Today is Saturday - Saturn's Day. And, not least because we are at the juncture which demarcates the liminal between the Years … we present something rather special. A bespoke liturgy for Him, composed by our associate Pereira Juventino [ Clécio Dauphin ] for an observance that we had undertaken earlier in the year. [The … Continue reading A Saturn Liturgy For Saturn’s Day And The Transition Of The Year Into (Re)New
Art
On Indo-European Solar Warfare – The Sura Army of the Sun
Earlier this week we marked the Solstice - Summer, if you're here in the Southern Hemisphere, Winter if you're in the Northern. It therefore seemed an apt occasion to post this exquisite art - illustrating the Army of the Sun God setting a host of demons to flight. Now, the nature of this conflict is … Continue reading On Indo-European Solar Warfare – The Sura Army of the Sun
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 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
Devi Athena Arms The Warrior Of The Divine
It's Friday - Devi's Day And so, therefore, a fine sculpted depiction from the series of Classically inspired works by Karl Heinrich Möller that adorn the Schlossbrücke in Berlin. In this case, 'Athena Arms The Warrior' ('Athena bewaffnet den Krieger') - which we would consider to be an expression of a typology prominent not only … Continue reading Devi Athena Arms The Warrior Of The Divine
The Divine Empress And The Fire God – Beautiful Newari Art And The Durga Suktam
Very, very cool ! On the left, is Maheshvari (Devi) - on the right, Agni. Now, it might at first seem a little curious - we are used to thinking of Agni as a 'two-faced' figure in the iconography. Yet in a way … These depictions are, quite literally, two sides of the same artwork. … Continue reading The Divine Empress And The Fire God – Beautiful Newari Art And The Durga Suktam
On The True Meaning Of Kali Standing Above Shiva – The ‘Dark’ Devi Uber Alles
This style of Kali depiction is probably one of the most familiar forms of Hindu deific representation to many of us here in the West. It's remarkably prevalent - and along with it comes a curiously insistent similarly 'pop-culture' perspective as to what's represented there within. To paraphrase the sort of thing I'm referring to … Continue reading On The True Meaning Of Kali Standing Above Shiva – The ‘Dark’ Devi Uber Alles
Brief Points Viz. The Half-Humanization And Apotheosis Of The Striker/Thunderer Deific Amidst The Classical Sphere
Here's some very, very cool Herakles art we saw recently (artist is one Javier Charro ) … And, because we wouldn't feel right just posting some art - a slightly edited transcript of me ranting to a comrade [Y. Allen] about the curious situation of the Classical perception of the Indo-European Striker/Thunderer deific. Namely, the … Continue reading Brief Points Viz. The Half-Humanization And Apotheosis Of The Striker/Thunderer Deific Amidst The Classical Sphere
The Divine Family Of Lord Shiva Sheltered In Demon-Hide – A Parable For Mahadev’s Miraculous Transmutation Of Difficulties To Boons
It's the last Monday night of the Shaivite Holy Month of Shravan Maas tonight, and I've had this image upon my mind. The sage Manasataramgini captioned it thusly: "Rudra's clan all huddled in an elephant hide for the cold Himalayan night". I think that's a pretty touching description. And most definitely apt. Yet in truth … Continue reading The Divine Family Of Lord Shiva Sheltered In Demon-Hide – A Parable For Mahadev’s Miraculous Transmutation Of Difficulties To Boons
Dynamism & Control – The Perfect Poise Of A Nepali Durga Sculpture As Mahishasura Mardini
This is just absolutely exquisite. 14th century Nepali depiction of Devi Durga as Mahishasura Mardini ['Slayer of the Buffalo[-headed] Demon'], in copper. There's a real glorious sense of motion to the sculpture, and you can just imagine how radiant this would have looked in the original bright (dare we suggest almost 'saffron') hues of the … Continue reading Dynamism & Control – The Perfect Poise Of A Nepali Durga Sculpture As Mahishasura Mardini
arya-akasha 