Having seen this meme posted elsewhere, I wound up commenting in reply. That it's .. oddly enough .. the wrong way around. How so? We'll start with the obvious. And then hit the Surprising. As applies the former - Sunak is, of course, a Brahmin. I think his Gotra may render him a Bhargava [Descendant … Continue reading On A Recent Meme Of Rishi Sunak
BMAC
For Pratyangira – Roaring Goddess of the Counter-Fire
A murti of the fearsome Goddess[-form], Pratyangira - a theonymic we would be tempted to translate as "Return Fire!" She is regarded as Goddess of the Atharva Veda via Atharvana Bhadrakali - and also linked to Kali through the Narasimhika ('Heroic Lioness' / 'Lion-(Wo)Man') encountered in the Sri Kalika Sahasranama stotram of MahaKalaBhairava : and … Continue reading For Pratyangira – Roaring Goddess of the Counter-Fire
Asura Aesir A’Sura
There can be few terms which have caused more confusion and misaligned conflation within the realms of the comparative Indo-European theology than 'Asura', 'Aesir', and 'A'Sura'. Many people coming in from the Germanic sphere presume that because they understand 'Aesir' - that Vedic 'Asura', as a linguistic cognate, should mean effectively the same thing. That is to … Continue reading Asura Aesir A’Sura
No, Śarva, The Archer Theonym Of Rudra, Is Not Of Non-Indo-European Origination
I am, it would appear, once again infuriated. This time, by that most frequent of annoyances, Academic Shenaniganry. Specifically pertaining to Lord Shiva. An associate had directed my attention to a recent work by Lubotsky that attempted to set out that a rather large and integral swathe of Vedic religion … was non-Indo-European. And was, … Continue reading No, Śarva, The Archer Theonym Of Rudra, Is Not Of Non-Indo-European Origination
On Ongoing Memetic Annoyances Concerning The Canardic Conflation Of Dasas / Dasyus With The IVC And/Or ‘Dravidians’
Every. Dang. Time. Where to begin with this. Now we shall leave aside the words of Wikipedia (for the moment) and just go for the tweeter's intended sentiment. Which, going by some comments, would appear to be some sort of Indra contra Dasyu thing … as insistently misapprehended by some sorts on the internet to … Continue reading On Ongoing Memetic Annoyances Concerning The Canardic Conflation Of Dasas / Dasyus With The IVC And/Or ‘Dravidians’
On the Indo-European Etymology of Indra
Often it seems that the interpretation and the 'accepted wisdom' on various more archaic Indo-European mythic figures is effectively an exercise in agenda-pushing and confirmation bias. One deific seemingly singled out for far more than His fair share of such torturous misperception is, of course, Lord Indra. Otherwise known as the Vedic facing of the Indo-European … Continue reading On the Indo-European Etymology of Indra
Vedic Dragon-Slaying In Sogdian Armour ? A Mural Of Panjikent
Something that has truly given me cause for wonder as we've been delving further into the mysteries of Indo-European Central Asia … is just how immediately recognizable certain myths, certain figures, certain truths remain even 'midst seemingly unfamiliar overlay. This fine rendering from Penjikent in modern-day Tajikistan is just such an instance. A Sogdian depiction, … Continue reading Vedic Dragon-Slaying In Sogdian Armour ? A Mural Of Panjikent
On The Spurious De-Indo-European-ization Of The Gods On Wikipedia And Elsewhere
This is what we're up against. And yes, yes I know - the hazards of reading Wikipedia … but that's just it, isn't it. So many people do. The stuff they see on that website is their first (and quite frequently, last and only) meaningful introduction to a topic, its nuances and its intricacies. As … Continue reading On The Spurious De-Indo-European-ization Of The Gods On Wikipedia And Elsewhere
Against Spurious “Pre-Indo-European-Ization” Of Indo-European Elements
This happens remarkably frequently - both in terms of the linguistics, but also in terms of the mythology and theology. There's quite a number of spaces wherein some academic or other commentator with a personal theory (or, worse, an agenda) has latched on to something and gone "well this seems like it shouldn't be Indo-European … Continue reading Against Spurious “Pre-Indo-European-Ization” Of Indo-European Elements
ON THE INDO-EUROPEAN TYPOLOGY OF IOLAUS – THIRD DRAGONSLAYER Part Three – Academics And Anaryas : The Wrongful Reconstruction Of The Myth
Amongst the Zoroastrians, the dragon-slayer is known as Fereydun, or more archaically as Thraetaona. Who is, curiously, the son of the Zoroastrian figure of Tritas / Thrita. Now, for the Zoroastrians, there is no Indra - except in their lists of demons. As is well known, when they began their heresy against the previously prevalent … Continue reading ON THE INDO-EUROPEAN TYPOLOGY OF IOLAUS – THIRD DRAGONSLAYER Part Three – Academics And Anaryas : The Wrongful Reconstruction Of The Myth