Earlier this week, one of our associates - who's a good guy, although we don't always agree - put up a thought about comparative Indo-European theology. It included the following: "All IE religions have a sky father, Earth mother and twin Gods. But, that doesn't mean those Gods aren't sovereign entities, uniquely different from … Continue reading “Einu nafni hétumk aldregi / síz ek með folkum fór” – “By one name I have never been known / since I went among the people”
Shiva
Aum Gananam Tva Ganapatim…
Ganesh Chaturthi began yesterday, and as one should properly expect, this has been accompanied by a considerable escalation in expressions of piety towards the deity in question. Frequently, these have included a particular and rather prominent verse of Sanskrit, drawn from the RigVeda, and attributed as a prayer to Him: गणानां तवा गणपतिं हवामहे कविं … Continue reading Aum Gananam Tva Ganapatim…
JAI MAHAKAAL On Moon-Day
JAI MAHAKAAL MAHAKAALSMRITI REMEMBER DEATH IT IS MONDAY, THEREFORE - GLORIOUS (MODERN) SHIVA (A)ART(I) As a brief point of explication ... Kaal (काल)is one of my favourite words in any language. For it simultaneously means BLACK, TIME, DEATH, DESTINY/FATE [and also Iron, and also the pupil of the eye - which, as you'll note here, … Continue reading JAI MAHAKAAL On Moon-Day
“To Speak Is To Uphold The Weight Of The Universe” – Supernal, Scientific, Sunyata, Sanatana Theories of Language
'The Dialects Are In Motion' - arcing towards a synthesis position on two views of Language Introduction: A World of Words One of the reasons why I have often advocated for the use of etymology in our field of Indo-European mytho-religion, is in order to strengthen our discernment of what is *actually* going on, by … Continue reading “To Speak Is To Uphold The Weight Of The Universe” – Supernal, Scientific, Sunyata, Sanatana Theories of Language
ON THE GATES OF SOMNATH TEMPLE – AN ESSAY OF RAKSHA(PALA) FOR BOTH SWARAJ AND BANDHAN
The 15th of August marks India's Independence Day; and, as has become my custom, I have penned an article in honour of both the occasion, and the state and struggle for which it stands. Whereas 2017's piece looked at the geopolitical saliency of India, especially from the perspective of a small South Pacific state such … Continue reading ON THE GATES OF SOMNATH TEMPLE – AN ESSAY OF RAKSHA(PALA) FOR BOTH SWARAJ AND BANDHAN
The Bringer Of Shocking Enlightenment
Vishnu-posting? On a Wednesday? ON MY WALL?? It's more likely than you think! "You can run on for a long time [...] Sooner or later God'll cut you down" - Johnny Cash, 'God's Gonna Cut You Down' "The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and … Continue reading The Bringer Of Shocking Enlightenment
Hades as Gaurivara, Persephone as Gauri
SHIVA-AS-YAMA, SHIVA-AS-KAAL, bearing a most Gauri bride indeed. Monday Devotional (A)Art(I) Posting! Now, technically speaking, this is actually a depiction of Hades & Persephone by Ulpiano Checa, circa 1888 [the painting, I mean, not when They were depicted]. However, not only do we have reasonable strength of analysis to make a strong linkage between Hades … Continue reading Hades as Gaurivara, Persephone as Gauri
On Stepping Into The Same River Twice – An Indo-European Theory Of Time (Travel)
It has been said, with some justification, that one 'cannot step in the same river twice'. That the inexorable flow of time ineffably means that the past reality of a thing is irrecoverable, in the present nor future. And yet, despite the provenance of this proverb, it is not ... or not entirely accurately, at … Continue reading On Stepping Into The Same River Twice – An Indo-European Theory Of Time (Travel)
‘Time And I Against Any Other Two’ – an Indo-European analysis of a maxim.
There is an aphorism of the great Baltasar Gracian which I have been turning over in my mind a fair bit this week. Not least because, upon closer inspection there's some *strongly* Indo-European [and, although Gracian could not possibly have known it, Shaivite - Shakta] subtext immanent within it. I shall not repeat it in full … Continue reading ‘Time And I Against Any Other Two’ – an Indo-European analysis of a maxim.
“Spend It Well”
"The coin in question, if you were wondering, is a Kushan minting from the reign of King Vasudeva, also a Hindu convert. Depicted on the right is Shiva with Nandi, and on the left, 'Oesho' - "Ishvara" ['God-Emperor'], another Epithet [and cosmological Function] of Mahadev, although also possibly [contingent upon which etymological theorizing we are … Continue reading “Spend It Well”