Kanishka's coins show Hindu, Buddhist, Greek, Persian and even Sumerian-Elamite images of gods. They are demonstrative of religious syncretism in his beliefs. Kanishka's coins at the beginning of his reign were written in the Greek language, with the Greek script, and depicted Greek divinities. Later in his reign, Kanishka ordered that the Bactrian language be used (the Iranian language the Kushans apparently spoke), and Greek divinities were replaced by corresponding Iranian ones. All of Kanishka's coins (even the Bactria language) were written in corrupted Greek script, with the addition of the Kushan lette ...

See also:

Kanishka, Kanishka - A great Kushan king, Kanishka - Conquests in India and Central Asia, Kanishka - Kanishka's coinage, Kanishka - Hellenistic phase, Kanishka - Iranian/Indian phase, Kanishka - Kanishka and Buddhism, Kanishka - Buddhist coinage, Kanishka - Kanishka casket, Kanishka - Transmission of Buddhism to China, Kanishka - Notes

Read more here: » Kanishka: Encyclopedia II - Kanishka - Kanishka's coinage

Divyasrotra (Sanskrit). Lit., "celestial Ear" Or divine hearing. The second "Abhijna", or the faculty of understanding the language or sound produced by any living being on Earth.

(See also: Divyasrotra, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

1974 Governor General's Awards - English Language. Fiction: Margaret Laurence, The Diviners. Poetry or Drama: Ralph Gustafson, Fire on Stone. Non-Fiction: Charles Ritchie, The Siren Years. 1974 Governor General's Awards - French Language. Fiction: Victor-Levy Beaulieu, Don Quichotte de la démanche. Poetry or Drama: Nicole Brossard, Mécanique jongleuse suivi de Masculin grammaticale. Non-Fiction: Louise Dechêne, Habita ...

See also:

1974 Governor General's Awards, 1974 Governor General's Awards - Winners, 1974 Governor General's Awards - English Language, 1974 Governor General's Awards - French Language, 1974 Governor General's Awards - Other Governor General's Awards

Read more here: » 1974 Governor General's Awards: Encyclopedia II - 1974 Governor General's Awards - Winners

OGHAM: a cipher language used by the Druids to communicate Occult or Hidden knowledge.  Consisted of a series of marks in relationship to a center line. ie,,,,,  It is used today for both sacred writings and for divination.

(See also: OGHAM, Witchcraft, Wicca, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

According to Proinsias Mac Cana, Minerva‘s closest parallel is the goddess Brigantis or Brigantia, who survives in Irish literature as Brighid, daughter of the divine king, Dagda. Both Brigantis and Minerva (MIN-erva, pro-MIN-ent-, e-MIN-ent-) have names which in their respective languages connote ‘exalted state’ and are concerned with higher places, states and activities such as healing and craftsmanship. Brigantis was the tribal goddess of the Old British tribe the Brigantes. Some toponyms such as Bregenz and Briganza provide some onomastic indications that she was worshipped in Celtic Europe, p ...

See also:

Brigid, Brigid - Etymology, Brigid - Familial relations, Brigid - Associations, Brigid - Divine responsibilities, Brigid - Was this goddess the Celtic Minerva?, Brigid - Festivals, Brigid - Other names, Brigid - Bibliography, Brigid - See Also

Read more here: » Brigid: Encyclopedia II - Brigid - Was this goddess the Celtic Minerva?

Athanasian Creed - The ICET English Language Translation. The following translation was prepared by the International Consultation on English Texts: Whoever wants to be saved should above all cling to the catholic faith. Whoever does not guard it whole and inviolable will doubtless perish eternally. Now this is the catholic faith: We worship one God in trinity and the Trinity in unity, neither confusing the persons nor dividing the divine being. ...

See also:

Athanasian Creed, Athanasian Creed - English-Language Translations, Athanasian Creed - The ICET English Language Translation, Athanasian Creed - Book of Common Prayer 1662 Church of England, Athanasian Creed - Scholarly edition and annotated translation

Read more here: » Athanasian Creed: Encyclopedia II - Athanasian Creed - English-Language Translations

Incantations display several of the features of oral literature, including repetition, a strong reliance on performative language and formulaic composition. The earliest incantations in English are probably the Old English metrical charms. Written in Anglo-Saxon these charms are difficult to differentiate from the riddles and other short poems of the corpus of Old English poetry. However, they do rely strongly on metaphor, a relatively rare device of Anglo-Saxon poetry (except, of course, in the form of kenning), and one that may be universal to the genre of incantation. Furthermore, these charms invoke divine aid, especially in the for ...

See also:

Incantation, Incantation - Structure, Incantation - Some collections of charms

Read more here: » Incantation: Encyclopedia II - Incantation - Structure

Sruti (Sanskrit) [from the verbal root sru to hear]

What is heard; teachings handed down in traditional writing, distinguished from smritis, the unwritten teachings handed down by tradition by word of mouth. The Srutis in India are considered to be divine in origin and everlasting, for they are the teachings of the divine oral revelation. Yet exactly the same observation may be made regarding the smritis -- the unwritten tradition. The Srutis comprise first and foremost the Vedas, including the Mantras, Brahmanas, and Upanishads. The Hindu Srutis are all written in more or less metaphorical language.

(See also: Sruti, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

The following is a partial list of Bergelson's works. Arum Vokzal (At the Depot, novella, 1909) Departing (novella, 1913) Nokh Alemen; title variously translated as When All Is Said and Done (1977 English-language title) or The End of Everything. Divine Justice (novel, 1925) "Three Centers" (essay, 1926) Storm Days (short stories, 1928) Baym Dnieper (At the Dnieper, novel, 1932) The Jewish Auton ...

See also:

David Bergelson, David Bergelson - Biography, David Bergelson - Works, David Bergelson - Translations into English, David Bergelson - Notes

Read more here: » David Bergelson: Encyclopedia II - David Bergelson - Works

E. - The fifth letter of the English alphabet. The he (soft) of the Hebrew alphabet becomes in the Ehevi system of reading that language an E. Its numerical value is five, and its symbolism is a window; the womb, in the Kabbala. In the order of the divine names it stands for the fifth, which is Hadoor or the "majestic" and the "splendid."

(See also: E - Letter E, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

The name "Quetzalcoatl" literally means quetzal-bird snake or serpent with feathers (Amphitere) of the Quetzal (which implies something divine or precious) in the Nahuatl language. The meaning of his local name in other Mesoamerican languages is similar. The Maya knew him as Kukulkán; the Quiché as Gukumatz. The Feathered Serpent deity was important in art and religion in most of Mesoamerica for close to 2,000 years, from the Pre-Classic era until the Spanish conquest. Civilizations worshiping the Feathered Serpent included the Olmec, the Mixtec, the Toltec, the Aztec(who adopted it fr ...

See also:

Quetzalcoatl, Quetzalcoatl - Antecedents, Quetzalcoatl - Origins, Quetzalcoatl - The cult, Quetzalcoatl - Moctezuma Controversy, Quetzalcoatl - Atributes, Quetzalcoatl - In archeology, Quetzalcoatl - Modern media

Read more here: » Quetzalcoatl: Encyclopedia II - Quetzalcoatl - Antecedents

The name "Quetzalcoatl" literally means quetzal-bird snake or serpent with feathers (Amphitere) of the Quetzal (which implies something divine or precious) in the Nahuatl language. The meaning of his local name in other Mesoamerican languages is similar. The Maya knew him as Kukulkán; the Quiché as Gukumatz. The Feathered Serpent deity was important in art and religion in most of Mesoamerica for close to 2,000 years, from the Pre-Classic era until the Spanish conquest. Civilizations worshiping the Feathered Serpent included the Olmec, the Mixtec, the Toltec, the Aztec(who adopted it fr ...

See also:

Quetzalcoatl, Quetzalcoatl - Antecedents, Quetzalcoatl - Origins, Quetzalcoatl - The cult, Quetzalcoatl - Moctezuma Controversy, Quetzalcoatl - Attributes, Quetzalcoatl - Modern day, Quetzalcoatl - In archaeology, Quetzalcoatl - Modern media

Read more here: » Quetzalcoatl: Encyclopedia II - Quetzalcoatl - Antecedents

Karshipta (Mazd.). The holy bird of Heaven in the Mazdean Scriptures, of which Ahura Mazda says to Zaratushta that "he recites the Avesta in the language of birds" (Bund. xix. et seq.). The bird is the symbol of "Soul" of Angel and Deva in every old religion. It is easy to see, therefore, that this "holy bird" means the divine Ego of man, or the "Soul". The same as Karanda (q.v.).

(See also: Karshipta, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

I - Letter I. - The ninth letter in the English, the tenth in the Hebrew alphabet. As a numeral it signifies in both languages one, and also ten in the Hebrew (see J), in which it corresponds to the Divine name Jah, the male side, or aspect, of the hermaphrodite being, or the male-female Adam, of which hovah Jah-hovah) is the female aspect. It is symbolized by a hand with bent fore-finger, to show its phallic signification.

(See also: I - Letter I, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

In India there is an ancient belief in a subterranean race of divine serpent people who dwell in a patalas or palaces in the underground city of Bhogavati. The word Naga comes from the Sanskrit, and "nag" is still the word for snake in most of the languages of India. They are considered nature spirits and the protectors of springs, wells and rivers. They bring rain, and thus fertility, but are also thought to bring disasters such as floods and drought. Since Nagas have an affinity with water, the entrances to their underground palaces are often said to be hidden at the bottom of wells, deep lakes and rivers. Varuna, the Vedic god of ...

See also:

Naga, Naga - Nagas in mythology, Naga - Naga

Read more here: » Naga: Encyclopedia II - Naga - Nagas in mythology

A Theosophical definition of Bodhisattva :

Bodhisattva

(Sanskrit) A compound word: literally "he whose essence (sattva) has become intelligence (bodhi)." As explained exoterically, a bodhisattva means one who in another incarnation or in a few more incarnations will become a buddha. A bodhisattva from the standpoint of the occult teachings is more than that.

When a man, a human being, has reached the state where his ego becomes conscious, fully so, of its inner divinity, becomes clothed with the buddhic ray  - where, so to say, the personal man has put on the garments of inner immortality in actuality, on this earth, here and now  - that man is a bodhisattva. His higher principles have nearly reached nirvana. When they do so finally, such a man is a buddha, a human buddha, a manushya-buddha. Obviously, if such a bodhisattva were to reincarnate, in the next incarnation or in a very few future incarnations thereafter, he would be a manushya-buddha.

A buddha, in the esoteric teaching, is one whose higher principles can learn nothing more. They have reached nirvana and remain there; but the spiritually awakened personal man, the bodhisattva, the person made semi-divine to use popular language, instead of choosing his reward in the nirvana of a less degree, remains on earth out of pity and compassion for inferior beings, and becomes what is called a nirmanakaya. In a very mystical part of the esoteric philosophy, a bodhisattva is the representative on earth of a dhyani-buddha or celestial buddha  - in other words, one who has become an incarnation or expression of his own divine monad.

See also: Bodhisattva, Mysticism, Body Mind and Soul)

Tewahido is a Ge'ez word meaning "being made one"; it is related to the Arabic word توحيد tawhid, meaning "monotheism". This refers to the Oriental Orthodox belief in the one single unique Nature of Christ (a complete union of the Divine and Human Natures), as opposed to the "two Natures of Christ" belief (unmixed Divine and Human Natures, called the Hypostatic Union) held by today's Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia article on the Henoticon [1]: the Patriarchs of Alexandr ...

See also:

Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church - Origins, Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church - Jesuit interim: 1500 – 1633, Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church - Recent history, Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church - Distinctive traits, Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church - Biblical canon, Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church - Language, Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church - Architecture, Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church - Ark of the Covenant, Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church - Similarities to Judaism

Read more here: » Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church: Encyclopedia II - Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church - Origins

HERMES

Since he connects all the others and serves as a link between human and divine reality, he is the greatest of the Gods. His counterpart occurs in all mythologies (Odin, Mercury, Thoth). Hermes is the God of language, hence the inspiration of all writers (also frequently the pen-name of ancient writers who felt they were merely the God's amanuensis). It was Thoth-Hermes whom the scribes of Egypt always honored with a libation of ink before beginning their day's work.

(See also: HERMES, Magick, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul, )

Semothees [possible corruption of Greek hemitheos half-god, demigod]

Applied to the Druids of the Gauls (IU 1:18); like the true dvija (twice-born), one who is born of the spirit as well as of matter, and therefore, following the mystical language of archaic times, was the offspring of the divine spiritual parent on one side, and of human parenthood on the other, like the Greek heroes and demigods.

(See also: Semothees, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

LOGOS

In the original Greek sense, it doesn't just refer to any spoken or written word, but also to innate meaning or the thing itself that is to be expressed, whether an idea or a rationale or a philosophical principle. Hence it is the "Creative Word" or even the manifested deity, deva or ourgos who utters it and creates the world out of no-thing. When it is used literally as "word" it has various interpretations, such as "Consciousness" or "Language". Gnostically, certain "words" or names are necessary to allow the soul to get past the archons.

In traditional Xtianity, Logos is the actual and exact word of God incarnate; Controlling principle of the Universe (Jesus as the second person in the Trinity); Divine Creative Word. To understand what "Logos" means in a non-Xtian context, it is necessary to understand the Greek philosophical concept of language and the Greek recognition of the mythopoetic power of words. This dynamic was uprooted from its normal place in the language, redefined as a Xtian principle and thereby stripped of all past associations.

(See also: LOGOS, Magick, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul, )

Doniger holds two doctorates, from Harvard and Oxford, in Sanskrit and Indian Studies. From 1978, she has taught at the University of Chicago, where she currently is the Mircea Eliade Distinguished Service Professor of the History of Religions in the Divinity School, the Department of South Asian Languages and Civilizations, and the Committee on Social Thought. She is a member of the editorial board of Encyclopædia Britannica. Doniger is the author, translator, and editor of almost thirty books in as many years. She has translated ma ...

See also:

Wendy Doniger, Wendy Doniger - Background, Wendy Doniger - Criticism & Controversy, Wendy Doniger - Effect of her work, Wendy Doniger - Works by Wendy Doniger

Read more here: » Wendy Doniger: Encyclopedia II - Wendy Doniger - Background