As we move toward the close of 2021, there's something I feel is relevant to share. It uses the Binding of Fenrir as a framing device, but has a far broader saliency. And far more personal relevance and application. I've had a rather … difficult - indeed, downright tempestuous, in some respects - last few … Continue reading Divine Play – The Unfurling Mythic Universe As Wargame And Drama In Nordic And Hindu Perception
Shiva
Bhairava & Kali For The Transition Of The Cycle Of Time On New Year’s Eve / Day
There are few situations which cannot be matched with a fine exemplar of the artwork of Abhishek Singh. In this case, he had chosen to depict Bhairava & Kali at the end of a Kalpa ('Cycle of Time'). He later refined the Bhairava into a full-colour work; yet I think that there is something immensely … Continue reading Bhairava & Kali For The Transition Of The Cycle Of Time On New Year’s Eve / Day
Ganesha – The Modern Protector Of India
This is your occasional reminder that Hindu religious iconography also occasionally 'moves with the times' - as befits a Living Religion. [Which does not mean that the modern nor the novel 'displaces' the Past - only that there can be co-occurrence. And, as applies Ganesha specifically - remarkable ways for Him to continue to Get … Continue reading Ganesha – The Modern Protector Of India
The Eddic Mead of Poetry & Vedic ‘Fire Bird’ Agnicayana Soma Rite
Now, to explain what's going on here … This is one of those Vedic - Eddic strong concordancies. Concerning the Mead of Poetry, and Soma: what Griffith translated in RV I 14 as 'Meath' (the actual word he'd rendered thus appears to be Sanskrit 'Madhu' - Sweet - being used as a noun. Which is … Continue reading The Eddic Mead of Poetry & Vedic ‘Fire Bird’ Agnicayana Soma Rite
The Maricis Of Lord Surya – A Solar Warrior Women Typology ?
A carved Surya from Magadha, likely about 21-22 centuries old. Now, I felt this deserved a brief commentary due to the two decidedly female figures either side of Lord Surya in the Solar Chariot. Per the Suprabedhagama and Amsumadbhedagama (manuals of Hindu iconographic depiction, inter alia) - we may find Surya flanked by Prathyusha & … Continue reading The Maricis Of Lord Surya – A Solar Warrior Women Typology ?
Good Yule, God Jól, and the God of Jöl
God Jól … and, the God - Jölnir / Jölföðr Now, this is something of a tautology - as in fact, we find Jóln utilized as a term to mean "Gods", itself. Indeed, presuming that one speculative Proto-Indo-European etymology for Jóln and Jól is correct - that it derives from a term for 'uttering', putting … Continue reading Good Yule, God Jól, and the God of Jöl
On Goddess, The Gender of the Moon, And Insistent Paradigmatic Error-ism
There's one point which seems to keep coming up when the fact of an Indo-European male Moon deific is raised.Namely, the notion that this is an impossibility - or, at the very least, a glaring incongruity - because we know with our modern scientific perspective that the Moon 'receives' the light from the Sun. There … Continue reading On Goddess, The Gender of the Moon, And Insistent Paradigmatic Error-ism
Appealing To Odin Rudra Shiva To Help Find One’s Beloved (Again)
"He gives Victory to some,Money to others,Eloquence to many,and Common Sense to all.He gives Waves to the Sea,Word-Skill to Poets,He gives many the Happiness of Love" Freyja, speaking of Odin, apparently from the Völuspá hin skamma per Dr Jackson Crawford's translation … which appears to be extracted from Hyndluljóð Interested to see this particular verse … Continue reading Appealing To Odin Rudra Shiva To Help Find One’s Beloved (Again)
Pradosha Vrat – The Fortnightly Evening Observance For Lord Shiva
Pradosha Vrat tonight … so here's a pretty aesthetic shot of the Shiva Temple at Kedarnath Pradosh Vrat [literally 'Evening Observance' - 'Vrata', from the same root as our English 'Word', communicates the sense of a 'Vow', giving somebody your Word] is hailed as an ideal time to approach the Lord in supplication. This is, … Continue reading Pradosha Vrat – The Fortnightly Evening Observance For Lord Shiva
Ravens For Rudra ?
It is interesting how things work out. We have known for some time now that Lord Shiva and Odin are the same deific - expressed prominently to two broad Indo-European mytho-religious sphere : the 'Vedic' and 'Eddic', we might say. We have spent much time over the past few years tracing out the various coterminities … Continue reading Ravens For Rudra ?