Today marks the start of the Shaivite holy month of Shravan Maas [at least, according to my Mandir's Gujarati derived calendar. In various other parts of India it's already been going for two weeks]. I say 'Shaivite holy month', but it is not only Shiva-oriented observances that take place during this time. Other prominent occasions … Continue reading Shravan Maas – The Shaivite Holy Month, The Samudra Manthan, and The Self-Sacrifice of Yama and Odin
Hindu Festivals
Soma Kvasir – The Eddic-Vedic Myth Of The Meath of Poetry
Every so often, we happen across some element that is clearly the same thing across two (or more) Indo-European cultures; and which, regardless of the otherwise impressive span of distance between them (whether distance of time, or mere geography), even a lay-person can immediately grasp that we are talking about the same concept. Unfortunately, this … Continue reading Soma Kvasir – The Eddic-Vedic Myth Of The Meath of Poetry
On The Mumbai Banishing Ritual Against The Coronasur
Seeking The Blessings Of Lord Agni During This Trying Time - Against The Covid-19 'Coronasur' Something I've often been quite warmly regarding of, is the manner in which Hinduism has managed to move with the times and make use of traditional and ancient practices in a modern context. For a good example of this in … Continue reading On The Mumbai Banishing Ritual Against The Coronasur
Of Mrityunjaya and Modern Hinduism – The Deathless And Unceasing Glory Of The Three-Eyed One
ॐ त्र्य॑म्बकं यजामहे सु॒गन्धिं॑ पुष्टि॒वर्ध॑नम् ।उ॒र्वा॒रु॒कमि॑व॒ बन्ध॑नान् मृ॒त्योर्मुक्षीय॒ मा ऽमृता॑त् । Something which keeps coming up in various circles proximate to the ones we move in, is this idea that contemporary Hinduism, (post-)Puranic Hinduism, is somehow largely if not entirely distinct from Vedic Hinduism. There are various reasons why people occasionally suggest to assert this … Continue reading Of Mrityunjaya and Modern Hinduism – The Deathless And Unceasing Glory Of The Three-Eyed One
MahaShivRatri And The Mytholinguistics Of War [Part 3] – The Mind, The Mania, The Manyu
[Author's Note: It is said that some efforts take on a 'mind of their own'. While this was initially intended as the third part to our MythoLinguistics of War series, with a focus more narrowly upon the strong saliency of Indo-European concepts of "Mind" and 'Spirit' with those of Warfare - as the writing progressed, … Continue reading MahaShivRatri And The Mytholinguistics Of War [Part 3] – The Mind, The Mania, The Manyu
Saraswati Puja – The Power Of The Smiter Of Foes
Yesterday (by now) marked Saraswati Puja ; and as has become my custom, I present some brief thoughts and enlightenment via way of tribute. Seems the appropriate thing to do, given the nature of the Devi in question, and customary associations of Same. And speaking of just those customary associations - it seems to me … Continue reading Saraswati Puja – The Power Of The Smiter Of Foes
SiddhiDhatri – The Final Night – Ninth of the NavaDurgas
The Ninth and Last of the Nine Nights of #NavRatri is dedicated to Ma as SiddhiDhatri - often rendered in translation as the 'Bestower of Boons', or words to that effect. And yet, while this is indeed a reasonable direct translation of SiddhiDhatri ('Siddhi' having amongst its meanings a 'Boon', often in the sense of … Continue reading SiddhiDhatri – The Final Night – Ninth of the NavaDurgas
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
KaalRatri – The Seventh Night of NavRatri; The Seventh of the NavaDurgas
“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
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
arya-akasha 