What does it take to weave ancient mythology into the fabric of modern fiction? It could be a Herculean task, but some seem to be able to pull it off. How do some authors delve deep into the core of the human spirit and bring together the wisdom and ideas of Hindu mythology & the intricacies of the lives we live today? How does what’s deemed to be mythical become profoundly relevant today and can it redefine the way we understand the world and even ourselves? Could it forge a more equitable and compassionate future and maybe, acknowledge the vital role of women’s voices in a more substantial manner?
And how could something like evil be looked at?
According to author Amish Tripathi, known for ‘The Shiva Trilogy’, among other things, “According to the Shaivite tradition, if it exists in the universe, it means Lord Shiva has created it and if he has, how could it be evil? What becomes evil is if you do excess of it. So, 8 billion of us eating meat every day would destroy the planet. That’s not sustainable. So, should a large number of us, if we don’t need meat, become vegetarians? Yes, because in that sense, it’s better for the world. For some people, like a soldier or a sportsperson, today, you get whey protein, which you didn’t really get in ancient times. Soldiers may not be able to get high-quality vegetarian protein, so you try to do as little damage to the universe as possible. This is actually the Indian concept of ‘divinity’, where it’s actually all in your hands and it’s not that there’s an external God who would come and judge you on right and wrong to decide whether you’d go to heaven or hell. In the ancient Indian way, there is no permanent hell, there’s only this Earth and we come back again and again in the cycle of rebirths until we discover the divine within… That’s the individual journey for us: to discover the divine within”.
And are there lessons that leaders could learn from Lord Shiva?
Tripathi remarks, “One is giving a sense of ownership and unity to people, which Lord Shiva does so well throughout the series; how he forges an army and his followers together and how he instills confidence in them, that’s what leadership is. Leadership is not doing everything yourself and pressing your team down… A leader is someone who raises their team and brings out the best in them. One of the things I find extremely interesting, when it comes to the character of Lord Shiva in the book series, is that he doesn’t expect everyone to be the same… Perhaps, we don’t realize that each human is an entire package… We want to put everyone in the same paradigm in terms of their lists of strengths and weaknesses. Human beings are not a balance sheet, they’re not a package deal”.
“Leadership is a responsibility, it’s not a right or power. If you’re a leader, you have greater work to do and need to make greater sacrifices, then the people, who work for that team, would work even harder… So, you lead by example, that’s what actually swallowing poison means. If you expect your team to make sacrifices, you need to make more sacrifices”, adds Tripathi.
And what are some lessons to be gleaned from Goddesses in Hindu mythology?
“The lesson from Goddess Sita is not just for women, I think it’s for all of us. We should stand up for our rights, but without extremism. If you, yourself, are an extremist, you’ll create extremism on the other side as well… Goddess Sita was emblematic of a kind of feminism, which is a calmer and more quiet feminism. There are men, who are the strong-yet silent types. Draupadi was emblematic of front-front aggressive feminism. There are men who will shout and scream, but not every man, who shouts and screams, is strong. Sometimes, the shouting and the screaming are a cover for deep insecurities. There are strong men, who are actually calm and will fight for themselves, but won’t raise their voice”, opines Tripathi.
Watch the entire interaction here:
