One of my favourite myths from the Hindu - and more especially, Shaivite - legendarium, is that which surrounds Kaal Bhairava. Not merely because it is there are some cool happenings within it, or because we see one of the two best-presented incidences of an Axe as a Roudran Theological Argument [the other, of course, … Continue reading OF BHAIRAVA AND BALANCE – Vedic, Eddic, and Homeric Perspectives Upon Lore And Order In The Indo-European World View [Part 1]
Comparative Mythography
ON THE MYTHOLINGUISTICS OF WAR [Part 2] – In The Divine War, The Squirrel Is (Also) The Role Of Man
[Author's Note: this piece picks up directly where Part One left off - hence the rather abrupt opening, which continues on from the last paragraph of the previous part] Now as for why *that* matters ... it is not simply an idle cosmological truth, nor a secondary commentary upon the character of Dyaus Pitar And His … Continue reading ON THE MYTHOLINGUISTICS OF WAR [Part 2] – In The Divine War, The Squirrel Is (Also) The Role Of Man
On The Mytholinguistics Of War [Part 1]
In many ways, it is not at all a controversial thing to assert that War is rather fundamental to the Indo-European View of the Universe. One of the first mythemes that almost everybody tends to identify when they begin their journey along the skeins of comparative Indo-European mythography - is that of the 'Chaoskampf', the … Continue reading On The Mytholinguistics Of War [Part 1]
Musings on a Germanic Hermes
I have often mused that despite sometimes being rather shallow and limited, almost an afterthought, Interpretatio Romana can indeed be sometimes rather insightful. Take for instance, the identification of Odin with Hermes.Now to modern eyes this seems a bit strange to cast the lord of victory and father of the Aesir in the role of … Continue reading Musings on a Germanic Hermes
RAGNAROK AND THE NIGHT LORD
Consider the Sanskrit terms राजन् and रजनी - Rajan and Rajani. They look similar, no? In fact, you'd be forgiven, even notwithstanding that the former's got a longer 'a' sound ['Raajan' - like Raja, which derives directly therefrom], for thinking that they are perhaps related forms of the same word. Maybe a masculine and feminine … Continue reading RAGNAROK AND THE NIGHT LORD
MahaGauri – The Eighth Night of NavRatri – Eighth of the NavaDurgas
The Eight Night of #NavRatri is dedicated to Ma as MahaGauri – The Great White One. Now, as readers of yesterday’s piece – on KaalRatri – will be patently aware, this stands in seemingly stark contrast to the previous Night’s Aspect of MataJI, Who is the great(est) Black one. And yet, as it happens, a … Continue reading MahaGauri – The Eighth Night of NavRatri – Eighth of the NavaDurgas
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
Cybele In Spain – The Return of Myth to Madrid
It is FRIDAY - Therefore, Devi-otional (A)Art(I) One theme I've attempted to weave into my work is "Indo-Europeanism For The Modern Age" - the notion, the concept that what we do is not merely "mythology", in the sense of pouring over musty tomes [and/or online scan-uploads of same] to attempt to describe and detail the … Continue reading Cybele In Spain – The Return of Myth to Madrid
On Adopting The Mantle of Myth – And Pakistan’s Perilously Pained Pretensions To Same
One of my favourite concepts from the field of 20th century comparative mythography has to be Eliade's notion of the Eternal Return. That idea that many rituals are, in effect, 're-enactments' of prior and supernal Mythic Events; which not only carry their more overt (and often quite ornate) beneficial purpose for the participants, but which … Continue reading On Adopting The Mantle of Myth – And Pakistan’s Perilously Pained Pretensions To Same
Votive Plate of Cybele, Great Goddess, Mountain Mother – Arte-Facts #5
This Is #GangSteppe - and also, fine Devi-otional (A)Art(I) for Friday ! Depicted is Goddess Cybele on an offering-plate, from 3rd century B.C. Ai-Khanoum, amidst the ruins of the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom. Now, I find this artefact fascinating for quite a number of reasons. Not simply because of the various iconographic features upon it which come … Continue reading Votive Plate of Cybele, Great Goddess, Mountain Mother – Arte-Facts #5