Puranic Archives - Fates and Graces Mythologium

Dr. Parab’s presentation is called “Stories of Love & Lust in Indian Mythology”

Love and Lust are two closely associated emotions of heart. Even today it is very difficult for an individual to rightly classify his / her emotion either as Love or Lust. This quest of understanding and differentiating Love from Lust and to put it in social context of morality has continued for thousands of years. How then has India being one of the most ancient civilizations and a rich storehouse of literature stay aloof from this quest? Also, what can be a better way to narrate these complicated human emotions with social moral context other than the mythical stories? Thus we find the stories of Love and Lust in Indian Mythology from Vedic Literature to Puranic Literature. Though these are human emotions; Gods also get entangled in them and thus face the consequences. This narration is so humane to understand that since even Gods can get entangled in Love and Lust; so can humans, and since even Gods have to face the consequences, so do humans.

About Dr. Parab

Dr. Sunil Parab is an Ayurveda Doctor and an Indologist by qualification. He is working as Associate Professor in Doon Institute of Medical Sciences; Dehradun. His research in Indology mainly revolves around Comparative Mythology and Folklore in regions of Maharashtra and Uttarakhand. He is associated with Sindhu Veda Research Institute as Indology Academician and Researcher. His expertise is in Classical Texts of Ayurveda, Sanskrit Language, Indian Mythology, Indian Philosophy and Indian Folk Deities.

To hear Dr. Parab’s talk and many others, join us at the Mythologium!

The Mythologium is a conference for mythologists and friends of myth. This year’s Mythologium will be held July 28-30 in-person and online in the Pacific time zone.

Learn more and register

Sunil’s talk is called “Myth and Ecological Consciousness with Reference to Indian Mythology and Rituals”

Ecological consciousness has always been a core topic in Indian mythology. Indian mythology can be broadly classified into Vedic and Puranic myth. Vedic myth worships various elements of nature as the deities, so the ancient seers of the Vedic era recognize ecological consciousness through mythical symbols, characters, and stories.

In Puranic mythology, we do not see ecological consciousness worshipped directly, but we do see ecological continuity from Vedic myth in the form of symbols and rituals. As proposed by Frazer, the myths serve as charters for the rituals. As proposed by Joseph Campbell, participating in a ritual enables us to participate in the myth. Thus, Indian mythology as whole serves as a foundation for rituals that help us maintain relationships between humans and the environment. This presentation surveys the theme through symbolism and rituals and questions its continuity for the current Indian population’s struggles with urbanization, migration, globalization, and changes in political leadership.

About Sunil

Dr. Sunil R. Parab is Associate Professor at the Doon Institute of Medical Sciences in Dehradun, and a consultant at the Sindhu Veda Research Institute in Sindhudurga. He is a post-graduate practitioner of Ayurveda with an executive degree in healthcare management. He has studied manuscriptology and comparative mythology at the University of Mumbai and is currently studying for a Masters in Indology from Tilak Maharashtra University in Pune. He is a member of the International Association of Comparative Mythology and has been presenting his research in Indian mythology over the past seven years through national and international platforms. He also teaches Ayurveda, Indian philosophy, and Indian mythology through online courses.

To hear Sunil’s talk and many others, join us at the Mythologium!

The Mythologium is a conference and retreat for mythologists and friends of myth, held July 29 – 31 via Zoom in the Pacific time zone.