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
Boon
The Vitality of the Universe Entire – On MahaGauri, SiddhiDhatri, and Demeter
The Eighth Night of #NavRatri is dedicated to MahaGauri - The Great Beauty, The 'Great White One' ; The Ninth Night of NavRatri, to Siddhidhatri - the Bestower of Boons, The Giver of Empowerment. Both because I am rather late in my finishing of this piece - but also due to a certain underlying thematic unity ... … Continue reading The Vitality of the Universe Entire – On MahaGauri, SiddhiDhatri, and Demeter
On The Mytholinguistics Of The Solar Speech
It is SUNDAY - The Day of the Sun ! And, in fact, twice over - for today is also Bhanu Saptami : The Shining (Bhanu) Day on the Seventh (Saptami). The reason for the observance is often said to be a (Re-)Birth Day of the Sun. AV XIII 2 25 therefore springs instantly to … Continue reading On The Mytholinguistics Of The Solar Speech
Appealing To Odin Rudra Shiva To Help Find One’s Beloved (Again)
"He gives Victory to some,Money to others,Eloquence to many,and Common Sense to all.He gives Waves to the Sea,Word-Skill to Poets,He gives many the Happiness of Love" Freyja, speaking of Odin, apparently from the Völuspá hin skamma per Dr Jackson Crawford's translation … which appears to be extracted from Hyndluljóð Interested to see this particular verse … Continue reading Appealing To Odin Rudra Shiva To Help Find One’s Beloved (Again)
In Honour Of The BanaLingam Upon The Occasion Of Its Arrival – The Living Altar Of Narmada That Is Shakti & Shiva Rightfully Conjoined
We have attained the BanaLinga ! Yet what is this mighty stone, inset within a shining Yoni of Silver ? The easiest way to explicate it is to start with the very basic and work our way up from there. At its core, a ShivLing is an 'aniconic' embodiment of the Lord Shiva. It may also … Continue reading In Honour Of The BanaLingam Upon The Occasion Of Its Arrival – The Living Altar Of Narmada That Is Shakti & Shiva Rightfully Conjoined
Indo-European Worship Of The God As Guest – A Ritual Primer Overview
'Dost thou know how to ask, dost thou know how to offer,dost thou know how to send, dost thou know how to spend?"- Havamal, verse 143 Something we have often been asked for is a simple 'how-to' for regular devotional offerings / observances. There are certainly a few of these out there for various Indo-European … Continue reading Indo-European Worship Of The God As Guest – A Ritual Primer Overview
Sirius In Central Asia – Soma, Tisya, Tishtrya, Rudra
It is Wednesday - Odin's Day - and so therefore, as has become our custom, some fine devotional (a)art-i. Except this exquisite piece is not from the Northlands of Scandinavia - rather, its provenance is that most mysterious of Indo-European lands … far-flung Central Asia. Khotan, amidst the deserts and mountains fringing China's western edge in … Continue reading Sirius In Central Asia – Soma, Tisya, Tishtrya, Rudra
Midhvan for Monday – Lord Rudra’s Day
It is Monday - Lord Shiva's Day. And therefore - fine Roudran (A)Art-i. In this case - potentially - as Midhvan, and we shall explicate that term momentarily. Now, when one thinks of a figure of rather … apocalyptic significance turning up riding a white horse, it is perhaps rare that one's mind would immediately … Continue reading Midhvan for Monday – Lord Rudra’s Day
Wisdom Is A Gods-Given Gift : Use It -Mahabharat Wisdom For The Modern Age
A maxim from the Mahabharat that somebody had posted, in response to the rather obvious question of why devotees attending the Kumbh Mela had not emerged unscathed from the Covid-19 community superspreading there: न देवा दण्डमादाय रक्षन्ति पशुपालवत् ।यं हि रक्षितुमिच्छन्ति बुद्ध्या संयोजयन्ति तम्॥ "Gods do not brandish a cane,Minding men like sheepThey bless with … Continue reading Wisdom Is A Gods-Given Gift : Use It -Mahabharat Wisdom For The Modern Age
Fundaments Of Indo-European Ritual
The following is a basic run-through of the fundaments of an Indo-European act of piety. Ostensibly, it is explication of how Vedic ritual processes work - but as Witzel (excellently) points out, it is also very much how our current-day Hindu ritual understandings work as well. I say that it presents an "Indo-European act of … Continue reading Fundaments Of Indo-European Ritual
arya-akasha 