Every myth carries a truth older than the civilization that told it.
Showing 31–40 of 46
The pishacha — lowest of Hindu flesh-eating spirits, the gibbering corpse-eater of cremation grounds blamed for disease, madness, and possession.
The myth of the Makara: a mythical aquatic creature of Hindu myth, a composite sea-monster combining crocodile, fish, elephant and other features, the
The myth of the Kinnara: the celestial musician-beings of Hindu and Buddhist myth, half-human, half-bird beings of great beauty renowned for their music,
The myth of Sharabha: a powerful mythical beast of Hindu myth, a fearsome composite creature, part lion and part bird (with eight legs), the form taken by
The myth of Ravana: the great demon-king of the Ramayana, the ten-headed rakshasa lord of Lanka, the immensely powerful, learned and proud antagonist
The myth of Mahishasura: the great buffalo-demon of Hindu myth, the shape-shifting asura who, made invincible against all males by a boon, conquered the
The myth of Hiranyakashipu: a great demon-king of Hindu myth, the tyrant asura who, made nearly invincible by a cunningly-worded boon, conquered the
The myth of Hiranyaksha: a great demon of Hindu myth, the mighty golden-eyed asura who dragged the earth-goddess Bhumi down into the cosmic ocean,
The myth of Garuda: the divine eagle of Hindu myth, the magnificent king of birds, the mighty eagle-mount of the god Vishnu, the eternal enemy and
The myth of Shesha: the cosmic serpent of Hindu myth, the great thousand-headed king of the Nagas named "the endless" (Ananta), upon whose vast coils the
