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

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

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

The “Buddhist” Coin Of Tilya Tepe – Arte-Facts #3

I've had this coin in my head for awhile now - and it seemed rather appropriate to post for a Wednesday. It's another of the artefacts from the justifiably famed Tilya Tepe burial-site in northern Afghanistan; a roughly two millennia old set of seven graves that are likely of Scythian origin, rediscovered in 1978. But … Continue reading The “Buddhist” Coin Of Tilya Tepe – Arte-Facts #3

“Einu nafni hétumk aldregi / síz ek með folkum fór” – “By one name I have never been known / since I went among the people”

Earlier this week, one of our associates - who's a good guy, although we don't always agree - put up a thought about comparative Indo-European theology. It included the following:    "All IE religions have a sky father, Earth mother and twin Gods. But, that doesn't mean those Gods aren't sovereign entities, uniquely different from … Continue reading “Einu nafni hétumk aldregi / síz ek með folkum fór” – “By one name I have never been known / since I went among the people”