#why worship shiva

[chhavikhurana-blog]

Why is Shiva worshipped? He is the divinity who disobeys conventions and is the monarch of your body. No middlemen, direct interaction. Embrace your rage like Shiva does. He has enormous power and is a great family man and spouse. the love of animals. the origin of knowledge. For a transforming journey, worship Shiva. Read the full article on stories of gods website HERE

[abyssalpriest]

can i be borderline controversial and say that i do think there's a correlation between the love and adoration for the other kings, Leviathan's brutal honesty about grey-morality and involvement in war when you know him as Leviathan, and his lack of worshipers here under that name. the controversial part being that the other kings seem way more into propaganda flourishing and part of why i say that is because ive known both of them and they fucking do that oops hashtag UPG (PVG) spilled outta my pockets there

ie its always people who work for the other kings i see so caught up in how loving and pure the kings and ''demons'' are, and you COULD say that's just because Lev doesn't have many worshipers under that name but I think its more so because when you know "Leviathan" uhhhhh. like you could say lack of lev worshipers = lack of lev propaganda but i think its more so lev isnt going to pretend to be a beautiful siren man in a suit who tells you he loves you so so much even tho he just met you two seconds ago

[jeevanjali]

Bhagavaan Shiv: शिवलिंग की पूजा करते समय इन बातों का रखें ध्यान Bhagavaan shiv 2024: हिन्दू धर्म में शिवलिंग की विशेष रूप से पूजा की जाती है। ऐसा इसलिए क्योंकि उन्हें साक्षात् भगवान शिव का रूप माना जाता है

[rrcraft-and-lore]

In addition to my Monkey Man post from earlier, the always kind & sweet Aparna Verma (author of The Phoenix King, check it out) asked that I do a thread on Hijras, & more of the history around them, South Asia, mythology (because that's my thing), & the positive inclusion of them in Monkey Man which I brought up in my gushing review.

Hijra: They are the transgender, eunuch, or intersex people in India who are officially recognized as the third sex throughout most countries in the Indian subcontinent. The trans community and history in India goes back a long way as being documented and officially recognized - far back as 12th century under the Delhi Sultanate in government records, and further back in our stories in Hinduism. The word itself is a Hindi word that's been roughly translated into English as "eunuch" commonly but it's not exactly accurate.

Hijras have been considered the third sex back in our ancient stories, and by 2014 got official recognition to identify as the third gender (neither male or female) legally. Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and India have accepted: eunuch, trans, intersex people & granted them the proper identification options on passports and other government official documents.

But let's get into some of the history surrounding the Hijra community (which for the longest time has been nomadic, and a part of India's long, rich, and sometimes, sadly, troubled history of nomadic tribes/people who have suffered a lot over the ages. Hijras and intersex people are mentioned as far back as in the Kama Sutra, as well as in the early writings of Manu Smriti in the 1st century CE (Common Era), specifically said that a third sex can exist if possessing equal male and female seed.

This concept of balancing male/female energies, seed, and halves is seen in two places in South Asian mythos/culture and connected to the Hijra history.

First, we have Aravan/Iravan (romanized) - who is also the patron deity of the transgender community. He is most commonly seen as a minor/village deity and is depicted in the Indian epic Mahabharata. Aravan is portrayed as having a heroic in the story and his self-sacrifice to the goddess Kali earns him a boon.

He requests to be married before his death. But because he is doomed to die so shortly after marriage, no one wants to marry him.

No one except Krishna, who adopts his female form Mohini (one of the legendary temptresses in mythology I've written about before) and marries him. It is through this union of male, and male presenting as female in the female form of Mohini that the seed of the Hijras is said to begun, and why the transgender community often worships Aravan and, another name for the community is Aravani - of/from Aravan.

But that's not the only place where a gender non conforming divine representation can be seen. Ardhanarishvara is the half female form of lord Shiva, the destroyer god.

Shiva combines with his consort Parvarti and creates a form that represents the balancing/union between male/female energies and physically as a perfectly split down the middle half-male half-female being. This duality in nature has long been part of South Asian culture, spiritual and philosophical beliefs, and it must be noted the sexuality/gender has often been displayed as fluid in South Asian epics and the stories. It's nothing new.

Many celestial or cosmic level beings have expressed this, and defied modern western limiting beliefs on the ideas of these themes/possibilities/forms of existence.

Ardhanarishvara signifies "totality that lies beyond duality", "bi-unity of male and female in God" and "the bisexuality and therefore the non-duality" of the Supreme Being.

Back to the Hijra community.

They have a complex and long history. Throughout time, and as commented on in the movie, Monkey Man, the Hijra community has faced ostracization, but also been incorporated into mainstream society there. During the time of the Dehli Sultanate and then later the Mughal Empire, Hijras actually served in the military and as military commanders in some records, they were also servants for wealthy households, manual laborers, political guardians, and it was seen as wise to put women under the protection of Hijras -- they often specifically served as the bodyguards and overseers of harems. A princess might be appointed a Hijra warrior to guard her.

But by the time of British colonialism, anti-Hijra laws began to come in place folded into laws against the many nomadic tribes of India (also shown in part in Monkey Man with Kid (portrayed by Dev Patel) and his family, who are possibly

one of those nomadic tribes that participated in early theater - sadly by caste often treated horribly and relegated to only the performing arts to make money (this is a guess based on the village play they were performing as no other details were given about his family).

Hijras were criminalized in 1861 by the Indian Penal Code enforced by the British and were labeled specifically as "The Hijra Problem" -- leading to an anti-Hijra campaign across the subcontinent with following laws being enacted: punishing the practices of the Hijra community, and outlawing castration (something many Hijra did to themselves). Though, it should be noted many of the laws were rarely enforced by local Indian officials/officers. But, the British made a point to further the laws against them by later adding the Criminal Tribes Act in 1871, which targeted the Hijra community along with the other nomadic Indian tribes - it subjected them to registration, tracking/monitoring, stripping them of children, and their ability to sequester themselves in their nomadic lifestyle away from the British Colonial Rule.

Today, things have changed and Hijras are being seen once again in a more positive light (though not always and this is something Monkey Man balances by what's happened to the community in a few scenes, and the heroic return/scene with Dev and his warriors). All-hijra communities exist and sort of mirror the western concept of "found families" where they are safe haven/welcoming place trans folks and those identifying as intersex.

These communities also have their own secret language known as Hijra Farsi, which is loosely based on Hindi, but consists of a unique vocabulary of at least 1,000 words.

As noted above, in 2014, the trans community received more legal rights.

Specifically: In April 2014, Justice K. S. Radhakrishnan declared transgender to be the third gender in Indian law in National Legal Services Authority v. Union of India.

Hijras, Eunuchs, apart from binary gender, be treated as "third gender" for the purpose of safeguarding their rights under Part III of our Constitution and the laws made by the Parliament and the State Legislature. Transgender persons' right to decide their self-identified gender is also upheld and the Centre and State Governments are directed to grant legal recognition of their gender identity such as male, female or as third gender.

I've included some screenshots of (some, not all, and certainly not the only/definitive reads) books people can check out about SOME of the history. Not all again. This goes back ages and even our celestial beings/creatures have/do display gender non conforming ways.

There are also films that touch on Hijra history and life. But in regards to Monkey Man, which is what started this thread particularly and being asked to comment - it is a film that positively portrayed India's third sex and normalized it in its depiction. Kid the protagonist encounters a found family of Hijras at one point in the story (no spoilers for plot) and his interactions/acceptance, living with them is just normal. There's no explaining, justifying, anything to/for the audience. It simply is. And, it's a beautiful arc of the story of Kid finding himself in their care/company.

[talonabraxas]

Maa kaali

Essence of Goddess Kali

Maa Kaali is the most compassionate of all forms of Hindu Goddess or Devi because she paves the way for the liberation of the soul.

Maa kaali is the female counterpart of lord Shiva who is considered the Goddess of Destruction in Hinduism. Just as Shiva had taken in all the poison that emerged during the Samudra Manthan (churning of the divine seas) in his throat and thus he got the name Neelkanth( one with a blue throat), Goddess Kali destroys the illusory ego of all her devotees. That’s why Maa Kali will appear in a fearsome form to people who are over attached to their egos. But if your worship her with utmost devotion without the barrier of the ego, you will see her as an affectionate, sweet and compassionate mother overflowing with eternal love for her children.

In that sense, Maa Kali also symbolizes eternal and boundless love.

[h0bg0blin-meat]

I think I need to make it clear for many Vaishnav (looking especially at you, ISKON) Hindu extremists (and even many Shaivites) that ya'll can have your sects and your beliefs as Vishnu or Shiva as your supreme lords. I don't have an issue with that.

But when you try to say that this is the ONLY truth about the Vedic religion (I'm not using Hinduism here because it doesn't sum up the pantheon as much as the ''Vedic" word does, despite the term being associated with the Vedas, and yes we need to come up with a better word that comprises this entire pantheon as a whole), that's when I have a problem, because that is definitely NOT the entire pantheon.

Do not spread the beliefs of your sect as the ONLY canon belief and don't speak for the people who don't fall under this category. I have seen this in all of social media and it pains me how much of a linear pantheon this once oh-so flexible culture has become.

Yes the concept of Prajapati and the Supreme being has existed since the Vedas. But when you say that Vishnu and Shiva are somehow superior to other gods as the ONLY CANONICAL BELIEF, that just flips me off, and I'm gonna call it out.

How dare you forget the four Vedas, that had no mention of such an idea? This might tick some people off but Indra, Agni, Rudra (which later became synonymous with Shiva, but is a whole different deity), Mitra, Varuna, Vayu and a few other Gods were just as much powerful as Vishnu or Shiva, if not more. This is ANOTHER canonical truth that these extremists (again, somehow mostly Vaishnav) are denying.

Ancient pantheons weren't some linear path with just one canon event. These were their own multiverses of a plethora of VARIOUS canon events, myths and legends. So stop making the Vedic religion a linear, rigid pantheon. Remember? It's not an organized religion. There can be SEVERAL canonical truths. Like I definitely understand that a religion/culture changes overtime. It evolves. Fine. Vishnu is the supreme God now, fine. But you can't deny the history. The Vedas that didn't canonize this. Are you gonna say that these Vedas, that came BEFORE this Vishnu/Shiva being the considered the supreme lord(s), were wrong? I hope not lol.

Besides, I'm not even gonna get into ISKON. They have regarded anyone that's not Vishnu as a demigod, which is ABSOLUTELY VILE AND DISRESPECTFUL. Do they even KNOW what a demigod is??? FUCK NO. They don't. They just like to use that word to inferiorize other deities, due to their unhealthy and toxic obsession with Vishnu, who doesn't deserve it. On top of that they have claimed that worshipping such gods will not lead you to eternal peace, or that it's somehow wrong. Ah yes. Gotta love gatekeeping and toxic cult fan behavior. Call me rude but if you disrespect a GOD (yes, Indra, Mitra, Varuna and others are ALSO GODS, FYI) is WILD, and they should be called out for it. (Some Shaivites have done the same in case of Shiva, and they need to be similarly called out.)

In conclusion, worship whoever tf you want, but remember that theologically, and even historically, there can be more than one canonical story. It really depends on which sect/region you belong to. You CAN be a polytheist. Idk why Hindus these days are inadvertently trying to appeal to the monotheistic pantheons so much, to the point that they have an internal dislike for polytheism, which they're not aware of, but it shows when they speak up.

This pantheon (like every other pagan pantheon back in the day) is very broad. Remember that. And it's very flexible. So let it be like that, and stop gatekeeping it and having a war between who supreme Lord is. I'll stop my yapping here. But I hope people understand this. Cuz damn.

[ma1dmer]

Warhammer - Tyrith Shiva Kyrus NSFW

no this isn't lore accurate, no i don't care, fight with my left tit, i have paid my dues to the warhammer fandom, this is my turn to have fun, anyways all hot girlies write warhammer smut and ignore canon....

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex): before she shuts the doors to her quarters, she'll always tell a serf at around what time they should bring in food and water for you, it's always embarrassing because you get to hear for how long exactly she plans to ravage you for, she always gets you both to finish multiple times five minutes before the serfs come in. she is very precise with her time, she doesn't even need a clock to keep track of that.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s): as a custodian she is extremely proud of her body, crafted by the emperor's own flesh and blood. as such, a bit of body worship goes a long way for her, trail your lips gently down from her neck to the middle of her breasts to her abs and then down to her legs until you are kneeling in front of her with your forehead pressed to her feet, it's the fastest way to get her to fold you in half, it might be a bit heretical, but nobody would dare ask or question her as to what exactly happens behind closed doors.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically): she likes the mess, she doesn't care about getting it on herself, but she isn't shy about getting it everywhere else, letting any serfs, coming in to clean after you two are done, see your spent all over her sheets/floor, she might chastise you for making more work for the poor serfs but she is a bit too smug about it to truly make you feel bad.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs): she loves the size difference, she loves having her strap/toys match her size, of course she doesn't push you to take her right away and trust you WILL be taking her. this is why it's so convenient to have only one partner for a long time, so she can slowly mold you to her needs wreck you for anyone else, she starts off with her fingers and mouth and simply grinding herself against you, her cunt against yours/using your cock ,then bit by bit she starts bringing in bigger and bigger toys crafted for you specifically, until she finally brings the one that is proportionate to the rest of her body.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?): a few flings here and there throughout the millennia, but they never lasted long and they were always more of a sort of exploration, a learning opportunity rather than just fumbling to satisfy her baser urges.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying): she likes to keep you pressed down or against her, she takes full advantage of her strength and size to keep you pinned or held up, she doesn't like when you move around too much, it distracts her from her goal of getting you to cum as many times as possible before you pass out. she also loves mirrors, loves watching both of your reflections as she takes you apart.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.): just like with everything else she takes her duty very seriously, even something like this, she doesn't want you to feel intimidated by her, not when you let yourself be so vulnerable and place your trust on her like that, but she just can't help it, the way she stares at you, practically devouring you with her eyes makes you feel as if she might actually do it, it's extremely intimidating.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.): it's fine and fair and soft, she doesn't do anything to it. she ,like most of the emperor's creations, always carries a sort of artificial scent mixed in with her natural musk, unlike space marines, custodes represent the emperor directly so she doesn't neglect her hygiene. she always makes sure to come to you already washed up, especially after a battle.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect): romance isn't exactly in her code, but she is very passionate, she can make you feel as if you are the only person in the world just by the way she treats you, she'll open doors for you, she'll guide you by the small of your back, she'll gently unwrap you like a gift, she'll focus her entire attention on you rather than simply chase her own pleasure through your body. she is also very touchy, she holds you close, always pulling your hands or legs to wrap around her in some way.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon): she doesn't really feel the need for it, she doesn't get the point of it, it doesn't satisfy her, not like taking you does and she'll scoff at the idea of you giving her a show, she brings you to her bedroom to touch you, if she wanted to just watch something she'd watch a holodrama.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks): body worship, slight exhibitionism etc

L = Location (favorite places to do the do): preferably back in the imperial palace, in her personal quarters, where she can keep an eye out in case she is called for duty, her bedroom isn't the most luxurious place, she doesn't get to use it often enough to warrant having anything other than the bare necessities ,but the bed is big and comfortable enough and the serfs know to mind their business when she brings you around.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going): she definitely has a thing for you submitting to her, she gives orders and she expects you to follow them, be in her room in 30 minutes, wait for her on the bed ,leave your clothes on, wear that perfume/outfit etc etc, she is very satisfied when you fully follow her instructions, it makes her want to reward you for being so obedient. she is a woman used to always having her orders followed and that doesn't change in the bedroom.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs): she is a very stubborn woman, it is very often you get told no, it doesn't even have to be something specific, sometimes it might just be your tone that makes her shut you down.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.): she can spend hours between your legs coaxing orgasm after orgasm from you simply with her mouth, her tongue buried inside of you/taking you into her mouth ,she has amazing breath control and isn't shy about flipping you on your stomach to explore other parts of your body equally as thoroughly. she gets almost annoyed if you try to pull her away, she doesn't even need the favour returned simply lie back and let her do her thing.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.): she is like a machine, she doesn't falter , doesn't change her pace its almost overwhelming, she loves overstimulating you, you'll be gasping shaking beneath her and she'll tell you to just keep taking her, give her another one,she knows your body, she knows how much you can handle and she knows you haven't reached your limit just yet.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.): they just aren't practical, she doesn't like them, simply getting in and out of her armor and bodyglove is a whole process, she would much rather make a day of it rather than rush it like a fumbling teen, she wants to take you out for a walk, listen about your day and then take you to her bed, you can usually tell what she has planned from the fact she has forgone armouring up and told the serfs around what time they can come clean up the next day.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.): not really, again following up with what we said above she is very stubborn and knows what she is into, hearing no from her is more common than hearing her say yes, she does want you to come with your own ideas if anything just to learn more about you and she is willing to indulge the safer requests of the bunch, but she isn't sharing you, she isn't taking you outside her bedchamber, she isn't doing any weird roleplay for you etc etc

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?): she is not human, she does not tire like you do ,she is always aware of how much quicker you get tired than her and tends to push for you to keep going, never past what she knows are your true limits.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?): huge space strap, i think i hauev covid

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease): she is very blunt and straight forward, she doesn't like playing games like that, but she loves to hear you beg her for mercy, it gives her the same satisfaction as besting a foe in battle.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.): she grunts and groans and sounds almost angry whenever she cums.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character): she loves having her hair pulled, i feel like she usually simply shaves it for convenience, she only tends to grow it out a bit, like we saw in the episode, if she is seeing someone, just to give them something to grab onto. she also loves when you try leaving marks on her, they never last long enough to enjoy the sight of them on her body, but that's part of why she enjoys them, drag your nails down her shoulders or down her back or on her forearms and watch her stare at her reflection in the mirror as they heal up.

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?): all such feelings are kept firmly under wrap, her duty comes first before everything else, that doesn't mean she doesn't let herself indulge every so often, she is fond of the way her mind drifts off to thoughts of you when she wanders the halls of the imperial palace or in between missions, you are a welcome distraction, another reminder as to what she has pledged her life to protect.

she knows its not feasible but in these cases she often thinks about how she wishes she could keep you in her quarters, waiting for her in the imperial palace, she knows you have your own life, your own duties and such. in another life she would perhaps love to be a provider for you, you her pretty little partner simply waiting for her to come back.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards): she is a light sleeper and can fall asleep at will, especially considering the fact she probably doesn't need a lot of it like normal humans do. at the start of your relationship she waits for you to fall asleep before she let's herself drift off, but as the two of you draw closer she learns to let go a bit, she starts pretending more and more that she doesn't feel you move around when you wake up, just to get an extra few minutes of just having you in her arms.

[hindulivesmatter]

Resources to learn more about Hinduphobia, and Hindu culture.

Making a masterpost about this because I'm getting a lot of asks for it. The list will be updated!

Books to read:

Not Without My Daughter by Betty Mahmoody. This is the memoir of a woman stuck in Iran and how she has to illegally sneak out with her daughter. It doesn't focus on Hinduphobia but it does highlight the violence perpetuated by Muslims to women. This is a true story and a movie has also been made on it. Also, I just need to appreciate how well it's written, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.

Aavarna by  S. L. Bhyrappa. This book basically details how Hindu history was derailed and destroyed by Mughal invaders, specifically Aurangzeb, the plot is fictional but the history is real.

All Religions Are Not the Same by Sanjay Dixit. This is a new book and I've just ordered it actually. It discusses the differences between religions and how secularism affects that.

Why I Killed Gandhi by Nathuram Godse. Includes the testimonial of the man who killed Gandhi. I'm about to read this book and I'm excited. Don't be fooled by the one-star reviews.

Hindus in Hindu Rashtra by Anand Ranganathan. Illustrates 9 examples of the hypocrisy of the current government when it comes to legalities and laws concerning Hindus.

Some people you can follow on Twitter are Dr Anand Ranganathan, The Skin Doctor, and VivanVatsa. They're all well-read on Hinduphobia and/or Hindu history.

A fantastic account on Instagram called vrindkavi posts amazing comics on Indian history and mythology.

Blogs you can follow for awareness, and learning about Hinduphobia/Hindu culture:

@rhysaka (debunking common myths, awareness, politics/geopolitics, news, culture)

@mrityuloknative (debunking common myths, awareness, politics/geopolitics, news, culture)

@main-agar-kahoon (debunking common myths, awareness, culture)

@yato-dharmastato-jayah (history and explanations, culture)

@forgotten-bharat (amazing for the history of ancient India, and culture)

@kailash-se-birha (culture, awareness)

@aranyaani (debunking common myths, awareness, politics/geopolitics, news, culture)

Interesting masterposts from other blogs:

Booklist to learn more about Hindu History by @mrityuloknative

The Ayodhya Masterpost by @mrityuloknative

Some important Hindu literature:

Mahabharata This is classified as an Itihasa text. It deals with a war between 2 royal factions and is a vehicle for describing the activities of the Avatar Krishna.

Ramayana This is also an Itihasa text. It provides the biography of Lord Rama who is considered an Avatar of Vishnu.

Bhagavad Gita This is an important text of the Vedanta school and is treated separately although it is part of Mahabharata. It provides a coherent summary of Vedanta.

Srimad Bhagavatam This is a Purana and provides a biography of Lord Krishna. This is an important text for the Vaishnava sect of Hinduism.

Shiva Purana and Linga Purana These Puranas provide the biography of Lord Shiva and are important texts for the Saivite sect of Hinduism.

Chandi or Devi Mahatmyam This is an important text for Saktas who worship Sakti or Devi. This text is really part of the Markandeya Purana.

But really, the best way to combat Hinduphobia, is to learn about our history and culture, because if you know the truth, you won't fall for the twisted narrative being peddled by the media today. If you've got to the end of this, thank you for educating yourself and learning about us.

[pillow-anime-talk]

congrats on 4k, my fav writer! can i ask for buddha with fem!reader and number 14? it could be friends/lovers or something similar :) love you

# tags: scenario; strangers/?; a bit of comedy; fluff; size difference; human!reader; precious!reader; playful!buddha; ragnarok time; sfw

includes: female reader ft. buddha {ror}

author’s note: thank you so much, anonnie! love your idea so i hope you like it!

14. “Need some help, shortie?” 

Buddha loved to sit in nature surrounded by animals and plants, so exploring the gardens built in the arena was his favorite thing from the beginning of the first fight. He always sat under the trees with his favorite sweets, and sometimes he just took short naps; very often between conversations with other gods or the eldest Valkyrie and her younger sister.

Currently there was a battle between the most powerful sumo of the human world – Raiden Tameemon – and the god worshiped in India – Shiva. The Buddha was next, and his plan was slowly approaching its culmination. Before the fight, however, he wanted to rest and gather his thoughts, while enjoying a sweet snack in the form of a colorful lollipop, which he managed to smuggle.

Unfortunately (or not?), his favorite tree was taken. A young woman with a beautiful skin tone and a friendly-looking face was plucking juicy fruits in a shade of delicate purple mixed with pink from the huge plant. I would like to mention that she was not greedy and chose only very ripe fruit, ideal for harvesting. She had only three in her small basket and was trying to pick the last fruit, which unfortunately was much higher than she could reach. Her light dress looked really good on her body, while the jewelry decorating her neck and fingers perfectly emphasized the sparkle of her eyes and charming smile.

“Need some help, shortie?” The man stepped a little closer and glanced carefully at the petite woman.

When you turned around, he could have sworn you looked like a true goddess. You were just as beautiful – no – you were more beautiful than Aphrodite and definitely sweeter than the fruit in your hands. Your eyes expressed pure curiosity of the world, and your lips were twisted in a sincere, even childish smile. The necklace jumped slightly as you turned to your interlocutor, then greeted him with a slight bow.

“Only if you want... I’ll gladly accept your help.” You spoked timidly, causing the fair-haired sage only to nod. He quickly reached the beautiful plum from the branch and handed it to you. He was curious about you and really wondered who you were. After all, he had never met such a beautiful goddess before. Which religion were you from? “My name is Y/N Y/L/N. Nice to meet you.”

“Buddha.” He said softly, looking at you even more closely. Your voice as beautiful as the singing of nightingales in the morning, and the blush on your cheeks resembled juicy strawberries. “What pantheon are you from?” He asked curiously, and you only frowned, putting the fruit gently into a dark-colored wicker basket. Then you shook your head.

“Oh. I fight for humanity.” You replied with amusement, causing him mixed feelings. He was surprised; he did not expect that humanity has such beautiful women, and also so modest and delicate in her manner. “You may not know me because I died quite recently.” You added and the man nodded one more time. He wanted to know your story, your abilities, your problems. After all, everyone has one. “I’m seventh in line.”

Since Buddha was in the sixth round and you in the seventh, the deity hoped that you two would have a chance to meet again and talk for much longer; about life and death, about Ragnarok and about these sweet fruits... Like... Why did they catch your eye?

[the-devils-library]

A Brief History of Satanism

I see quite a bit of misinformation circulated about Satanism's historical origins, both online and in the pages of books, so I thought it may be worthwhile to give a breakdown of the truth as my research has shown it to me. I have no official credentials as a historian, but I'm a theistic Satanist who takes my religion and my research very seriously. I encourage all to read my words and respond with corrections if they notice a mistake in my work; that being said, I will likely demand sources if someone's "correction" conflates with what my research has shown me.

First off, I'm going to disappoint many of my fellow theistic Satanists with this announcement: Satanism is not ancient. It's not older than Christianity, it's not even as old as Christianity, by a long shot. I suspect this need to insist that Satan and his followers are an ancient faith (or that they can somehow be found within other faiths, such as comparing Satan to Pan or Shiva) stems from Christianity. Christianity was once a very new religion in comparison to those that surrounded it, and in order to gain followers and create legitimacy for themselves, Christians had to insist that their religion was the only true one, that their god had been pulling the strings from the beginning, and that if you looked back in Jewish holy writings you'd find evidence of Jesus and his teachings. Let us Satanists not make the same mistake.

And secondly, to disappoint the atheists in the crowd: LaVey didn't invent Satanism. Yes he was very impactful on the Satanic scene, especially in the anglosphere, but he didn't invent the entire religion.

Alright, let's start at the beginning.

Satan, and the concept of worshiping him, began in the minds of Christians. That may seem like a let-down to some people, but it's the truth. Satan as a powerful lord of evil and enemy of God didn't exist before Christianity. The concept of the satan, or adversary, existed within Judaism, a famous example being the satan of Job, but this was a job for an angel working under God. For further understanding of the Jewish satan you'd have to look into Jewish writing on the topic, but if you want a basic historical explanation, Elaine Pagels' The Origin of Satan gives good context in simple terms. For now I'd just like to emphasize that Capital-S-Satan does not exist in Judaism. That's where the word came from, but it had a different meaning from what Christianity gave it.

When Christianity came along, of course, they began to use the word Satan to refer to the enemy of God, and thus anything they considered to be ungodly or against their beliefs was instead under the domain of Satan. Jews, Pagans, other Christians with differing beliefs or customs, anyone was fair game to be accused of being a Satanist.

This does not mean any of those people were actually worshiping Satan.

"Satanist" was not a real religious identity that anyone claimed, it was an insult and an accusation hurled by Christians at those they wanted to oppress, silence, and control. The Christian worldview did not allow for cultures and religions other than there own (or even variation within their own). If someone wasn't a follower of God, then they were a follower of the Devil, end of discussion.

It is very dangerous, therefore, to assume that any of these people accused of Satanism in the far past would actually have self-identified as Satanists. In my mind it is comparable to thinking the "witches" of the Salem witch trials would've self-identified as such (they did not, they "admitted" to witchcraft under torture. I hope I don't have to explain why that isn't a reliable thing to cite when trying to parse whether someone was a witch or not). By claiming that any group persecuted by Christians in the far past were secretly Satanic, we are not only stripping those people of their actual identities and cultures, we are agreeing with the Christians who harmed them.

To my knowledge we don't see anyone actually viewing Satan in a positive or sympathetic light until the emergence of Romantic Satanism in the late 1700s through the 1800s, with writings by poets like Percy Shelley and of course John Milton. Romantic Satanism, it should be emphasized, was not a religious movement, but an artistic one. Different writers of the era had varied religious identities, from Christian to the beginnings of Atheism, but while they were writing about Satan with more nuance and personality than he'd ever been given before, they were not worshiping him or intending to write holy texts.

It isn't until the 1900s that we begin to see inklings of truly religious Satanism, and not always by that name exactly. Aleister Crowley, founder of Thelema, had some Satanic flavor to his persona (calling himself the Beast 666), despite saying he did not consider himself a Satanist nor worshiped Satan. Crowley's contemporary, Maria de Naglowska, founded a sex-based magical society and religion called The Brotherhood of Eulis, which centered on Satan as the embodiment of Reason, and the story of Adam and Eve as the original magical act of a woman granting magical knowledge to her lover through sex. The Neo-pagan religion Adonism was founded by Franz Sättler, who equated Adonis with Satan in a positive way. There are more to name but this post is already lengthy.

These movements were scattered, some were not well-documented, and many happened in Europe and the original texts were never translated to English. I believe this is part of the reason why Americans and others in the anglosphere may only know of LaVey as Satanism's modern father, because of course, in the 1960s, we got the Church of Satan, and their accompanying Bible. Again, this is a lengthy subject I'm sure I'll make more posts on later, but LaVeyan Satanism is, to my knowledge, the origin of the atheistic Satanism movement, the worldview that deities aren't real (though magic may be, depending on how closely we're sticking with LaVey's worldview) and Satan is a figurehead used to symbolize self-worship. Though they share very few philosophical values, it is due to this version of atheistic Satanism that The Satanic Temple exists today, practicing their own version of Satanism, also without literal deities. It is also due to the CoS that the Temple of Set came to be, as it was originally formed by LaVeyan Satanists who wanted something more theist.

With the creation of the internet we have seen many Satanist authors and some scattered churches, covens, and groups arise; Marie RavenSoul (edit: RavenSoul no longer considers herself Satanic, and has converted to Christianity), Aleister Nacht and Magnum Opus, Rev. Cain, Brother Nero, and others. Some of these groups and authors inspired one another, others seem to have sprung up on their own. Others, I'm sure, have been lost to time, and that saddens me as a scholar of Satan and his followers. But that is part of my mission with this blog, is to track down and keep record of every Satanic resource I can find, no matter how obscure.

Follow The Devil's Library here on Tumblr for more posts like this, as well as book reviews in the future. Ave Satanas to my fellow followers of Satan, and to all others, I bid you good day.

[DISCLAIMER: The Devil's Library is not affiliated with any of the previously mentioned groups or authors. It is an independent project by a single Satanist. Do not mistake my mentioning of an author or group as endorsement for their beliefs and practices.]

[chhavikhurana-blog]

Why we worship Lord Shiva?

Shiva, the Unconventional Lord

Imagine if you had a friend who didn’t follow all the usual rules and liked to do things in a different way. That’s a bit like Lord Shiva. He believes in being free and doesn’t worry too much about what everyone else thinks. It’s like he’s saying, “It’s okay to be yourself and not always do what everyone else does.”

The Lord of Our Bodies

Our bodies are like our own special houses, and inside these houses, there’s something called “tamas.” Shiva takes care of tamas, which is really important because it helps us become better people. When we worship Shiva, it’s like asking him to help us clean our houses and make them nice and cozy.

A Direct Connection to Shiva

You know how you can talk to your friends and family without needing someone else to help you? Well, with Shiva, it’s the same way. You can go to a special place called a temple to talk to him, or you can even talk to him in your heart. Shiva is always ready to listen, just like a good friend.

Accepting Our Feelings Sometimes, we feel angry, and that’s okay. Shiva understands that, too. It’s like having a friend who tells you that it’s alright to feel upset sometimes. He helps us understand our feelings and not feel guilty about them.

Shiva, the Loving Husband and Family Man

Shiva is not just a powerful god; he’s also a great husband and a loving family man. He treats his wife, Parvathi, with so much love and respect. He shows us that in families, everyone should be treated equally and with love.

The Bestower of Amazing Powers Imagine if you could have superpowers, like flying or making things better with just a thought. Shiva has powers like that! When we ask him for help, he can make our lives better and help us become the best versions of ourselves.

Protecting All Creatures Shiva loves animals and takes care of them, making sure they are safe and healthy. When we pray to Shiva, we can ask him to protect animals from harm and make their lives better.

The Source of Wisdom

Shiva is like a super teacher who knows everything about art, science, and lots of other cool stuff. When we look up to Shiva, we can learn so many interesting things from him. He’s like a superhero with all the knowledge in the world.

So, that’s why people love and worship Lord Shiva. He’s like a friend, a superhero, and a teacher all in one. He helps us become better and teaches us to be kind, loving, and understanding. Isn’t that just amazing?

Read the full article on Stories of Gods website HERE.

[abyssalpriest]

if i disappear after saying that ive been assassinated no jokes aside if i take that down its not bc i disagree with it, you can still pin it on me as a belief that i think that shit should be said and ill put my whole ass behind it, but saying shit like that has consequences lmfao. also theres a time and a place to bring that up

[vishnavishivaa]

Edhuvum Avanukaaga

Meaning: Anything for him

********

'May his light ever live on,' prayed Vanathi quietly, in front of Kaayarohanar, the presiding form of Ishvara at Nagapattinam. She had been restless since she heard about Poonkuzhali in the letter her Prince had written to her Akka, or rather letters. Though he never failed to ask about her, it was perfunctory. Vanathi was no fool, though many thought her to be so.

She had refused to even meet Arulmozhi, instead having seen him once as he woke up. She had not left her chambers except for her prayers, even food, she had gotten to her chambers itself. She had come on Akka's wish, but she was not going to involve herself anywhere near Arulmozhi. She had to lick her wounds in private, and smile to show the world she was happy with his choice of woman. She would always love him, and thus, she will let him go. For his happiness, anything.

Tears filled her eyes at her own thoughts, and she wiped them off, looking straight at the One she worshipped above all, at the One who was everything in the Universe.

"Emperumane, give me strength," she whispered softly, getting up after a prayer to Nilayatakshi and Kaayarohanar, when her Sakhi Tulasi came running in, saying, "Ponniyin Selvar is to visit the temple now with Ilaya Piratti, Vanthiyathevar, Sendhan Amudhan and the odakkari."

Vanathi felt her heart stop and she got up, saying, "Come Tulasi, let us leave. I have some work in my chambers. I need to stitch the pallu for Vanavan Athai. Come come."

Vanathi slipped out of the temple, hurrying to her palanquin faster when she saw the said group of people walking in that direction. Luckily, only her Akka had seen her, and she shook her head, running and entering her palanquin, not knowing that Arulmozhi had seen the end of her saree as she got in.

She heaved a sigh of relief, and asked the bearers to go ahead, when his familiar voice reached her ears.

"I have never known the Princess of Kodumbalur to run away from her Akka or me, have you, Devi?"

She trembled when she heard his voice, and thought of Shiva, prayed to Him again and again, and stepped out. She folded her hands and greeted the younger Prince of Chozha Nadu, her heart beating out of her chest. She did not want to look at him, but by protocol she had to.

"Vanangugiren, Ponniyin Selvare. I am glad to see you awake and doing well now."

"I am surprised to see that you did not come to visit me, Vaanathi," he said, and Vaanathi resisted the urge to snap. Why should she go to see him?

"Ilavarase, I came as Akka's companion," she said. "By protocol, I should not come to meet you alone."

Her eyes met his steadily, and she could catch the hint of surprise in his lovely amber eyes, the hint of something amiss, and she smiled a little more. She wanted his happiness, and he clearly was, around Poonkuzhali. She must thank the woman for not just saving the Prince, but for also giving him that happiness and contentment. Swallowing quietly, she allowed herself to still look at him, not letting the flood of her heart reflect in her eyes.

"But you can with Akka," he pointed out correctly, but she shook her head.

"Ilavarase, only those whose presence is needed must come to see you. My presence would be a disturbance. But I am thrilled to see you doing well. I will pray to Emperuman for you. For now, please let me take leave and not disturb you all in your darshanam."

"You will not come with us?" he asked, eyebrows raised.

"No Ilavarase. I already finished my darshanam. I have some work, vanangugiren."

Saying thus, and smiling at Kundavai, Vaanathi went back to her palanquin, feeling his eyes on her, but refusing to look back or at him.

It was not her right, any longer.

*****

This is a sneak peak into an angst Vanathi and Arulmozhi story. It will not be too many chapters in length- I am trying to make it as limited but with the punch it requires, as possible.

Please do let me know what you all think of this snippet!

@ahamasmiyodhah @thegleamingmoon @yehsahihai @mahaswrites @hum-suffer @theramblergal @moon-880 @arachneofthoughts @whippersnappersbookworm @rang-lo @celestesinsight @willkatfanfromasia @mahi-wayy @ragkee @houseofbreadpakoda @sambaridli @nidhi-writes

[killallxys]

This one is for Desi women

Let's talk about radicalfemisnism in India. Now that we know how bad it is here. Economically, socially, politically we are fucked. Let's analyse something unique to us - caste and religion. I might get a lot of backlash here but I don't give a flying fuck Religion - Most women here follow hindiusm. They must also be following some festivals associated with it. I belonging to an atheist household never got exposed to these practices. 1. Indian goddesses are worshipped. But all it seems like worshipping caricatures or fetish of brahman men. They are powerful but of course at the whims of Gods. 2. Sati burned herslef for her husband thus leading to practice of sati - burning widowed women on pyre of husband. Don't you feel like an object owned by your husband? 3. Sarawsati is deemed as goddess of education but still women back then were barred from education. It was Savitri bai phule who educated women despite resistance from men.

4. Lakshmi as goddess of wealth but women were barred from having property. It wasn't until 2005 that Hindu women could own property. 5. Supreme court ordered Sabarimala temple to grant entry to women. They deemed women who menstruate as impure. Still women go to temple's to worship. Why? 6. Women aren't allowed in kitchen when menstruating or they will get cursed. Disgust for women's bodies. 7. You may have heard of stories related to Ramayana and Mahabharat. But all they portray is that women are property. Women in these stories are just properties and men involved here just fight each other for harming their property aka women. 8. The chemistry between Indian gods and goddesses is quite interesting. Although mythology, women still get raped. Brahma is a pedophile. He raped his own daughter. Vishnu disguised as the husband of a woman and raped her. Shiva was a rapist. 9. Ghungat is same as Hijab. Cover yourself. Male gaze 10. Marriage vows are misogynistic. For example kanyadaan. Your daughter is property and you hand over her to some random guy. And more

As a rad fem, I seriously condemn religions and their practice by women. Especially desi women. It's like hating yourself. The Hindu gods have great contempt for you. Rape didn't pop out of a vacuum. Now I understand why it is rampant here. Caste - 1. Devdasi was recently banned. Lower caste girls were sent to service the deity in temple. The Brahmans used to rape lower-caste women. Nice ploy under the giuse of religion. 2. Upper-caste men rape lower-caste women to show dominance. But what they are really trying to show is that UC men damaged LC men's property. 3. Upper-caste women are a special nut case. By being casteist they are still perpetuating misogyny. They think the UC men will see them as humans but they are nothing but property in their eyes. Last note : Being a radical feminist you have to address the uncomfortable to advance womens liberation. I don't care if some fraction of religion is pro woman. Religions as in here Hindu religion will never be pro woman. So take that crap with yourself. I'm not here to debate or listen to your whinings. If you're a man trying to mansplain me. FUCK OFF.

[tamblr]

Intro to Tantric Shaivism

Shiva as a god is someone who has been deeply influential in my personal spiritual journey. From watching both Lord Ram and Ravana pray to him to seeing the relationship between Shiva and Shakthi, I was always intuitively fascinated by him and that led naturally to intellectual curiosity. In the previous write up I had summarised the meaning of Tantra, this is a small introduction to Shaivism. 

Shaivism is the worship of Lord Shiva as the supreme being. It is an ancient Hindu sect that is an amalgamation of pre Vedic and Vedic traditions. As such, some scholars have dated the sect to the Indus Valley civilisation at 2500-2000 BCE. 

Shaivism has many schools of thought, two of the most popular ones being: Saiva siddhanta and Kashmiri Shaivism from which we will draw most of the metaphysics, philosophy and cosmology from but first…

Who or what is Shiva? 

The answer to this question itself could be a series all on its own but here’s two etymologies from two of the most ancient languages: Tamil and Sanskrit.

I was reading this incredible novel called Kottravai where the author describes the etymology of the word, Sivam, this is my very rough translation of the tamil text, “from the word meaning, life (Siivam), the people named their lord sivam”. From sivam comes siivan, more predominantly pronounced as jiivan meaning soul or living being. 

Indeed, one of the most ancient names of the lord is pasu-pati, lord (pati) of animals (pasu). In Saiva Siddhanta, pasu is has a further meaning of soul so the lord of souls. 

According to Monier-Williams, the Sanskrit word "Shiva" means "auspicious, propitious, gracious, benign, kind, benevolent, friendly". The root words of shiva in folk etymology are śī which means "in whom all things lie, pervasiveness" and va which means "embodiment of grace”.

While the Tamil etymology talks about who he is, the Sanskrit one gives a description of his characteristics. 

But what is he? 

He is sat-cit-ananda (being-consciousness-bliss). Or more succinctly, the universal consciousness. Kashmiri Shaivism talks about the universal consciousness as having two characteristics: prakasa (light) and vimarsa (reflective awareness) and talks about the universal consciousness as being the efficient cause whose effect is the vibration of consciousness (spanda). Here it should be noted that cause and effect are reciprocal processes where cause leads to effect and effect back to cause.

While we talk about Shiva as masculine, it is important to note that Shiva and Shakthi are a dual principle, like two sides of the same coin where Shakthi is the instrumental cause whose effect is pure energy (kundalini Shakthi). Symbolised in Ardhanadishwara.

Similarly, while Shaivism and vaishnavism are at odds with each other in many aspects, the old name for Visnu in the Tamil was Mayon, the personification of Maya (material reality, illusion) and Shaivite traditions agree that Maya is another aspect of Shakthi. The duality of Shiva and Vishnu is symbolised in Hari-Hara.

Proof of existence 

Saiva siddhanta, a school popular in South India is a philosophical school that is based on theistic realism and therefore offers a rational argument for why the universal consciousness should exist. The proof first begins with 3 laws:

All existing things have arisen and must at some time be destroyed. 

Law I, to the thesis that the world in its entirety must have been created at one point of time, and, again at one point of time, will in its entirety be destroyed; the world has a beginning and an end. 

Everything that gets destroyed must arise again; something that exists cannot become a nothing. 

Law 2, that the world's history will not end with its destruction, but that after a certain time it will be created anew out of itself; a new world-creation will follow a world- destruction. 

Whatever arises must have existed before; a nothing can't turn into an existent something

Law 3, that an eternal living something must form the basis of this world, out of which it was created, and into which it will at some time be resolved, and from which it will at another time again be created.

But why Shiva?

Why is Shiva the personification of the universal consciousness? The answer given is quite simple. 

There is a popular Tamil saying: ‘Anbe Sivam’ which means ‘love is Shiva’ or ‘shiva is love’. To quote from Saiva siddhanta: “You must worship what engages your love, you disciples of advaita.” Advaita means non-duality of subject and object and talks about the relationship between the individual soul and the divine. So from their perspective, anything that fuels your love is your personification of the divine and for Shaivites due to the history, culture and religion, Shiva is who engages their love and hence their devotion.

This is where the idea of Tantra comes into play. ‘The exploration of the inner cosmos is Tantra that helps one discover the inner architecture of one’s self and its relationship with the outer world.’ Tantric Shaivism is essentially the exploration and recognition of the soul and its relationship to Shiva, the personification of the universal consciousness.

Why use a personification?

the soul has three faculties: knowledge, will, action 

it needs something to lean on, which it then imitates and assimilates

its faculties need to be set in motion by some impulse from outside.

When you love something, you desire to understand it, be with it and you immerse your thoughts in it. In other words, you develop devotion. This is what you lean on. The qualities of the personification of the universal consciousness as being auspicious, benevolent, full of grace enable the soul to be able to imitate it and assimilate with it. This love is fuelled by culture, mythology and other personal experiences unique to each individual so theology helps set in motion the faculties of the soul. 

Knowledge - Knowledge can roughly be of two types: intellectual knowledge and instinctual knowledge. Instinctual knowledge is brought about by faith and the faith is strengthened through intellectual knowledge gathered from reading scripture, philosophy etc. Sometimes instinct can give rise to intellectual curiosity and other times intellectual exploration can give rise to a deity that is instinctually recognised by the soul. 

Will - the will is simply the ability of a person to concentrate completely on the divine and is fuelled by devotion and resilience of one’s faith and this initiates action.

Action - action is the performance of inner (meditation, chanting mantras) and outer (puja, yoga) rituals acting as a symbolic union from which the actual union with the divine occurs

One of my main resources was the book Saiva Siddhanta: An Indian School of mystical thought in addition to other resources which I would be happy to link if anyone is curious.

[talonabraxas]

Kali Maa

Essence of Goddess Kali

Maa Kaali is the most compassionate of all forms of Hindu Goddess or Devi because she paves the way for the liberation of the soul.

Essence of Goddess Kali

Maa Kaali is the most compassionate of all forms of Hindu Goddess or Devi because she paves the way for the liberation of the soul.

Maa kaali is the female counterpart of lord Shiva who is considered the Goddess of Destruction in Hinduism. Just as Shiva had taken in all the poison that emerged during the Samudra Manthan (churning of the divine seas) in his throat and thus he got the name Neelkanth( one with a blue throat), Goddess Kali destroys the illusory ego of all her devotees. That’s why Maa Kali will appear in a fearsome form to people who are over attached to their egos. But if your worship her with utmost devotion without the barrier of the ego, you will see her as an affectionate, sweet and compassionate mother overflowing with eternal love for her children.

In that sense, Maa Kali also symbolizes eternal and boundless love.