Overview: Pattanaik. Seven Secrets of Shiva.

Title: Seven Secrets of Shiva
Author: Devdutt Pattanaik
Year: 2011

Comments: This is a fascinating study of Shiva arranged in the form of seven "secrets" along with abundant artwork. You can listen to an audio book in Bizzell for free, and to enjoy the artwork also, I would recommend purchasing the Kindle book, which is just $3.

Kindle: You can buy your own Kindle copy from Amazon for $2.99 (checked price January 2019); more about Kindles.

Audiobook: You can buy your own Audible copy from Amazon for $12.71 (checked price January 2019).

Length: two weeks. I've divided the reading into four parts: Part A - Part B (one week of reading), and then Part C - Part D (another week of reading).

Part A
1. Lingheswara's Secret
2. Bhairava's Secret (start)

Part B
2. Bhairava's Secret (finish)
3. Shankara's Secret

Part C
4. Bholenath's Secret
5. Ganesha's Secret

Part D
6. Murugan's Secret
7. Nataraja's Secret

Overview: Kotru-Zutshi. Karna

Title: Karna The Unsung Hero of the Mahabharata
Author: Umesh Kotru and Ashutosh Zutshi
Year: 2015

Comments: This is a novelistic retelling of the Mahabharata focused on the hero Karna, secret brother to the Pandavas.

Kindle: You can buy your own Kindle copy from Amazon for $3.99 (checked price January 2019); more about Kindles.

Length: three weeks. I've divided the reading into six parts: Part A - Part B (one week of reading), then Part C - Part D (another week of reading), and then Part E - Part F (third week of reading).

Reading Part A

Prologue

Chapter-1: Birth of Karna

Chapter-2: Kunti’s Dilemma

Chapter-3: The Castaway

Reading Part B

Chapter-4: Early Life
Chapter-5: The Hero Emerges

Chapter-6: Quest for Excellence

Chapter-7: The Outpouring of Inner Conflict

Reading Part C

Chapter-8: The Svayamvara

Chapter-9: The Game of Dice

Chapter-10: Arjuna seeks Divine Weapons
Chapter-11: Association with Evil

Reading Part D

Chapter-12: Daanaveera

Chapter-13: The Great Sacrifice

Chapter-14: War Becomes Inevitable

Chapter-15: The Revelation

Reading Part E

Chapter-16: A Mother Reveals her Secret
Chapter-17: Focus Shifts to Kurukshetra

Chapter-18: Bhishma Finally Blesses Karna

Chapter-19: Inner Turmoil Resolved

Reading Part F

Chapter-20: Scorching the Battlefield
Chapter-21: Karna in Command

Chapter-22: The Curtain Falls Epilogue

Overview: Pattanaik. Ganesha

Title: 99 Thoughts on Ganesha

Author: Devdutt Pattanaik

Year: 2013

Comments: This is a wonderful exploration of the many dimensions of Ganesha and his multiple meanings, with illustrations by the author.

Kindle: You can buy your own Kindle copy from Amazon for $2.73 (checked price January 2019); more about Kindles.

Length: two weeks. I've divided the reading into four parts: Part A - Part B (one week) and Part C - Part D (second week).

Part A

Part I Creation  

Part II Family

Part B

Part III Representations

Part IV Stories

Part V Symbols 

Part C

Part VI Temples 

Part VII Festivals 

Part VIII Rituals 

Part IX Literature 

Part D

Part X History 

Part XI Spread 

Part XII Wisdom 

Overview: Komarraju. Lesser Known Tales from The Mahabharata

Title: 51 Lesser Known Tales from The Mahabharata
Author: Sharath Komarraju
Year: 2015

Comments: If you like this book, there are other books here by the same author you can read: Sharath Komarraju.

Kindle: You can buy your own Kindle copy from Amazon for $2.99 (checked price November 2017); more about Kindles.

Length: two weeks. I've divided the reading into four parts: A-B (first week) and C-D (second week).

Part A
Note to the Reader
Sage and Scribe
Pandu’s Last Wish
Yudhisthir’s Chariot
The Final Journey
Parashurama Kills the Kshatriyas
Jaya and Vijaya
Krishna Fights Arjun
Barbarik
The Incarnation of Yama
The Other Wives of Arjun
How Abhimanyu’s Death Saved Arjun’s Life
The Death of Krishna, and His Rebirth as God

Part B
The Two Boons of Jayadratha
The Three Men in Amba’s Life
The Two Different Faces of Ganga
Matsya
Kurma
Varaha
Mohini
Bhrigu and His Relationship with Vishnu
Yayati
Shukracharya and Agastya
The Syamantaka Jewel
The Birth of Garuda
Snakes and Their Forked Tongues
The Birth of Satyavati

Part C
The Unused Weapon: Pashupatastra
Demolition of Arjun’s Vanity: The Chariot
The Birth of Jamadagni
The Birth and Death of Jarasandha
The Blinding of Shukracharya
Anasuya, the Mother of the Trinity
The Three Myths of Ganesha
Kartikeya, the Forgotten Brother
The Ever-giving Myth
Uttanka
Kalmashapada
Ashtavakra
Nahusha

Part D
Trishanku
Kinnaras and Kimpurushas
Yakshas and Gandharvas
Divine Musician: Tumbura
The Yaksha Prashna
The Unlikely Hero: Yudhisthir
Ashwamedha and Rajasuya
Maya the Gifted Architect
The Seven Chiranjeevis
Nala Damayanti
Kali, the Arch Enemy of Vishnu
Rambha, Urvashi, Menaka, Tilottama

Overview: Komarraju. Women from the Mahabharata

Title: 17 Fascinating Women from the Mahabharata
Author: Sharath Komarraju
Year: 2015

Comments: If you are interested in this book, you might also enjoy Dear Sakhi: The Lost Journals of the Ladies of Hastinapur by the same author.

Kindle: You can buy your own Kindle copy from Amazon for $2.99 (checked price November 2017); more about Kindles.

Length: one-and-a-half week. I've divided the reading into three parts: Part A, Part B, and Part C (if you want to read it all in one week, you can use Part C for extra credit).

Part A
Draupadi
Kunti
Ganga
Satyavati

Part B
Gandhari
Amba
Subhadra
Ulupi and Chitrangada
Uttara
Renuka

Part C
Damayanti
Devayani and Sharmishtha
Sukanya
Shakuntala
Savitri

Overview: Krishna Dharma. Two Vedic Tales

Title: Two Vedic Tales: Stories from The Mahabharata and the Puranas
Author: Krishna Dharma
Year: 2009

Comments: This is the same Krishna Dharma whose Ramayana and Mahabharata translations are also available for you to read, and the two stories he tells here are about Nala and Damayanti and about Rukmangada and Mohini.

Kindle: You can buy your own Kindle copy from Amazon for $0.99 (checked price November 2017); more about Kindles.

Length: two weeks. I've divided the reading into four parts: A-B (first week) and C-D (second week).

Part A
Introduction
Nala and Damayanti: Chapters 1-2
Part B
Nala and Damayanti: Chapters 3-5

Part C
Rukmangada and Mohini: Chapters 1-4
Part D
Rukmangada and Mohini: Chapters 5-7

Overview: Krishna Dharma. The Panchatantra

Title: The Panchatantra
Author: Krishna Dharma
Year: 2010

Comments: This is a translation of the ancient story collection known as the Panchatantra by the same Krishna Dharma who has also done translations of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata; you can find out more about Krishna Dharma here.

Kindle: You can buy your own Kindle copy from Amazon for $2.99 (checked price November 2017); more about Kindles.

Length: three weeks. I've divided the reading into six parts: A-B (first week), C-D (second week), and E-F (third week).

Part A
Preamble 
Book One: How Friends are Separated. 
Crafty and Careful
The Heedless Monkey
The Intrusive Ass
The Jackal and the Drum
Fine-taste and the Sweeper
The Foolish Brahmin, the Jackal and the Rams
The Weaver’s Cheating Wife.
The Crow and the Serpent
The Heron and the Crab

Part B
The Lion and the Quick-witted Hare
The Weaver and the Princess
The Mosquito and the Bug
The Blue Jackal
The Camel’s Fatal Friendship
The Lion and the Carpenter
The Ocean and the Sparrow
The Talkative Turtle
The Sparrow’s Revenge
The Parrot’s Unwanted Advice
 Right-mind and Dark-mind

Part C
The Shortsighted Heron
The Merchant’s Balance
The Two Parrots
The Noble Robber
The Monkey and the King
Book Two. How Friends are Won 
The Crow and his Companions.
The Mole’s Misfortunes
Sandili and the Seeds
The Carpenter’s Destiny
Virile and the Jackal
The Elephants Saved by Mice
The Deer and the Prince

Part D
Book Three. Crows and Owls 
The ‘Donkey Leopard’
The Birds Elect a King
The Hare and the Elephant-King
The Cat’s Judgement
The Brahmin and his Goat
The Serpent’s Gold
The Hunter and the Dove
The Old Man and the Thief
The Brahmin, the Demon and the Robber
King Sivi and the Pigeon
The Carpenter’s Unfaithful Wife

Part E
The Mouse Maiden’s Marriage
The Bird that Dropped Golden Turds
The Cave that Roared
The Frogs that Rode on a Snake
The Brahmin’s Unfaithful Wife
Book Four. Loss of Gains 
The Monkey who Befriended a Crocodile
The Foolish Frog King
The Lion and the Brainless Ass
The ‘Hero’ Potter
The Jackal who was Raised by a Lioness
The Ungrateful Wife
A Tale of Two Husbands
The Farmer’s Shameless Wife
The Thief and the Farmer’s Wife
The Diplomatic Jackal
The Dog who Traveled Abroad

Part F
Book Five. Rash Acts. 
The Barber who murdered the Monks
The Brahmin’s Wife and the Mongoose
Castles in the Sky
The Greedy Treasure Hunter
The Scholars who Revived a Lion
The Four Learned Idiots
The Singing Donkey
The Slow Witted Weaver
The Monkey’s Revenge
The Gullible Demon
The Three-Breasted Princess
The Inquisitive Brahmin

Overview: Komarraju. Ladies of Hastinapur

Title: Dear Sakhi: The Lost Journals of the Ladies of Hastinapur
Author: Sharath Komarraju
Year: 2015

Comments: Here is the author's own introduction to the book, which can give you an idea of what it is about:

We do not know if the royals of Hastinapur kept journals. But we do know that they had companions – whom they called sakhis – with whom they shared their joys and sorrows. The monologues that appear in this book are a recording of some such conversations that some women of the Mahabharata had with their waiting women. These are largely concocted from my imagination, so if at any point the text makes you wonder whether it really happened that way, my answer is that it could have. I have selected each of the scenes that appear in this book with care, so as to stay away from the over-analyzed bits – like Draupadi’s disrobing, for instance – in the hope that you will take delight in some of the rarer stories too.

Kindle: You can buy your own Kindle copy from Amazon for $2.99 (checked price November 2017); more about Kindles.

Length: 1 week. I've divided the reading into two parts:

Part A: Ganga, Satyavati, and Amba

Part B:  Kunti and Draupadi

Overview: Fenris. Sacred Tales

Title: Sacred Tales for Children (volume 2)
Author: Morris Fenris
Year: 2014

Comments: This is a wide-ranging collection of very short legends and folktales from different times and places in the Indian tradition.

Kindle: You can buy your own Kindle copy from Amazon for $3.99 (checked price November 2017); more about Kindles.

Length: two weeks. I've divided the reading into four parts: Part A - Part B (one week), Part C - Part D (the other week).

Reading Part A
#1 Who is the Thief?
#2 Dreams of Dagdoo
#3 Unexpected Guests
#4 The Rich Sister and the Poor Sister
#5 The Silver Coin
#6 The Magic Horn
#7 Shaikh Chilli and the Landlord
#8 The Donkey Who Turned into a Man
#9 The Three Chapattis
#10 Brave Rupali
#11 The Harvest
#12 Tall Tales
#13 Two Sisters and the Tiger
#14 The Hunter and the Elephant
#15 The Devout Queen

Reading Part B
#16 The Sparrow and the Crow
#17 The Lei Tree
#18 The Toontooni Bird
#19 The Pot of Honey
#20 The Monkey and the Leopard
#21 Upmanyu
#22 The Burglar’s Lesson
#23 The Clever Wife
#24 The Cracked Pot
#25 The Wise Beggar
#26 Yudhisthira and the Dog
#27 Bhima and Hanuman
#28 Prahlad
#29 Bhima and Bakusura
#30 Angulimal

Reading Part C
#31 Krishna and Kaliya
#32 The Scholar
#33 The Magical Tree
#34 Story of Surdas
#35 The Eldest Son
#36 The Bargainer
#37 In Search of Knowledge
#38 The Bullock’s Calf
#39 The Dung Beetle
#40 The Three Questions
#41 Indra and Vishwakarma
#42 Nala and Damayanti
#43 The Fox and Mahadeo
#44 The Peacock and the Owl
#45 The Barber and the Tiger

Reading Part D
#46 The Utensils
#47 The Tiger Bridegroom
#48 The Animal Schoolmaster
#49 The Wise Tortoise
#50 The End of the World
#51 The Old Vulture and the Cat
#52 True Friend
#53 The Treasure in the Field
#54 Blue Jackal
#55 The Sparrow and the Elephant
#56 The Boy and the Giant
#57 The Gifted Elephant
#58 The Sun, the Moon and the Wind
#59 Long Beard
#60 How Man Got Rid of His Tail

Overview: Kote. Mriga Khaga

Title: Mriga Khaga: Untold stories of animals and birds in Ramayana
Author: Neelkanth Kote
Year: 2017

Comments: This is a great way to get a new perspective on the Ramayana, learning about the animals and birds who are part of the epic.

Kindle: You can buy your own Kindle copy from Amazon for $3 (checked price November 2017); more about Kindles.

Length: 1 week. I've divided the reading into two parts: Part A and Part B.

Reading Part A
Krouncha pakshi: Valmiki’s inspiration
Illusionary deer of Dasharatha
Sparrow mocking Dasharatha
Maya mriga: Golden deer enticing Sita
Jatayu: The guide

Reading Part B
Hanuman: The faithful servant
Sugriva: The helpful friend
Jambavant: The wise bear
Ashvamedha: The horse uniting family
Lakshmana: The real follower of Rama

Overview: Fenris. Karma in Indian Mythology

Title: Karma in Indian Mythology
Author: Morris Fenris
Year: 2014

Comments: This is a nice collection of stories about karma in Indian legends. Some of the stories feature Ramayana characters, others feature Mahabharata characters, and the rest are legends from beyond the epics.

Kindle: You can buy your own Kindle copy from Amazon for $3.99 (checked price November 2017); more about Kindles.

Length: one weeks plus a half. I've divided the reading into three parts: Part A - Part B - Part C. That means you can use this for one week's reading, or one and a half weeks.

Reading Part A

The Folly of the Gatekeepers (Dwarapalas)

Damodhabhava and Karna

Prithu’s Story

Reading Part B

Rama’s Folly (The story of Vali and Jara)

Shakuni’s Revenge

The Story of Sita and Trijata

Reading Part C

The Curse on Devavratha

The Man under the Tree (The story of two doves)

The Story of Kevat

The Wrath of Rishi Bhrigu

Overview: Pattanaik. Hanuman

Title: My Hanuman Chalisa
Author: Devdutt Pattanaik
Year: 2017

Comments: This is a beautiful verse-by-verse commentary on the Hanuman Chalisa, and it also contains many legends about Hanuman, including stories not found in the traditional Ramayana. You can use this to listen to recordings of the Hanuman Chalisa at YouTube; there are hundreds of them you will find there, and this book contains the Devanagari text, a transliteration, plus the translation and commentary.

Kindle: You can buy your own Kindle copy from Amazon for $3.07 (checked price November 2017); more about Kindles.

Length: two weeks. I've divided the reading into four parts: Part A - Part B (one week) and Part C - Part D (second week).

Part A: Doha 1-2 plus Chaupai 1-10
Part B: Chaupai 11-20
Part C: Chaupai 21-30
Part D: Chaupai 31-40 plus Doha 3

Overview: Parthasarathy. Krishna Krishna.

Title: Krishna Krishna
Author: Indira Parthasarathy
Year: 2014

Comment. This is a beautiful retelling of the Krishna legends, and there is also an audiobook version available that you can listen to in Bizzell.

Bizzell Reserves: Go to the Bizzell Reserve Desk to check out a Kindle with this book; you can learn about the Bizzell Kindles here. The Kindle also has an audiobook version you can listen to!

Bizzell Stacks. In addition, there is a copy available for checkout from the regular Bizzell stacks: PL 4758.9 .P297 K5713 2007 (click to see if it is checked out or not).

Kindle: You can buy your own Kindle copy from Amazon for $2.99 (checked price January 2019); more about Kindles.

Audible: You can buy an audiobook version of this book from Audible for $2.99 (checked price January 2019).

Length: two weeks. I've divided the reading into four parts: Part A - Part B (one week of reading), and then Part C - Part D (another week of reading).

first week
Reading Part A
Introduction
Prologue
Narada's Discourse
The Yadava Clan
The Magic Melody of the Flute
Kamsa's Invitation
Kamsa's Dream
Reading Part B
Jarasandha Provoked
The Retreat of Jarasandha
Destination Dwaraka
Rukmini's Wedding
The End of Jarasandha
Draupadi's Swayamvara

second week
Reading Part C
Politics and Marriage
The Final Duel
Gandhari's Curse
Bhama, The Brave
Krishna, The Psychologist
Reading Part D
Krishna Acquires Another Sister
Sukra's Curse
The Children of Destiny
Midnight Massacre
Sermon from the Chariot
The Lost Melody

Overview: Pattanaik. Seven Secrets from Hindu Calendar Art.

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As of July 2018, these videos were no longer at YouTube, but hopefully they will return.

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Title: Seven Secrets from Hindu Calendar Art
Author: Devdutt Pattanaik
Year: 2009

Free Online: You can watch the videos for free at YouTube. I would strongly suggest getting the Kindle version also to help you with notetaking.

Kindle: You can buy your own Kindle copy from Amazon for $2.99 (checked price November 2017).

Length: three weeks. I've divided the videos into six parts: A - B (one week), then C - D (second week), and E - F (third week).

Part A - Ganesha
Part B - Narayan

Part C - Ardhanari, Shiva
Part D - Shiva, Devi

Part E - Vishnu
Part F - Brahma

Overview: R. Menon. Mahabharata.

Title: The Mahabharata: A Modern Rendering
Author: Ramesh Menon
Year: 2012

Comment. This is an enormous prose version of the Mahabharata, and you can zoom in on the sections that are of most interest to you.

Bizzell Reserves. Go to the Bizzell Reserve Desk to check out a Kindle with this book; you can learn about the Bizzell Kindles here.

Bizzell Stacks. There is also a copy available for checkout from the regular Bizzell stacks: BL 1138.22 .E5 2004 (click to see if it is checked out or not).

Kindle: You can buy your own Kindle copy from Amazon for $6.59, or you can buy just Part I for $3.03 or just Part II for $3.99 (checked prices November 2017); more about Kindles.

Length. This book would actually last a semester or even more (16 weeks). So, what I've done is to list all the section below in chunks (A-B-C-etc.), and you can choose the section(s) that are of the most interest to you.

WEEK 1:
Reading A
1. On the Banks of the Ganga
2. A Tale of Two Curses
3. The River's Son
4. A Scent of Heaven
5. A Solemn Vow
6. Two Princes
7. Three Princesses of Kasi
8. Bhishma and Amba
Reading B
9. Amba
10. The Solemn Oath
11. Satyavati's Other Son
12. The Blind Night and the Pale One
13. In the Dark
14. The Three Princes of Hastinapura
15. Kuntibhoja's Daughter
16. The Blazing Deva

WEEK 2:
Reading C
17. A Curse in the Forest
18. Pandu's Yearning
19. Kunti's Otherworld Lovers
20. The Sons of Pandu
21. The Sinister Night
22. Sweet, Deadly Spring
23. The Pandavas Come Home
Reading D
24. The Seeds of Envy
25. At Pramanakoti
26. Under the River
27. A Master for the Kuru Princes
28. Drona's Story
29. The Brilliant Pupil
30. At the River
31. Ekalavya

WEEK 3:
Reading E
32. A Young Man's Dreams
33. Karna Finds a Master
34. The Exhibition
35. The Golden Warrior
36. Drona's Revenge
37. A Father and His Son
Reading F
38. To Varanasi
39. The Palace of Lac
40. Fire
41. The Tragic News
42. Flight Through the Jungle
43. A Change of Heart
44. Ghatotkacha
45. A Sleepy Town

WEEK 4:
Reading G
46. A Strange Story
47. Encounter in the Night
48. The Spinning Fish
49. Share the Alms You've Brought
50. The Unusual Wedding
51. Anxiety in Hastinapura
52. The Council at Hastinapura
Reading H
53. Vidura in Kampilya
54. A Desolate Gift
55. Miracle in the Wilderness
56. Narada Visits Indraprastha
57. Ulupi and Chitrangada
58. The Crocodiles
59. The Raivataka Hill

WEEK 5:
Reading I
60. The Holy Yati
61. The Yati and the Princess
62. Cure for an illness
63. Balarama's Anger
64. Draupadi's Anger
65. The Yadavas Come to Indraprastha
66. The Hungry Brahmin
67. The Burning of the Khandava Vana
Reading J
1. Maya
2. Maya's Sabha
3. Narada, The Messenger
4. Yudhishthira's Quandary
5. Krishna Arrives in Indraprastha
6. Jarasandha
7. Girivraja
8. The Blade of Grass
9. The Four Quarters

WEEK 6:
Reading K
10. The Rajasyua Yagna
11. A Cousin's Anger
12. Dark Omens
13. The Green Monster
14. Shakuni's Plan
15. An Anxious Messenger
16. The Game of Dice
17. Shame
Reading L
18. Am I a Free Woman?
19. The Miracle and the Oaths
20. Dhritarashtra's Fickleness
21. The Second Game of Dice
1. The Sun's Gift
2. The King's Brother
3. The Rishis' Warning

WEEK 7:
Reading M
4. Krishna Swears an Oath
5. Dwaitavana
6. The Trials of Yudhishthira
7. Vyasa's Advice
8. Arjuna's Quest
9. The Vetala
10. The Lords of Light
11. Amravati
Reading N
12. The Weapons of Indra
13. The Apsara Urvashi
14. The Curse
15. The Muni Brihadaswa
16. Tirtha Yatra
17. To Badariskasrama
18. An Old Monkey
19. Where the Saugandhika Grows

WEEK 8:
Reading O
20. Arjuna Returns
21. Arjuna's Story
22. The Wondrous City
23. Hiranyapuri
24. Bhima's Adventure
25. The Riddles of Nahusha
26. Markandeya's Lore
27. The Four Yugas
Reading P
28. The Foolish Brahmana
29. Duryodhana's Ghosha-Yatra
30. The Shaming of Duryodhana
31. Despair
32. The Power of Darkness
33. The Rishi Durvasa
34. Jayadratha
35. The Lake of Death
36. Yaksha Prasna: The Yaksha's Riddles

WEEK 9:
Reading Q
1. The Thirteenth Year
2. Kanka, The Gambler
3. Ajnatavasa
4. The Cook and the Wrestler
5. Karna's Dream
6. The Brahmana at Noon
7. The Queen's Sairandhri
8. The Besotted Kichaka
9. Ballava's Night Visitor
10. The Long Day
11. The Angry Gandharvas
Reading R
12. Duryodhana's Spies
13. Virata's Battle
14. The Prince and the Eunuch
15. Uttara Kumara
16. Unearthly Weapons
17. Dissension
18. The Kuru Army
19. Arjuna
20. A Gambler's Blood
21. The Pandavas
22. A Wedding in Upaplavya

WEEK 10:
Reading S
1. The Council in Upaplavya
2. A Choice for Two Kshatriyas
3. Everyone Seems to Know Me
4. The Two Armies
5. The Messengers
6. The Pandavas' Reply
Reading T
7. A Blind King's Terror
8. Sanjaya Delivers a message
9. Not Land to Cover the Point of a needle
10. A Second Council in Upaplavya
11. Krishna Arrives in Hastinapura

WEEK 11:
Reading U
12. In Vidura's House
13. In the Court of Hastinapura
14. Duryodhana and Krishna
15. I Am Not Alone
16. Krishna and Karna
17. The Pandava Senapati
18. The Kaurava Senapati
Reading V
19. On the Banks of Yamuna
20. Come Away to Your Brothers
21. For Love of His Friends
22. Balarama and Rukmi
23. Uluka's Embassy
1. Sanjaya's Gift
2. Kurukshetra
3. A Moment of Crisis

WEEK 12:
Reading W
4. The Bhagavad Gita
5. The Song of God
6. The Song of God (cont.)
7. The Song of God (cont.)
8. The Song of God (cont.)
9. The Song of God (finish)
10. The Ghastly War
11. The Second Day: Two Kraunchas
12. The Third Day: The Eagle and the Crescent
13. The Fourth Day: Bhima and His Son
Reading X
14. The Fifth and Sixth Days
15. The Seventh Day: Many Duels
16. The Eighth Day: The Field of Death
17. Duryodhana's Despair
18. The Ninth Day: The Terrible Patriarch
19. The Last Night of an Age
20. The Tenth Morning
21. The Bed of Arrows
22. I Never Hated You

WEEK 13:
Reading Y
1. Drona, Senapati
2. The Eleventh Day
3. Susharma
4. Bhagadatta's Elephant
5. An Ancient and His Beast
6. Drona's Vow
7. The Chakra Vyuha
8. Jayadratha's Moment
9. Abhimanyu
10. Arjuna's Vow
11. Jayadratha's Terror
12. Arjuna's Dream
Reading Z
13. The Three Vyuhas
14. Arjuna the Magnificent
15. At the Rim of the Red Lotus
16. Deep into the Enemy's Army
17. The Sound of Krishna's Conch
18. Terrible Satyaki
19. Yudhishthira's Anxiety
20. Bhima Arrives
21. Karna and Bhima
22. Satyaki and Bhurisravas
23. The Setting Sun
24. The War at Night

WEEK 14:
Reading AA
25. Karna, Kripa, and Aswatthaman
26. Awesome Karna
27. Ghatotkacha Rules the Night
28. Indra's Shakti
29. Drona
30. One White Lie
31. Recriminations
32. Narayanastra
Reading BB
1. Senapati Karna
2. Many Duels
3. The Lucid Night
4. Shalya
5. The Two Brothers
6. In Yudhishthira's Tent
7. The Tastiest Drink
8. Karna and Arjuna
9. The Mired Wheel
10. The Sorrowing Sun
11. Out Under the Moon

WEEK 15:
Reading CC
1. Kripa and His Sishya
2. Tamless Shalya
3. The Last Men
4. The Dwaipayana Lake
5. Magnificent Duryodhana
6. The Two Cousins
7. At Samantapanchaka
8. The Clarity of Krishna
Reading DD
1. In Hastinapura
2. The White Owl's Lesson
3. The Savage Camp
4. Ashwatthaman's Jewel
1. With Dhritarashtra and Gandhari
2. Gandhari's Curse
3. Tarpana for a Kshatriya
1. Yudhishthira's Grief
2. A New King in Hastinapura

WEEK 16:
Reading EE
3. The Dying Patriarch
4. Bhishma's Wisdom
5. Dharma
6. The Passing of a Patriarch
1. Krishna Says Farewell
2. The Ashwamedha Yagna
Reading FF
1. The Passing of the Elders
1. Ritual at Prabhasa
2. Krishna
3. Arjuna's Anguish
1. The Final Journey
1. The Law of Heaven

Phalashruti

Overview: Balakrishnan. Mahabharata in a Nutshell

Title: The Complete Mahabharata in a Nutshell
Author: V. K. Balakrishnan
Year: 2011

Comments: This is a very readable, user-friendly summary of the Mahahbarata... of the whole Mahabharata! You can compare this to the summary by Macfie: the Macfie book is free online, but this one by Balakrishnan is written in contemporary language which makes it much easier to read. Because this is a summary, it is written in a very abbreviated style, but it also includes some episodes that will be new to you because it is more complete than the selection version of the Mahabharata that you read earlier.

Kindle: You can buy your own Kindle copy from Amazon for $2.99 (checked price November 2017); more about Kindles.

Length: four weeks. I've divided the reading into eight parts: Part A - Part B (one week of reading), Part C - Part D (another week of reading), Part E - Part F (a third week), and Part G - Part H (final week of reading).

Reading Part A
Chapter 1 The Book of the Beginning 
1.1 Vyasa and Ganesha
1.2 Vyasa and Satyavati
1.3 Janamejaya's Snake Sacrifice
1.4 The Prajapatis
1.5 Kadru, Vinata, and Garuda
1.6 The Churning of the Ocean
1.7 The Lunar and Solar Races
1.8 Yayati and his Wives
1.9 Dushyanta and Shakuntala
1.10 Parashurama and the Kshatriyas
1.11 Shantanu, Ganga, and their Son
1.12 Bhishma, Satyavati and her Sons
1.13 Dhritarashtra, Pandu, and Vidura
1.14 Kunti and Karna
1.15 The Kauravas and the Pandavas


Reading Part B
1.16 The Strife Starts
1.17 Kripa and Drona
1.18 Ekalavya
1.19 The Royal Tournament (Karna)
1.20 Drona's Revenge on Drupada
1.21 Lord Krishna's Envoy
1.22 The Story of Kamsa
1.23 The Lac Palace Inferno
1.24 Hidimba, Hidimbi, and Ghatotkacha
1.25 The Ogre Bakasura
1.26 Dhaumya, the Priest of the Pandavas
1.27 Vashishtha and Vishvamitra
1.28 The Quality of Mercy
1.29 Draupadi and her Five Husbands
1.30 Sunda and Upasunda
1.31 Draupadi's Previous Life
1.32 The Five Indras
1.33 Khandavaprastha and Indraprastha
1.34 Arjuna's Pilgrimage
1.35 Arjuna and Subhadra
1.36 The Khandava Conflagration
1.37 The Sarngaka Birds


Reading Part C
Chapter 2 The Book of the Assembly Hall 
2.1 The Hall that Maya Built
2.2 The Rajasuya
2.3 Jarasandha
2.4 Shishupala
2.5 Shakuni
2.6 The Dice Game
Chapter 3 The Book of the Forest 
3.1 Akshayapatra: Draupadi's Cornucopia
3.2 Dhritarashtra in Distress
3.3 Kirmira
3.4 Lord Krishna Visits the Pandavas
3.5 Markandeya and Vyasa
3.6 Arjuna and the Pashupata
3.7 Urvashi and Arjuna3.8 Nala and Damayanti
3.9 The Sage Agastya
3.10 King Bhagiratha
3.11 Sage Rishyashringa
3.12 Chyavana and Sukanya
3.13 King Mandhata and King Somaka
3.14 The Dove and the Hawk
3.15 Ashtavakra, The Prodigy
3.16 Yavakrida, Arvavasu, and Paravasu
3.17 Hanuman and Bhima


Reading Part D
3.18 Jatasura and Narakasura's Bones
3.19 Arjuna's Return and Bhima's Boa
3.20 Sage Markandeya
3.21 The Avatars of Vishnu
3.22 The Frog Princess
3.23 Shibi, The Virtuous King
3.24 Dhundhumara and Indradyumna
3.25 Lord Shanmugha, The God of Six Faces
3.26 The Four Yugas
3.27 The Perfect Wife
3.28 Ghoshayatra: Duryodhana's Misadventure
3.29 Sage Mugdala and Sage Durvasas
3.30 The Abduction of Draupadi


Reading Part E
3.31 The Ramayana: Ravana's Lineage
3.32 The Ramayana: Rama and Sita
3.33 Savitri and Satyavan
3.34 Karna's Divine Armor
3.35 The Yaksha Episode
Chapter 4 The Book of Virata 
4.1 The Final Year of the Pandavas' Exile
4.2 Bhima and Kichaka
4.3 Another Misadventure of Duryodhana
Chapter 5 The Book of War Preparations 
5.1 Discussion in Virata's Court
5.2 Seeking Lord Krishna as an Ally
5.3 King Shalya, Duryodhana's Ally
4.5 Indra, Vritra, and Nahusha
4.6 Sanjaya's Mission to the Pandavas
5.6 Teachings of Vidura and Sanatsujata
5.7 Krishna's Peace Mission
5.8 Krishna's Divine Form
5.9 Dandobhava, Garuda, and Galava
5.10 Muchukunda and Vidula


Reading Part F
5.11 Krishna and Kunti Attempt to Influence Karna
5.12 Rukmi and Uluka
5.13 Preparations of War
5.14 Amba, Shikhandini, and Shikhandin
Chapter 6 The Book of Bhishma 
6.1 Vyasa's Visit to Dhritarashtra
6.2 Terms of the War and the Armies' Disposition
6.3 Bhagavad-Gita
6.4 Yudhishthira Visits the Enemy
6.5 Nine Days of Battle under Bhishma's Command
6.6 Tenth Day of Battle
Chapter 7 The Book of the Drona 
7.1 Eleventh Day of Battle: Drona in Command
7.2 Twelfth Day of the Battle
7.3 Thirteenth Day of Battle: Death of Abhimanyu
7.4 Fourteenth Day: End of Jayadratha
7.5 End of Ghatotkacha
7.6 Fifteenth Day: Drona's Fall

Reading Part G

Chapter 8 The Book of the Karna 
8.1 Sixteenth Day of Battle: Karna in Command
8.2 Seventeenth Day: Shalya, Karna's Charioteer
8.3 Balaka and Kaushika
8.4 Bhima Slaughters Dushasana
8.5 End of Karna
Chapter 9 The Book of Shalya 
9.1 Eighteenth Day of Battle: The Last Day
9.2 Bhima Slays Duryodhana
Chapter 10 The Book of the Nocturnal Raid 
10.1 Ashwathama's Vengeance
10.2 Ashwathama's Surrender
10.3 Daksha's Sacrifice
10.4 Vaishampayana and Sanjaya
Chapter 11 The Book of the Women 
11.1 Dhritarashtra Comforted
11.2 Gandhari's Grief
11.3 Karna's Identity Revealed
Chapter 12 The Book of Harmony 
12.1 Yudhishthira's Remorse: King Sudyumna
12.2 Coronation of Yudhishthira
12.3 Charvaka
12.4 Bhishma on the Bed of Arrows
12.5 The Origin of the Universe
12.6 Bhishma's Teachings
Chapter 13 The Book of Guidance 
13.1 King Shibi
13.2 Vishvamitra and Jamadagni
13.3 Selected Teachings of Bhishma
13.4 The 1000 Names of Vishnu
13.5 The Creation of Bhishma

Reading Part H

Chapter 14 The Book of the Horse Sacrifice 
14.1 Horse Sacrifice: Marutta's Gold
14.2 The Anugita
14.3 Udanka
14.4 Birth of Parikshit
14.5 Roaming of the Royal Horse
14.6 Babruvahana
14.7 The Horse Sacrifice
14.8 The Mongoose with Gold Skin
Chapter 15 The Book of Residence in the Hermitage 
15.1 Dhritarashtra Moves to a Hermitage
15.2 Yudhishthira Visits Dhritarashtra
15.3 Dhritarashtra's Last day
Chapter 16 The Book of Iron Clubs 
16.1 Son of Lord Krishna
16.2 Decline and Fall of the Yadavas
16.3 Balarama and Lord Krishna Leave the Earth
16.4 Fall of Dwaraka
Chapter 17 The Book of the Great Departure 
17.1 Pandavas and Draupadi Leave Hastinapura
17.2 Yudhishthira and His Dog
17.3 Yudhishthira and Indra
Chapter 18 The Book of Ascent to Heaven 
18.1 Illusion of Hell (Naraka)
18.2 Yudhishthira in Heaven (Swarga)
18.3 Conclusion

Overview: Fenris. Sacred Stories

Title: Sacred Stories: Indian Moral Stories for Children
Author: Morris Fenris
Year: 2013

Comments: This is a marvelous collection of some of the most famous myths and legends from the Indian tradition, told in a simple and direct style. It's a perfect way to meet some of the most famous characters from the Indian storytelling tradition!

Kindle: You can buy your own Kindle copy from Amazon for $3.99 (checked price November 2017); more about Kindles.

Length: one week. I've divided the reading into two weeks' worth of reading: Part A - Part B - Part C - Part D. 

Reading Part A
King Cobra and the Ants
The Tiger, the Brahmin, and the Jackal
The Farmer and the Money Lender
The Judge Monkey
The Foolish Pupil
The Broken Pot
The Barber and the Ghost
When Elephants Flew
The Six Blind Men
The Handsome Prince
The Tailor Bird and the Monkey
The Stars in the Pool
Dhruva

Reading Part B
King Harish Chandra
The Ball in the Well
When Mountains Bowed
The Missing Student
Nachiketa
Sudama
The Two Sisters
Indra's Plight
Valmiki
Ganesh Emerges Victorious
Savitri and Satyavan
The Eagle and the Dove

Reading Part C
How the Squirrel Got its Stripes
Bharata Meets Rama
Sage Vashishtha and the King
The Archery Test
Bheema in the Kingdom of Snakes
The Dirty Pig
Four Silver Coins
Lord Ganesha's Hunger
Tenali Rama and the Thieves
The Dutiful Donkey
True Friends
The Golden Feathers

Reading Part D
The Monkey's Heart
The Clever Crab and the Cunning Crane
The Mouse Daughter
The Four Friends
The Queen's Diamond Necklace
The Mongoose and the Farmer's Wife
The Mice and the Elephant
The Wounded Swan
Aruni
The Favorite Pupil
The Pot of Milk
Kalidasa and the Learned Princess
The King's Pants

Reading Guide: Sanghi. Krishna Key.

Title: The Krishna Key
Year: 2012
Author: Ashwin Sanghi

Comments: This is an exciting book in the style of Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code which interweaves the ancient legend of Krishna with a modern thriller.

Bizzell Stacks. There is also a copy available for checkout from the regular Bizzell stacks: PR 9499.4.S2595 K757 2012 (click to see if checked out or not).

Kindle: You can buy your own Kindle copy from Amazon for $4.20 cents (checked price August 2019); more about Kindles.

Audiobook: You can buy your own Audible copy from Amazon for $7.49 (checked price August 2019).

Length: three weeks. I've divided the reading into six parts: Part A - Part B (one week of reading), Part C - Part D (second week), and then Part E - Part F (third week of reading).

For your Storytelling based on this book, good option is to focus on the ancient Krishna story which is interwoven throughout the book: it's a wonderful way to think about Krishna's story in new ways!

WEEK 1:
Reading A
Chapters 1-6
Reading B
Chapters 7-25

WEEK 2:
Reading C
Chapters 26-46
Reading D
Chapters 47-66

WEEK 3:
Reading E
Chapter 67-87
Reading F
Chapters 88-108

Overview: Pattanaik. Seven Secrets of Vishnu.

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As of July 2018, these videos were no longer at YouTube, but hopefully they will return.

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Title: Seven Secrets of Vishnu
Author: Devdutt Pattanaik
Year: 2011

Free Online: You can watch the videos for free at YouTube. I would strongly suggest getting the Kindle copy also to help with names and notetaking (you can read a Kindle on any device or in your browser; no Kindle device required).

Kindle: You can buy your own Kindle book from Amazon for $2.99 (checked price November 2017).

Audiobook: You can buy your own Audible book from Amazon for $12.71 (checked price November 2017).

Length: three weeks. I've divided the videos into six parts: A - B (one week), then C - D (second week), and E - F (third week).

Part A - Mohini
Part B - Matsya 

Part C - Kurma
Part D - Trivikrama 

Part E - Rama
Part F - Krishna

Overview. Pattanaik. Seven Secrets of the Goddess

Title: Seven Secrets of the Goddess
Author: Devdutt Pattanaik
Year: 2016

Free Online: You can watch the videos for free at YouTube. I would strongly suggest getting the Kindle copy also to help with names and notetaking; more about Kindles.

Kindle: You can buy your own Kindle book from Amazon for $2.99 (checked price November 2017).

Audiobook: You can buy your own Audible book from Amazon for $12.71 (checked price November 2017).

Length: three weeks. I've divided the videos into eight parts: A - B (one week), then C - D (second week), E - F (third week), and G - H (fourth week).

PART A: Gaia's Secret 1-2
PART B: Gaia's Secret 3-4

PART C: Kali's Secret
PART D: Gauri's Secret

PART E: Durga's Secret
PART F: Lakshmi's Secret

PART G: Saraswati's Secret
PART H: Vitthai's Secret