Every so often, somebody writes in via our website's contact function with a question. Often, these are theological. Sometimes, they are personal. This one, I suppose, was both. As the concept in question is likely to be of some interest to a fair few of our readers, I present both question and answer (slightly edited for … Continue reading On ‘Mleccha’ – A Reply To A Query
Speech of the Divine
Of Wolf And Dragon
Recently, we ran a piece which looked at a perhaps surprising 'transition' within the Nordic mythos - namely, how the Fenris Wolf appeared plausibly to be a 'carrying forward' of what is otherwise a Serpentine or Draconic adversary confronted by the Sky Father deific in other Indo-European perspectives. Now, that's … quite a surprising thing … Continue reading Of Wolf And Dragon
On Gods, Rindr, and ‘Gotcha’ – An Investigation Of An Account Of Saxo Grammaticus In Light Of Vedic Comparanda
Frequently, when somebody wishes to take-to-task a devotee of Indo-European religion (whether Germanic, Hindu, Hellenic, it seems to happen to all of us all the same), they do so via the simple tactic of taking this or that morally unpalatable incident from the mythology and asking of us : "And you're OK with that?" Now, … Continue reading On Gods, Rindr, and ‘Gotcha’ – An Investigation Of An Account Of Saxo Grammaticus In Light Of Vedic Comparanda
On Indo-European Solar Warfare – The Sura Army of the Sun
Earlier this week we marked the Solstice - Summer, if you're here in the Southern Hemisphere, Winter if you're in the Northern. It therefore seemed an apt occasion to post this exquisite art - illustrating the Army of the Sun God setting a host of demons to flight. Now, the nature of this conflict is … Continue reading On Indo-European Solar Warfare – The Sura Army of the Sun
The Crows Of Kali
For Kali Jayanti - a Crow. Now, of course, I am indulging myself here by presenting a Crow as Devotee to Her … yet there is actually a comparatively little-known suite of resonant conceptry for the Corvid in relation to Kali. She is, after all, Kakamukhi - The Crow-Faced One. This is as we should … Continue reading The Crows Of Kali
The Sovereign-Sires Of The Sky – Lord Shiva And Devi As The Ultimate Rulers Of The Grahas
We had earlier had our attention drawn to this verse (and its backdrop) by several associates. It is a work of one of the great Tamil Shaivite saints, Sambandar (also anglicized, as here, as Campantar) - and, as one can immediately see, it is a verse for the simultaneous praising of Lord Shiva, as well … Continue reading The Sovereign-Sires Of The Sky – Lord Shiva And Devi As The Ultimate Rulers Of The Grahas
Sacral Or Sacrificial ? Interrogating The Position Of The Cosmic Cow Within The Reconstructive Efforts Of The Proto-Indo-European Mythos
It is Wednesday - Woden's Day. And therefore, a particular exploration of a Myth most pertinent to He. That of Auðumbla - the Great Cow. More specifically, how this links to a speculative archaic Proto-Indo-European cosmogonical myth. Or, rather, how it doesn't link to the rather annoyingly pervasive very particular effort at a "reconstruction" I have in … Continue reading Sacral Or Sacrificial ? Interrogating The Position Of The Cosmic Cow Within The Reconstructive Efforts Of The Proto-Indo-European Mythos
On Ansuz As Spear-Rune
Recently, we had a brief interaction on twitter pertaining to the notion of 'Ansuz' as a 'Spear'. My interlocutor, a Scandinavian by the name of Sindri (@DrinksStupid), had asserted that the Tiwaz rune seemed much closer - and the Ansuz not at all. So, here's a slightly edited run-through of my remarks there upon the … Continue reading On Ansuz As Spear-Rune
On The Etymology Of Bacchus – The Roarer
[illustration appears to be by a Jim Tierney] When it comes to Dionysus, there are various elements which are … challenging to make sense of. This is as it should be. One of these concerns the likely etymology - and therefore meaning - of one of His most prominent theonymics: Bacchus (or Bakkhos, Βάκχος, etc.). Usually … Continue reading On The Etymology Of Bacchus – The Roarer
Katyayani for Chaitra Navratri – MahishasuraMardini (The Destroyer of the Demon) Herself
The Sixth Night of #NavRatri is dedicated to Ma as Katyayani - in many ways, perhaps the most iconic understanding for Devi amidst the modern Hindusphere. When we think of Durga - this tends to be Whom we are praising. For She is MahishasuraMardini - The Destroyer of the Buffalo-Demon - Herself ! However, as … Continue reading Katyayani for Chaitra Navratri – MahishasuraMardini (The Destroyer of the Demon) Herself
arya-akasha 