Sacred Comic Books

These very-well made comic books, thoroughly researched for scriptural accuracy, present the sacred texts and the great saints of the world in a fun yet authentic way for children and adults alike. Two of the best collection in the world come from India and Singapore. - Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks (Anant Pai, editor. Bombay, India: India Book House Limited.) is a collection of brief sketches of the lives of saints and the retelling of scriptures from the whole world. - Asiapac Books (published in Singapore) has undertaken to illustrate the spiritual classics of Far-East Asia - Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and more. Below is a small sample of titles available.
Adi Shankara. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 656.1974.	Shankara's life gave birth to the Advaita philosophy and an inspiring body of devotional literature. His essential teaching was that the Self or Brahman is one - undivided and imperishable. The rest is maya or Illusion.
*Amma Comics.* Amritanandamayi, Ammachi. Volume 1.	Mother Amma says, "Divine Love makes you like a child". Colorful, playful and fun, Mother Amma tells eight stories in comic form - each story with its deepest metaphorical meaning explained. "The present moment that we have is so utterly precious. We should never allow it to be wasted. Understand this, and learn to smile always with your whole heart."
Ancestor of Rama. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. 572, 1977.	Tradition has it that Rama was the ideal king. Yet the predecessors of Rama, in his dynasty of the Ikshwakus, were as valiant and as benign as Rama himself. This story tells of their deeds. "The heroes of epics have their tragic flaws because epics always tell the whole truth. Like Rama, his ancestors also had flawed characters despite the glory of their personalities."
Aniruddha. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. 663, 1974	Aniruddha is a tale taken from the Bhagwat: Aniruddha was the son of Pradyumna and grandson of Krishna. Usha, the daughter of an Asura named Bana, saw him in a dream and became anxious to know if there was such a person. Her friend Chitralekha drew the portraits of many gods and men. At last when she drew the portrait of Aniruddha, Usha recognized him. Chitralekha set out to bring Aniruddha to Usha and a series of adventures then ensued.
Annapati Suyya. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. 317, 1984.	Suyya was a an orphan who, under the guidance of a guru, became an engineer and statesman, remembered to this day in Kashmir for the measures he took to control floods and increase agricultural output. This is the tale of how he tames the mighty Vitasta river.
Ayyappan. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. 673, 1975.	The legend of Shabari Malai. Divine events led to the birth of Manikanthan and at the end of a life full of dramatic events, Lord Parashurama installed an idol of him in the hill temple of Shabari. It is said that the Lord comes down to the Shabari Hills on the day of the festival of Makara Sankranti in the form of light to give darshan (holy vision) to his devotees and that He himself lights the temple lamp. Then, the pilgrims partake of prasad (blessed food) and walk backwards down the eighteen steps, their faces turned towards the Lord shining with devotion and ecstasy.
Bahubali. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 683, 1981.	Bahubali was the son of Rishabhadeva, the first of the 24 Tirthankaras revered by the Jains. In his hour of triumph he gave away his kingdom to the very brother he had defeated in single combat. Centuries later the commander-in-chief of a king of the Ganga dynasty had a 57 foot high image of Bahubali carved out of a huge rock at Shravana Belagola in Karnataka. This is now a pilgrim center and millions flock to witness the Maha-mastaka-abhisheka (held every 12 years) when the gigantic image is given a ceremonial bath.
Bimbisara. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 688, 1983.	In the 6th Century B.C., Northern India was politically fragmented with a number of kingdoms and a few republics. Bimbisara, the Emperor of Magadha, brought these for the first time under the imperial rule of a single authority.
Buddhist Tales. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 20022, 2000.	Prince Siddhartha, who became Buddha, refused to subscribe to the caste system which had ceased to be dhamma (virtue) and had become a tool of oppression. He would not accept the power-drunk priests as sole agents of God, he questioned the authority of the Vedas and he was convinced that penance and meditation as mere rituals, without accompanying sincerity and contemplation, were futile. Also included are stories of Angulimala, Amrapali and Upagupta.
Chanakya. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol No. 508, 1992.	Chanakya is the hero of the Sanskrit classic, Arthashastra, which remains an excellent textbook of political diplomacy detailing the affairs of public administration. The story told here is inspired by the classic Sanskrit play The Signet Ring written by Vishahadatta of Pataliputra and narrates the story of how Chanakya helped Chandragupta in gaining the throne of the Nandas.
Da Xue: The Great Learning. Tsai, Chih Chung. Tzu, Mary Ng En, trans. Singapore, Singapore: Asiapac Publication. 1992.	Da Xue is the second book in the Four Books of the Confucian Classics. It sets forth the higher principles of moral science. These principles when followed in the government and regulation of personal conduct, would contribute to the good of mankind.
Dasha Avatar. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 10002, 1997.	The avatar concept is a cornerstone of Hindu theology. According to it, the Supreme Power manifests in animal or human forms on earth, with the divine mission of cleansing the earth of periodically increasing evil. The dasha avatar is the narration of the ten most significant avatars which start with a form of a fish and work up to the noble man, cast in the image of God.
Dasharatha. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 570, 1976.	Dasharatha has been drawn mainly from Valmiki's famous epic poem - The Ramayana. Ravana, an evil rakshasa (demon), had performed severe penances and obtained a boon (wish) from Brahma. No celestial being could kill him. Armed with this boon, he invaded Amaravati, the city of the devas, and played havoc among its inhabitants. Distressed they appealed to Vishnu….
Devotees of Vishnu. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. N-12.	The main story in this collection is of Dhruva. Dhruva was five years old when he observed severe penance to win the favor of Lord Vishnu. Vishnu told him that he would rule the earth for 36,000 years and thereafter occupy an important place in heaven. To this day, the pole star is referred to as "Dhruva Nakshatra" by traditional Hindus. Also includes tales of Prahlad, Gajendra, Ambarisha and Vrikasura which narrate the benevolent acts of Vishnu which cast him as a love-inspiring rather than fear-inspiring deity.
Further tales from the Jatakas. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 10026, 2000.	Includes, The Magic Chant ant Other Stories, The Giant and the Dwarf, The Priceless Gem. The Jataka Tales are stories of the life of Buddha during his previous incarnations whether it be in the form of monkey, lion, fish or deer. Whatever his mortal body, the tales spread his message of justice and wisdom tempered with compassion.
Ganesha. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 509, 1992.	The deity of Ganesha, is the prime remover of obstacles, who clears the path to success - depicted as the elephant head with trunk curled over a pot-belly, four arms bearing emblems of godhood and mounted on a mouse. This story is based on the Shiva Purana legend.
Gopal the Jester. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 584, 1981.	Gopal Bhand helps the king and common folk alike. His successful accomplishment of often impossible assignments makes him a true folk-hero.
*Great Indian Emperors.* Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 10012, 1999.	The stories of three great emperors of ancient India: Ashoka, Samudra Gupta and Harsha.
Great Plays of Kalidasa. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 10010. 1999.	Kalidasa is one of the great poets and playwrights. This collection includes three stories based on Kalidasa's three famous plays, Malavikagnimitram, Abhijnana-Shakuntalam and Vikramorvashiyam. Kalidasa is one of the great poets and playwrights.
*Great Sanskrit Plays.* Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 10011, 1999.	Stories based on the Swapna-Vasavadatta by Bhasa; Mrichchakatikam (The Clay Cart) by Shudraka and Ratnavali by Emperor Harsha.
Hiuen Tsang. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 691, 1987.	Hiuen Tsang was a Chinese pilgrim who came to India in A.D. 629 and was the most distinguished Buddhist scholar of his times. He stayed in India for sixteen years, spreading Buddhist knowledge everywhere he went. His story illustrates the greatness of the human spirit in the face of heavy odds.
*Jataka Tales: Stories of Wisdom.* Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. N-17.	Stories include Tales of Misers, Tales of Wisdom and The Mouse Merchant.
*Jataka Tales: Stories of Wit.* Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. 1988.	Stories including The Giant and the Dwarf, The Magic chant and other stories, Nandi Vishala and other stories.
*Jesus Christ.* Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 10003, 1980.	This book gives you in pictures the story of Christ drawn from the four Gospels. "Martha was weeping, her brother Lazarus was dead. Jesus said, "Mary, wipe away your tears, show me where Lazarus lies." Some men noticed that Jesus was also weeping. They said, "He is weeping, see how much he loves Lazarus." Jesus was taken to the place where Lazarus was placed and ordered Lazarus to rise. Lazarus arose from the tomb. "Praise God" everyone cried."
Kabir. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 623, 1974.	"Be not the slaves of tradition; fear not to walk upon new paths, if these bring you nearer to God who is the Truth." Kabir was an Indian mystic, teacher and poet of the fifteenth century. His intense dislike for religious customs, the caste system, idol worship and orthodoxy made him many enemies; he was a revolutionary saint believing in One God and throughout his life aimed at bringing Hindus and Muslims together in his own way.
*Kacha and Devayani.* Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 661, 1972.	The story of Kacha and Devayani appears n the first book of the eighteen contained in The Mahabharata and centers around the battle for supremacy between the Asuras and the Devas. How Kacha goes to the city of the Asuras and learns the secret craft of sanjivani (reviving the dead) and how his sense of duty triumphs over the pleas of the charming Devayani is retold in this storybook.
Kalidasa. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 600, 1979.	Kalidasa, a great poet of classical Sanskrit, is only known through his writings. Believed to be a Brahmin and a devotee of Shiva, his personal life is otherwise unknown. The mystery surrounding him has given rise to legends on which this storybook is based. He is best known for his play Abhijnana Shakuntala.
Karttikeya. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 529, 1981.	Karttikeya, the commander in chief of the celestial army - six-headed, twelve-armed and seated on his vahana or vehicle, the peacock, Karttikeya is the symbol of youth, beauty and valor. In the South of India, he also symbolizes the supreme wisdom since, according to legend, he taught his father Lord Shiva, thereby earning the name of Svaminatha. He is found in The Mahabharata, in the Shiva Purana, Skanda Purana, and Brahmanda Purana as well as in the Ramayana. This story is based on the Tamil version of the Skanda-Purana-Samhita.
Krishna. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 501, 1992.	Krishna has a particular appeal for children because he is one of them. He is naughty. He has irrepressible energy for innumerable escapades. He is no prig and no puritan. He has divine powers. But he humanizes them and remains a boy. He is secular as he is sacred and this is why Krishna becomes a living presence to all children who have listened to the stories about him.
Krishna and Narakasura. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 522, 1978.	According to the Bhagawat Purana, Naraksura was born of Mother Earth and yet his deeds were so dark that he has become a symbol of darkness. Some commemorate the festival of lights, Deepavali, as the death of Naraka and consequent emancipation of all good spirits. This story relates the tales of Narakasura and his arch enemy Krishna.
Lun Yu: The Analects. Tsai, Chih Chung. Tzu. Mary Ng En, trans. Singapore, Singapore: Asiapac Publication. 1992.	Lun Yu together with Meng Zi, Da Xue, and Zhong Yong for the Four Classics of the Confucian Classics. Also known as the Analects of Confucius, Lun Yu contains a collection of the discourses and dialogues of Confucius, his disciples and others on various topics.
Madhvacharya. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 579, 1978.	Madhvacharya, a writer in Sanskrit verse and prose, posited the dvaita (dualism) philosophical system that taught men to look upon the world of matter as souls as real rather than illusory in the philosophical sense. He posited two orders of reality, svatantra and paratantra - independent and dependent, where God alone is the one independent reality on which all other is dependent. He wrote thirty-nine works, collectively known as Sarvamula and include commentaries on the Gita, the Upanishads and the Mahabharata.
*More Buddhist Tales.* Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 10023, 2000.	The stories of Vasavadatta, King Kusha and The Acrobat.
*More tales from the Jatakas.* Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No.10017, 2000.	Includes The Battle of Wits, The Deadly Feast and The Hidden Treasure.
*Nala and Damayanti.* Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 507, 1971.	In this episode from the Mahabharata, Yudhishthira loses everything in a game of dice and retires to the jungle where a rishi (sage) tells him the story of Nala and Damayanti. Nala was brave and handsome, Damayanti a beautiful and accomplished princess. Nala hears of Damayanti's beauty and conveys his love through a swan and Dayamanti pines for her unseen beloved.
Rabindranath Tagore. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 548, 1979.	Tagore was a Nobel Prize winning poet, novelist, singer, dramatist, musician, short-story writer, teacher, painter, educationist, philosopher and humanist. He composed over 4,000 songs, and has the unique distinction of being the only poet to have two of his poems adopted as the national anthems of India and Bangladesh.
Ramakrishna, Sri Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 595, 1979.	Mahatma Gandhi, in his preface to Life of Sri Ramakrishna, says, "The life of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa is a life of religion in practice. His life enables us to see God face to face." Romain Rolland, the French thinker, introduces Sri Ramakrishna as, "The consummation of two thousand years of the spiritual life of three hundred million people."
Raman of Tenali. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 523, 1978.	More tales of Raman, the Telugu poet and court jester of the emperor of Vijayanagara (1509-1529) whose wit has gone down in Indian folk lore. In this edition, his wit encounters Goddess Kali.
*Raman: The Matchless Wit.* Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 581, 1980.	This is the story of Tenali Raman, a man who triumphs over the mighty not with a sling or a stone but with nimble wit.
Ramayana, The. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 4, 1988.	Valmiki's Ramayana is believed to be the first poetic work written in Sanskrit. It is said that Lord Brahma assured Valmiki that, "As long as the mountains stand and the rivers flow, so long shall the Ramayana be read by men." It consists of 24,000 verses so this comic storybook is a gentle but accurate introduction.
Savitri. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. 511, 1970.	The story of Savitri and Satyavan appears in the Mahabharata. Savitri is Satyavan's wife and through her staunch devotion to her husband she brings good fortune to all her family. Indeed her intense devotion gives her the strength to influence the God of Death, Yama, to release Satyavan from death's clutches.
Sayings of Mencius, the: Wisdom in a Chaotic Era. Tsai, Chih Chung. Tzu, Mary Ng En, trans. Singapore, Singapore: Asiapac Publication. 1991.	Mencius, honored as a great sage after Confucius, has a deep conviction and enthusiasm for truth and an unflinching hold on his principles. This book contains stories about the life of Mencius and also various excerpts from "Mencius", one of the Four Books from the Confucian Classics.
Shalivahana. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 638, 1978.	The potter who became a great king, Shalivahana is credited with the initiation of the era known as Shalivahana Shaka to celebrate the victory against Vikramaditya of Ujjayini in the year 78 A.D.
Syamantaka Gem, The. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 591, 1975.	The Syamantaka Gem was a gift given to the Prince Satrajit of Dwaraka from the Sun God, Surya, as a reward for his devotion. The gem possesses a magical charm: it does good to a virtuous person and bad to an evil one. These tales tell the story of gem and the violent upheavals it would cause…
Tales from the Hitopadesha. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 8.	The Hitopadesha is a collection of fables in Sanskrit attributed to Narayana (11th or 12th century A.D.) Stories from the first 2 sections of the Hitopadesha Mitralabha (Gaining Friends) and Shurudbheda (Causing Dissension between Friends) are included here.
Tales from the Jatakas. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 10005, 1999.	Stories where good eventually triumphs over evil including, Monkey Stories, Deer Stories and Elephant Stories.
Tales from the Mahabharata. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 16.	The Mahabharata is the longest epic in the world and narrates the story of the feud between the Kauravas and their cousins, the Pandavas. Included in this volume is the The Golden Mongoose, The Pigeon's Sacrifice, Aruni and Uttanka, the latter two illustrating the special relationship that ought to exist between the guru and his disciple.
Tales from the Panchatantra. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 10004, 1994.	The original Sanskrit text of the Panchatantra was probably written about 200 B.C. by the great scholar, Vishnu Sharma. A king in ancient India could not find a teacher who could make his three sons interested in the pursuit of knowledge. At last he found Vishnu Sharma - the teacher who could make knowledge palatable to his sons and this is how the Panchatantra was told. Talking animals are the medium through which Sharma communicates his message.
Tales from the Panchatantra. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 3, 1988.	(See above). This collection includes, The Jackal and the War Drum, The Cobra and the Crow and The Mouse and the Sage.
*Tales of Birbal.* Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 7, 1994.	Raja Birbal born to a poor Brahmin family rose by virtue of his sharp wit to be the wise and witty minister in the court of Akbar, the Great Mogul. The stories of Akbar and Birbal are a vital part of folklore in India and these stories tell the legend of Birbal the Wise, Birbal the Witty and Birbal the Clever.
Tales of Buddha. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. N-4, 1988.	Telling the life of Buddha, Bird Stories from the Jataka Tales and the story of Angulimala - a dreaded highway robber turned saint, transformed by the teachings of Buddha.
Tales of Durga. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 514, 1978.	Goddess Durga is as widely worshipped as Vishnu and Shiva. She is the fierce form of Devi who, as Shakti, is considered the personification of universal energy. According to the Devi Bhagavata the universe is but Her manifestation - and even Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva worship her. Durga is worshipped in sixty-four forms as Ambika, Kali, Chamundi, Devi, Uma, etc.
Tales of Indra. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 29.	In the Vedas, Indra is invoked more often than any other deity. With the rise of Vaishnavism however, Indra lost his importance to Vishnu. This storybook tells the first four stories from the Mahabharata.
Tales of Maryada Rama. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 133	Maryada Rama is a folk hero, an example of how common sense triumphs over sophisticated intellect. These stories tell us of Rama's success in meting out justice where law is helpless to do it.
Tansen. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 552, 1975.	Tansen is a symbol of the supreme achievements of Indian music. He was not only a performer but also a composer and musicologist who pioneered new vistas by breaking down the conventions of jatis and ragas. Legend speaks of his ability to start a fire with his singing of the raga deepak and to bring down rains with the raga megh malhar.
*Ten Masters: Ten Gurus of the Sikhs.* Diamond Comics Digest. Vol. 42. New Delhi, India: Diamond Comics (P) Ltd.	The period commenced from the first guru of the Sikhs Guru Nanak Dev to the tenth guru Govind Sing, was the time of oppression of the Hindu civilization. On one side the Muslim attackers were busy in destroying their ancient civilization, and on the other side the Hindu society had completely degraded itself by idolatry, caste distinction and untouchability. In that time the appearance of the Sikh gurus removed the atmosphere of fear and helplessness in the society. In the beginning the ideals of the Sikh theory was introduced by the original founder Guru Nanak Ji. Afterwards other Sikh gurus also followed those ideals devotedly.
Tripura. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 689, 1984.	The Devas and the Asuras are step-brothers who are always at war. The Asuras propitiate the Gods to gain boons (wishes) and become powerful. But they misuse the power they so gain and meet with their end sometimes at the very hands of the gods they have propitiated. And the Devas emerge victorious.
Vishnu the Savior. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 10013, 1999.	The three tales of Narada included in this issue are based on the Shiva Purana and some popular legends. They tell how Narada, although a divine sage, at times fell prey to temptation and became conceited. Fortunately, Vishnu was beside him to pull him up every time he succumbed to human weaknesses. Gradually, Narada became free from human "failings" and attained true equanimity of mind.
Vishnu to the Rescue. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. 10020, 2000.	The stories of Garuda, Prahlad and the Churning of the Ocean, the last being the story of how Vishnu comes to the rescue of the Devas, in procuring amrit, the divine nectar.
Vivekananda. Amar Chitra Katha Storybooks. Vol. No. XXXX, 19.	Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902), a student of Sri Ramakrishna, brought the rational and universal message of India's Vedanta philosophy to East and West - all within ten brief working years, from 1893 when he began his work to 1902 when he passed away.
Zen Speaks: Shouts of Nothingness. Tsai, Chih Chung. Bruya, Brian, trans. New York, NY: Anchor Books Doubleday. 1994.	An irreverently entertaining introduction to the philosophy and wisdom of Zen Buddhism.