For some reason, I found these absolutely beautiful. Three facings to the same rather large (as in, it's around two meters tall) marble block, unearthed at Corinth in 1974 - it'd been shifted and integrated into a Byzantine-era wall. The female figures are reasonably straightforwardly identified as Kore (Persephone) and Demeter, with the male figure … Continue reading Diwija Dualis [Part One: Divinity, Co-Invoked In Stone]
Maenads
Yoginis, Valkyries, Maenads – The Sky Father’s Mesocosmic Female Retinue In Brief [Arya Akasha Arka]
Very cool. Originally posted by Manasataramgini, who had captioned the image: "The shaiva shrine of kukaDeshvara showing the niches with the yoginI-s in rudra's retinue" https://twitter.com/blog_supplement/status/1752177832258626011 Now, a brief word on the comparative Indo-European theology from me … In broader IE terms a similar pattern of association is observed with Dionysus and His Maenads (inter … Continue reading Yoginis, Valkyries, Maenads – The Sky Father’s Mesocosmic Female Retinue In Brief [Arya Akasha Arka]
Of Goddesses, Gods, and Ghosts at the Crossroads – A Comparative Indo-European Exploration
It fascinates me how our various Indo-European religions 'interlock'. Both in terms of the way that the same (or highly similar) elements co-occur in recognizable format across various of these, even separated by millennia or many thousands of kilometers; yet also in the way that a fulsome understanding of one can help to 'unlock' the … Continue reading Of Goddesses, Gods, and Ghosts at the Crossroads – A Comparative Indo-European Exploration
On The Army of Kali
Finger-Snapping Intensifies Kali - and Dakinis , striding forth from the Smashana (Cremation Ground). We would, perhaps, suggest that this is a 'Smashana *krewh₂-' As in a 'Crew' … but using that particular Proto-Indo-European term which stands for 'Cold Blood' (in contrast to *h₁ésh₂r̥ - 'hot-blood', 'alive-blood'). This informs Sanskrit 'Kravya' (क्रव्य - 'raw flesh', … Continue reading On The Army of Kali
The Spirits Of Ash And Fury – A RUDRAGANIKA Resonancy
It is Monday - Lord Rudra's Day - And therefore … absolutely amazing illustration by HC to further accompany our RUDRAGANIKA work looking at His Female Retinue. What we have hailed here as the Rudraganika we also find encounterable amidst the other and more westerly Indo-European spheres - as the Maenad (or the Meliae, etc.), … Continue reading The Spirits Of Ash And Fury – A RUDRAGANIKA Resonancy
On Becoming Rudra – The Indo-European Investiture Of The Divine Essence In Ritual And Beyond
It is Wednesday ! Odin's Day ! And so therefore, some absolutely excellent (A)Art-i and accompanying commentary upon the relevant Indo-European theological precept, in His Name - quite literally, as it should happen. The art is by HC - and was initially destined to evocatively illustrate a section of my ongoing RUDRAGANIKA series.Yet it … … Continue reading On Becoming Rudra – The Indo-European Investiture Of The Divine Essence In Ritual And Beyond
Extraordinary Rendition – Specifically, Limb From Limb : Sambhunjati – A RUDRAGANIKA Excerpt
We present a further excerpt from our RUDRAGANIKA work - this time, looking at a most intriguing co-expression in the Vedic, Hellenic, and Nordic spheres. That of figures drawn from this female retinue of the Sky Father 'playing with Their food', and tearing apart wrongdoers. Whilst also weaving webs of fate using the entrails. This … Continue reading Extraordinary Rendition – Specifically, Limb From Limb : Sambhunjati – A RUDRAGANIKA Excerpt
Sculpture Of A Maenad In Offering
A most intriguing sculpted depiction of a Maenad, an embodied expression of the female retinue members of Dionysus. Now, as we have said - the Maenads are often approached as simply being 'frenzied' devotees of Dionysus. However, they are much more complex figures. The 'frenzy' is in fact 'furor' - they are 'inspired', and bearing … Continue reading Sculpture Of A Maenad In Offering
The Thiasos Of Dionysus – A Rudraganika Excerpt
A further excerpt from my recent ' RUDRAGANIKA ' (A)Arti-cle, looking at the female Retinue of the Indo-European Sky Father deific. This time, oriented toward the 'Thiasos' ( θίασος ) processional that accompanies Dionysus (and, entirely uncoincidentally, Poseidon). The full-length piece can be found here: https://aryaakasha.com/2022/03/08/rudraganika-a-study-in-eternal-return-as-manifested-through-the-sky-fathers-female-retinue-across-the-indo-european-world/ Art, as per usual, by HC - who has … Continue reading The Thiasos Of Dionysus – A Rudraganika Excerpt
On The Etymology Of Bacchus – The Roarer
[illustration appears to be by a Jim Tierney] When it comes to Dionysus, there are various elements which are … challenging to make sense of. This is as it should be. One of these concerns the likely etymology - and therefore meaning - of one of His most prominent theonymics: Bacchus (or Bakkhos, Βάκχος, etc.). Usually … Continue reading On The Etymology Of Bacchus – The Roarer
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