Stories 6
All kinds
Origin
Legend
Local story
Folk tale
From the epics
Festival story
Temple legend
In stone and bronze
How a tradition frames it
Everywhere
Pan-India 240
South India 81
West India 37
East India 37
North India 28
The Himalaya 17
Northeast India 8
Southeast Asia 6
Central India 5
Sri Lanka 1
✕ curse
sacrificedevotionpridebooncreationdisguisemarriagetestbirthsupremacybargaindeathfirehealingpenancerescuepilgrimagerivercraftfestivaldancegiftrivalryearthemanationfriendshipnightdesirefear
From the epics · 5 tellings · contested
Ahalya, Indra and Gautama's curse
Indra comes to Ahalya in the shape of her husband Gautama; both are cursed; Rama's arrival releases her.
From the epics · 3 tellings · contested
Bhrigu curses Agni to eat everything
Bhrigu goes to bathe and leaves his pregnant wife Puloma alone.
From the epics · 2 tellings · contested
Kacha and Devayani
Shukra revives every slain Asura; Brihaspati cannot do the same for the gods.
From the epics · 4 tellings · contested
Nahusha on Indra's throne
While Indra hides in a lotus stalk, the human king Nahusha rules heaven, demands Shachi, has sages carry his litter and is cursed to fall as a serpent.
From the epics · 1 telling
Saraswati carries Vasishtha and is cursed to run with blood
Vishvamitra orders the river Sarasvati to bring Vasishtha to him so that he can kill him.
From the epics · 3 tellings · contested
The Vasu Dyu steals Vasishtha's cow and is born as Bhishma
Dyu, one of the eight Vasus, steals the cow Nandini for his wife; Vasishtha curses the Vasus to human birth and Dyu to a full life on earth as Bhishma.