Devalok

Legends of the Indian gods

The stories the Puranas and the temple traditions tell about the gods: how Ganesha got his head, why Shiva's throat is blue, what Lakshmi asks of a house before she stays. Each one is retold in our own words, more than one way where India tells it more than one way, and says where it comes from.

All kinds LegendsLocal storiesFolk talesFrom the epicsFestival stories
Told across IndiaFrom the Vedic hymnsNorth IndiaSouth IndiaEast IndiaWest IndiaNepal and beyond
The Boon Mahisha Asked For Legend · Told across India · and Kamarupa and Bengal for the demon at her feetThe Boon Mahisha Asked For The Spear His Mother Gave Legend · South India · Kailash to the Tamil shore, as the Tamil temples tell it; Tiruvannamalai, Nallur and the Thaipusam templesThe Spear His Mother Gave The Hills on Idumban's Shoulders Legend · South India · Palani, Tamil Nadu; and the Tamil world, Batu Caves and SingaporeThe Hills on Idumban's Shoulders The Physician Who Rose from the Sea Legend · Told across India · Kashi for the second birth, Kerala for the templesThe Physician Who Rose from the Sea The Vow Manu Made Legend · North India · Naimisharanya and AyodhyaThe Vow Manu Made The Army of Clay Legend · Maharashtra · Paithan on the Godavari, and the Jain chronicles of the westThe Army of Clay The Riddle on the Swing Legend · Pragjyotisha in the east, Indraprastha, and Khatu in RajasthanThe Riddle on the Swing The Guard at Vijaya's Fire Legend · West India · Guptakshetra, where the Mahi meets the sea near Khambhat, GujaratThe Guard at Vijaya's Fire The Grandson at the Pond Legend · West India · Guptakshetra, where the Mahi meets the sea near Khambhat, GujaratThe Grandson at the Pond The Goddess in Every Direction Legend · East India · Bengal and Assam, the old Shakta PuranasThe Goddess in Every Direction The Goddess Who Rose from the Fire Legend · Told across India · the Himalaya and the city of the GoddessThe Goddess Who Rose from the Fire The Queen's War with Bhanda Legend · Told across India · the battlefield outside Bhanda's cityThe Queen's War with Bhanda The Names Agastya Was Not Told Legend · South India · Kanchi and TirumeeyachurThe Names Agastya Was Not Told The Demon in the Cowherds' Game Legend · North India · Braj, by the Bhandira figThe Demon in the Cowherds' Game The Bride Who Came Back Too Tall Legend · West India · Kusasthali, the city that became DwarakaThe Bride Who Came Back Too Tall The City on the End of the Plough Legend · North India · Hastinapura, on the GangaThe City on the End of the Plough The Lion Who Would Not Cool Legend · Pan-India · after the pillarThe Lion Who Would Not Cool The Wanderer with Twenty-Four Teachers Legend · Pan-India · wherever the road goesThe Wanderer with Twenty-Four Teachers The Three Babies in Anasuya's Hut Legend · Pan-India · Atri's hermitageThe Three Babies in Anasuya's Hut The Ring and the Milkmaid Legend · East India · Puri, Chilika and KanchiThe Ring and the Milkmaid The Blue God in the Forest Legend · East India · Puri and the forests of OdishaThe Blue God in the Forest The Boy Who Rode Home on a Tiger Legend · South India · Pandalam and SabarimalaThe Boy Who Rode Home on a Tiger The Questions Garuda Asked Legend · North India · VaikunthaThe Questions Garuda Asked The Serpent Who Holds the Earth Legend · Pan-India · beneath the earthThe Serpent Who Holds the Earth The Messenger and the Bee Legend · North India · VrajaThe Messenger and the Bee The Girl Who Would Not Open Her Eyes Legend · North India · Raval and Barsana, BrajThe Girl Who Would Not Open Her Eyes The Line Krishna Wrote Legend · East India · Vrindavan and PuriThe Line Krishna Wrote The Princess No Man Could Look At Legend · East India · Shambhala and SimhalaThe Princess No Man Could Look At The Rider on the White Horse Legend · Pan-India · ShambhalaThe Rider on the White Horse The Land the Sea Gave Back Legend · South India · Kerala and the western coast, from Gokarna to KanyakumariThe Land the Sea Gave Back The Goddess of a Hundred Eyes Legend · Pan-India · Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh; Sambhar, Rajasthan; Badami, KarnatakaThe Goddess of a Hundred Eyes The Skull in Bhairava's Hand Legend · North India · Kashi (Varanasi), Uttar PradeshThe Skull in Bhairava's Hand The Goddess from the Poison Legend · Pan-Indian · Kerala's Bhagavati templesThe Goddess from the Poison The Eleventh Rudra Legend · Pan-IndianThe Eleventh Rudra The Linga of Sand Legend · South India · Rameswaram, Tamil NaduThe Linga of Sand The Dance on the Serpent's Hoods Legend · North India · Vrindavan, on the YamunaThe Dance on the Serpent's Hoods The Child on the Banyan Leaf Legend · All India · and Prayagraj, where the undying banyan standsThe Child on the Banyan Leaf The Seven Bulls Legend · All India · and Tamil Nadu for Nappinnai and the bull-tamingThe Seven Bulls The Rice Tied in a Cloth Legend · All India · Dwaraka and Porbandar, and Guruvayur for Kuchela's dayThe Rice Tied in a Cloth The Rope That Was Always Too Short Legend · All India · Braj, and Maharashtra for the Dahi HandiThe Rope That Was Always Too Short The Berries Shabari Tasted Legend · All India · and Shabari Dham, Dang district, GujaratThe Berries Shabari Tasted The Thief Who Trimmed the Lamp Legend · All IndiaThe Thief Who Trimmed the Lamp The Hunter in the Bilva Tree Legend · All IndiaThe Hunter in the Bilva Tree The Demon of Fire Legend · West and South India · Maharashtra and Tamil NaduThe Demon of Fire The Burning of Kama Legend · Told across India · the HimalayaThe Burning of Kama The Gold That Fell on Ayodhya Legend · Ayodhya, and MaharashtraThe Gold That Fell on Ayodhya The Hundred and Eighth Lotus Legend · BengalThe Hundred and Eighth Lotus The Mountain on One Hand Legend · Braj (Mathura and Vrindavan)The Mountain on One Hand The Night Kali Was Called Legend · Bengal, Odisha and AssamThe Night Kali Was Called Born from the Tongue Legend · Told across India · the Shakta PuranasBorn from the Tongue The Daughter of the Mountain Legend · Told across India · the HimalayaThe Daughter of the Mountain The Garland in the Dust Legend · Told across IndiaThe Garland in the Dust The Child with Six Mothers Legend · Told across India · the Ganga and the Tamil southThe Child with Six Mothers The Elder Sister Legend · Told across India; Odisha; Tamil NaduThe Elder Sister The Three Wives of Vaikuntha Legend · Told across India · the Shakta PuranasThe Three Wives of Vaikuntha Half of Him Legend · Told across India · and Tiruchengode, Tamil NaduHalf of Him The Game of Dice Legend · Told across India · Kailash, and the caves of ElloraThe Game of Dice The Judge Who Was Saraswati Legend · South India and Kashmir · Sringeri and Sharada PeethThe Judge Who Was Saraswati The Light That Became a Woman Legend · Told across India · and BengalThe Light That Became a Woman The Dragon of Enoshima Legend · Japan · Enoshima, Sagami Bay; and the Buddhist sutra that carried her thereThe Dragon of Enoshima The Gatekeepers of Vaikuntha Legend · Told across IndiaThe Gatekeepers of Vaikuntha The Thousandth Lotus Legend · Kashi; told across IndiaThe Thousandth Lotus Prahlada and the Man-Lion Legend · Told across IndiaPrahlada and the Man-Lion The Elephant and the Crocodile Legend · Told across India; KabisthalamThe Elephant and the Crocodile Bhrigu's Kick Legend · Told across India; TirumalaBhrigu's Kick Mohini and the Pot of Nectar Legend · Told across IndiaMohini and the Pot of Nectar The Day Lakshmi Chose Legend · Told across IndiaThe Day Lakshmi Chose The Thieves of the Vedas Legend · Told across IndiaThe Thieves of the Vedas Trita and the Three-Headed One Legend · VedicTrita and the Three-Headed One Trita in the Well Legend · Vedic, later set on the Sarasvati in KurukshetraTrita in the Well The Outcast and the River Legend · Vedic, the banks of the SarasvatiThe Outcast and the River The Child of the Waters Legend · VedicThe Child of the Waters The Rivers That Bowed Legend · Vedic, the rivers Beas and Sutlej in the PunjabThe Rivers That Bowed The Waters Who Are Mothers Legend · VedicThe Waters Who Are Mothers The Frogs Who Sang for Rain Legend · Vedic, and AssamThe Frogs Who Sang for Rain The Bull Who Brings the Rain Legend · VedicThe Bull Who Brings the Rain The King Who Milked the Earth Legend · Told across IndiaThe King Who Milked the Earth The Song of the Earth Legend · VedicThe Song of the Earth Father Sky and Mother Earth Legend · VedicFather Sky and Mother Earth The Twelve Suns Legend · Told across IndiaThe Twelve Suns The Race to Heaven Legend · VedicThe Race to Heaven The First and the Last Offering Legend · VedicThe First and the Last Offering Aditi's Earrings Legend · Told across IndiaAditi's Earrings The Eighth Son Legend · VedicThe Eighth Son The False Shukra Legend · Told across IndiaThe False Shukra The Teacher Who Walked Out Legend · Told across IndiaThe Teacher Who Walked Out The Song That Split the Rock Legend · VedicThe Song That Split the Rock The Boy Who Saw the Storm Gods Legend · VedicThe Boy Who Saw the Storm Gods The Friends Who Did Not Run Legend · VedicThe Friends Who Did Not Run The Offering Promised Twice Legend · VedicThe Offering Promised Twice Do Not Cry Legend · Told across India; set at Vishala, the old Vaishali, in BiharDo Not Cry The Night Inside the Mountain's Daughter Legend · Told across IndiaThe Night Inside the Mountain's Daughter Night With All Her Eyes Legend · VedicNight With All Her Eyes The Red Cows of Morning Legend · VedicThe Red Cows of Morning The Two Sisters of the Sky Legend · Vedic, and Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh and NepalThe Two Sisters of the Sky The Morning Indra Broke Dawn's Cart Legend · VedicThe Morning Indra Broke Dawn's Cart The Guide on the Far Road Legend · VedicThe Guide on the Far Road Pushan Takes the Bride's Hand Legend · VedicPushan Takes the Bride's Hand The God Who Finds What Is Lost Legend · VedicThe God Who Finds What Is Lost The God Who Sends the World Home Legend · VedicThe God Who Sends the World Home The Verse of Savitr Legend · VedicThe Verse of Savitr The Guest at the Wedding Legend · VedicThe Guest at the Wedding Two Sages from One Jar Legend · Vedic, told across IndiaTwo Sages from One Jar The Friend Who Would Not Strike Legend · VedicThe Friend Who Would Not Strike Urvashi and Pururavas Legend · Vedic, told across IndiaUrvashi and Pururavas Born from the Side Legend · VedicBorn from the Side The Parrot and the Dead Tree Legend · Told across IndiaThe Parrot and the Dead Tree The Guilt Nobody Wanted Legend · VedicThe Guilt Nobody Wanted The Head and the Foam Legend · VedicThe Head and the Foam The Parade of Ants Legend · Told across IndiaThe Parade of Ants Twelve Days in the House of the Sun Legend · VedicTwelve Days in the House of the Sun The Maker of Everything Legend · VedicThe Maker of Everything Four Cups from One Legend · VedicFour Cups from One The Thunderbolt Maker Legend · VedicThe Thunderbolt Maker The Word Said Wrong Legend · VedicThe Word Said Wrong I Am the Queen Legend · VedicI Am the Queen The Voice in the Wood Legend · VedicThe Voice in the Wood Speech Among the Gandharvas Legend · VedicSpeech Among the Gandharvas The Healing of Indra Legend · VedicThe Healing of Indra The River Who Listened Legend · VedicThe River Who Listened The Boar and the Tortoise Legend · VedicThe Boar and the Tortoise Manu and the Fish Legend · VedicManu and the Fish The Face in the Water Legend · VedicThe Face in the Water The Thunder Says Da Legend · VedicThe Thunder Says Da The Father Who Fell Apart Legend · VedicThe Father Who Fell Apart The God Called Who Legend · VedicThe God Called Who The Boy at Death's Door Legend · VedicThe Boy at Death's Door How Night Was Made Legend · VedicHow Night Was Made The First to Die Legend · VedicThe First to Die The Wedding of Surya and Soma Legend · VedicThe Wedding of Surya and Soma Tara and the Child of the Moon Legend · Told across IndiaTara and the Child of the Moon The Moon and the Twenty-Seven Sisters Legend · Told across India · Prabhasa (Somnath), GujaratThe Moon and the Twenty-Seven Sisters The Falcon and the Archer Legend · VedicThe Falcon and the Archer The Breath That Never Sleeps Legend · VedicThe Breath That Never Sleeps The First Cup Legend · VedicThe First Cup The Race the Donkeys Won Legend · VedicThe Race the Donkeys Won The Woman Who Sang for the Twins Legend · VedicThe Woman Who Sang for the Twins The Cup the Healers Won Legend · VedicThe Cup the Healers Won The Teacher with the Horse's Head Legend · VedicThe Teacher with the Horse's Head The Old Man and the Pool Legend · VedicThe Old Man and the Pool Hanuman Leaps for the Sun Legend · Told across IndiaHanuman Leaps for the Sun The Veda That Came from the Sun Legend · Told across IndiaThe Veda That Came from the Sun Samba and the Sun Legend · Multan in the Punjab and Konark in OdishaSamba and the Sun The Day the Sun Went Dark Legend · Told across IndiaThe Day the Sun Went Dark The Shadow Wife Legend · Told across IndiaThe Shadow Wife What Bhrigu Saw Legend · VedicWhat Bhrigu Saw The House of a Thousand Doors Legend · VedicThe House of a Thousand Doors The Boy Sold for a Hundred Cows Legend · VedicThe Boy Sold for a Hundred Cows The Boar Beyond Seven Hills Legend · VedicThe Boar Beyond Seven Hills The Bowstring and the Ants Legend · VedicThe Bowstring and the Ants The Dwarf Who Lay Down Legend · VedicThe Dwarf Who Lay Down The Three Strides Legend · VedicThe Three Strides The Fire Brought From Far Away Legend · VedicThe Fire Brought From Far Away Three Black Bricks for Nirriti Legend · VedicThree Black Bricks for Nirriti Calling Subandhu Back Legend · VedicCalling Subandhu Back The Lady of the Forest Legend · VedicThe Lady of the Forest The Spirit and the Blade of Grass Legend · Vedic · from the UpanishadsThe Spirit and the Blade of Grass Sarama and the Cattle Thieves Legend · VedicSarama and the Cattle Thieves Indra and the Dragon Legend · VedicIndra and the Dragon The Man in Black from the North Legend · VedicThe Man in Black from the North The God Who Was Left Behind Legend · VedicThe God Who Was Left Behind The Boy with Eight Names Legend · VedicThe Boy with Eight Names The King Who Carried Fire in His Mouth Legend · Vedic · from the Sarasvati to VidehaThe King Who Carried Fire in His Mouth The Fire That Hid in the Water Legend · VedicThe Fire That Hid in the Water Ravana Lifts Kailash Legend · Told across IndiaRavana Lifts Kailash Kannappa, the Hunter Who Gave His Eyes Legend · South IndiaKannappa, the Hunter Who Gave His Eyes The Three Cities and the Single Arrow Legend · Told across IndiaThe Three Cities and the Single Arrow The Pillar of Fire Legend · Told across IndiaThe Pillar of Fire Markandeya and the Noose of Death Legend · Told across IndiaMarkandeya and the Noose of Death How Parvati Won Shiva Legend · Told across IndiaHow Parvati Won Shiva Sati and the Sacrifice Legend · Told across IndiaSati and the Sacrifice Ganga in His Hair Legend · Told across IndiaGanga in His Hair The Blue Throat Legend · Told across IndiaThe Blue Throat How Ganesha Got His Elephant Head Legend · Told across IndiaHow Ganesha Got His Elephant Head The Race Around the World Legend · Told across IndiaThe Race Around the World

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