mamtc

mamtc

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Jörmungandr and Ananthasesha - World bearers as a ring


Jörmungandr - in Norse mythology, Jörmungandr is a huge serpent and son of Loki and Angrboa. The serpent grew bigger and bigger and Odin threw him into the ocean. The serpent circled the earth and was able to hold his tail in his mouth. As per mythology if the serpent lets go off its tail from its mouth the world may face its doomsday.

Ananthasesha - in Hindu mythology, the world is held by four elephants resting on top of a turtle named Kurmaraja which is supported by the anatha sesha.
Ananthasesha means endless snake. And during this world wasnt round? so, the flat world was held on by four elephants on four corners. And the turtle is second avatar (more like horcrux of the immortal) of Vishnu and the snake is his brother Anantha sesha, who also serves as his bed under the ocean where Vishnu resides with his wife Lakshmi.

Moral of the story: I understand the need to get patent now not just after watching "the social network". I wonder how did people in different part of continent in those days came up with same story and same imagination when the travel was almost to impossible before Magellan?

Check more comparison mythology stories here