Ours is a glorious path. One which has set forth for the pious engagement with the ancient, the archaic, the ancestral … yet which has also undertaken to exist not merely within museums, but out amidst the modern world. Which does not, of course, mean that it ought be confused for something fundamentally “modern”.

And thus it was that on a Saturday evening mid-October, as we neared the apex to the Solar Eclipse then occurring within Chitra and in Virgo, a most remarkable Rite was successfully undertaken. One which was – quite literally – “Indo-European” … in that it drew together competencies, offering elements, and ‘Aspects’ from both the Hellenic and Hindu spheres (with some added Northern European and broader Classical resonancies … inter many alia) : and all of this in simultaneous, saliently singular operation.

Now, the precise purpose to which this all had been congealed, we shall for the moment keep rather close to our collective chest. But we shall briefly detail some of the operational considerations and describe some of those ‘moving parts’ utilized therein (and with an intent to more closely delve into certain dimensions pertinent to various of this in a string of already-mostly-written follow-up works).

In terms of personnel involved – the offering brought together persons of a ‘priestly’ competency from three continents and multiple devotional frames of reference ; including several initiated Brahmins (and interestingly of both Vedic and Tantric trained proficiencies) .

Each had ‘something to offer’ – in fact, several ‘somethings’, apiece. Whether this was in terms of the instructional guidance as to how to craft the offering-cake (itself a combination of Greek and Hindu elements – and therefore featuring both the relevant key herb for the former, as well as Ghee (itself a vitally integral ritual ‘fueling’) and other such things as customary for the latter), the provision of the auditory and liturgical accompaniments to key phases as to the operation, the furnishing of the actual invocationary ‘operative elements’ for said key phases, the theological and metaphysical ‘pathfinding’ to ensure that various potential ‘gaps’ or ‘complications’ were identified and addressed, and an array of other contributions besides. Not least of which, of course, being the actual physical carrying out of the culminatory ritual action(s) itself.

To speak to that dimension – this entailed the setting forth of the vessel upon the local sacred river as the Eclipse moved toward Climax, having appropriately emplaced within it the various offering components and with the proper recitations of pertinent invocationary and propitiatory phrasings (with a view not only toward the hailing and pious engagement with the Goddess Herself – but also to ensuring that the offerings safely reach Her via the route with which we have deployed them ).

These offerings included, as can be seen from the picture, the aforementioned sacral ‘cake’ – which we would refer to in Sanskrit as ‘Bhoga’ ( भोग ) [or, perhaps, ‘Naivedya’ ( नैवेद्य ) ]; as well as Diya lamps (so, the offering of Flame); and a ‘Weapons-Offering’ comprised of two Trishulas (Tridents) which had been welded together, then wrapped with the red cloth (the pointedly Shakta colouration). And, of course, in its way, the Ship itself.

Now, to provide some additional measure of detailing for these – the cake, itself, was prepared by one of our Brahmins [N. M.], and as noted above was a ‘combination’ undertaking. Indian cuisine is, as many shall be aware, redolent with quite the array of flatbreads so my momentary apprehension as to whether he’d be able to bake such a thing on short notice was fairly instantly set to rest – he’d been doing it since age four. The cake was also to have two essential elements therein – the first of these being a particular herb / plant, which was part of the ‘Hellenic’ side of things and particularly pertinent for Persephone (which then required identifying whether it grew in India … and then finding it available therein. It turned out to be a lot closer than we had thought …); and the second, being Ghee. Why Ghee? As we have said – think of it as ‘fuel’ … and it is a favourite Offering to the Gods, per many verses of the Shatapatha Brahmana etc. etc. that I am so often quoting for you.

The Diya Lamps – well, Flame is, as ever, the Conduit (And, as one can see, dual Swastikas also for Solar and Auspicious saliency to this, to these Agni-s). However, there is an additional and intriguing dimension of ‘Hellenic’ saliency to this component also. Insofar as – consider the various depictions of Persephone (and Hekate … and, in an interesting instance reported by Pausanias [VIII 37], Artemis Hegemone – “πρῶτα μὲν δὴ αὐτόθι Ἡγεμόνης ναός ἐστιν Ἀρτέμιδος καὶ χαλκοῦν ἄγαλμα ἔχον δᾷδας”; but then, I repeat myself Thrice !) when we behold Her bearing Torch or Torches, the better to guide in relation to the Underworld (I also have a supposition viz. the prominently Torch-Bearing Selene … i.e. Moon … in amidst the Dark especially, in relation to all of this; and both Sun and Moon are seemingly regarded as Flames in, for instance, the Alvíssmál’s utilization of ‘Mylinn’ in light of this also being utilized for the Sun amidst the Þulur). A Torch-Ship we should therefore appear to have constructed herein !

Now, as applies the Ship – this was constructed of Mahogany wood (with nails made exclusively of raw iron – no steel), and as we can see painted in a yellow hue (with a natural paint lacking in petrochemicals, so as not to harm the environment, no less) : this having been done for a number of reasons (which we shall not go into here, for the most part), including the saliency for this colouration viz. Brihaspati / Jupiter; and also for its resonance in particular ways for the Goddess, as well. We are also, of course, quite cognizant of the ‘Ship’ conceptry encountered with particular regard to Devi (see, for instance, the justly-famed Durga Suktam for a tangible exemplar;) – and, for that matter, the useful fact of ‘Ship’ vectors via which the ‘Undeworld’ / ‘Afterworld’ might be reached in a number of Indo-European mythic paradigms (think the prominent ‘Viking Funeral’, or the portion to Odysseus’ Journey wherein he, himself, went to call upon the Realm of Dread Persephone so as to secure the information necessary for further stages to his passage back towards his Home).

This builds upon the pervasive Indo-European understanding for Water – whether River or Pond or Spring and ‘(Divine) Roadway of the Earth’ etc. – as ‘liminal space’ via which beings and offerings may go to other planes. How better to utilize such a space as a River when seeking to transmit a sacred cargo, than a boat? And yes, it is specifically this ‘Underworld’ direction to which the Water most resolutely is engaged in – both by us and in the archaic realms of myth and history by a number of our various Indo-European forebear groups (rest assured we’ve got some truly remarkable exploration for this lined up for the imminent future – and the next (A)Arti-cles to this series !). Thus, you shall be unsurprised to hear, both an opening and a closing portion to the aforesaid liturgical invocations for the Rite itself were quite directly oriented around the honouring of the pertinent Ruler of this Watery domain – Whose demesne and realm we are, after all, asking for something to be safely (and accurately) conveyed through.

Yet there is one element to the ‘Sending’ that has lain thus-far unaddressed: the Weapons Offering. Something which was incorporated due to the significant sense of the Brahmin who was to be undertaking the main portion to the Operation itself … that this was something that should be done as part of it. Call it ‘Divine Inspiration’. Certainly, he was unaware of the rather extensive suite of ‘Weapons Offering’ style sacrifices voluminously attested amidst the Northern European IE – most particularly the Nordic/Germanic sphere, but also the Celts – and, in particular, what might be said about offering a Spear in light of the well-inscribed Weapons-Haft of the Kragehul I Offering. Up until, that is, I rather excitedly started telling him about all of it. You’ll be able to see a rendition of that committed to text in fairly immediately ensuing due course. (As a brief aside – weapons-offerings (including into water) do exist in Hindu understanding … one was carried out – also featuring a Trishula / Trident – during the course of our last year’s Poseidon-oriented operation; conducted by a different Brahmin elsewhere in the country, as it happens. Curiously, they’re not much of a thing – at least, into water … they do exist in more general terms – in the Classical IE spheres; where pit-offerings tend to be preferred. I digress.)

As applies this – it was clear that the Weapon should be one of Kali. Yet it should also be one of Persephone. And so it was that N.M. procured a miniature Trishula to fulfil the former requirement … and we cast about as to what might constitute the correlate or equivalent emblematic armament for the Hellenic (or more broadly Classical) side to the equation. Eventually leading us to settle upon another Trishula … for a number of reasons, most of which we won’t explicate here – but suffice to say that even despite an absence of significant direct attestation of such an element within the hands of Persephone Herself we very much felt that the conceptual resonancy for the symbol with the Goddess (and here, I should perhaps but briefly note that we are speaking of the somewhat broader perception than ‘only’ the most prominent Hellenic view as to Her) was well fitted indeed .

The two Trishulas were, therefore, welded together to form a single item – which, I noted, happened to look rather like a Vajra in some iconographic renditions as to same. This, you cannot see – for there is a red cloth tied about that join, itself further binding the two parts with the colour and associations of Shakta Devotion.

The final consideration which we intend to – again, but briefly – explicate herein concerns that most essential ritualine ingredient of ‘Timing’. That is to say – why we did what we did, when we did it.

This is, again, multi-dimensional – and goes quite some ways beyond the most obvious consideration: that there was the aforementioned Solar Eclipse taking place at the Time (and occurring, as noted above, within the astrological sectors of Chitra and Virgo).

For the moment, we shall simply provide the briefest of overviews – what these occurrences were via name and brief description, and why they were in resonant co-expression to our aim.

And, as applies that most immediately visually salient dimension – the Eclipse – well, again, this shall prove something that shall be addressed in subsequent entries to this series.

For now, it is enough to observe the fact of the Eclipse itself presenting a Syzygy of a Triplanar (Tri-Loka) alignment: the Earth, the Moon, and the Sun. These correlating to the aforesaid Three ‘Layers’ of the most archaic Vedic cosmological structuring. Those being, of course:

1 – the (High) Heaven [‘Diva’ / ‘Dyu’],

2 – the Mid-Atmosphere [‘Antariksa’ – more literally, perhaps, ‘Among the Stars’ [ Antar + Ṛkṣa ] (and notwithstanding other textual attestations wherein the Stars are supposed to be with the Sun in the (High) Heaven tier); although also and perhaps more immediately viably encountered as the space which is Seen Through [ Antar + Īkṣa ], i.e. the open air between Earth and Heaven ],

3 – and the Earth [‘Prithvi’];

… although with occasional changes to feature as the Three, the Water(s) along with Earth and Heaven (as at RV I 105-115 in the closing verses of each, wherein it is ‘Sindhu’ – ‘Sea / Ocean’, or occasionally ‘River’; and also, potentially, RV X 63 2, Ap => Adbhyas , wherein we find Aditi / this Adbhya / Prithvi as Three Mother(Facings) that are also the Realms ; RV I 139 11 presenting an interesting potential ‘harmonization’ wherein this might mean ‘Waters’, but also, as ‘Water-Producing’, might mean ‘Clouds’, and is taken by others as ‘Mid-Atmosphere’).

One instantly observes the (potential) correlation with the Three Worlds attested within the archaic Hellenic (and broader Classical) recountings. Hesiod, for example, speaks of Hekate as having station and saliency amidst ‘Gaia’ (γαίῃ / γαίης , i.e. γαῖα), ‘Ouranos’ (οὐρανῷ / οὐρανοῦ – οὐρανός), and ‘Thalassa’ (θαλάσσῃ – θάλασσα). And of course one also acknowledges the tripartite division viz. Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon, for Heaven, Underworld, and Sea. Which is not, perhaps, quite the same thing as ‘Earth’, ‘Heaven’, and ‘Sea’ … but more upon all of this at some other time.

Now, Hecate we have quite intentionally invoked there – most specifically in relation to Her as both Persephone and also as the Diva Triformis. There are various schemas encountered for Her within Roman reckoning (including a most intriguing ‘parallel occurrence’ as highlighted by Rabinowitz for Diana – Juno (Lucina) – Proserpina) – and perhaps in due course we may examine some of these and their more specific detailing. For our brief overview herein, we shall consider it sufficient to observe that these major Three Forms are usually identified as Diana (Artemis), Luna (Selene), and Proserpina (Persephone) – albeit with a more ‘direct’ co-identification viz. Persephone / Proserpina and Hecate also in evidence (and, if we are to get into the academic side of things, a not entirely infrequently encountered notion for a more direct correlation for Hecate in relation to Artemis within the Anatolian sphere – a situation strengthened via the express hailing of Hekate as Daughter of Leto, per Orphic Fragment 317); and, for that matter, the rather intriguing inscriptional evidence of Eastern Cicilia wherein Selene (Luna), Artemis (Diana), and “Γῆν” … that is to say ‘Gen’, i.e. ‘Ge’ ( γῆ )or ‘Earth’ are the apparent Triple Theonymics / Facings of reference for the Fire-Bearing ( πυρφόρον ) Hekate quite expressly.

We are reminded of the scenario attested for Agni at TS I 2 11 (etc.) as similarly having Three Forms in correlation with the Three Worlds (c.f. the immediately next verse) – with a colouration of Gold [ref. Hari – harāśayā́] for Dyu, Silver [ref. rajāśayā́] for Antariksha, and with Ayas, which instead of rendering as ‘Iron’, I take as ‘Copper’, in relation to down here upon this Earth. Or, phrased another way – the (Golden) Sun within the (High) Heaven; the (Silver) Moon within the Mid-Atmosphere; and the (Copper) Fire on Earth. Three Radiances, One for each World / Layering.

As we have said – the Solar Eclipse presented just such a ‘Syzygy’ of Earth, Moon, and Sun: all directly aligned, and with deific saliency at each and every level, not least in terms of the necessity for transmission between Worlds as we shall soon but briefly detail.

We provided the ‘Fire’ down here on Earth – the Moon and the Sun amidst the higher places our ‘Guiding Lights’ both literal and figurative; resembling, in that regard, the two Torches borne via Hekate in Her guiding back Persephone from the Underworld in the frequent interpretation of Her saliency upon that best-known of the works of the (thusly named) ‘Persephone Painter’.

Yet these Beacons are not only of the Route (Ennodia, we might say … and cognizant of Enodia being an epithet of not only Hekate – but Hermes, and Persephone [ Kore / Brimo ; the latter being the Wrathful ] as well) – in a certain sense, They are also representative as to the ‘Destination’.

How so?

Well, consider where She Is.

Though it might seem a little unanticipated given how we usually think of the ‘Realm of the Dead’ (Glorious, Ancestral, or Otherwise) – literally, ‘Chthonic’ within the minds of many – the truth is that the Indo-European Afterworld is often of pointedly ‘Solar’ locality (and, as it should happen, Rulership, as well … ).

Which is not, strictly speaking, in direct contravention with the notions for ‘Dark’ or ‘Under-World’ with relation thereto – the Night, the Sun-at-Night, these are pertinent considerations; and perhaps most evocatively phrased when we consider the figure of the Hittite ‘Sun Goddess of the Earth’ (She Who ‘opens the way’ for the ascent of the Gods of the Underworld via aperture of earth, per the (Kizzuwatna) Purification of House Rite – perhaps ref. Hekate as κλειδοῦχος (Kleidouchos), the Bearer of the Key; and with an array of further points of suspiciously specific coterminity viz. both the ‘Thesmophorian’ Pair of Demeter & Persephone, as well as Persephone in other attested contexts).

We might also contemplate that in an array of occasions, it should appear that the ‘Solar’ component to the Afterworld is in brightly-lit contrast to the more general gloom – whether of the rest of the sphere, or in contrast to the circumstance thence-prevailing out here amidst the mortal realm (c.f. Pindar, in the fragments [129-130] from his ‘Dirges’ , declaring – “Τοῖσι λάμπει μὲν μένος ἀελίου τὰν ἐνθάδε νύκτα κάτω, […] αἰεὶ θύα μιγνύντων πυρὶ τηλεφανεῖ παντοῖα θεῶν ἐπὶ βωμοῖς.” : “For them the Sun shineth in His strength, in the world below, while here ’tis night; […] [with incense mixed] with the Far-Shining Fire on the Altar of the Gods”, per the Page & Rouse translation; note the ‘Wide-Shining’ characterization for this Divine Illumination, a la ‘Euryphaessa’, ‘Vivasvan’, etc. – that is to say, again, the Sun. Meanwhile, “Ἔνθεν τὸν ἄπειρον ἐρεύγονται σκότον βληχροὶ δνοφερᾶς νυκτὸς ποταμοί,” which, per Page & Rouse, is rendered as: “From the other side sluggish streams of darksome night belch forth a boundless gloom”.)

Certainly, there should seem something significantly resonant in the situation for the Shining and Radiant life-giving Celestial … to take on, even but temporarily, a Black Masque – a patina of darkness and ‘Obscuras’ [in the Latin sense – where it does not merely mean ‘Obscuration’] of baleful and seeming terrific import. That being the (Darkening) Moon acting in Eclipse to the Sun, perhaps more contemplatively re-phrased for our purposes.

Nevertheless, our mind goes instantly toward the hailing for Aditi as Adhipatni [‘Ruler’, per Eggeling’s translation for SBr VIII 4 3 7] of the Pitrs – in blessed constellation with the literal litanies of material from both Vedic & Eddic spheres which we shall not, for the moment, delve into herein.

There is also the array of material which links the Underworld to the Moon – various of which, again, we shall not detail at this point as it has been considered in much more expansive elocution in the installments for this series yet to come. Suffice to say, whilst we would note with approval the efforts of Rabinowitz at demonstrating the ‘Lunar’ saliency for certain relevant Classical Goddess expressions to have been … significantly overstated and somewhat retroactively applied – as applies the more general situation for the Indo-European Underworld, this alternate ‘Sun-at-Night’ does have an attestable relevance. Chiefly (as applies the Classical sphere) as we enter into Roman-era (and Romanized) renderings, although also to be observed amidst the Hindusphere (c.f. the ‘PitrDevatya’ hailings in relation to Soma via the Moon; and more especially the occurrence at Jaiminya Brahmana I 28 wherein we perhaps slightly surprisingly hear of “Yama Who is dwelling in the Moon” [Bodewitz translation] – although this evidently doesn’t constitute the only perspective: Yaska in his Nirukta [XII 29] observes Yama to be ‘Aditya’ (i.e. The Sun’), and it would appear Sayana’s commentary on RV X 135 has further affirmed this).

Not least, per Bodewitz upon Jaim. Br. I 29, in relation to the “golden ship of the Svadhā” – which he states to be linked also with the Moon, and the habitation of the Pitrs therein “according to some Indian traditions”. Personally, I am rather enamoured with the other understanding, wherein the Stars are those worthies ascended … however this is not our purpose to get into here.

What we can say is that with the Svadhā co-identification with Autumn [‘Sharadi […] Sharatsvadho’, per SBr XIII 8 1 4], the sending of a Ship sailing ultimately in amidst the Heavens (and cognizant that, per (post-)PIE cosmology, the Sky Is Also Sea – ref. *Nebh & Neptune, etc.) in what, in the Northern Hemisphere, should prove Autumn [and, for double-resonance points, heading toward the South-East – c.f. this direction for the World of the Fathers to be reached from the Tomb’s opening, per SBr XIII 8 5, etc.] should prove quite the Operatio.

Yet there is another Autumn and Ancestral alignment which had proven even more pertinent within our minds as we moved forward with our ritualistic arrangements & crafting:

The observance fell upon what we would call Mahalaya Amavasya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya. This represents the culmination for the immediately preceding Pitru Paksha [‘Fortnight of the Ancestors’] observance and precedes the beginning for the Sharada [‘Autumnal’] NavaRatri [‘Nine Nights’ of the Goddess].

Amavasya itself refers to the ‘Time of No Moon’ (‘New Moon’ in English) – literally, when the Moon and the Sun ‘Dwell Together’ (Ama – Vasya). There are about a dozen of these per year, and upon these occasions, it is customary to make offerings of sustenance to one’s Pitrs [the Shades of one’s Ancestors – the term is directly cognate with ‘[Fore]Fathers’]; the rationale being that the particular conditions prevalent at this time (particularly via the Light of the Moon) thusly facilitate these offerings being successfully transmitted to the Shades.

Pitru Paksha, meanwhile, constitutes an entire lunar fortnight (interestingly, usually on or immediately proximate to the Autumn Equinox ) wherein the unique characteristics for this time entail thinned barriers between the worlds of the living and the afterlife – thus enabling the eponymous Ancestor-Spirits to come back amidst their descendants, and also facilitating greatly our offerings made for Those Who ordinarily ‘live’ on the other side as to that Veil [PIE *ḱel- for those of you playing at home]. The Amavasya which comes at the end of *this* Waning Moon-phase, therefore, represents both major Pitr occurrences in one – and with correspondingly greater ritual-metaphysical significance thereto.

One can quite readily begin to imagine why we might have felt this an appropriate juncture (in both senses to the term) for our Propitiation of Persephone availed via Hindu ‘living scaffolding’.

But wait, there’s more.

The NavRatri observance itself is also heavily Persephone-resonant, likewise.

How so?

Well, consider this – the two major NavaRatris are those of Vasanta and Sharada (Spring and Autumn, respectively – also known in relation to the Months for their occurrence, Chaitra and Ashvini). These are proximate to the effective ‘transition points’ between the ‘light / life’ and ‘dark / dormant’ phases of the year – and, indeed, we have earlier identified some most intriguing direct ‘resonancies’ for our NavRatri customs in Eastern Europe and the Celtic sphere which have survived in folkways which are exactly oriented toward this Transition (and, we would surmise the Return of Persephone) for the onset of Spring/Summer.

Meanwhile, the passage of Persephone back toward Her Underworld Regency via the gates of Autumn should seem to resonate also with Ambika’s hailing as the Injurious (or Lethal) Autumn [“Sharada” / “śarád” again], as at Tait. Br. I 6 10 4 (a situation carried forward also in the Devi Bhagavata Purana – wherein it is Chandika Who must be propitiated via the NavaRatra observances for safety of passage across both the Spring and Autumnal periods of transition (but especially the latter), sobriqueted as the ‘Teeth of Yama’).

As applies NavRatri itself, we ought also make mention for several rather pertinent detailings encountered within the NavaDurga Processional (one of several not-mutually-exclusive ‘structures’ / ‘reasons for the season’ for the observance in various parts to the Hindusphere) which also clearly resonate viz. Persephone. These include the prominent transitions for the Goddess to and from Kali (most especially KalaRatri), particularly to MahaGauri; with, again, key detailing around these fitting almost exactly with that which we observe from the Hellenic sphere. And, of course, the … I suppose we might say ‘elopement’ of a young Goddess off with the Sky Father – to Her Parents’ most considerable (initial) consternative chagrin, not least due to said Sky Father’s most baleful appearing wedding-party of Ghosts and Fiends.

Yet speaking of ‘Ghosts’ – there is another (and somewhat unexpected) reasoning why this particular phase of the Hindu ritual calendar seemed eminently well-suited for a Persephone propitiation.

NavRatri owes its foundations not only to these ‘Seasonal Transition’ observances – but also and most especially to the archaic Spring-situated War Rites of the Indo-Europeans (occurring immediately at the outset to the relevant sphere’s Campaigning Season). Other exemplars for this can be found amidst (inter various alia) the Romans, with their Minerva-oriented undertakings of the Quinquatria (in mid-March … indeed, March is so-named precisely because of its Martial saliency) – and likewise via the Anglo-Saxons’ own nomenclature for March as Hreðmonað … the Month of (the war-salient Goddess) Rheda / Hretha / Hreða.

In Vedic terms, this would coincide with the month of Chaitra … and most certainly this avails us as applies the explication for Chaitra / Vasanta (Spring) Navratri. But what of the Asvini / Sharada Navratri? Why the ‘double-up’?

Well, if we were so inclined, we might offer up a number of (not-necessarily-mutually-exclusive) potential explanations. Including the rather obvious point that a certain Deadly Goddess-Form should prove quite logically salient for both warfare and the Autumnal transitioning into the darker half for the year. Or perhaps further investigation might reveal that India’s climactic etc. conditions facilitated such an additional ‘campaign season’ in a way which would have proven less viable in amidst the IE demesnes of Europe.

But such ‘sidereal’ analyses are not – for a change – what would inform our operational conceptry here.

Instead, it’s the mythic explanation for Sharada Navratri … which, to breeze through really quickly, effectively entails Lord Rama needing to invoke the requisite Goddess in order to ensure His victory against the demon-emperor Ravana – but encountering the obvious obstacle that He is at the wrong end of the year for doing so.

How does He manage to get around this? Well, Devi Provides.

She ‘bends the rules’ somewhat (something assumedly rather easier considering that She is The Rules – Θεσμιη / Thesmia / ‘Of Law’, indeed, viz. Persephone) in order that Her invocation may indeed take place – even despite Her allegedly being ‘dormant’ (even unresponsive) at the time.

How is this rather remarkable feat to be accomplished? By having Her Chosen (guided to) carry out the requisite worship of Her as a Pitr (an Ancestor-Spirit), during the course of Pitru Paksha.

This mythic ‘AKalaBodhana’ – ‘awakening’ (‘Bodhana’) ‘out-of-time’ (‘A-Kala’) – by Lord Ram therefore ‘sets the template’ for Her to be invoked post-Pitru Paksha in the ensuing Sharada Navratri (by us) going forward.

Which would also – to my mind, at any rate – ‘set the template’ in another direction as well. Namely, for the invocation for a Goddess-Form or Facing Who is perhaps (rightly or wrongly) regarded as ‘dormant’ and even ‘unable to be worshipped’ (at least, in the sense of the more involved formal rites thereof) … almost “brought back from the Dead”, you might say – and most certainly from that sphere of the ‘Ancestral’ (Heritage) of the ‘Forebears’. Even afore we come to consider Her saliency ‘midst the Underworld, the Autumn, and those rather more literal Shades of the Dead.

In essence, I suppose, one might consider all of this something of a handy (lived – and livid) counter-exemplar to that most shrilly insufferable kind of Very Online Christian (they seem to bedevil twitter) who handwringingly seems to in essence proclaim to the Western Indo-European: “NOOO! YOU’RE NOT ALLOWED TO BRING BACK THE VENERATION OF THOSE PRE-CHRISTIAN DEIFICS … WE ALREADY EXTINGUISHED THAT!”

For, you see – it is absolutely not the case that this Goddess is somehow ‘Dead’ (‘Death’, however, is somewhat of another matter … ); and I would even go so far as to suggest that it is also not the case that She ‘lies dormant’.

Instead – it is the engagement from the human side of the relationship which has been (occasionally quite brutally) extinguished or otherwise allowed (indeed, outright encouraged) to go ‘dormant’ … and even then, only really as applies i) the ‘European’ portion for the Indo-European religious sphere, and ii) (therefore) with particular application to only certain Facings, Forms or Aspects, as to Them. As we shall endeavour to demonstrate in the ensuing torrent to follow this initial (a)arti-cle, we are very much acquainted with and very much still actively engaged amidst the pious latria for identifiably the same (underlying) Deific.

This does not, of course, mean that the re-immanentization of a more ‘high religion’ form of worship for a given Deific Facing is as simple as somebody making the active decision to choose to worship that deity. That might very well prove the plausible approach as applies more ‘personal’ and less elaborate vectors for pious expression – nobody is stopping anyone from casually saying a prayer, even in their own vernacular language, to a given IE deific, after all; although a) it almost goes without saying that this may not necessarily get one as far as the more intricate, ‘high-energy’, and/or archaically entailing approaches to propitiating Them, and b) there are most definitely also particular Forms and Aspects Whom one would be decidedly ill-advised to seek to approach upon such a casual basis. But we do not seek to get into all of that in here.

Instead, we simply intend to observe that as applies such an undertaking, the proper preparatory effort can furnish quite remarkable potential supports for that which we are seeking to accomplish.

In this particular case, it is not simply comprised of an excellent suite of ‘resonances’ for the relevant operation and Goddess[-form] thusly to be invoked … but also that most foundationally useful of concepts – a viable Mythic Precedency with which to draw from.

For those unaware – a fundamental feature of various of the ritual understandings (and accompanying explications) of the ‘High Religion’ suites of the Indo-Europeans is just exactly that: some specific and identified mythic occurrence to which the (sidereal, human) ritual operations are intended to emulate. The Brahmanas (Vedic ‘ritual manuals / commentaries’) are filled with this kind of thing – a Rite or ritual component being initially introduced via a brief description that “The Gods Did X […]” and then immediately followed up upon with “And So The (Human) Ritualist Does X-ish […]” (with allowance, of course, for the fact that the human ritualist is … just exactly that – except when he isn’t … ); and we also encounter similar understandings within the Classical (and, of course, other IE) spheres, although you’ll forgive me if I don’t indulge my habitual penchant for tangentry here by beginning to explore several of these right at this precise moment for illustrative interest.

And as for why this is important, why it works – well, again, without delving more fulsomely into it … we might succinctly illustrate via the ‘Vartani’ (‘[Chariot-]Wheel Track / Rut’ – the root being Skt. Vṛt / PIE *uért-e- , per Kroonen, or *u̯er-³ per Pokorny; i.e. to turn (or to wind). This same root producing Proto-Germanic *werþan, which Kroonen has as “to come about, happen, become” & Old Norse ‘verða’ of similar meaning) of the Vedas. Wherein one reads of the Asvins as being ‘Rudravartanī’ – that is to say, (literally) ‘[following] Rudra’s (Wheel-)Tracks’ and figuratively, Rudra’s Sons (Those Who Come After [The Dread Father], indeed).

Where am I going with this? These wheel-ruts are like a water-course. The ‘flow’ of energy, of action, of conceptry – it moves much more easily when following a ‘channel’ which has previously been carved out there for it. And where there is no such thing, it either requires the careful efforts to render one ‘bespoke’ for the purpose (or, I suppose, some very forceful projecting and an attempt at a frictionless application not exactly ‘cross-surface’ in any event … ) – or one runs the decided risk of things lacking in focused direction and instead sloshing all about with little congealment.

So, even above and beyond the most obvious advantage to such a precedency – that somebody else has already done a fair amount of the thinking and likely even ‘field-testing’ , thus considerably reducing the likely scope for (and changing the requisite types of) effort required to actually get the whole thing off the ground in the first instance – there is a decided benefit toward this method (and vectoring) of approach.

We are reminded of the hailing of RV VI 61 7 – itself an invocation for a certain ‘Ghorā’ Goddess, a drawing upon that immense and sacred ‘water course’ through which even the most obstructive of the demonic(-aligned) foe is to prove smote.

Griffith renders the verse thus:

“Yea, this divine Sarasvatī, terrible [Terrific – Ghorā] with Her Golden Path,
Foe-Slayer [Vṛtraghnī], claims our eulogy.”

That is that which we are doing here:

We are following the ‘Hiraṇyavartaniḥ’ – the Golden Path.

Right the way back He(e)r from the Underworld.

The well-regarded Fitzgerald translation of the Odyssey chose to rather creatively render ‘ἀγαυὴ Περσεφόνεια’ [XI, 213] not as the ‘renowned-‘ nor ‘august Persephone’ (the latter as Murray had chosen) – but rather as the “Iron Queen, Persephone”.

It is an innovative approach which communicates the ‘feeling’ and ‘essence’ most resonantly – even if it does rather exceed the bounds of a strict archaic accuracy through its process. Perhaps this is a necessary thing amidst the modern age.

In Sanskrit, Kaal (Kāla – काल) can mean not only Death and Time and Black(ness) but also Iron.

We therefore feel it triply apt to hail Her as we close this first (A)Arti-cle within the series, via the similarly (darkly) illustrious Devi theonymic:

Kālī

Jai Mata Di.