Hindu mythology

Depictions of episodes from Hindu mythology

Academic studies of mythology often define mythology as deeply valued stories that explain a society's existence and world order: those narratives of a society's creation, the society's origins and foundations, their god(s), their original heroes, mankind's connection to the "divine", and their narratives of eschatology (what happens in the "after-life"). This is a very general outline of some of the basic sacred stories with those themes. In its broadest academic sense, the word myth simply means a traditional story. However, many scholars restrict the term "myth" to sacred stories.[6] Folklorists often go further, defining myths as "tales believed as true, usually sacred, set in the distant past or other worlds or parts of the world, and with extra-human, inhuman, or heroic characters".[7]

In classical Greek, muthos, from which the English word myth derives, meant "story, narrative." Hindu mythology does not often have a consistent, monolithic structure. The same myth typically appears in various versions, and can be represented differently across different regional and socio-religious traditions.[8] Many of these legends evolve across these texts, where the character names change or the story is embellished with greater details.[8][9] According to Suthren Hirst, these myths have been given a complex range of interpretations.[8] While according to Doniger O'Flaherty, the central message and moral values remain the same.[9] They have been modified by various philosophical schools over time, and are taken to have deeper, often symbolic, meaning.[8]

• Bhairav, J Furcifer; Rakesh Khanna (2020). Ghosts, Monsters, and Demons of India. Blaft Publications Private Limited. ISBN 9789380636467. OCLC 1259298225.
• Brockington, J. L. (1998). The Sanskrit Epics. BRILL Academic. ISBN 90-04-10260-4.
• Buitenen, J. A. B. van; Dimmitt, Cornelia (1978). Classical Hindu Mythology: A Reader in the Sanskrit Puranas. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. ISBN 0-87722-122-7.
• Campbell, Joseph (2003). Myths of Light: Eastern Metaphors of the Eternal. Novato, Calif.: New World Library. ISBN 1-57731-403-4.
• Dalal, Roshen (2010). Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide. Penguin Books India. ISBN 978-0-14-341421-6.
• Dallapiccola, Anna L. (2002). Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend. ISBN 0-500-51088-1.
• Dimitrova, Stefania (2017). The Day of Brahma: The Myths of India—Epics of Human Destiny. Alpha-Omega. ISBN 978-954-9694-27-7.
• Dowson, John (1888). A Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion, Geography, History, and Literature. London: Trubner & Co.
• Krishna, Nanditha (2009). The Book of Vishnu. Penguin Books India. ISBN 978-0-14-306762-7.
• Krishna, Nanditha (2010). Sacred Animals of India. Penguin Books India. ISBN 978-0-14-306619-4.
• Macdonell, Arthur Anthony (1995). Vedic Mythology. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 81-208-1113-5.
• Pattanaik, Devdutt (2003). Indian Mythology: Tales, Symbols, and Rituals from the Heart of the Subcontinent. Inner Traditions/Bear & Company. ISBN 0-89281-870-0.
• Rao, T. A. Gopinatha (1914). Elements of Hindu Iconography. Vol. 1: Part I. Madras: Law Printing House.
• Walker, Benjamin (1968). Hindu World: An Encyclopedic Survey of Hinduism. London: Allen & Unwin.
• Wilkins, W. J. (1882). Hindu Mythology, Vedic and Purānic. Thacker, Spink & Co.
• Williams, George M. (2008). Handbook of Hindu Mythology. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-533261-2.

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• Clay Sanskrit Library publishes classical Indian literature, including the Mahabharata and Ramayana, with facing-page text and translation. Also offers searchable corpus and downloadable materials.
• Sanskrit Documents Collection: Documents in ITX format of Upanishads, Stotras etc.