A further excerpt from my recent ' RUDRAGANIKA ' (A)Arti-cle, looking at the female Retinue of the Indo-European Sky Father deific. This time, oriented toward the 'Thiasos' ( θίασος ) processional that accompanies Dionysus (and, entirely uncoincidentally, Poseidon). The full-length piece can be found here: https://aryaakasha.com/2022/03/08/rudraganika-a-study-in-eternal-return-as-manifested-through-the-sky-fathers-female-retinue-across-the-indo-european-world/ Art, as per usual, by HC - who has … Continue reading The Thiasos Of Dionysus – A Rudraganika Excerpt
Shiva
On The Etymology Of Bacchus – The Roarer
[illustration appears to be by a Jim Tierney] When it comes to Dionysus, there are various elements which are … challenging to make sense of. This is as it should be. One of these concerns the likely etymology - and therefore meaning - of one of His most prominent theonymics: Bacchus (or Bakkhos, Βάκχος, etc.). Usually … Continue reading On The Etymology Of Bacchus – The Roarer
The Vitality of the Universe Entire – On MahaGauri, SiddhiDhatri, and Demeter
The Eighth Night of #NavRatri is dedicated to MahaGauri - The Great Beauty, The 'Great White One' ; The Ninth Night of NavRatri, to Siddhidhatri - the Bestower of Boons, The Giver of Empowerment. Both because I am rather late in my finishing of this piece - but also due to a certain underlying thematic unity ... … Continue reading The Vitality of the Universe Entire – On MahaGauri, SiddhiDhatri, and Demeter
The Matrikas – A RudraGanika Excerpt
This is an excerpt from our recent 'RudraGanika – A Study In Eternal Return As Manifested Through The Sky Father’s Female Retinue Across The Indo-European World' : looking at one of the ways in which this typology persisted in later Indo-European religion. In this case, in the form of the Matrika clade that accompany Rudra … Continue reading The Matrikas – A RudraGanika Excerpt
KalaRatri for Chaitra Navratri – The Black Night of Unveiling, The Night of Death
The Seventh Night of #NavRatri is dedicated to Kalaratri - The Night of Death, the Blackest Night, the Darkness at the End of Time Herself ! And yet, as has become something of our theme whenever we discuss the Devi - we are vehement in pointing out that this is only one side to Her, … Continue reading KalaRatri for Chaitra Navratri – The Black Night of Unveiling, The Night of Death
Skandamata for Chaitra Navratri – Mother of The Assault
The Fifth Night of #NavRatri is dedicated to Ma as Skandamata Now as one might presume - She is the Mother (Mata) of Lord Skanda, one of our … many War Gods. Takes after His Mother in that regard! The story of Skanda's conception and birth is perhaps a bit of a curious one - … Continue reading Skandamata for Chaitra Navratri – Mother of The Assault
Chandraghanta for Chaitra Navratri – Radiancy of the Foe-Destroying Splendorous Moon
The Third Night of #NavRatri is dedicated to Ma as Chandraghanta - which we might directly translate as 'Moon Bell', although this does not *quite* capture the true sense of the latter term's meaning. Now a Ghanta, for us, is a bell. Particularly of the sort rung during religious purposes. The sense is not merely … Continue reading Chandraghanta for Chaitra Navratri – Radiancy of the Foe-Destroying Splendorous Moon
Brahmacharini for Chaitra Navratri – Seeker of the Absolute
The Second Night of #NavRatri is dedicated to Ma as Brahmacharini - the Seeker of the Absolute. Now as we will recall - 'Brahman' is from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerǵʰ-. This term in PIE refers to something that is 'high', 'exalted' - and also produces, unsurprisingly, terms for 'mountain' (like the Germanic 'Berg'). It would perhaps be improper … Continue reading Brahmacharini for Chaitra Navratri – Seeker of the Absolute
RudraGanika – A Study In Eternal Return As Manifested Through The Sky Father’s Female Retinue Across The Indo-European World
[Author's Note: This work brings together several (my)themes close and dear to my heart. It had been intended to be published upon MahaShivRatri - the 1st of March in 2022 - however, Time waits for no man (other than Her Husband); and my continuing to find further elements which cried out to be included resulted … Continue reading RudraGanika – A Study In Eternal Return As Manifested Through The Sky Father’s Female Retinue Across The Indo-European World
Marut Art for Monday – Rudra’s Day
It is Monday - Rudra's Day : And therefore … a Marut, as rendered by HC. Now, way back when we started this effort, having Marut art was one of my major objectives. There's a surprising paucity of it out there 'in the wild'. We've made an effort to collate an array of scriptural and … Continue reading Marut Art for Monday – Rudra’s Day
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