On Bhishma As Sky Father Incarnate – A Guest-Post With Annotations

[Editor's Note: It is a grand thing when we find our efforts to have sparked an impact. In this case, a few weeks prior we had had a most energetic conversation with a lad, Utsav Sambhava, who had a few thoughts in relation to some pieces I'd sketched out in 2021 pertaining to a pattern in … Continue reading On Bhishma As Sky Father Incarnate – A Guest-Post With Annotations

‘For Want Of A Horse’ – On The Proper Perspective Upon Ritual Offerings And Why The ‘Asva’ Of ‘Asvamedha’ Is Held To Be Necessary As Same

Over the weekend, we had received a question from a reader as to the reasoning underpinning the Asvamedha - the Horse Sacrifice. Specifically, why would one offer a horse given the high value of such a creature in the late Bronze Age / early Iron Age milieu.  Now, several people proffered suggestions as to the answer here, … Continue reading ‘For Want Of A Horse’ – On The Proper Perspective Upon Ritual Offerings And Why The ‘Asva’ Of ‘Asvamedha’ Is Held To Be Necessary As Same

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 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

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.

Sons Of The Sky Father – A Typological Preliminary [ Arya Akasha Arka ]

In the Heavens as it is upon Earth, Family is at the heart of everything. And, given the centrality of the Divine Family to the Indo-European mythology - an Arka ['essence', 'distillation'] post of this nature seemed a decent way to demonstrate the coterminities of a number of the salient figures involved. Now I stress … Continue reading Sons Of The Sky Father – A Typological Preliminary [ Arya Akasha Arka ]

Perseus , Krishna , Karna – Three Perspectives Upon The Origin Myth Of The Indo-European Striker/Thunderer

I have been meaning for some time to take a look at the Indo-European underpinnings of Krishna - in part because it helps to dispel this lingering and insistent misapprehension about post-Vedic / 'Puranic' era Hinduism being somehow 'non-Indo-European' mythology or religion.  Now, a full-scale writeup of all the observed concordancies for this figure is … Continue reading Perseus , Krishna , Karna – Three Perspectives Upon The Origin Myth Of The Indo-European Striker/Thunderer