I've seen a bit of chatter on here about the naming conventions for cyclones/hurricanes in the US/Caribbean - and, in particular, how these may possibly be both sexist AND ineffectual, on grounds that the average American apparently finds storms with female names less threatening [thus leading to reduced readiness, and often a higher death toll … Continue reading “Cyclone Mahavatya Rudra” Jai
Make Afghanistan Gandhara Again
I have been told I bear a certain resemblance to this chap. Sculpted head of a Brahmin of the area now known as Afghanistan, dating from the 3rd-4th century A.D. It may seem somewhat curious to us now - when Afghanistan is mostly known to us as the area upon this Earth where "empires go … Continue reading Make Afghanistan Gandhara Again
BHARAT MATA AND THE INDO-EUROPEAN DEIFIC OF NATIONAL IDENTITY
August 15th is India's National Day - the hallowed anniversary of Independence. And for that, we have prepared something a little bit different for publication here at AA. Now, you may be wondering why we are posting to mark a civic, political observance rather than something which is prima facie a religious one of ancient … Continue reading BHARAT MATA AND THE INDO-EUROPEAN DEIFIC OF NATIONAL IDENTITY
“Loud May We Speak, With Heroes In Assembly” – An Indo-European Reflection On ANZAC Day
[pictured: a parade of New Zealand veterans of the Gallipoli campaign - the original ANZACs - ANZAC Day 1958] I wrote this on ANZAC Day last year after I got home from Temple [there are, no doubt, some rather interesting potential resonances to be explored in it having been Hanuman's Day; particularly given the symbolism … Continue reading “Loud May We Speak, With Heroes In Assembly” – An Indo-European Reflection On ANZAC Day
On The Indo-European Days Of The Week – An Introduction To The Comparative Mythography Of Arya Akasha
It can often seem rather daunting attempting to get to grips with the more in-depth material used to illustrate the underlying cultural unities between the Indo-European peoples ... so we thought we'd start with something different. Something simpler. Something so sufficiently common-place that you encounter it every day. Literally, in fact - for we're talking … Continue reading On The Indo-European Days Of The Week – An Introduction To The Comparative Mythography Of Arya Akasha
MahaShivRatri 2018
Tonight marks the most important Shaivite holy-"day" of the year. Maha ShivRatri - the "Great Night of Shiva". Various sources give slightly differing accounts as to the mythic significance and origins of the Night's place in our religion; with two of the more prominent being that it commemorates the reunification of Lord Shiva and Lady … Continue reading MahaShivRatri 2018
Kala Bhairava Jayanti
[Author's note: this piece was penned on the night of the 10th-11th of November 2017 in the course of an all-night devotional vigil] Tonight marks the Hindu observance of KalaBhairava Jayanti - the Creation, but also the Victory [same word - जयन्ति ] of Kala Bhairava, a Fearsome Destroyer emanation of Lord Shiva Whose name … Continue reading Kala Bhairava Jayanti
On The Ongoing Woeful Misappropriation Of Kali Ma When Western Metapolitical Commentators Write About Kali Yuga
I am pretty annoyed right now at the ongoing attempts at misusing Goddess Kali as part of attempted metapolitical [and often outright metaphysical political] 'analysis'. Now to be sure, I am NOT against folk attempting to incorporate religious understandings of the world into their politics. I do it all the time. I encourage others … Continue reading On The Ongoing Woeful Misappropriation Of Kali Ma When Western Metapolitical Commentators Write About Kali Yuga
‘Occasionalism’ in the thought of Al-Ghazali & The Bhagavad Gita
A curious 7 a.m thought for a Sunday morning, about the nature of 'Causality'. Now, the standard paradigm for understanding why things happen is a non-metaphysical one. It basically goes "somebody/something performs an action, it has an effect". This is so straightforward it doesn't even really require stating. We just *know* it implicitly. But as … Continue reading ‘Occasionalism’ in the thought of Al-Ghazali & The Bhagavad Gita
Vishvarupa Darshan
As is well known, I am not a Vaishnavite, nor a Krishna-bhakt. And, in point of fact, the traditional rivalry of Shaivites with these is common knowledge. But it is difficult to look upon this image - for me, anyway - and not feel something. It depicts the portion from Bhagavad Gita wherein Arjuna asks … Continue reading Vishvarupa Darshan
arya-akasha 