On The Archaic Notion Of The Indo-European Demigod

Recently, in the course of a discussion elsewhere, an occasional correspondant - 'Indian History' on twitter - made mention of a most intriguing Sanskrit term he'd observed in a Hymnal of the RigVeda. We were discussing 'Demigods', and whether these were a more exclusively Greek / Classical phenomenon or something of a broader Indo-European provenance. … Continue reading On The Archaic Notion Of The Indo-European Demigod

Of Monsters And Demonstrations – An Excerpt

Monster, is from the same root as ‘Demonstrate’ – and interestingly, the ‘Mon’ within this is a form of PIE ‘Men’ (i.e. Spirit, Mind, Mental Activity .. and a potential root for ‘Man’/’Men’ as our species (self-)designation … a perhaps rather better one than ‘Doubly Wise Man’ (‘Homo Sapiens Sapiens’), but, then, I digress). It … Continue reading Of Monsters And Demonstrations – An Excerpt

Towards An Indo-European Theory Of Demonology – Chaos, Devourers, Outsiders, Messengers and Monsters

Something I have long meant to pen is a sort of explanatory typology for 'Demons' in Indo-European understanding. There's almost certainly an entire book which could be written upon the subject - and it is undeniably significantly intriguing. After all, many a great and epic myth requires a suitably monstrous foe in order for the Hero … Continue reading Towards An Indo-European Theory Of Demonology – Chaos, Devourers, Outsiders, Messengers and Monsters

On Herakles As Thunderer – The Recollection Of The Weapon In The Classical Conceptual Sphere

There are a few falsehoods in our field which stubbornly refuse to die. One of them is this ongoing notion that Zeus Pater / Jupiter is somehow the Indo-European Striker/Thunderer deific … rather than the Sky Father, Dyaus Pitar, that is the Father of said God. We have earlier poured quite some effort into demonstrating … Continue reading On Herakles As Thunderer – The Recollection Of The Weapon In The Classical Conceptual Sphere

The Way Of The Gun – The Surprising Re-Development Of A Proto-Indo-European Term Into Modern English … And its Comparative Cognates Considered In Both Ritual And Conventional Phraseology Across The Indo-European Sphere

Something I have long remarked upon is the manner in which certain terms, certain concepts … they are to be found in incredibly archaic spheres, and then they 'fade away' or they undergo some transmogrification which obscures their essence somewhat, only to thence re-emerge somewhere else entirely amidst one of the Indo-European descendant groups who … Continue reading The Way Of The Gun – The Surprising Re-Development Of A Proto-Indo-European Term Into Modern English … And its Comparative Cognates Considered In Both Ritual And Conventional Phraseology Across The Indo-European Sphere

On The Birth Of Indra And Its Direct Parallel In The Circumstance Of Danae And Perseus, Devaki And Krishna, Pritha And Karna, Etc.

The exercise of the sincere reconstruction of the archaic Indo-European mythology is an art. Its major formulations, have become fragmentary - and it is only via the re-alignment of several spheres that we are able to more truly glimpse what our more distant ancestors believed. However, this is not an entirely abstract pursuit - it … Continue reading On The Birth Of Indra And Its Direct Parallel In The Circumstance Of Danae And Perseus, Devaki And Krishna, Pritha And Karna, Etc.

On Hanuman, The Striker/Thunderer, As Son Of Shiva, The Sky Father – A Textual Collation

It is Thursday - Thor's Day via the familiar late-Germanic reckoning, although in truth and per the older Indo-European schema a Day of the Sky Father: Jupiter (Dies Jovis), Zeus (Hemera Dios), and Brihaspati. This double-linkage of affiliation makes our subject for this post rather apt - a textual concordancy of material pertaining to both … Continue reading On Hanuman, The Striker/Thunderer, As Son Of Shiva, The Sky Father – A Textual Collation

Reconsidering The Parentage Of The Striker/Thunderer In Light Of The Heavenly Pair – A Voyaging Exploration Back To The Archaic Original Situation As To The Motherhood Of Herakles And Others

Earlier this evening, I had cause to make mention of the phenomenon of 'back-filling' or 'retrospective' additions to the Indo-European mythic corpus. What I mean by this - is that in some situations, as a mythological canon expands we seem to find certain details 'shifting'; the gaps of space which are opened up via the … Continue reading Reconsidering The Parentage Of The Striker/Thunderer In Light Of The Heavenly Pair – A Voyaging Exploration Back To The Archaic Original Situation As To The Motherhood Of Herakles And Others

Hanuman Jayanti : The Indo-European Situation Of The Striker/Thunderer Deific In Apelike Form

Today marks Hanuman Jayanti - and, as has become our custom, we present an (A)Arti-cle in His Honour. A 'Jayanti', in case you were wondering, is one of those wonderful Sanskrit terms with several mutually reinforcing meanings - it is, at once, a 'Victory', but also can mean a 'Birthday'. So is therefore eminently appropriate … Continue reading Hanuman Jayanti : The Indo-European Situation Of The Striker/Thunderer Deific In Apelike Form

The Triumph Of The Thunder-God – Restored : An Analysis Of A Husdrapa Hailing Of Thor’s Victory Over Jormungandr Via The Vedic Verses

Something which has long played upon my mind is a most curious discrepancy between the Nordic mythology - and seemingly every other Indo-European canon of belief.The subject of this purported disunity? The Dragon-Slaying of the Thunderer-Striker Deific.  For as everybody knows - in the major, indeed downright iconic cases of Indra contra Vritra or Herakles … Continue reading The Triumph Of The Thunder-God – Restored : An Analysis Of A Husdrapa Hailing Of Thor’s Victory Over Jormungandr Via The Vedic Verses