Portal:Myths

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The Myths Portal

Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the veracity of a myth is not a defining criterion.

Myths are often endorsed by secular and religious authorities and are closely linked to religion or spirituality. Many societies group their myths, legends, and history together, considering myths and legends to be factual accounts of their remote past. In particular, creation myths take place in a primordial age when the world had not achieved its later form. Origin myths explain how a society's customs, institutions, and taboos were established and sanctified. National myths are narratives about a nation's past that symbolize the nation's values. There is a complex relationship between recital of myths and the enactment of rituals. (Full article...)

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Chhinnamasta, 19th century lithograph

Chhinnamasta (Sanskrit: छिन्नमस्ता, Chinnamastā :"She whose head is severed"), often spelled Chinnamasta, and also called Chhinnamastika and Prachanda Chandika and Jogani Maa (in western states of India), is a Hindu goddess (Devi). She is one of the Mahavidyas, ten goddesses from the esoteric tradition of Tantra, and a ferocious aspect of Mahadevi, the Hindu Mother goddess. The self-decapitated nude goddess, usually standing or seated on a divine copulating couple, holding her own severed head in one hand and a scimitar in another. Three jets of blood spurt out of her bleeding neck and are drunk by her severed head and two attendants.

Chhinnamasta is a goddess of contradictions. She symbolises both aspects of Devi: a life-giver and a life-taker. She is considered both a symbol of sexual self-control and an embodiment of sexual energy, depending upon interpretation. She represents death, temporality, and destruction as well as life, immortality, and recreation. The goddess conveys spiritual self-realization and the awakening of the kundalini – spiritual energy. The legends of Chhinnamasta emphasise her self-sacrifice – sometimes coupled with a maternal element – sexual dominance, and self-destructive fury. (Full article...)

Did you know? - show different entries

... that the Engkanto, a Philippine mythical creature, might be based on early encounters with European friars?

... that in Chinese mythology, Wu Gang had to chop down a tree on the moon that always healed itself, forcing him to keep trying forever?

... that human sacrifices to the K'iche' Maya patron deity Tohil had their severed heads placed on a rack in front of the temple?

...that in Ovid's Metamorphoses, the love between Acis and Galatea ended when a jealous suitor named Polyphemus killed Acis with a boulder?

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In Hindu mythology, Keshin (Sanskrit: केशिन्, lit. 'the hairy one/long-haired' IAST: Keśin), also called Keshi (Sanskrit: केशी IAST: Keśī) is a horse-demon, killed by Krishna, an Avatara of Vishnu. The demon was dispatched by Krishna's evil uncle Kamsa, who was destined to die at Krishna's hands.

The tale of the slaying of Keshi is told in the Hindu scriptures of Bhagavata Purana, Vishnu Purana and Harivamsa. Krishna is often praised as Keshava - the slayer of Keshi - in scriptures. (Full article...)

General images

The following are images from various myth-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Fountain of Youth (from List of mythological objects)
Image 2Myths and legends of Babylonia and Assyria (1916) (from Myth)
Image 3Houyi, the God of Archery (from List of mythological objects)
Image 4"Tizona", the sword attributed to El Cid, on exhibit in the Army Museum of Madrid (from List of mythological objects)
Image 5Hand of God (from List of mythological objects)
Image 614th century Goryeo painting of Ksitigarbha holding a cintamani (from List of mythological objects)
Image 7Thor wearing the magic belt Megingjörð (from List of mythological objects)
Image 8The Honest Woodcutter, also known as Mercury and the Woodman and his famous Golden Axe (from List of mythological objects)
Image 9Vishnu with his Panchajanya (from List of mythological objects)
Image 10Dietrich von Bern and Hildebrand fight against dragons (from List of mythological objects)
Image 11Several mythical creatures from Bilderbuch für Kinder (lit. 'picture book for children') between 1790 and 1822, by Friedrich Justin Bertuch (from Legendary creature)
Image 12Killing of Ravana Painting by Brahmstra of Arrow of Brahma (from List of mythological objects)
Image 13Giza pyramids (from List of mythological objects)
Image 14Artist's impressions of the (unseen) Imperial Regalia of Japan (from List of mythological objects)
Image 15The Stone of Destiny (Lia Fáil) at the Hill of Tara, once used as a coronation stone for the High Kings of Ireland (from List of mythological objects)
Image 16Väinämöinen, the wise demigod and one of the significant characters of Finnish mythological 19th-century epic poetry, The Kalevala (Väinämöinen's Play, Robert Wilhelm Ekman, 1866) (from Myth)
Image 17Yama with his famous Yama Pasha (from List of mythological objects)
Image 18Lichas bringing the garment of Nessus to Hercules (from List of mythological objects)
Image 19Shield of Achilles (illustration) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 20The famous sword of Excalibur painted by Howard Pyle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 21Early Hebrew Conception of the Universe (from List of mythological objects)
Image 22Tissot Moses and Joshua in the Tabernacle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 23This panel by Bartolomeo di Giovanni relates the second half of the Metamorphoses. In the upper left, Jupiter emerges from clouds to order Mercury to rescue Io. (from Myth)
Image 24Vishnu holding his legendary sword Nandaka (from List of mythological objects)
Image 25Hop-o'-My-Thumb stealing the Seven-league boots from the Ogre, by Gustave Doré (from List of mythological objects)
Image 26Holy Robe in Trier (from List of mythological objects)
Image 27Ancient Sumerian cylinder seal impression showing the god Dumuzid being tortured in the Underworld by galla demons (from Comparative mythology)
Image 28As is usual in bestiaries, the lynx in this late 13th-century English manuscript is shown urinating, the urine turning to the mythical stone Lyngurium (from List of mythological objects)
Image 29Golem and Loew (from List of mythological objects)
Image 30Symbolic power: a dragon in the Imperial City, Huế, Vietnam (from Legendary creature)
Image 31The Fall of the Titans (1596–98) by Cornelis Cornelisz van Haarlem (from Comparative mythology)
Image 32The Shrine of the Three Kings in Cologne Cathedral (from List of mythological objects)
Image 33Fig trees often represent talismans with the udumbara (from List of mythological objects)
Image 34Jason returns with Golden fleece (from List of mythological objects)
Image 35Goetia seal of solomon (from List of mythological objects)
Image 36The third gift — an enormous hammer (1902) by Elmer Boyd Smith and the ring Draupnir is visible among other creations by the Sons of Ivaldi (from List of mythological objects)
Image 37The Ash Yggdrasil by Friedrich Wilhelm Heine (from List of mythological objects)
Image 38Snake and world egg of the inhabitants of Tyre (from List of mythological objects)
Image 39Azoth, a universal medicine or universal solvent sought in alchemy. (Medieval legend) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 40Perillos being forced into the brazen bull that he built for Phalaris (from List of mythological objects)
Image 41Voodoo doll with pins in it, Museum of Witchcraft (from List of mythological objects)
Image 42"The Fall of Man" by Lucas Cranach the Elder and the Tree of Knowledge is on the right (from List of mythological objects)
Image 43Jug from Lydian Treasure Usak (from List of mythological objects)
Image 44Joan of Arc with her famous sword (from List of mythological objects)
Image 45The Crown of Immortality, held by the allegorical figure Eterna (Eternity) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 46Hanuman fetches the herb-bearing mountain, in a print from the Ravi Varma Press, 1910's (from List of mythological objects)
Image 47Claíomh Solais on an Ireland stamp printed in 1922 (from List of mythological objects)
Image 48Surya on His Celestial Chariot (from List of mythological objects)
Image 49The Celestial Chariot, Pushpaka Vimana from Ramayana (from List of mythological objects)
Image 50Edith Hamilton's Mythology has been a major channel for English speakers to learn classical Greek and Roman mythology (from Myth)
Image 51seven angels with seven trumpets (from List of mythological objects)
Image 52Veronica holding her veil, Hans Memling, c. 1470 (from List of mythological objects)
Image 53Lord Vishnu took the form of Beauty Mohini and distributed the Amrita (Ambrosia, Elixir) to Devas. When Rahu (snake dragon) tried to steal the Amrita, his head was cut off (from List of mythological objects)
Image 54Aura, a field of luminous radiation surrounding a person or object (from List of mythological objects)
Image 55The fall of Icarus (from List of mythological objects)
Image 56Ancient Roman relief from the Cathedral of Maria Saal showing the infant twins Romulus and Remus being suckled by a she-wolf (from Comparative mythology)
Image 57Shiva with his Trishula (from List of mythological objects)
Image 58 Odysseus Overcome by Demodocus' Song, by Francesco Hayez, 1813–1815 (from Myth)
Image 59Greek God Kronos/Saturnus with sickle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 601929 Belgian banknote, depicting Ceres, Neptune and caduceus (from Myth)
Image 61Thor kicks Litr onto Baldr's Hringhorni, illustration by Emil Doepler (ca. 1905) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 62Achilles wearing his armor (from List of mythological objects)
Image 63Golden cosmic egg Hiranyagarbha by Manaku (from List of mythological objects)
Image 64Prometheus (1868) by Gustave Moreau. In the mythos of Hesiodus and possibly Aeschylus (the Greek trilogy Prometheus Bound, Prometheus Unbound and Prometheus Pyrphoros), Prometheus is bound and tortured for giving fire to humanity. (from Myth)
Image 65The Dispute of Minerva and Neptune (c. 1689 or 1706) by René-Antoine Houasse, depicting the founding myth of Athens (from National myth)
Image 66An angel (Camael) expelling Adam and Eve with a flaming sword (from List of mythological objects)
Image 67Rectangular tablets passed down by the Hand of God in the 10th century Byzantine Leo Bible (from List of mythological objects)
Image 68Riding a Flying Carpet, an 1880 painting by Viktor Vasnetsov (from List of mythological objects)
Image 69Opening lines of one of the Mabinogi myths from the Red Book of Hergest (written pre-13c, incorporating pre-Roman myths of Celtic gods):
Gereint vab Erbin. Arthur a deuodes dala llys yg Caerllion ar Wysc...
(Geraint the son of Erbin. Arthur was accustomed to hold his Court at Caerlleon upon Usk...) (from Myth)
Image 70Amenonuhoko (天沼矛 or 天之瓊矛 or 天瓊戈, "heavenly jeweled spear") is the name given to the spear in Shinto used to raise the primordial land-mass, Onogoro-shima, from the sea (from List of mythological objects)
Image 71Image showing the sacred tree to the right of the temple, from Olaus Magnus' Historia de Gentibus Septentrionalibus (1555). To the right of the tree is a depiction of a man being sacrificed in the spring (from List of mythological objects)
Image 72Jacob blesses Joseph and gives him the coat of many colors (from List of mythological objects)
Image 73Erlang Shen (二郎神), or Erlang is a Chinese God with his spear (from List of mythological objects)
Image 74Adam's Bridge also called as Rama Setu (from List of mythological objects)
Image 75The Flying Dutchman (from List of mythological objects)
Image 76Sampo, a magical artifact of indeterminate type constructed by Ilmarinen that brought riches and good fortune to its holder, in the Finnish epic poetry Kalevala (The Forging of the Sampo, Joseph Alanen, 1911) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 77The Giving of the Seven Bowls of Wrath / The First Six Plagues, Revelation 16:1–16. Matthias Gerung, c. 1531 (from List of mythological objects)
Image 78Fortune Wheel (from List of mythological objects)
Image 79King Svafrlame Secures the Sword Tyrfing (from List of mythological objects)
Image 80Heracles would use arrows dipped in the Hydra's poisonous blood to kill other foes during his Labours, such as Stymphalian birds and the giant (from List of mythological objects)
Image 81The Argo (c. 1500 – 1530), painting by Lorenzo Costa (from List of mythological objects)
Image 82The sheyd אַשְמְדּאָי (Ašmodai) in bird-like form, with typical rooster feet, as depicted in Compendium rarissimum totius Artis Magicae 1775 (from Comparative mythology)
Image 83The Deluge, frontispiece to Gustave Doré's illustrated edition of the Bible. Based on the story of Noah's Ark, this engraving shows humans and a tiger doomed by the flood futilely attempting to save their children and cubs. (from Comparative mythology)
Image 84Pied piper (from List of mythological objects)
Image 85Ahimelech giving the sword of Goliath to David, by Aert de Gelder. (from List of mythological objects)
Image 86A 19th-century drawing of Sun Wukong featuring his staff (from List of mythological objects)
Image 87Ballads of bravery (1877) part of Arthurian mythology (from Myth)
Image 88Longinus with his famous Spear (from List of mythological objects)