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

The Maricis Of Lord Surya – A Solar Warrior Women Typology ?

A carved Surya from Magadha, likely about 21-22 centuries old. Now, I felt this deserved a brief commentary due to the two decidedly female figures either side of Lord Surya in the Solar Chariot. Per the Suprabedhagama and Amsumadbhedagama (manuals of Hindu iconographic depiction, inter alia) - we may find Surya flanked by Prathyusha & … Continue reading The Maricis Of Lord Surya – A Solar Warrior Women Typology ?

On Goddess, The Gender of the Moon, And Insistent Paradigmatic Error-ism

There's one point which seems to keep coming up when the fact of an Indo-European male Moon deific is raised.Namely, the notion that this is an impossibility - or, at the very least, a glaring incongruity - because we know with our modern scientific perspective that the Moon 'receives' the light from the Sun. There … Continue reading On Goddess, The Gender of the Moon, And Insistent Paradigmatic Error-ism

Appealing To Odin Rudra Shiva To Help Find One’s Beloved (Again)

"He gives Victory to some,Money to others,Eloquence to many,and Common Sense to all.He gives Waves to the Sea,Word-Skill to Poets,He gives many the Happiness of Love" Freyja, speaking of Odin, apparently from the Völuspá hin skamma per Dr Jackson Crawford's translation … which appears to be extracted from Hyndluljóð Interested to see this particular verse … Continue reading Appealing To Odin Rudra Shiva To Help Find One’s Beloved (Again)

Two Operations For Ritual Purification – The Invocation Of The Seven Rivers & The All-Conditions Purification Mantra

As we have often observed, purity is a foundation for good piety. By which we (also) mean - the acts of purification are a necessary predicate for engaging in proper formalized ritual worship.After all, one would hardly seek to petition and to honour the rulers of the cosmos in a manner that might seem 'lacking in … Continue reading Two Operations For Ritual Purification – The Invocation Of The Seven Rivers & The All-Conditions Purification Mantra

Pradosha Vrat – The Fortnightly Evening Observance For Lord Shiva

Pradosha Vrat tonight … so here's a pretty aesthetic shot of the Shiva Temple at Kedarnath Pradosh Vrat [literally 'Evening Observance' - 'Vrata', from the same root as our English 'Word', communicates the sense of a 'Vow', giving somebody your Word] is hailed as an ideal time to approach the Lord in supplication. This is, … Continue reading Pradosha Vrat – The Fortnightly Evening Observance For Lord Shiva

On The Bharat Mata Of Kashi Vishwanath Temple – And Some Curiously Modern Objections To Same

There is currently some controversy about installation of a Bharat Mata murti at Kashi Vishwanath Temple. The claim is that this is installing 'fake & modern political deity' - something with no connection to the authentic religious sphere. This is false. Bharat Mata is 'recent', in the sense that this form of the deific appears … Continue reading On The Bharat Mata Of Kashi Vishwanath Temple – And Some Curiously Modern Objections To Same

The AtharvaVeda’s Invocation Of The Mother Of Indra To Impart Strength And Splendour To The Worshipper

The AtharvaVeda is a trove of interesting and otherwise under-thought of lore. It has to be due to the nature of its subject-matter - the invoking via allusion of elements to pointed projects and intended outcomes. Here are two translations of AV VI 38, entitled by Griffith as "A prayer for surpassing strength and energy" … Continue reading The AtharvaVeda’s Invocation Of The Mother Of Indra To Impart Strength And Splendour To The Worshipper