Dhruva and Narada
A young prince is turned away from his father’s lap, finds a teacher in the sage Narada, and is given the twelve-syllable mantra of Vasudeva.
Well-known stories from the Puranas, the Ramayana and other traditional texts, retold in plain English. Each one names the text it follows, and says so when other texts tell it differently. Many connect to a mantra or a festival you can read about next.
The Goddess and Mahishasura
How the gods, defeated by the buffalo-demon Mahishasura, joined their powers to form the Goddess, as told in the Devi Mahatmya.
Vishvamitra and the Gayatri
The Ramayana’s account of Vishvamitra, the king who gave up a kingdom to become a sage, and the tradition that links him to the Gayatri verse.
Looking for the shlokas themselves? See Mantras & Shlokas and our festival guides.