A very cool shot - although there are some … curious points to it. Depicted is the Commagene ruler Antiochus I meeting with Hercules (… more on that in a moment). For those unaware, the Commagene kingdom was a most curious combination Greek / Iranic / Armenian (and later also Romanized) polity located in what's … Continue reading On The ‘Herakles-Artagnes-Ares’ Of The Commagene – A Cautionary Tale In Interpretatio Mistranslation
Vritrahan
On Wyrd Women Dwelling In Waters Handing Out Swords As The Supernal Basedness For A System Of Government – Part 2 – The Coronation Of The DemiGod King : Hercules, Indra-Varuna And Those Rendered Alike To Him
If you've just joined us ... a brief catch-up on The Story So Far. A few days ago, an associate asked about the relationship of the Goddess to the coronation of a King in comparative Indo-European terms. Me being me, this lead to ... the dedicated need for an (A)Arti-cle upon the subject. Several, in … Continue reading On Wyrd Women Dwelling In Waters Handing Out Swords As The Supernal Basedness For A System Of Government – Part 2 – The Coronation Of The DemiGod King : Hercules, Indra-Varuna And Those Rendered Alike To Him
Against Verethragna / Indra Equivocation
We frequently encounter perceptions that the Zoroastrian figure of Verethragna is 'their' Indra. This is … not exactly the case. For a start, the Zoroastrian Indra is, conveniently enough, also called Indra. And, just as Indra (our Indra) is a Deva (God), we find that the Zoroastrian Indra is a Daeva - in their heretical … Continue reading Against Verethragna / Indra Equivocation
Masik Durgashtami – Victory On The Eighth
Today is Masik Durgashtami - a monthly (Masik) High Holy Day to the Goddess Durga, celebrated on the 8th (Ashtami). The observance itself entails a fast during the day (with such self-imposed conditions upon one's behavior known as a 'Vrat' - a 'Vow', and from the same PIE etymological root as modern English 'Word' (as … Continue reading Masik Durgashtami – Victory On The Eighth
The Sieger Of Forts And The Slayer Of Dragons – Several Athena Hailings & Durga Comparatively Considered
Two of the most prominent Goddess facings for the Indo-European world would have to be Durga and Pallas Athena. I have written extensively elsewhere as to various vital coterminities between Their respective theologies - however something occurred to me recently that has as-yet lain unaddressed. A similarity of these theonyms - 'Durga', and 'Pallas'. For … Continue reading The Sieger Of Forts And The Slayer Of Dragons – Several Athena Hailings & Durga Comparatively Considered
On The Flaming Swords Of Odin & Agni & Rudra – An Excerpt
It is WEDNESDAY - Woden's Day - And Therefore, as has become our custom … we present an (A)Arti-cle. In this case, it is an excerpt from our previous 'On Odin As Agni', and looks at the correlation of Flames and Swords found with both deific expressions. Enjoy! (Also, N.B.: various of the conceptry involved … Continue reading On The Flaming Swords Of Odin & Agni & Rudra – An Excerpt
Vedic Dragon-Slaying In Sogdian Armour ? A Mural Of Panjikent
Something that has truly given me cause for wonder as we've been delving further into the mysteries of Indo-European Central Asia … is just how immediately recognizable certain myths, certain figures, certain truths remain even 'midst seemingly unfamiliar overlay. This fine rendering from Penjikent in modern-day Tajikistan is just such an instance. A Sogdian depiction, … Continue reading Vedic Dragon-Slaying In Sogdian Armour ? A Mural Of Panjikent
Ganesha – The Lord On The Gun
It is Tuesday - the Day of Mars (and, for that matter, Mangala). Therefore … an Indian Jawan ['soldier' or 'paramilitary'] with a certain devotional image tied to the foregrip of his rifle. Now, I have occasionally made semi-joking reference to the notion of "Gun-Esha". Of course, this is not the proper understandings for Lord … Continue reading Ganesha – The Lord On The Gun
The Way Of The Gun – The Surprising Re-Development Of A Proto-Indo-European Term Into Modern English … And its Comparative Cognates Considered In Both Ritual And Conventional Phraseology Across The Indo-European Sphere
Something I have long remarked upon is the manner in which certain terms, certain concepts … they are to be found in incredibly archaic spheres, and then they 'fade away' or they undergo some transmogrification which obscures their essence somewhat, only to thence re-emerge somewhere else entirely amidst one of the Indo-European descendant groups who … Continue reading The Way Of The Gun – The Surprising Re-Development Of A Proto-Indo-European Term Into Modern English … And its Comparative Cognates Considered In Both Ritual And Conventional Phraseology Across The Indo-European Sphere
Indra Herakles, Trita Iolaus, Vak Athena against Hydra Vritra – A Distillation [Arya Akasha Arka]
As part of my ongoing drive to make our work more accessible [ Arya Akasha Arka ]… here's a seriously summarized comparative of a pretty central Indo-European mytheme: the combat of the Striker/Thunderer Deific [e.g. Indra , Herakles] against the Demon Dragon of the Waters [e.g. Vritra, Hydra]. I've left out … quite a lot … Continue reading Indra Herakles, Trita Iolaus, Vak Athena against Hydra Vritra – A Distillation [Arya Akasha Arka]