Ancient indian mythology & scientific relevance
1. ANCIENT INDIAN MYTHOLOGY &
SCIENTIFIC RELEVANCE
ANCIENT INDIAN MYTHOLOGY &
SCIENTIFIC RELEVANCE
KUNAL , ARPIT, BRIJESH , RAJAT
IX-B
D A V PUBLIC SCHOOL , DWARKA
3. MYTHOLOGY
A usually traditional story of events
that serves to unfold part of the
world view of a people or explain a
practice, belief, or natural
phenomenon . Myths often
involve divine, supernatural,
and/or heroic characters.
4. Mythology
OR A collection of fictional
stories involving the actions
of gods, goddesses and
other imaginary characters,
intended to explain the
unexplainable.
5. ClassicalGreekMythology
A collection of stories about a set of
gods, based upon oral tradition, as told
and recorded by the ancient Greeks
Myths served as entertainment, a
sense of national/regional pride, and
religious education
6. Oral Tradition
The practice of passing along
stories, tales, and folklore by word
of mouth
Oral tradition is responsible for
many of the “inconsistencies” of
ancient mythology.
7. Fantasy
Highly imaginative writing that contains
elements not found in real life
Many science fiction and fantasy
books, movies and comic books are
based upon the style and manner of
myths.
8. Legends
• Definition: fictional stories loosely based upon real/historical
people and events.
• Also known as “tall-tales”
• Are rooted in facts, but stories have been changed through the
years…WHY?
9. Fables
• Definition: A brief story, often
containing animal characters
that teaches a lesson or moral
• Fables deal with “useful truth”
10. “The Classicists”
Greek mythology existed for hundreds of
years before these stories were ever recorded
with written words.
The scholars/poets who recorded the myths
are known as “classicists.”
The major classicists of Greek Mythology
include Virgil, Homer, and Ovid.
11. The Importance of Myths
Myths were critical to the ancient Greeks
These stories touched all aspects of Greek life,
including art, music, architecture, military endeavors,
religion, and education.
Greek myths and sunlight are represented by moral
quality. Heroes are set in sunlight, monsters belong to
the darkness.
Myths were critical to the ancient Greeks
12. Categories of Myths
Myths of creation : these explain
the beginning of time, space, and
man
Myths of explanation : these
explain the great questions of the
universe
Myths of morality : these teach
lessons and reinforce cultural
morality
13. WhyStudyMythology?
Greek myths are the foundations for the arts as
we know them, including movies, television,
commercial products, sports, music, and comic
books.
A knowledge of Greek mythology enhances a
person’s ability to understand and appreciate the
world as a whole.
14. The Pantheon
• There are many gods, goddesses, demi-
gods (half-gods) and supernatural beings
in Greek Mythology.
• The twelve main gods and goddesses are
known as the Pantheon.
15. Zeus:
• King of the gods, ruler of Mt. Olympus
• Also god of lightning
• Was a powerful and aggressive ruler
• Struck Earth with lightning bolt when upset
• Waged constant war with wife and sisterHera
• Cheated on wife countless times, and had
numerous children with mortals, gods, and other
creatures
17. Athena
• Goddess of wisdom and warfare, mistress of strategy
• Taught men how to use an ax, plough, wheel, sail.
Taught women how to spin and weave (Arachne
story...)
• Mother was Metis, a Titaness
• Zeus became paranoid that his child would harm him,
so he eats her whole.
• Zeus developed a splitting headache
• Hephaestus split his head open with a chisel, and…
19. The “Rebirth” of Athena
• Athena jumped out of Zeus skull, full-
grown and wearing battle armor.
• One of the most popular and respected
immortals
• Athens, Greece is named for her
21. Poseidon
• God of water
• Never had children with sea nymph-Thetis because any son
of Thetis would be greater than Poseiden
• Thetis had a son from Peleus whose name was Achilles
therefore the prophecy came true.
• Difficult, quarrelsome, greedy, liked jokes
• Thought up creature...octopus, squid, jellyfish, swordfish,
dolphin, etc.
• Was trying to perfect the horse for Demeter and that is why
we have the camel, hippo, giraffe, donkey, and zebra
23. HADES
• God of the Underworld
• Greeks buried their dead with a coin so that when they entered
"Hades" they could pay the fare on their way to the river Styx
• Cerberus- 3 headed dog that guarded the gate
• 3 judges awaited the dead - Minos, Rhadamanthys and Aeacus.
• > if judges were displeased - bad punishments
• > if judges were pleased - Elysian Fields
• Palace grounds were called Erebus- deepest part of the
underworld
