Story time: Here's What We Found On Our Mythology Shelf

Indian Mythology is filled with interesting stories and even more interesting characters. Introducing your child to mythology will not just be about an entertaining story, but it will give her a taste of our culture and diversity. Read on for some stories you can narrate to your child. You are sure to have her hooked!

Lord Ganesha And The Moon

We all know how fond Ganesha is of delicious food. Once, a devotee offered him a widespread array of delicacies; such was the variety and taste that Ganesha spent most of his day eating. At night, on his way back home, he still held on to the food and walked very slowly because he had overeaten. Suddenly, he stumbled and fell down. Seeing this, Chandra, the moon couldn't control his laughter.

Chandra always thought of himself as handsome and mocked the pot-bellied Ganesha. Ganesha felt hurt; in a fit of anger he cursed the moon — now on no one would be able to see Chandra in his full form every night. And that is how the 15-day ascending and descending moon cycle began.

The moral is, every person has his/her unique physical traits, but what matters is the soul within.

Arjuna And The Bird

Guru Drona, the renowned teacher of the Kauravas and Pandavas, arranged a test in the jungle. He placed a wooden bird on the branch of a distant tree and asked every student to hit the eye of the bird. As each student took aim, he asked them to pause and tell him what they saw as they spotted their target. One said the 'sky', the 'clouds', while the others said the 'leaves', the 'branch' and so on.

Hearing these answers, Guru Drona did not allow them to shoot. Soon it was Arjun's turn. When asked the same question, he curtly said, "I see the bird, only the bird." Guru Drona was pleased and Arjun hit the bird straight in the eye with a single shot.

The moral here is concentration and focus are irreplaceable virtues in one's life.

Hanuman And The Mountain

Lakshmana was once severely wounded in a battle against Ravana. The doctorproclaimed that only a herb called Sanjeevani would help in reviving him. But the obstacle was that Sanjeevani was found only on the far away Dronagiri Mountain.

Seeing both Rama and Lakshman in pain, Hanuman offered to get the herb. He fought all hurdles and reached Dronagiri as fast as he could. Unfortunately he could not identify the herb, and Lakshman had to be treated before day break. With no other alternative available, Hanuman, with his full might, lifted the mountain and brought it to the doctor.

Lakshman was cured and Rama bestowed the title of 'brother' on Hanuman. An epic story,it symbolizes that duty and responsibility come first.

Shiva And Bhasmasura

Bhasmasura was an evil demon, but with sincere penance and prayer he won over Shiva's heart. He was granted a boon wherein he could kill any other being just by placing his hand on their head. Elated and maniacal he tried to test the same on Shiva, who couldn't take his words back, and fled. Vishnu was witness to the entire incident, so he took the form of Mohini, a beautiful lady, who successfully disillusioned Bhasmasura.

She tactfully asked Bhasmasura to test the boon on himself and he foolishly gave in, killing himself. The moral here is noble intentions and humility are needed to use your strength and intellect completely.

Krishna And Sudhama

Krishna and Sudhama were childhood friends. As years passed, they were separated and settled down with their families. Krishna was the one with the silver spoon, while Sudhama lived the life of a poor Brahmin, barely able to make ends meet.

One day, due to pressure from his wife, Sudhama visited Krishna with a lot of inhibitions as he was so poor and tattered. To his surprise, he was treated with the highest degree of respect and warmth. Not a single moment of his stay did he feel alone or intimidated. Krishna relished the fistful of cooked rice sent by Sudhama's wife and made the entire meeting very enchanting for Sudhama. He was blessed with all the pleasures and happiness by Lord Krishna. They set a benchmark in the only relationship that we make independently - friendship.

Sharing these stories with our children will let us preserve the precious history and its lessons. What stories do you share with your children? Tell us in the comments below!