Stories 2
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
✕ afterlife
cursesacrificedevotionpridebooncreationdisguisemarriagetestbirthsupremacybargaindeathfirehealingpenancerescuepilgrimagerivercraftfestivaldancegiftrivalryearthemanationfriendshipnightdesirefear
Legend · 3 tellings · contested
Bhrigu is sent to see the other world
Varuna cures his son Bhrigu of pride by sending him to see men eaten by the things they consumed in life, then explains the sights as the daily fire offering.
Origin · 3 tellings · contested
Yama, the first to die
Yama chooses death, finds the path to the other world and becomes king of those who follow; the funeral hymn directs the dead to him past his two dogs.