To explain what's going on here - this is a Ramayana episode of particular significance to us in relation to #NavRatri and its apex. Although the occurrence in question is drawn from other sources than the familiar Valmiki Ramayana. It illustrates a particular ritual observance hailed within the realm of Myth (and which I believe … Continue reading A Combat Of Piety – Lord Rama’s Averted Eye Sacrifice To Devi For Victory And Its Vedic Antecedents
Lady Parvati
The Divine Empress And The Fire God – Beautiful Newari Art And The Durga Suktam
Very, very cool ! On the left, is Maheshvari (Devi) - on the right, Agni. Now, it might at first seem a little curious - we are used to thinking of Agni as a 'two-faced' figure in the iconography. Yet in a way … These depictions are, quite literally, two sides of the same artwork. … Continue reading The Divine Empress And The Fire God – Beautiful Newari Art And The Durga Suktam
Operation VaishvaDevi – A Show of Force
Navratri, the famed Nine Nights of the Goddess, is soon to begin. We propose to have a broad Indo-European 'Show of Force' (Shakti) for the occasion. What do we mean by this? Navratri is, of course, a Hindu observance. Yet the Goddess is broader than 'just' the Hindusphere. She has also been worshipped amidst all … Continue reading Operation VaishvaDevi – A Show of Force
Artemis Agrotera And Devi – Queen Of The Wilds, Ruler Of Animals, And Huntress Supreme
I find this very adorable. Devi as - as we would say in the Western IE sphere (well, in Ancient Greek, at any rate) - a 'Potnia Theron'. Now this term is generally applied to Artemis. And we have explored in great depth elsewhere how Artemis concords with our Devi. It therefore seems adamantly excellent … Continue reading Artemis Agrotera And Devi – Queen Of The Wilds, Ruler Of Animals, And Huntress Supreme
The Crows Of Kali
For Kali Jayanti - a Crow. Now, of course, I am indulging myself here by presenting a Crow as Devotee to Her … yet there is actually a comparatively little-known suite of resonant conceptry for the Corvid in relation to Kali. She is, after all, Kakamukhi - The Crow-Faced One. This is as we should … Continue reading The Crows Of Kali
The Race Of Skanda & Ganesha For Ganesh Chaturthi In Shravan Maas – Glorious Modern Hindu Art
A fine depiction of the popular mythic episode in which Lords Skanda & Ganesha engage in a 'race around the world'. Now, to explain in a bit more detail what has happened here (and why Lord Ganesha has already won … ): The Sage Narada Muni came to Kailash and presented a most delectable enchanted … Continue reading The Race Of Skanda & Ganesha For Ganesh Chaturthi In Shravan Maas – Glorious Modern Hindu Art
Accessible Shaivite Piety For Shravan Maas
Shravan Maas - the Shaivite Holy Month - is in full swing. We had had some questions as to how one can worship the Lord during this month. So here are a few easy ways. This is particularly for people who may not have the luxury of a fully-equipped Temple or detailed prior knowledge. And … Continue reading Accessible Shaivite Piety For Shravan Maas
The Matrikas – A RudraGanika Excerpt
This is an excerpt from our recent 'RudraGanika – A Study In Eternal Return As Manifested Through The Sky Father’s Female Retinue Across The Indo-European World' : looking at one of the ways in which this typology persisted in later Indo-European religion. In this case, in the form of the Matrika clade that accompany Rudra … Continue reading The Matrikas – A RudraGanika Excerpt
Katyayani for Chaitra Navratri – MahishasuraMardini (The Destroyer of the Demon) Herself
The Sixth Night of #NavRatri is dedicated to Ma as Katyayani - in many ways, perhaps the most iconic understanding for Devi amidst the modern Hindusphere. When we think of Durga - this tends to be Whom we are praising. For She is MahishasuraMardini - The Destroyer of the Buffalo-Demon - Herself ! However, as … Continue reading Katyayani for Chaitra Navratri – MahishasuraMardini (The Destroyer of the Demon) Herself
Chandraghanta for Chaitra Navratri – Radiancy of the Foe-Destroying Splendorous Moon
The Third Night of #NavRatri is dedicated to Ma as Chandraghanta - which we might directly translate as 'Moon Bell', although this does not *quite* capture the true sense of the latter term's meaning. Now a Ghanta, for us, is a bell. Particularly of the sort rung during religious purposes. The sense is not merely … Continue reading Chandraghanta for Chaitra Navratri – Radiancy of the Foe-Destroying Splendorous Moon
arya-akasha 