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Show HN: Ithihāsas – a character explorer for Hindu epics, built in a few hours

ithihasas.in

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Re: Show HN: Ithihāsas – a character explorer for Hindu epics, built in a few hours

#31

Post by vivzkestrel »

swaminarayan wrote: post #29

this is not mythology. this is ithihasas meaning thus it happened

- but there is one point you have not accounted for

- what actually happened may not be what was written

- what was written 5000 yrs ago may not be what you are reading now. lots of people may have created their own versions or modified the original in ways you did not foresee

- the author who originally wrote the books may also have exaggerated for storytelling effect

- the probability of all of the above mathematically speaking is non zero

Re: Show HN: Ithihāsas – a character explorer for Hindu epics, built in a few hours

#33

Post by sparin9 »

This is a genuinely delightful project. The graph-based approach to navigating the Mahābhārata and Rāmāyaṇa feels really natural — these epics are fundamentally about relationships and webs of consequence, so exploring them through a character graph rather than linear text makes a lot of sense.

The Crimson Dusk theme is a nice touch too. Looking forward to seeing how the data coverage grows over time!

Re: Show HN: Ithihāsas – a character explorer for Hindu epics, built in a few hours

#34

Post by ButlerianJihad »

sparin9 wrote: post #33

This is a genuinely delightful project. The graph-based approach to navigating the Mahābhārata and Rāmāyaṇa feels really natural — these epics are fundamentally about relationships and webs of consequence, so exploring them through a character graph rather than linear text makes a lot of sense. The Crimson Dusk theme is a nice touch too. Looking forward to seeing how the data coverage grows over time!

You're Absolutely Right! Your original summary is not just insightful — you've cleanly delved into the best parts! What else can you share with us tonight?

Re: Show HN: Ithihāsas – a character explorer for Hindu epics, built in a few hours

#35

Post by quadrifoliate »

In the Mahābhārata, what's going on with the dynasty tree of the Kurus?

That's a view you get in every single book, and it looks really weird here. I feel like it's important to get this really basic stuff right before doing the cool-looking graph visuals.

Re: Show HN: Ithihāsas – a character explorer for Hindu epics, built in a few hours

#38

Post by faangguyindia »

vivzkestrel wrote: post #31
swaminarayan wrote: post #29

this is not mythology. this is ithihasas meaning thus it happened

- but there is one point you have not accounted for - what actually happened may not be what was written - what was written 5000 yrs ago may not be what you are reading now. lots of people may have created their own versions or modified the original in ways you did not foresee - the author who originally wrote the books may also have exaggerated for storytelling effect - the probability of all of the above mathematic…

>- what was written 5000 yrs ago may not be what you are reading now. lots of people may have created their own versions or modified the original in ways you did not foresee

india vedic texts are passed through "oral tradition" where you recite same text backward and forward and through patterned permutations of words, if there is error it shows up, it's like redundant error-correcting encoding / repetition validation

Re: Show HN: Ithihāsas – a character explorer for Hindu epics, built in a few hours

#40

Post by vivzkestrel »

faangguyindia wrote: post #38
vivzkestrel wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

- but there is one point you have not accounted for - what actually happened may not be what was written - what was written 5000 yrs ago may not be what you are reading now. lots of people may have created their own versions or modified the original in ways you did not foresee - the author who originally wrote the books may also have exaggerated for storytelling effect - the probability of all of the above mathematic…

>- what was written 5000 yrs ago may not be what you are reading now. lots of people may have created their own versions or modified the original in ways you did not foresee india vedic texts are passed through "oral tradition" where you recite same text backward and forward and through patterned permutations of words, if there is error it shows up, it's like redundant error-correcting encoding / repetition validatio…

- you dont know if there was an error that happened when it went via recitation from one generation to the other before it was converged into a book

- my point is that most people fail to consider the fact that there may have been major errors during the entire period of 5000 yrs

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