I've been meaning to post this for some time - because it's an interesting perspective which I think is a useful part of countering the Victorian-era 're-characterization' of Persephone. But, as is my proclivity, I felt I had to check out some of the claims made herein … to make sure that things hadn't gone … Continue reading On Persephone As “Iron Queen”
On The Rudraksha – Tears of Rudra
Worn about my wrist upon many occasions are three things - two are bandhs from a Priest; one from my RudraAbhishek, some five and a half years ago, the other from an occasion where I had assisted that same Pandit in another matter. But the third … they are a Mala [akin to 'prayer-beads'] of … Continue reading On The Rudraksha – Tears of Rudra
The Way Of The Gun – The Surprising Re-Development Of A Proto-Indo-European Term Into Modern English … And its Comparative Cognates Considered In Both Ritual And Conventional Phraseology Across The Indo-European Sphere
Something I have long remarked upon is the manner in which certain terms, certain concepts … they are to be found in incredibly archaic spheres, and then they 'fade away' or they undergo some transmogrification which obscures their essence somewhat, only to thence re-emerge somewhere else entirely amidst one of the Indo-European descendant groups who … Continue reading The Way Of The Gun – The Surprising Re-Development Of A Proto-Indo-European Term Into Modern English … And its Comparative Cognates Considered In Both Ritual And Conventional Phraseology Across The Indo-European Sphere
On The Birth Of Indra And Its Direct Parallel In The Circumstance Of Danae And Perseus, Devaki And Krishna, Pritha And Karna, Etc.
The exercise of the sincere reconstruction of the archaic Indo-European mythology is an art. Its major formulations, have become fragmentary - and it is only via the re-alignment of several spheres that we are able to more truly glimpse what our more distant ancestors believed. However, this is not an entirely abstract pursuit - it … Continue reading On The Birth Of Indra And Its Direct Parallel In The Circumstance Of Danae And Perseus, Devaki And Krishna, Pritha And Karna, Etc.
On The Alcis Twins – The Heroic Horse-Twins Of Another Name
Our field is one wherein so often, we find fundamental contiguity of Essence - obscurated via the seeming diversity of transposed expression. So it is with the Alcis pairing. These are described in Tacitus as being akin to the Classical Castor & Pollux - the Helping Hero (Horse) twins known also variously as the Asvins … Continue reading On The Alcis Twins – The Heroic Horse-Twins Of Another Name
Fire, Walk With Me – A Verse Of The Durga Suktam
"Bravery will take you into the most dangerous of places. Overwhelming firepower will see you safely through them." " पृतनाजितँसहमानमुग्रमग्निँ हुवेम परमात्सधस्थात् ।स नः पर्षदति दुर्गाणि विश्वा क्षामद्देवो अति दुरितात्यग्निः ॥ " "We Invoke From The Highest Place The Ugran Agni [Powerful/Furious Fire], The SahaMana ['Conquering/Overpowering/Powerful Spirit/Anger/Sentience'] Unvanquishable In Battle ; May She Greatly Protect … Continue reading Fire, Walk With Me – A Verse Of The Durga Suktam
Glorious Modern Art For Chhinnamasta Jayanti
The 25th was Chinnamasta Jayanti … so here's one of my earliest commentaries, written five years ago tomorrow: --- I've had this image in my head for nearly two weeks, but hadn't gotten around to posting it with commentary. It's a representation of the Mahavidya Chhinnamasta, as done by a Western artist known as David … Continue reading Glorious Modern Art For Chhinnamasta Jayanti
Goddess Worship At Devi Kothi – An Expansion From William Simpson’s Painting And Journalistic Portrayal
Something I often find remarkable when looking at images and textual accounts of religious elements across the Indo-European sphere is just how … familiar they are when we actually gaze into them closely. This does not mean that they are all identically the same, of course - far from it! But it does tend to … Continue reading Goddess Worship At Devi Kothi – An Expansion From William Simpson’s Painting And Journalistic Portrayal
The Divine Art Of Devi Kothi Temple
These absolutely beautiful frescos are from a Devi temple more than a quarter of a millennium old in Chamba, Himachal Pradesh. The name of the site is, aptly enough, Devi Kothi - and the presiding form of the Goddess is Chamunda. Depicted, is the great battle of the Goddess against a demon army. An artistic … Continue reading The Divine Art Of Devi Kothi Temple
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’