the flaming sword
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Contrary to what Google reports, the 15th Sukta of the Rigveda’s First Mandala (Rv 1.15) is not “a hymn invoking the Maruts, a group of storm gods worshipped in ancient India, to assist Agni and Indra in blessing the fire-sacrifice ritual-ceremonies called yajnas.” It is, in fact, a great deal more than a simple hymn of…
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Instead of rushing ahead to the Rigveda’s third Sukta, I want to spend more time on the ten risha (female rishis) referenced in the second Rik. In my last post, I equated those “shining handmaids” with the Mahedivyas or “great wisdom” goddesses of Hinduism, the Sefirot of Jewish mysticism, the lampstands in the Temple of…
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Like most things in scriptural texts, the first and second Temples of Jerusalem are symbols rather than physical structures. And today, we’re going to explore what the Judeo-Christian scriptures really tell us about those two Temples. So, get out your Bible and turn to the first Book of Kings. In most English translations, the first…