One of my favourite myths from the Hindu - and more especially, Shaivite - legendarium, is that which surrounds Kaal Bhairava. Not merely because it is there are some cool happenings within it, or because we see one of the two best-presented incidences of an Axe as a Roudran Theological Argument [the other, of course, … Continue reading OF BHAIRAVA AND BALANCE – Vedic, Eddic, and Homeric Perspectives Upon Lore And Order In The Indo-European World View [Part 1]
Shiva
DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION OF THE WORLD-AXLE [A Devotional Post for Monday]
"Which of his members is the seat of Fervour: Which is the base of Ceremonial Order?Where in him standeth Faith? Where Holy Duty? Where, in what part of him is truth implanted?Out of which member glows the light of Agni? Form which proceeds the breath of Mātarisvan?From which doth Chandra measure out his journey, travelling … Continue reading DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION OF THE WORLD-AXLE [A Devotional Post for Monday]
On The Mytholinguistics Of War [Part 1]
In many ways, it is not at all a controversial thing to assert that War is rather fundamental to the Indo-European View of the Universe. One of the first mythemes that almost everybody tends to identify when they begin their journey along the skeins of comparative Indo-European mythography - is that of the 'Chaoskampf', the … Continue reading On The Mytholinguistics Of War [Part 1]
Hanuman, of the Rudras
Something interesting which I happened across earlier this morning, and eminently appropriate for a Tuesday, is the identity of a particular Rudra amidst the RudraGana in several attestations. The Rudras (plural) are emanations, descendants, forms, and especially favoured followers of Rudra - all of which is entailed in the term "Gana" [for more detail upon … Continue reading Hanuman, of the Rudras
NataRaja In The RigVeda – The Dance Of The Universe At CERN
The Shiva Nataraja Murti at CERN in Switzerland. I've written about the general characteristics and iconography of the Nataraja Aspect before, but I had this particular statue in mind in light of a RigVedic verse we were working with over the weekend. Now, the Nataraja at CERN is done in a style which has been … Continue reading NataRaja In The RigVeda – The Dance Of The Universe At CERN
MahaGauri – The Eighth Night of NavRatri – Eighth of the NavaDurgas
The Eight Night of #NavRatri is dedicated to Ma as MahaGauri – The Great White One. Now, as readers of yesterday’s piece – on KaalRatri – will be patently aware, this stands in seemingly stark contrast to the previous Night’s Aspect of MataJI, Who is the great(est) Black one. And yet, as it happens, a … Continue reading MahaGauri – The Eighth Night of NavRatri – Eighth of the NavaDurgas
KaalRatri – The Seventh Night of NavRatri; The Seventh of the NavaDurgas
“You often hear it said – “Time is on our side”. Well … This is Time. She is On My Side.” The Sixth Night of #NavRatri is dedicated to Ma as KaalRatri – the Blackest Night, the Night of Death, The Iron Night, The ‘Stillness’ of Time – and the ‘Destroyer of Darkness’, the Annihilator: … Continue reading KaalRatri – The Seventh Night of NavRatri; The Seventh of the NavaDurgas
ChandraGhanta – Third of the NavaDurgas, The Third Night of NavRatri
The Third Night of #NavRatri is dedicated to Ma as ChandraGhanta – She Who Is Crowned With The Half-Moon In The Shape Of A Bell, to render it somewhat figuratively. Now, before going further (and for that matter, picking up the narrative thread where we left off with last night’s Brahmacharini post), it is necessary … Continue reading ChandraGhanta – Third of the NavaDurgas, The Third Night of NavRatri
Brahmacharini – The Second of the NavaDurgas, The Second Night of NavRatri
The Second Night of #NavRatri is dedicated to Ma as Brahmacharini – the Seeker of the Absolute. This is a rather direct rendering of Her theonym, as can be seen from the constituent parts: Brahman, and Charya (Charini is the feminine form of this noun). But what is actually meant by these terms, and what … Continue reading Brahmacharini – The Second of the NavaDurgas, The Second Night of NavRatri
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
arya-akasha 