February 21, 2009

First published February 20, 2009

The snake sacrifice

Janamejaya performed a great sacrifice to kill all the snakes in the world. It was at this deadly ceremony that the Mahabharata was narrated to appease the angry king.


Recent Books

Recent Posts

  • Are God’s Messengers Real or Imaginary?

    Are God’s Messengers Real or Imaginary?

    We know that information about Gautama Buddha, Chanakya, and Shankaracharya come from textual sources that were composed centuries after their supposed lifetimes. There is no material proof of their existence. But they are assumed to be historical figures. The same holds true for religious leaders like Jesus Christ and Prophet Muhammad. Believers insist they are…

  • Comparing Poems from Tantra and Bhakti

    Comparing Poems from Tantra and Bhakti

    A tiny fragment of the Indian population was literate in medieval times. But a large portion knew poetry, composed poetry and transmitted poetry. These poems are thus major cultural outputs. …

  • Blood Pacts of Kutch

    Blood Pacts of Kutch

    Priestly role was often performed by Charans. They were bards, negotiators, ritual specialists, poets, warriors, royal companisons and much more. They preserved memory in the old Dingal language. …