Mythology

Here an introduction to the most important figures of the balinesischen mythology:

Rama
The oldest and at the same time the favorite son of the king Dasarata, should take over because of his divine descent the throne from Ayodhya, a town in Northern India. However, the queen is strict against it because she would like to see her younger son Barata on the throne. The king had promised to his wife many years ago that he wants to fulfil her two wishes. Thus he must crown Barata to the king, although this would not want this at all.

They lead a peaceful existence in the woods of Dandaka, until one day the roguish Rawana, the demon's king of Sri Lanka, decides to challenge Rama. The sister Rawana had been rejected by Rama and incited the brother to avenge them and to save the family honour. The demon's king who is blinded by Sitas beauty changes into a golden roe deer and lures away both brothers from the hut. As a result the demon accepts the shape of a gigantic bird and kidnaps Sita over the sea in his palace. However, his repeated attempts to entice the prisoner with his demoniacal charm miss.
In the interim Rama and Laksmana in search of Sita reach an area which is inhabited by gigantic beings similar to monkey. They help the simian king to Sukriwa and the white monkey Hanuman to recapture her lost kingdom of Sukriwas brother Subali. Hanoman, the general of the simian army, recognises Rama as an incarnation Wisnus again and makes available his services to him thankfully. The courageous white monkey equipped with supernatural forces flies to Rawanas castle and discovers there the caught Sita. He is arrested, however, can escape and returns to the brothers. Together with the monkeys and with support of the sea God Warun Rama and Laksmana build a land bridge to over to the island Sri Lanka. The flying simian general of the holy mountain Meru gets the required earth. Then the fight can begin against Rawana.
 
Mahabharata
Mahabharata means "big man", although for this story the name "big war" would be more suitable. Together with the Ramayana the Mahabharata dominates the balinesische mythology. It is an old, Indian Hindu's epic which is due to historical events. One can compare it in possibly to Homer's modified version of the Trojan war.
The Mahabharata is valid as the longest coherent poetry of the world. The core history originated possibly in the fourth century B.C., then the other episodes arrived bit by bit.
The story is about the fight of two half-divine royal families for the rule about a rich Rajatums in Northern India (the today's area around Delhi). The Pandawas (five sons of the Pandu) are the good and courageous heroes, while her cousins, the Kaurawas (49 sons of the blind Dhritarasta) when cowardly villains are valid, although only Duryodhana, the oldest son and her leader is really evil.
His cruel actions cause many serious conflicts which very often degenerate into a war. Both families belong to the Ksatria caste, the caste of the warriors.
The Raja Bhishma had two sons. Oldest with name Dhritarasta, was blind, therefore, the younger Pandu ascended the throne. As his five sons who are known as "Panca Pandawa" became adult, withdrew Pandu in the woods. Thus the quarrel around his throne began between the sons of the Pandu and the sons of the Dhritarasta.Der Raja Bhishma hatte zwei Söhne.
In the beginning the Pandawas won, however, the oldest brother Dharmawangsa zettelte from brainless high spirits a craps against Duryodhana which controlled the cubes with psychokinetic forces, in and lost. His tricky wrong play protected Duryodhana illegally the throne, and he sent the Pandawas for twelve years rich in adventure into exile. Although Duryodhana tried several times to kill them, the brothers returned at the settled time again. However, the king refused to return them the throne.
Thus the war was inevitable. Krishna, the most popular figure of the Hinduism and an incarnation of the God Wisnu, fought as a friend and ally for the Pandawas, and with him aside they could not lose. However, the victorious Pandawas renounced magnanimously the throne and led from there one an ascetic life.

Garuda
Garuda is in the Indian mythology queue-killing half a person, half adlergestaltiges riding animal of the Vishnu, son of the Kashyapa and the Vinata. In the Asian mythology the meaning of a god's messenger who delivers news and instructions of the gods to the people has of the Garuda at the same time. In many Asian countries (for example, Thailand and Indonesia) is used of the Garuda, besides, as a Highness's sign or office seal by the authorities of the government. In primeval times the old creator's God and father of the creatures had Kashyapa, the "old tortoise's man", once two wives: Vinata, the sky, and Kadru, the earth. Kadru bore a huge number of eggs of which the most different kinds of Nagas slipped. Nevertheless, Vinata laid only three eggs. Jealously on Kadru and her numerous descendants she broke the first egg. Nevertheless, the being in the egg had still accepted no shape: there originated the flash. The second egg contained a beaming youngster. He also had a premature birth no legs. It was Aruna, the daybreak, the carriage driver of the sun-god Surya. Arun was not so enthusiastically from his impediment, he cursed his mother and made them thus the slave to her rival, the queue mother Kadru. When the third egg was incubated, the mighty Garuda slipped out. He required immediately to release his mother. Nevertheless, the Nagas required the immortality-Elixir Amrita as a consideration which Garuda had to steal as a result from the gods. Thus the everlasting hostility explains itself between the Nagas and the Garuda. The spiritual contrast of bird (eagle) and queue is also known with us in the west by the old Sumerians (see, e.g., in Nietzsches Zarathustra, also in coat of arms and flag of Mexico).Garuda (Thai: ครุฑ, krut) is the personal emblem of the Thai king who is valid generally as an incarnation Vishnus. Buddhist kings of the present Chakri dynasty are named after Rama, an incarnation known far away Vischnus: the present king, page m. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, is Rama IX. As the only creature to which it is allowed to stand on the head above the king is illustrated of the Garuda on royal banners. Only religious or royal buildings, objects or papers have the honour to illustrate Garuda. The king lends the royal Garuda insignia also to commendable enterprises and banks, hence, Garuda can also look down from facades of known banks on the busy people. With the Garuda it normally concerns not a lonesome bird. In Buddhist legends big birds appear in dreams, the Garudas are her kings. They live on prickly trees in a wood called Garutmatvan which is in the slopes of the mountain Meru. Quotation: In the Cambodia architecture it is carried not only Vischnu, but his whole temple by Garuda. The bird appears here in big number, regular to caryatid rows which hold the load of the building which is intended Vaikunthas, the God's heavenly flat as an earthly simulation. Thai artists took over this symbolism, inden they showed a ring of Garudas which lift the chapel of the emerald Buddha (see Wat Phra Kaeo) in Bangkok in the air. Nevertheless, this motive, rows of Garudas with Nagas in the claws, is to be found in Thailand relatively seldom.

Barong
The Barong is a mystic being which represents the good forces existing on the earth. Besides there is Rangda, the queen of the witches whom this embodies Nastily. The Balinese thinks that property and Nastily side by side exist (black / Knows checked cloths are to be seen often).

Hanuman
A Hindu god's shape which manifests itself as a monkey and takes pleasure in the Hinduism of big popularity. He is the son of Anjana and the wind God Vayu, according to other legends the son of Shiva. Hanumans representations are different. The best known one shows him with a head, two arms and a long tail. Ordinarily he has a simian face and an athletic, human body. But also in different other forms he is known, possibly with ten arms and five heads to which the bird Garuda belongs, a boar, a horse and a lion which Avatare of Vishnu embody. Hanumans admiration is closely connected with the adoration Ramas and in the Ramayana, the epic with the history of this important God, he plays a central role. He is the general of a simian army. As an embodiment of the devoted servant, limitless loyalty and supernatural strength he appears over and over again as an assistant and rescuer of his man and his family. The demon Ravana had kidnapped Sita which spouse Ramas, to Lanka, and Rama could release them only with support from Hanuman and his army. According to the Ramayana nobody can excel Hanuman in strength, gentleness and cleverness. In every Ramatempel a statue of Hanuman is also. His most important holiday is Hanuman Jayanti which is valid as his birthday and is celebrated after the Hindu lunar calendar in March / April. Many believers visit a temple and coat his portrait with red powder colour, Sindur, and decorate it with blossoms. One sings the popular hymn Hanuman Chalisa and reads out stories from the Ramayana to the audience.

Dewi Sri
A fertility divinity is in religious systems with many gods (polytheism) a divinity which is responsible for the fertility of the fields and the animals. In some religious systems not a single fertility divinity, but a so-called holy wedding between a God and a goddess guarantees the fertility of the fields. A very old example of such a pair are the sumerische God Dumuzi and his spouse Inanna. There are such images also in Finland. Thus the Finnish earth God and fertility God Sämpsä ("reeds grass") was for the sowing, particularly the rye responsibly, however, sowed also the pines, spruces and the juniper. He was a God him over and over again died and rose. If he proceeded in the hibernation, rye and oat could not grow, then he was woken up by the "solar boy" again, he married his stepmother on the field. Then he was of the Sämann.

Ganesha
Ganesha is one of the most popular forms of the divine in the Hinduism. Another popular name is Ganapati (Pati of:'Herr', Gana of:'Heerscharen'"). Every Puja (Hindu service) begins with a prayer to him. He is adored if one needs luck for the way or an enterprise, he stands for the beginning and change, linked with protection and calmness, he embodies wisdom and intelligence. The poetry, music and dance belong to his matters and he is man about the sciences. Most businessmen look at him as her patron. For many devout Hindus is the first what comes to a new house, a statue of the Ganesha. This blesses the house and promises luck. For many Hindu currents Ganesha means a subordinated manifestation of the divine, man all beginning. Other against it, particularly in the Indian federal state of Maharashtra or in some areas Südindiens, see the most important embodiment of the shapeless highest, the Brahman in him. Mostly Ganesha is shown as a red, stout man or as a child with an elephant's head which has only one tusk often on a Lotusblüte seated. With him is always his riding animal, a mouse or rat who is also under other symbol for intelligence and strength. His four arms are in the Hindu cosmology among other things a sign of virtuosity, from überlegener of (divine) power. They bear in traditional representations arms among other things as a token of the protection and his fight against all evil, a Lotusblüte, among other things sign of the spiritual rebirth, wisdom and cleanness, reincarnation (rebirth). On other representations he carries a book as well as a Mala, a prayer chain. He lost his second tusk after the legend in the fight against Parashurama (Rama-mit-der-Axt), Vishnus the sixth incarnation. His other both hands signal to the believer in certain hand positions Mudras: Is not afraid! (consolation-making a donation Mudra) and promise in the giving gesture his mercy. Mostly a bowl with perfectly round stands 'before him, these are special sweets which show love to food beside multi-layered spiritual meaning Ganeshas. A rat or mouse is his accompanying animal. Mysteriously appears Ganeshas hybrid form from person and elephant. Soonest understandably she is about the elephant, an important symbolic animal, in the mythology a guard and bearer of the Alls. In the whole Hindu symbolism elephants and Ganesha seem alternate, e.g., luck sign and guardian in dwelling houses just as in temples. Countless legends offer different versions as an explanation of the origin Ganeshas. Reports, e.g., that par daddy, Shivas had created wife, Ganesha in absence Shivas: Therefore, this observed his wife with pleasure near Baden what she did not like, however. Thus she formed from the loam with which she had rubbed her body, a small boy, poured over him with way water and woke him thus to the life. She called him Ganesha and put him as a guard before her bath house. When Shiva came, obstructed Ganesha to him the way. Shiva beat off to him the head and reached thus in the bath Par daddies. When Shiva noted that he had killed just par daddy's son, he ordered to his servants to bring the head of the first living being on which they would hit. The first living being on which they hit was an elephant. His head put Shiva on Ganeshas body to bring back him to the life. Another stories let Shiva as a father Ganesha without any help create of a woman, while the less known stories of the Vishnu mythology look at the elephant-headed than son of Vishnu. For those believers who see the highest in Ganesha or Ganapati Ganesh Chaturthi (after the lunar calendar is mostly in September) highest of all parties in the annual run; after her faith God comes during these days for visit. Especially admirably the people celebrate the day in Mumbai (early Bombay). Besides, countless small or gigantic Ganesh-Statuen from loam or Pappmaché on altars are put up in houses and streets and some days revere the believers in these representations the divine with regular services, music and dance. On the last day they are dismissed and brought in happy processions to the sea where one sinks them with cheering in the floods.

Shiva
Shiva (indon. siva) is of three main divinities in the Hindu's faith, called Trimurti (see original relief from the Ellora caves in India, as well as meaning from Wikipedia). Shiva symbolises the promising. It is the destroyer or the Veränderer of the Trinity (Trimurti). In the Trinity he is seen as omniscient. His woman is Dewi Parwati, with her 3 sons, Kartikeya, Kala and Ganesha (elephant-headed figure, already available).
Master Shiva rides on a bull called Nandini.Gebieter Shiva reitet auf einen Bullen genannt Nandini.