This week’s discussion included some very interesting topics, such as “Brahma creates the world” and ” Danger of a single story”. These two topics were very dominant and something new to learn about. This Blogpost will focus on Brahma and a review of the Danger of a single story.
Brahma is one of the major Gods of the Hindu religions who was gradually eclipsed by Vishnu, Shiva, and the greatest Goddess. Although Brahma is the creator aspect, he is depicted in some stories as being born from a lotus flower growing from Vishnu’s navel.https://search-credoreference-com.ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/content/entry/heliconhe/brahma/0. Brahma is often shown as having four heads, facing the four directions. Brahma carries the Vedas, and objects such as prayer beads, used in worship.
This picture of Brahma shows him holding the beads that are used to worship in his left hand and holding a rosary (or sceptre), an alms bowl, a bow, and the Rigveda, the oldest and foremost collection of ancient Hindu .scriptures.https://www.britannica.com/topic/Brahma-Hindu-god. Brahma is the God who actually makes the world. The world is a cycle of birth and destruction: one day the world will end as it has many times before but when Brahma the God re-creates the world, he does so with justice, with Karma and each time Brahma creates the world he creates it with his will. Brahma created the four types of waters- gods, demons, ancestors, and men that gathered his mind into itself. the demons were first born, coming from his thigh and Brahama then abandoned that form made up of the root of darkness when deserted by him, the forms became night. After Brahma created good gods, he abandoned his body once again, which then became Day, hence demons gain the ascendancy at night and gods, the forces of goodness, rule the day. Brahma then created ancestors and men, each time again abandoning his body so that they became Dusk and Dawn respectively. This process of creation repeats itself in every aeon. Brahma then appointed Shiva to rule over humanity although in later myths Brahma becomes a servant of Shiva.
Lastly, “The Danger of a Single Story” by Chimananda Ngozi Adichie talks about the danger of a single story, where the author explains that if we only hear about a people, place, or situation from one point of view, we risk accepting one experience as the whole truth. The single-story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but they are incomplete. The author was very insightful, empowered, and engaging. I’m sure when people listen to this video they capture some informative lessons, the author Chimamanda uses around ten different smaller stories to share the core message itself. All of them fit beautifully together, combing her personal experience as a Nigerian in America as well as her Nigerian experience with its own limitations in literature and so on. The story of The Danger of a Single Story can be compared to a current example of the Black lives matter movement which started after the brutal murder of an individual, who was murdered by the police force. This movements aim is to fight for equality and the injustice that many black people in the U.S.A face, there are many narratives that are created towards specific groups such as black, brown, Indigenous and many other races who immigrate to different and better countries where they believe they can find peace but in reality, there is nothing but racism and stereotypes.
References
- Brahma. (2018). In Helicon (Ed.), The Hutchinson unabridged encyclopedia with atlas and weather guide. Helicon. Credo Reference:http://ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/heliconhe/brahma/0?institutionId=261
- https://d2l.ucalgary.ca/d2l/le/content/309867/viewContent/4061531/View
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Brahma,” February 19, 2015. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Brahma-Hindu-god
- https://images.axios.com/EDuPZlQSMZySS7HJYQCui7f6GXk=/0x625:6000×4000/1920×1080/2020/06/14/1592101150634.jpg
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