Devlok With Devdutt Pattanaik

Like the Sumerians, Hindus wrote poetic stories which focused on the powers of the gods. Devdutt Pattanaik uncovers the hidden stories of the greatest epics in Hindu mythology: Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Devdutt Pattanaik discusses Brahma (the Creator), Vishnu (the Sustainer) and Shiva (the Destroyer) -- three personas representing God in Hinduism collectively known as the Trimurti.

Colors play an important role in Hindu culture and have a deep significance transcending decorative values. Devdutt Pattanaik introduces the concept of using a specific color for a deity to create a persona of the god or goddess.

Various legends surround the prominent figure Shiva, one of the most powerful gods of the Hindu pantheon. Devdutt Pattanaik talks about Shiva being at the core of the centrifugal force of the universe due to his responsibility for death and destruction.

Hindu mythology boasts of numerous stories of supernatural beings, either fighting against one another for supremacy or joining forces to fight some other being. Devdutt Pattanaik introduces the various supernatural beings from Indian mythology.

Indra Dev is the God of rain and thunder. Devdutt Pattanaik highlights Indra's characteristics of insecurity and jealousy which drive him to sabotage sages' meditations and instigate battles between the devas.

Hindu narratives offer explanations for any event. Good things happen because of boons; bad things happen because of a curse. Devdutt provides stories of some interesting boons and curses that resulted in grave consequences.

At its fundamental level, Hinduism terms heaven and hell as "swarga" and "naraka." Devdutt Pattanaik does a comparative study of heaven and hell between three religions -- Hinduism, Christianity and Islam.

Devdutt Pattanaik discusses the significance of Shakti's creative energies underlying the cosmos. Shakti is revered as the mother Goddess, the universal source of power, vitality and creativity.

The most revered and popular God of Hinduism is Lord Ganesha. Devdutt Pattanaik discusses the significance of the elephant-headed god and the legends that encapsulate the idea of Ganesha being the supreme consciousness that pervades all beings.

Devdutt Pattanaik discusses the variety of astra possessed by various deities, their USPs and the conditions that existed involving their usage. He also talks in depth about some very well-known astra.

Devdutt Pattanaik discusses the various mounts of Hindu deities and the strengths with which they correlate. He also narrates the stories fo the birth of various mounts.

Devdutt Pattanaik traces the history of the Ganga in Hindu mythology. He discusses the importance of Ganga as a deity, her co-relation with the other deities, especially Shiva, her prominence in different sects and her descent from heaven to earth.

The Bhagvad Gita, as we all know, is the holy book of the Hindus. Devdutt Pattanaik breaks down this idea with an in-depth analogy based on geography, history and philosophy.

Devdutt Pattanaik touches upon the many famous Hindu pilgrimage centers inclusive of the Dhams, Kshetras, Peetas and the Melas. He also discusses the ideas behind pilgrimage, its birth and growth.

Devdutt Pattanaik talks about Hindu deities and their favorite foods. He also explores the stories and folk tales behind Krishna's association with maakhan, Ganesha's love for modaks and Shiva's affiliation with the bel leaf.

Devdutt Pattanaik explains the different stages of evolution in the Yugas, their significance and the important events that occurred in the different Yugas.

Devdutt Pattanaik decodes the various cosmogonic myths surrounding the creation of the world. He explains the various stories accepted by people belonging to different sects and offers a neutral viewpoint regarding the roles played by the Hindu pantheon.

Devdutt Pattanaik introduces the Guardians of the Directions -- the deities who rule the specific directions of space according to Hindu mythology. They are known as Dikpalas.Though frequently mentioned, they are rarely worshiped.

Devdutt Pattanaik discusses the tales of love and marriage of the gods in the Hindu pantheon. He also talks about introducing the story form to explain the philosophical ideas to the common man.

Devdutt Pattanaik talks about the idea of shape shifting and its existence since time immemorial. He introduces us to stories about shape shifting in Hindu mythology.

Devdutt Pattanaik introduces Vishnu's avatars and talks about each one of them in brief. He also discusses "Dashavatara" and changes in the list based on sects and regions.

Devdutt Pattanaik talks about some of the more famous nakshatras in Hindu mythology and narrates interesting stories about them. He also briefly talks about the idea that the positions of the nakshatras and grahas influence our lives.

Devdutt Pattanaik talks about the association of trees and plants with deities in Hindu mythology. He narrates stories from the Vedas and the Puranas that tell us how a particular plant or tree became a favorite with a particular god or sect.

Devdutt Pattanaik breaks down the idea of Puja, the different kinds of Puja and how they are performed. He talks briefly about yagna, temple ceremonies like an abhisheka, annual festivals like Durga puja etc.