Exploration of the Indian Ethos in Devdutt Pattanaik’s Shyam: An Illustrated Retelling of the Bhagavata
Abstract
The Indian culture is revealed in religions, scriptures, mythologies, and puranas. The mythologies are not mere tales of Gods but they consist of great values and notions in them. One can adopt to the ethos of culture to make his or her life better. The mythological stories effectively convey the essential message to people and guide them towards a peaceful and prosperous life. Indians especially Hindus consider that following their religion could provide a sense of meaning and purpose to their lives. The spiritual values are essential for one’s liberation from the worldly entanglements and wellbeing of the soul, mind and body. Devdutt Pattanaik is an Indian mythologist, speaker, illustrator, columnist and an author of more than fifty books. Some of his important works are My Gita, Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata, Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana, Shyam: An Illustrated Retelling of the Bhagavata, Ramayana Versus Mahabharata, and Yama and his Book of Accounts. His works deal with the fields of religion, mythology and management. The present study aims at an analysis of the mythological retelling of Devdutt Pattanaik’s Shyam: An Illustrated Retelling of the Bhagavata so as to bring out his understanding of the world with reference to Indian ethos. Shyam is a retelling of the Bhagavata Purana with illustrations which incorporates tales from various regional and folk versions of the epic. The Bhagavata Purana, also known as the Srimad Bhagavatam, is one of Hinduism's eighteen great puranas. It is composed in Sanskrit and traditionally attributed to Veda Vyasa which promotes devotion towards Lord Krishna. Shyam: An Illustrated Retelling of the Bhagavata narrates the life history of Lord Krishna in sixteen chapters. Through these tales of Lord Krishna, the author provides great insights about life which enable the people to lead a happier life. Though Krishna is a divine manifestation of Lord Vishnu in human form (avathar), like human beings, he also has experienced all the emotions such as grief, loss, love and so on. Anyhow, he has led a better life due to his awareness about the nature of life and the functioning of universe.
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