The brightest stars do tend to burn up upon re-entry. But oh how they shine on the way out ! ἀριστεία - Aristea - refers to 'Excellence',κλέος - Kleos - to 'Renown', 'Glory'. The result of said Excellence. Grand exemplars are to be found - of course - within the Iliad. We are literally still … Continue reading On Indo-European ‘Glory Imperishable’ And Becoming The Myth
Indra
Brihaspati – The Lord of the Songs of Prayer
Today is Thursday - Jupiter's Day, the Day of Brihaspati. So therefore … some rather modern art of Brihaspati - also known as 'Guru', and yes in astrological terms linked to the Planet Jupiter. Now in Vedic terms, Brihaspati is an interesting figure. The name, effectively, means the 'Lord of the Songs of Prayer'. However … Continue reading Brihaspati – The Lord of the Songs of Prayer
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 ?
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
The Upasads – Sieges, Homage, Spiritual Warfare, And The Necessary Restoration Of Western Indo-European Religious Ritual Reconstruction
Something that is going to be absolutely essential when it comes to reconstructing the 'high religious' rites for western Indo-European spheres - is working out where, in the depths of the mythology, ritual understandings are to be deliberately inferred. Why? Because so much of Indo-European ritual is comprised of what Eliade eloquently termed the 'Eternal … Continue reading The Upasads – Sieges, Homage, Spiritual Warfare, And The Necessary Restoration Of Western Indo-European Religious Ritual Reconstruction
Masik Durgashtami – Victory On The Eighth
Today is Masik Durgashtami - a monthly (Masik) High Holy Day to the Goddess Durga, celebrated on the 8th (Ashtami). The observance itself entails a fast during the day (with such self-imposed conditions upon one's behavior known as a 'Vrat' - a 'Vow', and from the same PIE etymological root as modern English 'Word' (as … Continue reading Masik Durgashtami – Victory On The Eighth
Rahu – The Dark Graha And His Veiled Grasp
We begin to speak of a figure often veiled, an astrological potent who is, by definition, 'obscure' - and that, in the archaic Latin sense. The Graha - Rahu. Now before getting any further, it is necessary to provide a very brief overview of some relevant Hindu astrological understandings. The piece will unlikely make much … Continue reading Rahu – The Dark Graha And His Veiled Grasp
On the Indo-European Etymology of Indra
Often it seems that the interpretation and the 'accepted wisdom' on various more archaic Indo-European mythic figures is effectively an exercise in agenda-pushing and confirmation bias. One deific seemingly singled out for far more than His fair share of such torturous misperception is, of course, Lord Indra. Otherwise known as the Vedic facing of the Indo-European … Continue reading On the Indo-European Etymology of Indra
On The Adamantine Harpe Of Perseus In Light Of The Vajra Of Indra – A Weapon Of The Striker/Thunderer (Briefly) Comparatively Considered
Something we have written a fair bit upon this year has been the identification of Perseus as an expression of the Striker/Thunderer Indo-European deific. As it happens, the Harpe wielded by the hero is - entirely unsurprisingly - strikingly correlate with the Vajra of Indra, as well. How do we know? Consider the following. The … Continue reading On The Adamantine Harpe Of Perseus In Light Of The Vajra Of Indra – A Weapon Of The Striker/Thunderer (Briefly) Comparatively Considered
The Description Of The Vajra In The Vedas – Some Initial Points
This is a modern depiction of Indra, and it forms a bit of a counterpoint to the more simple Vajra renderings you'll often see - however, the interesting thing is … this is actually rather close to how the Vajra is described in various RigVedic verses. [Although this *specific* version may in fact be intending … Continue reading The Description Of The Vajra In The Vedas – Some Initial Points
arya-akasha 