A further excerpt from my recent ' RUDRAGANIKA ' (A)Arti-cle, looking at the female Retinue of the Indo-European Sky Father deific. This time, oriented toward the 'Thiasos' ( θίασος ) processional that accompanies Dionysus (and, entirely uncoincidentally, Poseidon). The full-length piece can be found here: https://aryaakasha.com/2022/03/08/rudraganika-a-study-in-eternal-return-as-manifested-through-the-sky-fathers-female-retinue-across-the-indo-european-world/ Art, as per usual, by HC - who has … Continue reading The Thiasos Of Dionysus – A Rudraganika Excerpt
Dyaus Pitar
The Matrikas – A RudraGanika Excerpt
This is an excerpt from our recent 'RudraGanika – A Study In Eternal Return As Manifested Through The Sky Father’s Female Retinue Across The Indo-European World' : looking at one of the ways in which this typology persisted in later Indo-European religion. In this case, in the form of the Matrika clade that accompany Rudra … Continue reading The Matrikas – A RudraGanika Excerpt
RudraGanika – A Study In Eternal Return As Manifested Through The Sky Father’s Female Retinue Across The Indo-European World
[Author's Note: This work brings together several (my)themes close and dear to my heart. It had been intended to be published upon MahaShivRatri - the 1st of March in 2022 - however, Time waits for no man (other than Her Husband); and my continuing to find further elements which cried out to be included resulted … Continue reading RudraGanika – A Study In Eternal Return As Manifested Through The Sky Father’s Female Retinue Across The Indo-European World
Toward The Indo-European Identification Of Janus – Some Preliminary Observations
Despite its comforting familiarity to many in the modern Western sphere, many of the figures of the Roman religion are somewhat mysterious to us. Particularly when we seek to link them up to what ought be their correlate co-expressions elsewhere within the Indo-European religious world. This invites much speculation - some of it well-founded, and … Continue reading Toward The Indo-European Identification Of Janus – Some Preliminary Observations
The Birds Of The Sky Father
If you asked somebody what Birds they'd associate with Odin, the answer would be very simple. Ravens. Corvids. Crows. And yet while that's absolutely correct - it's also rather incomplete. For you see, there's an entire suite of avians either directly or potentially associated with Odin - and which happen to work out rather strongly commensurate … Continue reading The Birds Of The Sky Father
A Verse Of The Shiv Tandav Stotram For Pradosha Vrat
Tonight is Pradosha Vrat - a Shaivite Observance ! And so, therefore : जटाकटाहसम्भ्रमभ्रमन्निलिम्पनिर्झरीविलोलवीचिवल्लरीविराजमानमूर्धनि ।धगद्धगद्धगज्जलल्ललाटपट्टपावकेकिशोरचन्द्रशेखरे रतिः प्रतिक्षणं मम ॥ Jattaa-Kattaaha-Sambhrama-Bhraman-Nilimpa-NirjhariiVilola-Viici-Vallarii-Viraajamaana-Muurdhani |Dhagad-Dhagad-Dhagaj-Jvalal-Lalaatta-Patttta-PaavakeKishora-Candra-Shekhare Ratih Pratikssannam Mama || His Matted Hair (Jatta) Like a Cauldron (Kattaaha) Whirls Around (Sambhrama), Flowing (Bhrama) within it is the Goddess (Nilimpa) of the River (Nirjharii) [i.e. Goddess Ganga] [Note: c.f Kyanokhaitis - … Continue reading A Verse Of The Shiv Tandav Stotram For Pradosha Vrat
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
On Why Gods Are Gods – A Response To A Question
Earlier this evening, I was asked to contribute my thoughts on a frequently occurrent question - "What makes a God a God?" Now in this day and age of ever-shifting meanings and the relativism that enables the worship of literal out-and-out demons or flawed mortal would-be 'messiahs' in personality-cults across the land, it is a … Continue reading On Why Gods Are Gods – A Response To A Question
Somavati Amavasya – Worship of Shiva and the Ancestors on the Monday of the Dark Moon
Today is Monday - Lord Shiva's Day; however it is also Amavasya - a day with special significance and potential for observances for the Dead (as we have covered in some of our previous pieces looking at the Libations to the Ancestors). What Amavasya means is the 'Dark' point of the Moon's 28-day cycle - … Continue reading Somavati Amavasya – Worship of Shiva and the Ancestors on the Monday of the Dark Moon
The Eddic Mead of Poetry & Vedic ‘Fire Bird’ Agnicayana Soma Rite
Now, to explain what's going on here … This is one of those Vedic - Eddic strong concordancies. Concerning the Mead of Poetry, and Soma: what Griffith translated in RV I 14 as 'Meath' (the actual word he'd rendered thus appears to be Sanskrit 'Madhu' - Sweet - being used as a noun. Which is … Continue reading The Eddic Mead of Poetry & Vedic ‘Fire Bird’ Agnicayana Soma Rite