It is Friday - Devi's Day - And so therefore, as has become our custom, we present a brief commentary to go with a beautiful work of (A)Arti-fice ... In this case, a fine sandstone sculpture, about a thousand years old. Something which manages to convey a sense of Her 'Forcefulness', Her 'Essence' ... even … Continue reading Chamunda – Brief Conceptual Resonancies For The Storm Facing Of Wrathful Sky Divinity
Mahadeva
Rudra By Day, Rudra By Night – Countering Claims Of The Terrific God Being Somehow ‘Marginal’ Based Upon Spurious Vedic Non-Comprehension
Every so often, we run into some comment - whether on social media or in amidst academia - that is … useful, as a teachable moment for what not to do. And applicable in its general principle to a span far broader (and more persistent) than the individual exemplar that we'd run into. Often because … Continue reading Rudra By Day, Rudra By Night – Countering Claims Of The Terrific God Being Somehow ‘Marginal’ Based Upon Spurious Vedic Non-Comprehension
On Indo-European Divine Refraction
Last week, we ran a post in reaction to yet another wave of Very Online Christian Triumphalism about Zeus having long ago been 'replaced' as the major deity worshipped in the Greek sphere. We pointed out that as Zeus Pater = Jupiter = Dyaus Pitar, with Dyaus Pitar quite directly (and in Shruti) being hailed … Continue reading On Indo-European Divine Refraction
The Divine Invocation Of The War Goddess – Katyayani Prayed To For Victory By The Gods
Illustration: 'Rama’s Sharadiya Durga Puja' - Ratan Acharya Something that I feel deserves greater prominence when we speak of Indo-European theology - is the fact that Our Gods Have Gods. Or, more pointedly - Goddess. This isn't just a Hindu thing. It is also encountered - at least, inferentially - in the Hellenic sphere. There, … Continue reading The Divine Invocation Of The War Goddess – Katyayani Prayed To For Victory By The Gods
In Search Of Shiva As Dyaus In Subsequent Scripture
Recently, as has often become the case, a few 'threads' converged. In this instance, around the situation Rudra (Shiva) as Sky Father - Dyaus Pitar. It always seems to come back down to theonyms. We can put forward the comparative theological evidence for how strongly Shiva adheres to the Sky Father deific complex … but … Continue reading In Search Of Shiva As Dyaus In Subsequent Scripture
Skanda Mars
[Author's Note: As we had said - it'll be awhile before I'm fully operational again. So, in the mean-time, here's a half-completed draft looking at the prominent figure of Lord Skanda. We had sought to set out the various refractions as to the origin-mythology around this most eminent of 'Charger-Skewerer' figures of the Sky Father's … Continue reading Skanda Mars
On The True Meaning Of Kali Standing Above Shiva – The ‘Dark’ Devi Uber Alles
This style of Kali depiction is probably one of the most familiar forms of Hindu deific representation to many of us here in the West. It's remarkably prevalent - and along with it comes a curiously insistent similarly 'pop-culture' perspective as to what's represented there within. To paraphrase the sort of thing I'm referring to … Continue reading On The True Meaning Of Kali Standing Above Shiva – The ‘Dark’ Devi Uber Alles
The Divine Family Of Lord Shiva Sheltered In Demon-Hide – A Parable For Mahadev’s Miraculous Transmutation Of Difficulties To Boons
It's the last Monday night of the Shaivite Holy Month of Shravan Maas tonight, and I've had this image upon my mind. The sage Manasataramgini captioned it thusly: "Rudra's clan all huddled in an elephant hide for the cold Himalayan night". I think that's a pretty touching description. And most definitely apt. Yet in truth … Continue reading The Divine Family Of Lord Shiva Sheltered In Demon-Hide – A Parable For Mahadev’s Miraculous Transmutation Of Difficulties To Boons
In Search Of Scythian Ares – Part Two : The Swords Of The Sky Father
As we'd noted towards the outset of Part One, the Scythian religion is endlessly, fascinatingly frustrating. We know so little - and yet we can seemingly 'piece together' a few elements from the scant textual (and usually virtually third hand) viewpoints of their faith that have come down to us from Antiquity. One figure in … Continue reading In Search Of Scythian Ares – Part Two : The Swords Of The Sky Father
The Sovereign-Sires Of The Sky – Lord Shiva And Devi As The Ultimate Rulers Of The Grahas
We had earlier had our attention drawn to this verse (and its backdrop) by several associates. It is a work of one of the great Tamil Shaivite saints, Sambandar (also anglicized, as here, as Campantar) - and, as one can immediately see, it is a verse for the simultaneous praising of Lord Shiva, as well … Continue reading The Sovereign-Sires Of The Sky – Lord Shiva And Devi As The Ultimate Rulers Of The Grahas
arya-akasha 