13 - Nurse Ratched and Umbrella Mountain

Summary

In 'Stories from India', host Narad Monei, a mythological character with eternal life, narrates tales of Krishna, an avatar of Vishnu. The episode revisits Krishna's escape from King Kamsa's prophecy and his encounter with the demon Putana, showcasing divine intervention. It also tells of Krishna's wisdom in challenging Indra's control over rain, using the Goan Mountain as a metaphorical umbrella to protect the people of Brindavan. The podcast draws parallels between Krishna and characters from 'Harry Potter', highlighting Krishna's fearlessness and wisdom.

Takeaways

• 🎵 The podcast 'Stories from India' narrates myths, legends, and folk tales of India, hosted by Narad Monei, a character with eternal life and omniscience.
• 👑 The story of 'Cun', an evil king who imprisoned his sister to control the birth of her eighth child, Krishna, who was prophesied to kill him, is recounted.
• 𑂐 Krishna, being the eighth child, escaped his fate with divine intervention and was swapped with another baby, Balam, to avoid Cun's wrath.
• 🔍 Cun's search for Krishna led to the involvement of Putana, a shape-shifting demon, who was tasked with killing the baby but was defeated by Krishna's divine nature.
• 🍼 Krishna's mother, Yasoda, unknowingly left him with Putana, who was disguised as a nurse, but Krishna's divine immunity saved him from her poisoned milk.
• 🌧️ The story of Krishna lifting the Govardhan mountain to protect the people and cattle of Brindavan from excessive rainfall caused by Indra, the god of rain, is highlighted.
• 🌊 Krishna's explanation of the water cycle to the villagers, challenging the belief in Indra's control over rain, is a key narrative in the script.
• 🏹 Krishna's comparison to Harry Potter, with similarities in their stories of prophecy and attempts on their lives, is drawn by the host.
• 🐍 The tale of Shesha, the ultimate snake and Vishnu's sidekick, who desired more significant roles in Vishnu's avatars, is briefly mentioned.
• 🕊️ Krishna's fearless and wise nature is contrasted with Harry Potter's, emphasizing Krishna's better judgment and social skills.
• 📅 Shesha's body is said to control the flow of time in the universe, with the ability to move time forward or stop it when coiled.

Q & A

What is the podcast 'Stories from India' about?

The podcast 'Stories from India' is about myths, legends, and folk tales from India, hosted by a mythological character named Narad Monein who has the gift of eternal life and knowledge.

Who is the host of the podcast and what are his characteristics?

The host of the podcast is Narad Monein, a mythological character who has the gift of eternal life, knowledge of the past, present, and future, and always speaks the truth. He is also a traveling musician and a storyteller by profession.

What is the story of Cun, the evil Tyrant King, in the podcast?

Cun, the evil Tyrant King, heard a prophecy that the eighth baby of his newly married sister would kill him. Instead of ignoring it, he imprisoned his sister and her husband to have absolute control over the baby. However, baby number seven, Balam, was swapped out by divine intervention for baby number eight, Krishna, who escaped the fate of his siblings.

What was the role of Putna in the story?

Putna was a demon employed by Cun. She was tasked with finding and killing the eighth baby, Krishna, who was prophesied to end Cun's reign. She disguised herself as a nurse to get close to Krishna, but her attempt to poison him backfired, and she was defeated.

How did Krishna demonstrate his divine powers as a baby?

Krishna demonstrated his divine powers by surviving an attempt on his life by Putna, who tried to poison him. Instead of being affected by the poison, Krishna caused Putna to become weak and die, showing that he was an avatar of a major God.

What is the significance of the story about Krishna and Indra?

The story about Krishna and Indra demonstrates Krishna's wisdom and power. Krishna explained the water cycle to the people, showing that rainfall is a natural process, not controlled by Indra. When Indra tried to punish the people by causing excessive rain, Krishna lifted the Govardhan Mountain to protect them, showing his strength and defiance against Indra's ego.

What is the connection between the story of Krishna and modern stories like Harry Potter?

The connection between Krishna's story and modern stories like Harry Potter lies in the themes of a prophesied child who is targeted by a villain, the use of divine intervention to protect the child, and the child's eventual demonstration of extraordinary powers and wisdom.

What is the role of Ananta Shesha, or Shesha Naga, in the mythology mentioned in the podcast?

Ananta Shesha, or Shesha Naga, is Vishnu's sidekick in Hindu mythology. He is large enough to serve as a daybed for Vishnu and accompanies Vishnu everywhere, playing various roles in Vishnu's avatars, including being a rope in the Matsya Avatar and having the power to control the flow of time in the universe.

What is the significance of the story about the dead mouse and business principles mentioned at the end of the podcast?

The story about the dead mouse and business principles is a teaser for the next episode, suggesting that it will involve a historical tale with a modern business twist, showing how clever business principles can change one's life.

How can listeners provide feedback or get in touch with the podcast?

Listeners can provide feedback or get in touch with the podcast by leaving a comment or a review on the site sfipodcast.com, tweeting at SFI podcast, or finding them on Instagram or Facebook.

What is the source of the music used in the podcast?

The music used in the podcast is from Purple Planet, an online music platform that provides royalty-free music, which can be found at purple-planet.com.