Stories of Shiva: Sati and Shiva, Shiva Parvati, Tales of Shiva, Ganesha, Karttikeya

Amar Chitra Katha Stories of Shiva #1-5

by Anant Pai

The Puranas are full of legends about the victories of Shiva over the forces of evil. According to Puranic legends, Sati, the daughter of Daksha, is his consort. Daksha however, does not hold his ascetic son-in-law in high esteem. Sati finds it difficult to bear the insult meted out to her lord. And when Daksha deliberately slights Shiva, Sati is unable to bear the humiliation and enters the sacred fire. This is the story of the first title, Sati and Shiva. Sati is reborn as Parvati, daughter of Himavat. Kumara Sambhava by Kalidasa, on which our second title is based, narrates the enduring love of Parvati for Shiva and her efforts at winning over her beloved by penances and austerities. Tales of Shiva is the third title in this ;volume. The first tale is based on the Mahabharata. The story of Shiva appearing as a fisherman is told in the Tamil classic, Tiruvachagam. The story of Markandeya attaining immortality by the grace of Lord Shiva is taken from the Skanda Purana. The legends about the birth and exploits of Ganesha are many different Puranas giving different versions of the same incidents. Our story, however, is based solely on the Shiva Purana version. The story of Karttikeya is found in the Mahabharata, in the Shiva, Skanda and Brahmanda Puranas, and in the Ramayana. Our story is based on the Tamil version of the Skanda-Purana-Samhita.

Genres: Comics, Mythology, Childrens

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Anant Pai popularly known as Uncle Pai, was an Indian educationalist and creator of Indian comics, in particular the Amar Chitra Katha series in 1967, along with the India Book House publishers, and which retold traditional Indian folk tales, mythological stories, and biographies of historical characters. In 1980, he launched Tinkle, a children's anthology, which was started under Rang Rekha Features, India's first comic and cartoon syndicate, that lasted till 1998, with him as the Managing Director.

Today, Amar Chitra Katha sells about three million comic books a year, in English and more than 20 Indian languages, and has sold about 100 million copies since it inception in 1967 by Anant Pai, and in 2007 was taken over by ACK Media.

Reviews

[Jay Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very short book(or rather I would call a comic book) of around 90 pages.
I finished it within an hour. This book is not for someone who is an avid reader and one who's looking for some quality stuff.
Though children will definitely love it, so if you are a parent and you want to teach your child about 'Our Culture/Religion', this might be a good start.
You will learn all the stories which you also might have been hearing since your childhood, but it's a good thing to go back and relive again with those memories. I certainly enjoyed reading this book.
Happy Reading!

[Deepa Swaminathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful stories with vibrant pctures and descriptions. Ganesha is my favourite in this book. Got o know the significance of many mythological characters like Daksh, Mahakali, Durga maa, and many more.

[Tandava Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gopal, in my meditation class, recommended the Amar Chitra Katha series to me, and I found this one through Link+ in the library (it's 5 of the smaller volumes together, all about Shiva). A pretty fun, quick way to get some of the basic stories of the Hindu gods and legends.

[Janaki · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a great book!

[Vinay Leo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a big fan of mythology genre. Continuing the trip down memory lane, I found this collection of five stories on Lord Shiva viz. Shiva & Sati, Shiva Parvati, Tales of Shiva, Ganesha and Karttikeya.

I loved all of the tales because they were familiar though it was the first time I read them as an Amar Chitr Katha comic. Of the five, my favourites were Shiva & Sati, and the tale of Markandeya from the assorted Tales section. A happy read, no doubt!

Sharing this with #celebratingindianbooks for the Mythology prompt

[Asha]

good book

[Mahesh · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's always lovely to read stories of Shiva....

[K. Polaris · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book succeeds in making the diverse and often intricate tales of Lord Shiva approachable for younger audiences and those new to Hindu mythology. Through visually vibrant and narratively concise renditions, it covers key episodes such as the story of Shiva and Sati, Shiva’s relationship with Parvati, tales of Shiva’s divine powers, and the origins of his sons, Ganesha and Karttikeya. This format imparts foundational cultural knowledge, fostering appreciation of Hindu religious tradition and values in an entertaining way.

Throughout the stories, the book emphasizes recurring themes of divine power, justice, humility, and devotion. For instance, it explores the consequences of arrogance through the saga of Daksha and Sati, showcases the deep bond and trials between Shiva and Parvati, and celebrates the heroic virtues embodied by Shiva’s sons. These narratives offer readers moral and philosophical lessons embedded within mythic drama.

One of the book’s major strengths lies in its graphic storytelling approach. The illustrations bring mythological characters and events to life, accessible to a wide age range, especially children. The visual appeal combined with simplified language makes the ancient lore less daunting and more engaging, reinforcing memory and understanding.

While Stories of Shiva provides a broad overview rich in cultural heritage, the brevity and simplification necessary for the comic format mean that the book does not delve deeply into the theological complexities or multiple regional variations of Shiva worship. It is thus best conceived as an introductory primer rather than an exhaustive examination. By blending educational content with vibrant artistic storytelling, it nurtures cultural literacy and reverence, staying true to Amar Chitra Katha’s mission of making Indian mythology accessible while inspiring curiosity and values.

[Pranav · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a really nice book as it has all the major details of why Goddess Parvati took birth as Sati, the daughter of the vain Daksha Prajapati, who became extremely arrogant after he gained power. He become so arrogant that when Shiva did not stand up and greet him, that too for his own good, he decided to humiliate him. So Shiva sent Virabhadra and Mahakali, once he learnt of Daksha's intensions. Virabhadra beheaded Daksha and threw his head into the sacrificial fire. The story of Daksha teaches us an important lesson that we should never become too proud of our strength or else we will be punished severely. The reason for why Ganesha came down as a young boy and defeated everyone should have been mentioned. Overall, the stories from this book teach us a valuable lesson or two which we should be aware of.

[Ivan Rocha · Rating 5 out of 5]

ACK is always ever readable at any age group. This book is no exception.

ACK is always ever readable at any age group. This book is no exception. Recommended to any person who loves comics and/or hindu theology.

[Raviteja Andhavarapu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great work. I don’t think I read any ACK book as a child. I didn’t know most of the stories from the book either. Some of the stories like the Ganesh one is very different from Vinayaka Chavithi story.

Will catch up with some ACK titles available on kindle unlimited 🙂

[MANISH SRIVASTAVA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this

Reading comics is always a fun and that too of our Vedic stories is always cherished. Shiva is the lord

[Sriraam]

This is a very good book about the god kailasha

[Savita Ramsumair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent storytelling

These stories are put forth in such a way that the younger ones will understand them. Had Had Had Mahadev!!!

[Kartik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful read

Mythology stories always have a beautiful message embedded in them and these are a must read for children in young age.

[Sharanya Nair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Too good a read. Must read for everyone. This is a set of origin stories of you may. Overall, a good collection

[Avinash K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable.

[Harrish S · Rating 5 out of 5]

God teir

[Krishnan Nair · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the stories in this book. There were at least a few details I didn't recall.

It's nice to be able to read a few stories together.

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating read, but probably important to have a prior knowledge of Shaivism beforehand. Low rating for this simply due to the feeling it would be hard for a non-Hindu child to follow.

[Singapore_progods123]

I liked reading this book

[Hrishabh · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first introduction to Indian mythology was through these books and rereading them has made me smile at how they are a fabulous way to learn about the mythos of India.