An associate had sent me this poem - curiously, as fate would have it, very swiftly after I'd finished my Kali & Durga hymnals in the pre-dawn darkness here after yet another night awake. It is an interesting suite of verses. And no doubt, would be more so if I were working from the Bengali … Continue reading On Ramprasad’s Devi Theonymic Weapons Of The Mind
Devi
For Juno Sospita
The First of February is, so I have just heard, the anniversary of the dedication of the Palatine Temple of Juno Sospita ['The Savioress'] in Rome. We find this prominently mentioned in Ovid's Fasti (II 55-66): "At the start of the month [of February] they say that Juno the Saviour (Sospita),Neighbouring the Phrygian Mother, was … Continue reading For Juno Sospita
On Tonight’s ‘Triple Wolf Moon’
While it's not an official observance - we nevertheless found tonight's astrological occurrences to be pretty legit. It's a bit of a 'Triple' Wolf Moon. Insofar as it's a Wolf Moon … whilst Ardra is up (Jyotisha / Hindu astrology) and the Moon is in Gemini (Western astrology .. with a twist - more on … Continue reading On Tonight’s ‘Triple Wolf Moon’
On Gods, Rindr, and ‘Gotcha’ – An Investigation Of An Account Of Saxo Grammaticus In Light Of Vedic Comparanda
Frequently, when somebody wishes to take-to-task a devotee of Indo-European religion (whether Germanic, Hindu, Hellenic, it seems to happen to all of us all the same), they do so via the simple tactic of taking this or that morally unpalatable incident from the mythology and asking of us : "And you're OK with that?" Now, … Continue reading On Gods, Rindr, and ‘Gotcha’ – An Investigation Of An Account Of Saxo Grammaticus In Light Of Vedic Comparanda
Adorned By The Mantle Of Fire And The Masque Of Death
A fitting image, we had felt, to resonate with a figure encountered at various points in our work over this past year, and that we might perhaps think of as something of a 'Para-Kali' or even 'Proto-Kali' (and, of course, Chandika / Chamunda, and Durga, are also heavily in-mind here for reasons that ought prove … Continue reading Adorned By The Mantle Of Fire And The Masque Of Death
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 Lingam Devi of Herga, Karnataka
As is often the case, I encounter a beautiful Devi depiction and She simply must have a post ! I had initially thought that this was a Kali murti (not least due to the beautiful blue-black visage) - but some searching indicates that no, this is instead a Durga … Durga Paramesvari ['Highest Divine Empress'] … Continue reading On The Lingam Devi of Herga, Karnataka
Rohini – A Re-Examination Of The Red Goddess And Rudra
This morning marks an astrological transit - that of Mangala (Mars) into Rohini. Now, to explain a bit about this in terms that will, perhaps, be a bit more familiar - Rohini is a Nakshatra, a (lunar) star sign; and it is correlate with what, in Western terms, would be identified with Aldebaran or Alpha … Continue reading Rohini – A Re-Examination Of The Red Goddess And Rudra
Chamunda – Brief Conceptual Resonancies For The Storm Facing Of Wrathful Sky Divinity
It is Friday - Devi's Day - And so therefore, as has become our custom, we present a brief commentary to go with a beautiful work of (A)Arti-fice ... In this case, a fine sandstone sculpture, about a thousand years old. Something which manages to convey a sense of Her 'Forcefulness', Her 'Essence' ... even … Continue reading Chamunda – Brief Conceptual Resonancies For The Storm Facing Of Wrathful Sky Divinity
‘Send the Wolves’ – Demons And Demon-Worshippers Driven Out From The Vedic Sacred Space By The Howling Hounds Of Heaven : An Exaltation !
Ever since I first read of it, this Vedic myth (and ritual operation) has resonated most potently within my mind. It deals with an 'exorcism' of sorts. One wherein a coterie of 'priests of demons' being fought by Indra are hurled into the howling demesne that is as the 'Gates of the Underworld' - the … Continue reading ‘Send the Wolves’ – Demons And Demon-Worshippers Driven Out From The Vedic Sacred Space By The Howling Hounds Of Heaven : An Exaltation !