Extract
Click the following for a sample chapter from this volume:
Online Ordering:
Ordering by Mail
About the Author
Return to Home Page
Send comments or questions to namadeva@sanskritmantra.com
165 pages, 8 1/2 x 11", Spiral Bound
In the summer of 2000 the Reverend Jill Porter approached me with a problem. She was teaching junior high school students about various cultures around the globe. One of her methods was to expose them to a slice of the literature and spiritual traditions of a country through anthologies or stories that reflected the traditions of the country. For India, she found there was no single book of stories that could convey the religious cultural traditions of the country. She asked for my recommendation. After some review, I also was stumped. Most of the available myths and stories were either rendered in academic language or summarized in hopelessly boring paragraphs. There were some spiritual comic books depicting some of the major traditions, but they were skimpy on content even if they were enjoyable to look at.
After we compared notes, Jill announced that I would just have to write the book she wanted. Swallowing hard, I said I would think about it. I tried writing a short story, "The Teacher Takes a Trip," to capture some of the spirit and tone of India, I presented it to Astara by reading it to their congregation. To my astonishment and delight, they loved it. Founder Dr, Robert Chaney paid me the ultimate compliment. "Fine story," he said. "Wish I'd written it." With responses like those I was emboldened to write more original stories to convey the spiritual wonders of India.
After I had written "The Thief Who Stole a Robe," I heard there was an Indian folk tale about someone who stole the robe of a swami. But I found that my original story was nothing like the folk tale. The only thing they had in common was a stolen robe.
When I had finished several original short stories, I realized that I should also write readable stories fashioned around some of the traditional epics and classic tales such as those that appear in The Ramayana and The Vishnu Purana. I also realized I needed to include stories to reflect the spiritual transformation of great immortal sages like Vishwamitra and Markandeya. Finally, I saw I needed to include stories on the favorite of most Indian youth, Ganesha, the elephant-headed god-son of Shiva and Parvati.
So, after a much longer time than any of us had imagined, the book is finally complete. I can now say, "OK, Jill, here it is."
At the suggestion of many people, I am also making CD recordings of the stories available.
Thomas Ashley-Farrand
October, 2002
Original Stories by Thomas Ashley-Farrand
1. Ganges Barber
2. Pada Puja
3. The Thief Who Stole a Robe
4. The Best Masala Dosas
5. Priestly Ambitions
6. The Teacher Takes a Trip
7. I'm Here to HelpTraditional Myths and Stories from India
8. Markandeya's Sixteenth Birthday
9. Bhakta Prahalad "Did I have To Be Born Here?"
10. Rama Wins Sita's Hand in Marriage
11. The Ambition of Vishwamitra
12. Parvati Takes a Bath
The Creation of Ganesha - Ganapathi
13. Ganapathi - First Among the Celestials
14. Krishna and the Syamantaka Gem
15. Shiva's Great AdmirerGlossary