I Have Theology For That Now, when I say that, I get the sense that some of you think I'm joking. Or that I just have some abstract concept in my head. No, I literally have theology for that. In fact, not just theology, but astrology, too ! Shatapatha Brahmana II 1 2 : "13 … Continue reading The War-Stones Of The Altar
Adorned By The Mantle Of Fire And The Masque Of Death
A fitting image, we had felt, to resonate with a figure encountered at various points in our work over this past year, and that we might perhaps think of as something of a 'Para-Kali' or even 'Proto-Kali' (and, of course, Chandika / Chamunda, and Durga, are also heavily in-mind here for reasons that ought prove … Continue reading Adorned By The Mantle Of Fire And The Masque Of Death
The God-Emperor Dyaus Pitar
Dyaus Pitar ( द्यौष्पितृ ) / Dyews Phter ( *Dyḗws ph₂tḗr ) And yes, I am absolutely serious about this. Now, what is remarkable about this AI-generated image [not my handiwork] is … just how overt the immediate resonancies are with an array of directly scripturally attested qualities for the Indo-European deific in question. Consider, … Continue reading The God-Emperor Dyaus Pitar
On The Lingam Devi of Herga, Karnataka
As is often the case, I encounter a beautiful Devi depiction and She simply must have a post ! I had initially thought that this was a Kali murti (not least due to the beautiful blue-black visage) - but some searching indicates that no, this is instead a Durga … Durga Paramesvari ['Highest Divine Empress'] … Continue reading On The Lingam Devi of Herga, Karnataka
Thursday Night Rites – Odin The Plutonic Lord Thrice-Invoked At The Crossroads [Of Goddesses, Gods, and Ghosts at the Crossroads – A Comparative Indo-European ExplorationThursday Night Rites – Odin The Plutonic Lord Thrice-Invoked At The Crossroads : Extract 7]
It is Thursday. Odin's Day [yes, really - stay tuned]; and therefore, some fine Odin art ['Odin, the Northern God of War', by Valentine Cameron Prinsep] And, in order to explicate just why I'm upending … quite a lot of 'general perception' and saying Thursday to be Odin's … here's an excerpt from our earlier … Continue reading Thursday Night Rites – Odin The Plutonic Lord Thrice-Invoked At The Crossroads [Of Goddesses, Gods, and Ghosts at the Crossroads – A Comparative Indo-European ExplorationThursday Night Rites – Odin The Plutonic Lord Thrice-Invoked At The Crossroads : Extract 7]
On The Simian Symbolic Representation Of Hanuman
We had recently been asked to weigh in on a rather recurrent matter of Hindu … well, iconography and understanding - namely, whether Hanuman is appropriate to depict as an 'ape' or 'monkey' style figure. The reasoning for this being at issue is that one can potentially interpret the name of Hanuman's clade, the Vanaras, … Continue reading On The Simian Symbolic Representation Of Hanuman
Rohini – A Re-Examination Of The Red Goddess And Rudra
This morning marks an astrological transit - that of Mangala (Mars) into Rohini. Now, to explain a bit about this in terms that will, perhaps, be a bit more familiar - Rohini is a Nakshatra, a (lunar) star sign; and it is correlate with what, in Western terms, would be identified with Aldebaran or Alpha … Continue reading Rohini – A Re-Examination Of The Red Goddess And Rudra
Chamunda – Brief Conceptual Resonancies For The Storm Facing Of Wrathful Sky Divinity
It is Friday - Devi's Day - And so therefore, as has become our custom, we present a brief commentary to go with a beautiful work of (A)Arti-fice ... In this case, a fine sandstone sculpture, about a thousand years old. Something which manages to convey a sense of Her 'Forcefulness', Her 'Essence' ... even … Continue reading Chamunda – Brief Conceptual Resonancies For The Storm Facing Of Wrathful Sky Divinity
‘Send the Wolves’ – Demons And Demon-Worshippers Driven Out From The Vedic Sacred Space By The Howling Hounds Of Heaven : An Exaltation !
Ever since I first read of it, this Vedic myth (and ritual operation) has resonated most potently within my mind. It deals with an 'exorcism' of sorts. One wherein a coterie of 'priests of demons' being fought by Indra are hurled into the howling demesne that is as the 'Gates of the Underworld' - the … Continue reading ‘Send the Wolves’ – Demons And Demon-Worshippers Driven Out From The Vedic Sacred Space By The Howling Hounds Of Heaven : An Exaltation !
Bhairava Kshetrapala – The Terrifying Guardian Of The Temple , Castellan Of The Holy City And His Hounds Of Furious Vengeance And Law’s Upholding [ Excerpt V From ‘ On The Wolves Of Rudra – The Terrific, Well-Storied Wolves And Wolf Forms Of The Indo-European Sky Father ‘ ]
We have recently had much cause to discuss the This is the fifth such excerpt, from our impressively aegis'd 'On The Wolves Of Rudra – The Terrific, Well-Storied Wolves And Wolf Forms Of The Indo-European Sky Father' (A)Arti-cle. The first and second of these sought to briefly examine Apollo Lykeios and the Wolf That Stalks … Continue reading Bhairava Kshetrapala – The Terrifying Guardian Of The Temple , Castellan Of The Holy City And His Hounds Of Furious Vengeance And Law’s Upholding [ Excerpt V From ‘ On The Wolves Of Rudra – The Terrific, Well-Storied Wolves And Wolf Forms Of The Indo-European Sky Father ‘ ]