The Second Night of #NavRatri is dedicated to Ma as Brahmacharini - the Seeker of the Absolute. This is a rather direct rendering of Her theonym, as can be seen from the constituent parts: Brahman, and Charya (Charini is the feminine form of this noun). But what is actually meant by these terms, and what … Continue reading Brahmacharini – The Second of the NavaDurgas, The Second Night of NavRatri
Hinduism
Shailaputri – First of the NavaDurga
The first night of NavRatri is dedicated to Ma as Shailaputri - the Daughter of the Mountain. As noted in the introductory piece, the Mountain in question refers to King Himavat - the Lord of the Himalayas, and the father of Parvati ['[Daughter] Of the Mountain'] in this particular cycle of Her incarnation. However, I … Continue reading Shailaputri – First of the NavaDurga
Navratri – The Nine Nights of Goddess Durga
Tonight marks the start of NavRatri - the Nine Nights of Goddess Durga. In North Indian tradition, we mark each one of the Nine as being dedicated to a particular NavaDurga Aspect of MataDI; whereas in South India, it is more common to regard it as three sets of three days apiece - one for … Continue reading Navratri – The Nine Nights of Goddess Durga
Pitru Paksha – The Fortnight of the Ancestors
Today marks the commencement of Pitru Paksha - the Fortnight of the Ancestors. This is an ancient Hindu custom whose core elements will be immediately familiar to you. Partially due to the existence of somewhat comparable observances in Western European cultures such as the Celts and the Romans (such as the strikingly similar annual 'Parentalia' … Continue reading Pitru Paksha – The Fortnight of the Ancestors
Make Afghanistan Gandhara Again
I have been told I bear a certain resemblance to this chap. Sculpted head of a Brahmin of the area now known as Afghanistan, dating from the 3rd-4th century A.D. It may seem somewhat curious to us now - when Afghanistan is mostly known to us as the area upon this Earth where "empires go … Continue reading Make Afghanistan Gandhara Again
BHARAT MATA AND THE INDO-EUROPEAN DEIFIC OF NATIONAL IDENTITY
August 15th is India's National Day - the hallowed anniversary of Independence. And for that, we have prepared something a little bit different for publication here at AA. Now, you may be wondering why we are posting to mark a civic, political observance rather than something which is prima facie a religious one of ancient … Continue reading BHARAT MATA AND THE INDO-EUROPEAN DEIFIC OF NATIONAL IDENTITY
On The Indo-European Days Of The Week – An Introduction To The Comparative Mythography Of Arya Akasha
It can often seem rather daunting attempting to get to grips with the more in-depth material used to illustrate the underlying cultural unities between the Indo-European peoples ... so we thought we'd start with something different. Something simpler. Something so sufficiently common-place that you encounter it every day. Literally, in fact - for we're talking … Continue reading On The Indo-European Days Of The Week – An Introduction To The Comparative Mythography Of Arya Akasha
Kala Bhairava Jayanti
[Author's note: this piece was penned on the night of the 10th-11th of November 2017 in the course of an all-night devotional vigil] Tonight marks the Hindu observance of KalaBhairava Jayanti - the Creation, but also the Victory [same word - जयन्ति ] of Kala Bhairava, a Fearsome Destroyer emanation of Lord Shiva Whose name … Continue reading Kala Bhairava Jayanti
Akhanda Bharata – A Concept In Flux
I've previously written a bit about the occasional bouts of revanchist and irridentist tendencies which can accompany political Hinduism - the most common of which are rather justified claims that India ought to maintain or extend territorial possession to include areas such as the full extent of Jammu & Kashmir, and areas of China (or, … Continue reading Akhanda Bharata – A Concept In Flux
Hinduism: Universalist Or Specificist Creed
I'm doing some thinking atm about Hinduism (when am I not?) and whether the Faith constitutes a Universalist or a specifist religion. Obviously, these days, there are a number of Hindu (or Hindu-derived) religious movements and sects which are pretty decidedly convinced that they are, indeed, universally applicable - the Hare Krishnas are probably the … Continue reading Hinduism: Universalist Or Specificist Creed
arya-akasha 