenhanded down to successive generations.The evidence also exists that new legendary accounts are added to the stockpile every now and then.These mythological accounts range from local to pan-community levels and despite the regional variation within them an underlying unity of thought exists. On one hand, Hindu faith contributes to the creation of these stories and on the the narration or the reading of these stories reinforces religious beliefs people at the popular level in all ages. Interestingly, these stories travel with Hindus during their migration to distant lands and get simplified through successive generations of the diaspora. and have formed the basis of many recent Indian movies. Summer Program: Interestingly, these stories travel with Hindus during their migration distant lands and get simplified through successive generations of the diasporaMost of the Hindu myths are living legends and have formed the basis of many recent Indian movies. The course will present a critical discussion of these stories and their sources. Students will see digital illustrations of these divinities.l watch relevant Hindi movies with subtitles in English, and visit Hindu temples and social events to see these divinities and their devotees in real life.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.upenn.edu

Phone Number:

(215) 898-5000

Regional Accreditation:

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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