ECS Magazine, October 2018 What struck me about the Taleju Bhawani myth was the dream. According to oral mythology, much retold, King Jaya Prakash Malla used to play dice with the Taleju Bhawani. This goddess was an incarnation of Goddess Durga who appeared before the monarch in human form. She discussed affairs of state and advised him while they played their nightly game. The monarch angered the goddess, however, by lusting after her. The Goddess vanished, predicting the end of his reign. The King begged for forgiveness. The Goddess relented and appeared before him in a dream. She would only appear before him in the form of a virgin child who has not yet undergone her menarche henceforth, she told him. He was to worship this form. There is a second version of this story. According to this version, it was the Goddess who lusted after the King. The queen followed the King to see where he vanished during the nights. One night she saw them together. The Goddess had made the
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