EC Reading Notes: Vaishimo Devi

Cover Art (Indian Epics: Amar Chitra Katha)

Script: Aruna Balakrishna
Illustrations: Durgesh Velhal

Vashnavi

1. She is a goddess created to defeat asuras
2. she was created by Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Parvati
3. after she defeated the demons her 3 moms told her she needed to go to earth to help people
4. Vishnu gifted her to Ratnakar (a devout worshipper)
5. she was named Trikuta
6. she meets Rama while he was looking for Seeta
7. he renames her Vaishnavi
8. when he returns, he will give her a boon if she recognizes him
9. she doesn't so she goes to the hills to meditate
10. as her popularity grows Gorak Nath sends Bhairon Nath to investigate
11. he becomes obsessed with her
12. he pursues her further into the mountains
13. finally she gets so mad that transforms into Kali
14. Kali decapitates Bhairon
15. he asks her to forgive him
16. she does and says there will be a temple dedicated to him on the spot where he died
17. she transforms back into Vaishnavi
18. she goes to a cave and becomes a statue that has a three headed likeness of her moms

Readin Notes: Ramayan 3392 AD Reloaded Part B

General Viv-Shan (Game Spot)

Ramayan 3392 AD Reloaded Part B

Created By:  Deepak Chopra and Shekhar Kapur

Written By: Shamik Dasgupta

Art By: Jeevan King

About the Graphic Novel

This is a not a retelling of the original Ramayana.  This is a re-imagination of the Ramayana.  This story takes place in the 3392 AD.  Thousands years before the start of Rama's adventure there was a nuclear war.  This war was fought by seven mega countries.  After the nuclear fallout the world changed.  There are only two continents.  Aryavarta to the north is home to the last remaining humans.  It is also home to sentient clans of apes, bears, and birds.  They evolved after the nuclear winter.  Nark is the second continent that is home to demons and ruled by Ravan.  The city of Lanka is the capital.

The Heroes Adventures Conclude

• Beneath  the city of Panchavati
• Vishwamitra (Vish) takes them to the lab where Ravan was created
• Vish wants to take Seeta to the Counil of Elders so she can learn to control her powers
• Rama disagrees claiming he is her protector
• Rama tells Seeta he doesn't want her to go because he loves her
• Lakshman and Seeta fight
• she runs off and gets captured
• the brothers follow but the also get captured
• Dushan buys Seeta for a concubine
• Surp'naka buys Rama and Lakshman to fight in the gladiator tournament
• Dwand Yuddh is the name of the tournament
• Dwand Yuddh
• War-Ghoul fight
• like a boss Rama decapitates a 3 headed Pisaach War-Ghoul in 1 strike
• then sits down and lets Lakshman finish the rest
• Kabandha fight
• it is a formless abomination made from a platoon of Kshatriyas that were experimented on
• together the brothers defeat it
• Lakshman is injured in the process he has a broken arm and dislocated shoulder
• General Viv-shan fight
• he defeated Rama and Lakshman 3 years ago at Janasthan
• during there fight Viv-shan tells Rama that Ravan made him a slave since he spared the lives of the brothers and Janasthan's citizens
• Rama is posed to deliever a death strike, but he refuses to kill Viv-shan
• a battle royale between the asura siblings and there minions start on the field
• Seeta, the wild card
• she attacks and escapes with the help of Vish
• they both watch the brothers entire fight
• he convinces her to release her power to stop the battle royale
• a massive tree/vine thing sprouts and stops the battle
• she losses control and it destroys the city
• Vish reveals himself as Ravan saying he wanted her to cleans Panchavati because it foul due to the fact that he was created there
• Rama injures Ravan with an arrow
• Ravan kidnaps Seeta and teleport to Lanka
• The next installment (there isn't 1)
• a few days later
• Rama, Lakshman, and Viv-shan return to Thar wasteland
• they join the ape civil war as mercenaries
• Rama promises to build the worlds largest army to attack Nark, kill Ravan, and free Seeta

Reading Notes: Ramayan 3392 AD Reloaded Part A

Cover Art (Indian Epics: Readings and Resources)

Ramayan 3392 AD Reloaded Part A
Created By:  Deepak Chopra and Shekhar Kapur
Written By: Shamik Dasgupta
Art By: Jeevan King

About the Graphic Novel
This is a not a retelling of the original Ramayana.  This is a re-imagination of the Ramayana.  This story takes place in the 3392 AD.  Thousands years before the start of Rama's adventure there was a nuclear war.  This war was fought by seven mega countries.  After the nuclear fallout the world changed.  There are only two continents.  Aryavarta to the north is home to the last remaining humans.  It is also home to sentient clans of apes, bears, and birds.  They evolved after the nuclear winter.  Nark is the second continent that is home to demons and ruled by Ravan.  The city of Lanka is the capital.

The Hero's Adventures Continue

• Wasteland of Thar
• Shabri and Her Children
• Rama is gravely injured
• Seeta heals him with the power of her tears
• they are attacked by a clan of rats, lead by Shabri
• they plan to eat the three heroes
• Seeta uses her powers to grow a massive tree
• the rat clan let them go because the fruit from the tree will feed them for all time
• Shabri calls Seeta goddess, and asks her to stay
• all three refuse 
• Prince Angad and the Exiled Ape Clan
• the apes attack the 3 heroes Mad Max Fury Road style
• Rama saves Angad from is vehicle that was on fire (which Rama caused with his bow and arrow)
• Angad is so cool when he lights a smoke with Lakshman's lance while Lakshman is threatening to kill him
• Angad is the roll of Mr. Exposition
• tells them about civil war among the apes
• tells them about the rulers of Panchvati
• Panchvati 
• about the city
• home to asuras, exhiles, criminals, and slaves
• ruled by 3 asura siblings 
• Dushan (brother)
• Khara (brother)
• Surp'naka (sister)
• they keep the masses under control by gladiator games
• the adventure
• the heroes caught in a bar fight because of Seeta
• they run and get cornered in an alley
• Vishwamitra (Vish) appears and defeats there pursuers
• they escape into underground tunnels
• Vish explains that Ravan did kill him, but beings from another dimension sent him back

Wikipedia Trail: Ludwig van Beethoven to Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica

Ludwig van Beethoven (Wikimedia Commons)

Ludwig van Beethoven
Beethoven is my favorite composer.  He was an extremely important figure in the transition of music classical to romantic.  The Ninth symphony is one of the most beautiful and powerful pieces of music ever written.  He identified with the ideals of the Age of Enlightenment.

Age of Enlightenment
Also known as the Age of Reason from 1715 to 1789.  This was when absolute monarchy and the power of the church declined.  The main ideas of this time were liberty, progress, constitutional government, and the separation of church and state.  

Science in the Age of Enlightenment
This is when the first encyclopedias and dictionaries appeared.  The number of universities increased.  Science was introduced to the masses through public lectures and coffeehouses.  Reflecting telescopes lead to the discovery of planets.

Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica
Latin for Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy, written by Sir Isaac Newton.  It is a collection of three books.  Sometimes it is shortened to Principia.  It includes important concepts such as Newton's laws of motion and Kepler's laws of planetary motion.