Stories 7
Arjuna and the Gandharva Angaraparna at the Ganga
A Gandharva king bars the Pandavas from the Ganga at night; Arjuna burns his chariot, spares him at Yudhishthira's word, and receives the seeing-science, horses and the advice to take a priest.
Ayyappa and his companion Vavar
Kerala's Ayyappa, born of Shiva and Mohini, grows up in Pandalam, defeats the demoness Mahishi and keeps a Muslim companion whose mosque still faces his temple at Erumely.
Mitra will not slay Soma
Asked to join in slaying King Soma, Mitra refuses as the friend of all, then yields; the cattle leave him, and the cup he shares with Varuna is mixed with milk.
The boar beyond the seven hills
A boar keeps the wealth of the Asuras beyond seven hills. Vishnu, the sacrifice hidden in the earth, tells Indra of it; Indra shoots through the hills with a bunch of darbha grass and Vishnu carries the spoil to the gods. In the Puranas the boar is Vishnu himself, who lifts the earth and kills Hiranyaksha.
The three strides of Vishnu, from the Rigveda to the dwarf and King Bali
In the Rigveda Vishnu's one deed is to take three steps that measure out the world and make room for people; the third step is a honeyed place out of sight. The Brahmanas turn the steps into earth, air and sky, the Ramayana gives them a dwarf and a king named Bali, and festivals in Kerala and the Deccan welcome that king home.
Vasishtha pleads with Varuna
A hymn portrait: the seer Vasishtha, ill and estranged, asks Varuna what his sin was and recalls the day the god took him out in his boat.
Vishnu stands by Indra, and Vritra gives up the three Vedas
Before the thunderbolt falls, Indra asks Vishnu to stand by him. Each time Indra raises the bolt Vritra buys time by surrendering a part of the sacred knowledge held inside him.