"ARISE, My child, and go forth a man! Bear manfully what is thy lot to bear; that which comes to thy hand to be done, do with full strength and fear not. Forget not that I, the giver of manhood, the giver of womanhood, the holder of victory, am thy Mother. Think not life is … Continue reading A Stirring Extract From Sister Nivedita’s “Voice of the Mother” in “Kali The Mother”
Shaktism
The Shooting Goddess Of Order And Growth – The War-Effort Of The Natural World [An Extract from ‘The Queen of Serpents – The Serpentine Figure Of The Indo-European Earth Mother’]
The term - and, indeed, theonym - in question is 'Hora', best known in its plural formulation - 'Horae' (from the same root as modern English 'Hour', 'Year', etc.). In Greek usage, this refers to a set of Goddesses Who both regulate the passing of the seasons and various elements of righteous conduct - in … Continue reading The Shooting Goddess Of Order And Growth – The War-Effort Of The Natural World [An Extract from ‘The Queen of Serpents – The Serpentine Figure Of The Indo-European Earth Mother’]
On The Misunderstanding Of Maya As Mere Mirage
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
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
Furor Teutonicus And Furor Poeticus – The Furious Goddess-Given Power Of Both Barbarian And Brahmin Alike
Something I have long advocated, is that the two forms of 'Furor' spoken about - "Furor Teutonicus" ('Germanic Fury' - Berserk Battle-Rage) and "Furor Poeticus" (The 'Fury of the Poet' - Artistic Inspiration of a certain all-consuming caliber) are, in essence, the same quality. Just differently expressed. On the surface, this can sound curious. After … Continue reading Furor Teutonicus And Furor Poeticus – The Furious Goddess-Given Power Of Both Barbarian And Brahmin Alike
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