An associate earlier this week made a remark about the concept of Maya - and the 'matronly' associations he'd felt for it, coming at it from a Buddhist context. Now, Maya is often misunderstood - in no small part because it's grown so hugely as a term over the millennia … so it seemed as … Continue reading On The Misunderstanding Of Maya As Mere Mirage
Shakta
On The Indo-European Symbolism Of The Ash Tree – And The Ensuing Origins Of The Spear-Race Of Man
Often in the course of work, we begin writing about one topic - only to find that it has serious and substantial bearing upon another. Thus was the case when I sat down to pen "WORLD-SPEAR", looking at the iconic weapon of the Sky Father. I'd known that there would be significant salience for the … Continue reading On The Indo-European Symbolism Of The Ash Tree – And The Ensuing Origins Of The Spear-Race Of Man
Foe-Slayer Claims Our Eulogy – Understanding RigVeda VIII 100: Indra, Vak
Every so often, we come across a Hymnal that really really deserves a broader audience. In this case, RV VIII 100 - which details a rather lesser-known element to the Slaying of Vritra by Indra. Namely, the salient role of Vak Devi (Saraswati) in this conflict. It therefore seemed most appropriate to prepare a brief … Continue reading Foe-Slayer Claims Our Eulogy – Understanding RigVeda VIII 100: Indra, Vak
The Radiant Queen of the Heavens – On Scythian Tabiti As Template For The Greater Indo-European Solar Goddess [Part 3 – The Wide Shining One And The Eye Of The Bright Sky]
The point of all of this, has been to attempt to sketch out in broad (solar-ray-diant, perhaps via illumination, provided you don't look too directly at it) brush-strokes a sort of typology for the situation. One wherein we can clearly see that the Sky Father's Consort may have been 'replicated' and referred to in various … Continue reading The Radiant Queen of the Heavens – On Scythian Tabiti As Template For The Greater Indo-European Solar Goddess [Part 3 – The Wide Shining One And The Eye Of The Bright Sky]
On Indo-European Gods Playing Dice With The Universe
Einstein: “God does not play dice with the universe” Now, it's worth contextualizing that Einstein's aphorism was a one-sentence metaphorical rejection of the notion of randomness and quantum uncertainty. Hence, after some decades of further development in the relevant area ... Hawking: "Thus it seems Einstein was doubly wrong when he said, God does not … Continue reading On Indo-European Gods Playing Dice With The Universe
Glorious Modern Art For An Ancient Hindu Hymnal
Friday Evening Devi-otional (A)Art(I) Posting This is some truly excellent art which helps to illustrate evocatively a rather core series of principles to Shakta theology and cosmogony; which are also extolled in the course of my favourite of the RigVedic Hymnals - the renowned DeviSukta [RV X 125]. Note that it is the Hand of … Continue reading Glorious Modern Art For An Ancient Hindu Hymnal
A visage less commonly depicted – White Kali and the Cremation Cranes of Metempsychosis
Now, while the unexpectedness of a White Kali is remarkable in and of itself (indeed, in a certain sense, it might even be thought of as 'oxymoronic' - Kaal, after all, means 'Blackness', inter many alia); what makes this fine 17th century painting a worthy Friday Night Devotional (A)Art(I) posting goes rather beyond that. Take … Continue reading A visage less commonly depicted – White Kali and the Cremation Cranes of Metempsychosis
RigVeda X 127 – Ratri (Night)
[There are many mentions for Ratri Devi in the verses of the RigVeda; but this Hymn, addressed to Ratri Herself, is unquestionably the grandest. Following on from this morning's article the coterminities of 'rulership' and 'night/darkness' in both PIE and subsequent mytholinguistics, it seemed only appropriate to present this Hymnal. This time, in three translations … Continue reading RigVeda X 127 – Ratri (Night)
The DeviSukta & (A)Art(I)
जय माता दी ! " 1. I proceed with the Rudras, with the Vasus, with the Ādityas and the Viśhvadevas; I support both Mitra and Varuṇa, Agni and Iñdra, and the two Aśvins. 2. I support the foe-destroying Tvaśtṛ, Pūśan and Bhaga; I bestow wealth upon the institutor of the rite offering the oblation (havis) … Continue reading The DeviSukta & (A)Art(I)
Shailaputri – First of the NavaDurga
The first night of NavRatri is dedicated to Ma as Shailaputri – the Daughter of the Mountain. As noted in the introductory piece, the Mountain in question refers to King Himavat – the Lord of the Himalayas, and the father of Parvati [‘[Daughter] Of the Mountain’] in this particular cycle of Her incarnation. However, I … Continue reading Shailaputri – First of the NavaDurga
