“You often hear it said – “Time is on our side”. Well … This is Time. She is On My Side.” The Sixth Night of #NavRatri is dedicated to Ma as KaalRatri – the Blackest Night, the Night of Death, The Iron Night, The ‘Stillness’ of Time – and the ‘Destroyer of Darkness’, the Annihilator: … Continue reading KaalRatri – The Seventh Night of NavRatri; The Seventh of the NavaDurgas
Month: October 2019
Katyayani – The 6th NavaDurga, The Sixth Night Of NavRatri
The Sixth Night of #NavRatri is dedicated to Ma as Katyayani – Mahishasura Mardini Herself, the Devastator of the Demon. And, not at all coincidentally, one of my favourite of the NavaDurga Forms. In many ways, the tale of Ma Katyayani may be considered emblematic of so much of the Durgan mythic corpus – insofar … Continue reading Katyayani – The 6th NavaDurga, The Sixth Night Of NavRatri
SkandaMata – 5th of the NavaDurgas, 5th Night of NavRatri
The Fifth Night of #NavRatri is dedicated to Ma as SkandaMata – the Mother of Skanda (Kartikeya), one of the foremost of our War Gods. He takes after His Mother in that regard 😀 Of course, before situating SkandaMata within the overarching context of the NavaRatri Cycle, it is necessary to briefly introduce Lord Skanda, … Continue reading SkandaMata – 5th of the NavaDurgas, 5th Night of NavRatri
The DeviSukta & (A)Art(I)
जय माता दी ! " 1. I proceed with the Rudras, with the Vasus, with the Ādityas and the Viśhvadevas; I support both Mitra and Varuṇa, Agni and Iñdra, and the two Aśvins. 2. I support the foe-destroying Tvaśtṛ, Pūśan and Bhaga; I bestow wealth upon the institutor of the rite offering the oblation (havis) … Continue reading The DeviSukta & (A)Art(I)
Tabiti – Fire-Pillar of the Universe; Excerpt from Kushmanda Commentary
Excerpt from yesterday's Kushmanda #NavRatri piece, illustrating what I believe to have been a core - yet understated in Western developments - element of Indo-European cosmology/theology, preserved most prominently amidst both the Scythian and some Hindu understandings; presented on its own because it's a rather important mythographic point that is deserving of a highlighted presentation. … Continue reading Tabiti – Fire-Pillar of the Universe; Excerpt from Kushmanda Commentary
ChandraGhanta – Third of the NavaDurgas, The Third Night of NavRatri
The Third Night of #NavRatri is dedicated to Ma as ChandraGhanta – She Who Is Crowned With The Half-Moon In The Shape Of A Bell, to render it somewhat figuratively. Now, before going further (and for that matter, picking up the narrative thread where we left off with last night’s Brahmacharini post), it is necessary … Continue reading ChandraGhanta – Third of the NavaDurgas, The Third Night of NavRatri
Kushmanda – 4th Navadurga, The 4th Night of NavRatri
The Fourth Night of #NavRatri is dedicated to Ma as Kushmanda – the Power of the Sun. Now, this is my own somewhat figurative rendering of the name; with a more direct translation working out something like “Warmth of the Cosmic Egg”. And while it might be tempting, I suppose, to think of the Sun … Continue reading Kushmanda – 4th Navadurga, The 4th Night of NavRatri
To Navigate The Seas Of The Sun – What Kepler’s Letter To Galileo Can Tell Us About Reading The Past
I've had this quote upon my mind since this morning. It's from a letter written by Kepler to Galileo in April of 1610: "There will certainly be no lack of human pioneers when we have mastered the art of flight. Who would have thought that navigation across the vast ocean is less dangerous and quieter … Continue reading To Navigate The Seas Of The Sun – What Kepler’s Letter To Galileo Can Tell Us About Reading The Past
Brahmacharini – The Second of the NavaDurgas, The Second Night of NavRatri
The Second Night of #NavRatri is dedicated to Ma as Brahmacharini – the Seeker of the Absolute. This is a rather direct rendering of Her theonym, as can be seen from the constituent parts: Brahman, and Charya (Charini is the feminine form of this noun). But what is actually meant by these terms, and what … Continue reading Brahmacharini – The Second of the NavaDurgas, The Second Night of NavRatri
arya-akasha 