For the past few days, I have been looking once more at Indo-Europeans in Central Asia - and even proximate to China. It is quite remarkable what there is out there, even if much of it has been forgotten or elsewise obscurated via the ravages of time. Now, these days the Qilian Shan refer to … Continue reading On The Tocharian-Sourced Indo-European Toponymy For The Qilian Shan – And Associated Mytho-Linguistic Elements Running Right The Way Up To Kailash
Shiva
On Wolves Against Zoroastrian Identification
Something else that has been playing upon my mind as applies that fine Sogdian funerary sculpture's purported Zoroastrian provenancy … is the name of the Sogdian whose tomb it was. In his own language, it is Wirkak - that is to say, 'Wolf', from the same root a Sanskrit 'Vrka', etc. Now, why that is interesting … Continue reading On Wolves Against Zoroastrian Identification
Weshparkar – Vayu-The-High-Working But Also Shiva – On Funerary Stonework Of Sogdian Wirkak And Wiyusi – Arte-Facts #12
I've had this image on my mind for some days now. Both for what it represents - yet also for what it doesn't. What's been projected upon it, in other words. Now, as for the former - it's a representation of the Sogdian deific, Vesparkar (also anglicized as Weshparkar, Veshparkar, Wysprkr etc.), from a fine relief … Continue reading Weshparkar – Vayu-The-High-Working But Also Shiva – On Funerary Stonework Of Sogdian Wirkak And Wiyusi – Arte-Facts #12
The Six-Faced Son Of The Sky Father
Apt for a Tuesday (that is to say - Mars' Day: Dies Martis, Hemera Areos, etc.) 'Kumara', by Kedaram Vishwanathan. Better known as Skanda or Kartikeya - Kumara ['Son'], the prominent Hindu War God (well, one of … look, we have quite a few) Whose Vahana ('Vehicle'/'Steed') is the Peacock or Rooster (although I have … Continue reading The Six-Faced Son Of The Sky Father
The Birth Of Athena – On The Indo-European Genesis Of Tritogeneia
Earlier this week I encountered something which has, by now, become regrettably familiar to me - although this did not dull my rage at its ridiculous (re-)appearance. Somebody proclaiming that Athena - in amidst a veritable 'Who's Who' of the Greek pantheon - was part of a clade of "certain mythological stories or deities that … Continue reading The Birth Of Athena – On The Indo-European Genesis Of Tritogeneia
On The Scythian Comparative Evidence For The Identification Of Soma – An Extract From ‘The Transcendent Indo-European Typology Of The God Of Masks’
This is an extract from my (second) substantive article on the Indo-European 'Interpretatio' of Dionysus which we ran last year - this portion focusing upon the empowering elixir known variously as Soma , Kvasir , the Mead of Poetry - and how it is evident that the Indo-European traditions around this diverged, with an emphasis … Continue reading On The Scythian Comparative Evidence For The Identification Of Soma – An Extract From ‘The Transcendent Indo-European Typology Of The God Of Masks’
The Golden Radiancy Of Somnath Jyotirlinga [Incredible Indo-European Holy Sites Series Part V]
Apt for a Monday - the ShivLing at Somnath , one of the Twelve (although by some counts thirteen) Jyotirlingam ['Starlight Lingam'] sites; 'Somnath' meaning 'Lord of the Soma' - a prominent Shaivite epithet, theonym, and role. Which it would be interesting to connect to Odin's role in the bringing of the Mead of Poetry. … Continue reading The Golden Radiancy Of Somnath Jyotirlinga [Incredible Indo-European Holy Sites Series Part V]
Salutations To The Shivas – Glorious Modern Hindu Art Of MahaDeva & Devi, And The Uma Maheshwara Stotram Of Adi Shankara
Beautiful art of Lord Shiva & Devi, by Tanushree Ghosh Goes rather nicely with Adi Shankara's Uma Maheshwara Hymnal: नमः शिवाभ्यां नवयौवनाभ्यांपरस्पराश्लिष्टवपुर्धराभ्याम् ।नगेन्द्रकन्यावृषकेतनाभ्यांनमो नमः शङ्करपार्वतीभ्याम् ॥ 1 ॥ Salutations to Lord Shiva and Goddess Shiva,Who are always in a fresh stage of youth,Who cling to each other in a tight embrace,Of whom one is the … Continue reading Salutations To The Shivas – Glorious Modern Hindu Art Of MahaDeva & Devi, And The Uma Maheshwara Stotram Of Adi Shankara
On Hanuman, The Striker/Thunderer, As Son Of Shiva, The Sky Father – A Textual Collation
It is Thursday - Thor's Day via the familiar late-Germanic reckoning, although in truth and per the older Indo-European schema a Day of the Sky Father: Jupiter (Dies Jovis), Zeus (Hemera Dios), and Brihaspati. This double-linkage of affiliation makes our subject for this post rather apt - a textual concordancy of material pertaining to both … Continue reading On Hanuman, The Striker/Thunderer, As Son Of Shiva, The Sky Father – A Textual Collation
On the Wolf Symbolism integral to Indo-European Warrior Tradition – An Excerpt From Speidel’s “Ancient Germanic Warriors: Warrior Styles from Trajan’s Column to Icelandic Sagas”
"Of all wild animals, wolves are closest to man in social instincts. They respect rank, delight in each other’s company, and are so dedicated to the pack that the Hittite king Hattusilis told his assembly, “May your clan be one, like that of the wolves!” As dogs they are eager and faithful beyond words. Wild … Continue reading On the Wolf Symbolism integral to Indo-European Warrior Tradition – An Excerpt From Speidel’s “Ancient Germanic Warriors: Warrior Styles from Trajan’s Column to Icelandic Sagas”