MYTH-701 Lessons

The Mythology classroom is home to an unexpected source of life today. In addition to students buzzing and chattering around the classroom, there is a long, shallow dish that runs the length of the classroom filled with lotus flowers of varying shades. The heady, sweet scent overpowers the typical dust and earthiness that lingers in the classroom, but the effect is quite soothing. As Professor Wessex enters the class this afternoon, she does not take her place in front of the desk -- likely owing to the fact that there is a heap of aquatic plants in the way -- and instead seats herself before speaking.

Introduction
Still in the furthest eastern portion of Asia, though moving a bit south as well, we travel to India today. While not quite as large as China, it is still a large nation, coming in at thirteen times the size of our United Kingdom. What this means for us is that there is a wealth of variety and traditions, even more so when we factor in the passage of time. While, as I have said previously, it is difficult to generalize with a country of this size, but for the sake of concise understanding, I will paint you a picture in broad strokes about this proud country.

Beginnings of Belief
First, we must look at the religious background of the area. While many may equate the nation with Buddhism, India was, at first, Hindu. According to scholars, Hinduism was born sometime between 26,000 and 15,000 BCE, whereas Buddhism blossomed sometime in the late 500s BCE, and is considered to be a branch of Hinduism. While Buddhism enjoyed a period of popularity, it began to decline in popularity between the 4th and 6th centuries CE, and ceded territory back to Hinduism. Today, roughly 80% of India practices or identifies as Hindu, whereas not even one percent of the population is Buddhist.

Despite the back and forth between these two religions, many argue that they have more in common than not and view them as different variations of the same faith. Certainly there are some similarities, including a progression towards “oneness” (though the exact definition of this differs), a belief in reincarnation, as well as both dharma and karma (the belief in duty and earned destiny, respectively). Where they differ is interesting as well, in that Hinduism is seen as more rigid and in possession of more rituals and formality, while Buddhism is focused on moderation imposed by your own self-control, rather than avoiding everything (food, alcohol, money, etc.) entirely. 

While this is all very interesting, it bears asking what it has to do with mythology and magical society as a whole. Firstly, many of the normal players in myth -- gods and goddesses -- are absent from Buddhist mythology, as most did not believe in gods in the typical fashion. However, Hinduism makes up for this absence and then some, possessing, by some counts, 330,000,000 divine beings. Additionally, wrapped up in its tendency towards rules and rituals, Hinduism possesses a strict caste system, at the top of which sit the Brahmins. Yes, as you have likely already guessed, many Brahmnis (at least historically speaking) were witches and wizards, and stories of them are naturally of great interest to magianthropologists and the like. 

An Abundance of Gods
Without further introduction, this leads us nicely into the topic of the Hindu pantheon. As mentioned, some put the number of deities at 330 million (largely comprised of goddesses), though the line as to exactly who or what is a deity is unclear. For example, Vishnu -- not even one of the original deities of Hinduism1 -- is stated by different Hindu texts to have anywhere between 108 to 1000 separate names. Even more important were his ten “avatars” or ten separate physical forms he took, some of whom are recognized and worshipped as separate deities unto themselves. It all gets even more confusing when you introduce the concept that all of these gods are all technically just permutations of one true god, as Hinduism believes that everything is bound together in a way that cannot be fully understood. 

Regardless of exactly how many devas or devis (the male and female term for gods among Hindus) there truly are, there are a few main points to take away from this information. Firstly, the concept of interconnectedness is strong and crops up in many myths. The evildoer eventually gets his comeuppance as he too is connected to his victims and cannot escape his intertwined fate. Additionally, the concept of people being gods themselves, or gods having multiple forms, or even mundane things being godly is a frequent theme in Hindu mythology. Finally, at least for the sake of this brief lesson (though there is much to discuss in terms of Hinduism and its influence on mythology), it is important to know that Hindu mythology promotes the revision of myth. Similar to how additional aspects of Vishnu were added, Hinduism does not concern itself overly with slavish dedication to preserving things as they originally were. The most important thing about a myth is that it teaches an important lesson. Therefore, there may be dozens of completely different versions of the same myth and all are accepted as equally “right.” 

A Maze of Myth
Having multiple versions of a myth is, in some ways, frustrating for scholars. Because Hindu myth is supposed to change and encouraged to be an adaptive narrative, it is more difficult than usual to identify real facts, people, events, or places. We are unsure which part of the myth (if any) is original, and extrapolations are much more difficult to make, as the events do not need to have ever happened or be based on anything other than a good story with a good message. However, this can be partially resolved when looking at written accounts, including the Vedas (which we will discuss in a moment), as some level of certainty can be preserved. Moreover, these twisting moral myths certainly do give scholars a look at the beliefs of the people at the time, which can be just as important.

Before we move on to look at the Vedas and specific myths, there is one final consideration to keep in mind. Owing to the uniqueness of Hindu myth, it’s unlikely you’ll find exact duplicates no matter how hard you look. Therefore, in Hindu mythology, it is not problematic if only one myth corroborates your story, theory, artifact, or hypothesis. Granted, it would make your theory stronger, to be certain, but unlike most areas of mythology, one tale is enough of a hypothesis.

Vedas
There has been quite enough unavoidable confusion and vagary in this lesson already. For this section, however, we will do our best to discuss only basic facts. Vedas are, in simplest terms, holy books or collections of writing important to Hinduism. However, they serve a much wider purpose and also record things that we consider pertinent to mythology captured in the form of “hymns,” including rituals, spells in the form of prayers, and notes on meditation and general knowledge at the time. If you took Ancient Runes, you will potentially be aware of a similar concept via ancient Egyptian spells. They are incredibly long, flowery, invoke or praise various gods or goddesses, and take the form of prayers. However, returning back to the unique concept of vedas, they were based on oral tradition until their recording in writing at an unfortunately unagreed upon time (though well into the period before the common era and soundly in the period of ancient history).

There are four vedas, known as the Atharvaveda, Rigveda, Samaveda, and Yajurveda, which are each further broken into more “books.” However, these “books” in most cases are more aligned with the ancient Egyptian concept of “book” than actual singular texts with all of the information in one place. While, as noted, it is difficult to discern facts from Hindu mythology, there are certain “levels” or groups of books that are considered to have been written first, most of which discuss the formation of the universe and venerate various deities. However, many other “levels” or “layers” were added later and are still considered part of the same texts. Keep in mind that these are not literal terms, and there is no manuscript that has been added to by multiple generations. Instead, we are speaking of a collection of texts. 

It would be impossible to discuss the contents of all of the vedas here, or even discuss the entire contents of one veda. However, we will do our best. We will focus briefly on the Rigveda, as the texts in this body of work are estimated to be among the oldest forms of Sanskrit writing, or indeed of any Indo-European languages. The earliest hymns of this work deal with the primordial devas, but some of the latest hymns (which also happen to be the longest ones) treat with the god Vishnu. In truth, he is one of the more recent deities, and his appearances in the Rigveda account for only 5% of the content, but myths surrounding this individual are many and are of great magical interest. 

The Birth of Krishna
It may seem as though we’re switching topics here, but Krishna is one of the ten avatars of the deva Vishnu. In fact, he is arguably the most popular, with countless stories surrounding his life and many different “aspects” of him deified. This blue-skinned deva is seen in many forms: as a mischievous but sweet child, as a talented lover, a prankster, a frequent hero, and, above all, a powerful superhuman being beyond our understanding. As could be expected then, not only is he worshipped as an avatar of Vishnu, but as a god in and of his own right. 

There are countless myths about Krishna, owing to his popularity, but today we will look at the one surrounding his birth, which serves to cement him as an all-powerful being upon the moment of his conception, and even before. You will find a version of the myth on your desks. As you are not toddlers, and I am not your parent I will not read it to you. Take a moment to read over it yourself before we continue the lesson and our dissection of the story. If left with time to spare as you wait for your peers to catch up, spend your time thinking critically about the myth so you can contribute to the conversation, rather than about tonight’s supper menu or Merlin knows what else it is you think about.

Dissection
As you can see, there is quite a lot to that myth: some things which have been explained, but many more that require further thought. First, there is the mention of Vishnu, the mention of Krishna as an all-powerful god, and Krishna’s parents praying to God to save Krishna. All of these persons are mentioned or alluded to as “the” one god, which can be confusing to those without a background in Hindu tradition. 

Additionally, while you have not had a chance to see it come to fruition, the concept of karma is hinted at ominously, even from the beginning. Mentions of Kamsa’s immorality (especially against his family) crop up immediately, and it is swiftly noted that they will be his downfall. And indeed, his retribution for mistreating his family will come from within. The concept of related fate is very prevalent here. Dharma, or duty, is also echoed here slightly, as it is noted that Kamsa had requirements and expectations of him that he felt obliged to follow, despite his cruel nature. 

You may also note the appearance of the strangely mentioned god-snake. In Indian (and other Asian) tradition, creatures that fall into the broad category of “sarpa” are often given mythical or magical powers. While they are frequently referred to as one specific kind of creature, there are actually many, and a specific one. To explain, we look at the example of “ghoul.” There is one specific kind of Ghoul, as both your Care of Magical Creatures and Ghoul Studies professors have described to you, but there is a larger category of “ghouls,” or creatures that are otherworldly, or undead. The term “sarpa” functions similarly. Anything vaguely reptilian or amphibian could be called a sarpa in ancient Asian tradition. The most common creatures that fell into this category were dragons and their predecessors, and a variety of snakes both magical and mundane. As you will likely be noticing, the concept of enormous, supernatural snakes is a nearly universal theme present in countless culture’s myths. There are Native American snake-caves, ancient Egyptian Ouroboroi, Mesoamerican snake gods, and more. 

Interestingly, there is thought to be one specific creature from which the general term got its name and identification, though so many millennia have passed that we can not be sure what animal that was. There may well have been a magical type of snake or dragon that lived in streams that caused immense agitation during particular seasons. Or, equally likely, it was a fabrication for the sake of Krishna’s safe passage across troubled waters. It is difficult to know. Such is the life of mythological scholars.

Now, aside from specifically Indian themes, you may have noticed a stark similarity between this myth and another you have studied in previous years. In the first lesson of Year Five Mythology, Professor Morgan explained to you the myth of Kronos and the birth of Zeus. There are some differences: Kronos as Zeus’s father, Kronos’s cannibalism, and the lack of a specified birth order. However, the similarities here are very obvious. A cruel man is put in his place by a god of a younger generation. This theme of progress with each new generation is not an uncommon one and is present in many more cultures than just ancient Greece and India. 

The rest of the themes of this myth fall to you to decipher, those before we do that, there is one more topic to cover.

Frames and Nights
Finally, we end today’s lesson with a discussion of the rather famous 1,001 Arabian Nights. Yes, a rather unexpected topic, I know. Regardless, the famed story -- or thousands of stories -- is suspected to have some Indian roots, in addition to its obvious Arabic provenance. 

There are a few main factors which play into this assumption, though it is difficult to prove anything one way or another. Before we look at them, however, it bears mentioning how the tales begin. The opening scene tells of a bitter king who takes a new wife every day, and every night slays her, only to begin again the following morning. One young peasant girl, Scheherazade, uses her cleverness to keep the king enthralled for 1,001 nights with her storytelling, inventing each story to entertain him. Each story is, in fact, not its own separate story, but linked into the last, and the stories do not end (or many of them do not) until they approach the very last evening, when Sheherezade must finish her tale and accept her fate. Fortunately, the bitter king had, by then, fallen in love with the charming woman, and thus ends his murderous rampage, and begins their own happy story. 

Therefore, all of the stories told within the 1,001 Nights are worked into a “frame” as they are a story within a story. This concept of a “frame story” was quite popular in India at this time and is one of the main reasons there is thought to be Indian influence in this otherwise Persian tale. In addition, scholars secondarily point to the intelligence and importance of the story’s female protagonist which, while not completely unheard of in Arabic stories of this time, was much more prevalent in Indian mythology, as evidenced by the Oracle and the Goddess Durga in the story surrounding the birth of Krishna.

Closing
But I will leave the rest of the Arabian Nights for next week’s lesson. For now, I will leave you with a number of assignments. First, there is the obligatory quiz and myth decoding essay, which are mandatory. As for optional assignments, I have opted to give you a brief pause from your review assignments, though we will pick that tradition back up with a practice N.E.W.T. in Lesson Six, after your midterm. Finally, should you be interested, there is also an assignment in which you are invited to discuss how the existence of  multiple versions could have affected the Birth of Krishna story.

Footnotes:

1. These three original gods are seen as Agni, or fire, Vayu, or wind, and Surya, or sun. However, they have largely ceded popularity to another trio: Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu. As I’ve hinted, this trio is seen not as three gods, but as three aspects of the same god.

Original lesson by Professor Venita Wessex
Image credits here, here, here, here, here, and here