There is a rather interesting line in Aeschylus' Eumenides concerning Athena -" I alone of the Gods know the keys to the house where His Thunderbolt is sealed." This is Athena speaking to the Erinyes - the Furies - and stating quite directly that She and She Alone is in possession to 'the keys' to … Continue reading On Athena Storm-Bringer And The Thunderbolt Also Of Zeus
The Divine Wrath Of Devi Dhari And The Salvation Of Shaivite Kedarnath [Incredible Indo-European Holy Sites Series Part II ]
Jai Mata Di ! Facing of the Dhari Devi (Kali) murti ['Living Image'] in Uttarakhand. Now, the Temple there is … interesting, because of what happened there in 2013. That year, Her Shrine was due to be relocated in order to make way for a hydroelectric dam - following a Supreme Court decision which overruled … Continue reading The Divine Wrath Of Devi Dhari And The Salvation Of Shaivite Kedarnath [Incredible Indo-European Holy Sites Series Part II ]
THE WAGES OF SIN – NEMESIS Coin from the reign of Marcus Aurelius – Arte-Facts #8
Every so often, I see a coin of the Ancient World - and something about it resonates with me strongly. They may or may not be the most aesthetic or best-preserved numismatic … but it always turns out that there's something powerful to them which is worth sharing to a broader audience. This particular drachma … Continue reading THE WAGES OF SIN – NEMESIS Coin from the reign of Marcus Aurelius – Arte-Facts #8
“I Bend the Bow for Rudra that His Arrow May Strike and Slay the Hater of Devotion” – On Ugra Manyu And Perhaps Angra Mainyu
[Author's Note: This continues our excerpts series from #MahaShivRatri And The Mytholinguistics Of War - The Mind, The Mania, The Manyu. In this extract, we take a look at what's probably one of the least surprising potential Zoroastrian literal-demonizations of a Vedic Deity - the War God charged with the protection of piety against 'the … Continue reading “I Bend the Bow for Rudra that His Arrow May Strike and Slay the Hater of Devotion” – On Ugra Manyu And Perhaps Angra Mainyu
On Svarog As Sky Father – The Indo-European Sky Father As Song-Smith Of The Cosmos
In many ways, the enigmatic figure of Svarog is emblematic of both the difficulties that we face when reconstructing Indo-European mythology … and also the marvelous enduring features that make it so easy - if you know where and how to look. I say "difficulties", because Svarog is a seriously under-directly-attested figure, even by the … Continue reading On Svarog As Sky Father – The Indo-European Sky Father As Song-Smith Of The Cosmos
Glorious Rudra Devotional (A)Art(I) For Woden’s Day
Now this is Woden's Day devotional posting ! JAI SRI RUDRA !!! THE STORM WIND WELCOMES US HOME A rather excellent RigVedic Rudra hymnal follows, but before we get to that .. a few points of interest to note therein:i) respect is absolutely paramount. There's a line in here asking for the Great God not … Continue reading Glorious Rudra Devotional (A)Art(I) For Woden’s Day
On The Preservation Of Faith In The Indo-European Periphery – And Its Corrosion In The Indo-European Core
[Author's Note: This was initially intended as a brief introduction to a piece on the Slavic figure of Svarog as a Sky Father expression - however, it has grown somewhat, and contains an important, freestanding point. So here it is on its own] The Indo-European world can probably be divided up into those mythic cultures … Continue reading On The Preservation Of Faith In The Indo-European Periphery – And Its Corrosion In The Indo-European Core
On The Indo-European Symbolism Of The Ash Tree – And The Ensuing Origins Of The Spear-Race Of Man
Often in the course of work, we begin writing about one topic - only to find that it has serious and substantial bearing upon another. Thus was the case when I sat down to pen "WORLD-SPEAR", looking at the iconic weapon of the Sky Father. I'd known that there would be significant salience for the … Continue reading On The Indo-European Symbolism Of The Ash Tree – And The Ensuing Origins Of The Spear-Race Of Man
Furor Teutonicus And Furor Poeticus – The Furious Goddess-Given Power Of Both Barbarian And Brahmin Alike
Something I have long advocated, is that the two forms of 'Furor' spoken about - "Furor Teutonicus" ('Germanic Fury' - Berserk Battle-Rage) and "Furor Poeticus" (The 'Fury of the Poet' - Artistic Inspiration of a certain all-consuming caliber) are, in essence, the same quality. Just differently expressed. On the surface, this can sound curious. After … Continue reading Furor Teutonicus And Furor Poeticus – The Furious Goddess-Given Power Of Both Barbarian And Brahmin Alike
The Cyclopes And The Ribhus Elves – Solar Smiths of the Sky Father
One of the most iconic creatures from Greek mythology must surely be the Cyclopes. Best known from Odysseus' encounter with Polyphemus during the course of the Odyssey, the Cyclopes is one of those classic mythic tropes - the big, brutish monster who must be defeated via cunning and guile lest he devour the hero and … Continue reading The Cyclopes And The Ribhus Elves – Solar Smiths of the Sky Father
