Topic Archive

Myths about Karma

Explore myths connected by the recurring theme of Karma across cultures, characters, and sacred places.

5 myths currently featured for Karma.

The Ten Kings of Hell Judging the Souls of the Dead in the Courts of Diyu

🐉 Chinese MythologyFengdu Ghost City, Chongqing, ChinaYanluo Wang • Meng Po • King Qinguang

In Chinese mythology, Diyu is the realm of the dead where souls are judged by the Ten Kings of Hell across ten specialized courts. Each king oversees specific punishments and rewards based on the actions of the deceased during their earthly life. After passing through these trials and viewing their former homes one last time, souls drink the tea of forgetfulness and are sent to the final...

Sage Narada's Curse on Lord Vishnu

🕉️ Hindu MythologyBadrinath (Vaikuntha Proxy), IndiaNarada • Vishnu • Lakshmi

A tale of celestial rivalry and divine irony where Sage Narada, driven by a complex blend of devotion and frustration, curses Lord Vishnu. The curse mandates that Vishnu must experience the agonizing pain of separation from his consort, Goddess Lakshmi, mirroring the human condition of longing.

Bhima and the Python Nahusha

🕉️ Hindu MythologyHimalayas, Uttarakhand, IndiaBhima • Nahusha

While wandering in the forest, the powerful Pandava prince Bhima is ensnared by a giant python. The creature is revealed to be King Nahusha, who was cursed to live as a serpent for his arrogance, and is freed through Bhima's strength and humility.

The Fall of Nahusha

🕉️ Hindu MythologyHimalayas, Uttarakhand, IndiaNahusha • Agastya • Indra

King Nahusha, a virtuous ruler of the Lunar Dynasty, is appointed as the temporary Indra of heaven. However, pride consumes him, leading him to insult the great Sage Agastya by demanding he carry his palanquin, resulting in a curse that transforms him into a giant python.

King Sagara's 60,000 Sons and Sage Kapila

🕉️ Hindu MythologySagar Island, West Bengal, IndiaKing Sagara • Sage Kapila • Indra

King Sagara of Ayodhya attempted a hundredth horse sacrifice to claim universal sovereignty, but the god Indra stole the horse and hid it in the underworld. Sagara's 60,000 sons dug deep into the earth to find the animal, eventually discovering it next to the meditating Sage Kapila. In their arrogance, they attacked the sage, whose divine gaze instantly incinerated them into mounds of ash,...