Ghora – Gorgos – Yggr – The Terrifying Face of Thunder

Ghora - Gorgos - Yggr Three names, Three faces, Three qualities .. That are actually one and the same. The Terrifying Face of the Sky Father; in Sanskrit, Ancient Greek, and Old Norse respectively. But what do they mean in each of their original contexts? And how can we tell that these are, indeed, the … Continue reading Ghora – Gorgos – Yggr – The Terrifying Face of Thunder

A visage less commonly depicted – White Kali and the Cremation Cranes of Metempsychosis

Now, while the unexpectedness of a White Kali is remarkable in and of itself (indeed, in a certain sense, it might even be thought of as 'oxymoronic' - Kaal, after all, means 'Blackness', inter many alia); what makes this fine 17th century painting a worthy Friday Night Devotional (A)Art(I) posting goes rather beyond that. Take … Continue reading A visage less commonly depicted – White Kali and the Cremation Cranes of Metempsychosis

Saturday – Shani Dev’s Day – Saturn’s Day

"Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore, “Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,” I said, “art sure no craven, Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore— Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night’s … Continue reading Saturday – Shani Dev’s Day – Saturn’s Day

Dhumavati – The Smoke That Clouds, Reveals, Remains

Today, I think, is a Day for Dhumavati. A Mahavidya ['Great Wisdom/Revelation' - you can see the coterminous linguistic particle there with "Vidya", connected to the idea of "seeing", of truths being "revealed"] Aspect of Devi, this form of the Goddess is often regarded as being of somewhat baelful portency. And, with a poignant array … Continue reading Dhumavati – The Smoke That Clouds, Reveals, Remains