God Jól … and, the God - Jölnir / Jölföðr Now, this is something of a tautology - as in fact, we find Jóln utilized as a term to mean "Gods", itself. Indeed, presuming that one speculative Proto-Indo-European etymology for Jóln and Jól is correct - that it derives from a term for 'uttering', putting … Continue reading Good Yule, God Jól, and the God of Jöl
Author: Curwen Ares Rolinson
On Goddess, The Gender of the Moon, And Insistent Paradigmatic Error-ism
There's one point which seems to keep coming up when the fact of an Indo-European male Moon deific is raised.Namely, the notion that this is an impossibility - or, at the very least, a glaring incongruity - because we know with our modern scientific perspective that the Moon 'receives' the light from the Sun. There … Continue reading On Goddess, The Gender of the Moon, And Insistent Paradigmatic Error-ism
Red Coral! For Mars And For Victory
These turned up yesterday. Three Red Coral pendants in silver mountings. As for 'why' - well, there's two overlapping reasons for this acquisition on my part. Red Coral is the Mars Ratna ['Jewel'] - it is worn for Victory, whether that is over external opponents or indeed over one's own self. As a part of … Continue reading Red Coral! For Mars And For Victory
The Hanuman Of My Home Shrine
It is Tuesday - Hanuman's Day. And therefore … This is the Hanuman of my Household Shrine. And as you'll immediately note, it's a bit of a different style to the other deific representations. Both because of its style, as well as its form. For you see - it is a Balinese shadow-puppet. One that … Continue reading The Hanuman Of My Home Shrine
Appealing To Odin Rudra Shiva To Help Find One’s Beloved (Again)
"He gives Victory to some,Money to others,Eloquence to many,and Common Sense to all.He gives Waves to the Sea,Word-Skill to Poets,He gives many the Happiness of Love" Freyja, speaking of Odin, apparently from the Völuspá hin skamma per Dr Jackson Crawford's translation … which appears to be extracted from Hyndluljóð Interested to see this particular verse … Continue reading Appealing To Odin Rudra Shiva To Help Find One’s Beloved (Again)
Two Operations For Ritual Purification – The Invocation Of The Seven Rivers & The All-Conditions Purification Mantra
As we have often observed, purity is a foundation for good piety. By which we (also) mean - the acts of purification are a necessary predicate for engaging in proper formalized ritual worship.After all, one would hardly seek to petition and to honour the rulers of the cosmos in a manner that might seem 'lacking in … Continue reading Two Operations For Ritual Purification – The Invocation Of The Seven Rivers & The All-Conditions Purification Mantra
“Not without pains are the Gods made friends”
"Not without pains are the Gods made friends" Kaegi / Arrowsmith translation (1886) A line from RV IV 33 11, in the words of the Rsi Vamadeva Gautama, that has stuck with me this morning. For additional clarity - here's three further translations from the past century and a half of the same verse. "Not … Continue reading “Not without pains are the Gods made friends”
Pradosha Vrat – The Fortnightly Evening Observance For Lord Shiva
Pradosha Vrat tonight … so here's a pretty aesthetic shot of the Shiva Temple at Kedarnath Pradosh Vrat [literally 'Evening Observance' - 'Vrata', from the same root as our English 'Word', communicates the sense of a 'Vow', giving somebody your Word] is hailed as an ideal time to approach the Lord in supplication. This is, … Continue reading Pradosha Vrat – The Fortnightly Evening Observance For Lord Shiva
Ravens For Rudra ?
It is interesting how things work out. We have known for some time now that Lord Shiva and Odin are the same deific - expressed prominently to two broad Indo-European mytho-religious sphere : the 'Vedic' and 'Eddic', we might say. We have spent much time over the past few years tracing out the various coterminities … Continue reading Ravens For Rudra ?
On The Bharat Mata Of Kashi Vishwanath Temple – And Some Curiously Modern Objections To Same
There is currently some controversy about installation of a Bharat Mata murti at Kashi Vishwanath Temple. The claim is that this is installing 'fake & modern political deity' - something with no connection to the authentic religious sphere. This is false. Bharat Mata is 'recent', in the sense that this form of the deific appears … Continue reading On The Bharat Mata Of Kashi Vishwanath Temple – And Some Curiously Modern Objections To Same