A solar deity is a deity who represents the sun, or an aspect of it. People have worshipped the sun and solar deities for all of recorded history. Hence, many beliefs and legends have been formed around this worship, most notably the various myths containing the "missing sun" motif from around the world. Although many sources contend that solar deities are generally male, and the brother, father, husband and/or enemy of the lunar deity (usually female), this is not cross-culturally upheld, as sun goddesses are found on every continent ...

Including:

• Solar deity - Missing sun
• Solar deity - Examples
• Solar deity - Chinese mythology
• Solar deity - Hindu mythology

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See also:

Solar deity, Solar deity - Missing sun, Solar deity - Examples, Solar deity - Chinese mythology, Solar deity - Hindu mythology, Solar deity - Trivia

Read more here: » Solar deity: Encyclopedia II - Solar deity - Hindu mythology

The "missing sun" motif is a theme in the myths of various cultures. It may have served to explain any of several natural phenomena, including the disappearance of the sun at night (the Egyptian version of the motif described below is an example), the shorter days during the winter (for example, the Japanese one mentioned below), or even solar eclipses. Most myths following the motif involve the disappearance of a solar deity, through imprisonment, exile or death. Some other tales are similar, such as the Sumerian story of Inanna's descent into the underworld. These may have parallel themes but do not fit in th ...

See also:

Solar deity, Solar deity - Missing sun, Solar deity - Examples, Solar deity - Chinese mythology, Solar deity - Hindu mythology, Solar deity - Trivia

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Ra (sometimes spelled Rê) is the sun-god of Heliopolis in ancient Egypt. Ra originally meant "mouth" in the Egyptian language, and was a reference to his creation of the deities of the Ogdoad system, excluding the 8 concepts which created him, by the power of speech (compare how Yahweh was said to have created the world). In later Egyptian dynastic times, Ra was subsumed into the god Horus, as Re-H ...

Including:

• Ra - Deity status
• Ra - Solar barge
• Ra - Hathor and Ra
• Ra - Ra in pop culture

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A deity or a god, is a postulated preternatural being, usually, but not always, of significant power, worshipped, thought holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, or respected by human beings. They assume a variety of forms, but are frequently depicted as having human or animal form. Sometimes it is considered blasphemous to imagine the deity as having any concrete form. They are usually immortal. They are commonly assumed to have personalities and to possess consciousness, intellects, desires, and emotions much like human ...

Including:

• Deity - Etymology
• Deity - Relation with humanity
• Deity - Religion
• Deity - Singular God

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Aryaman (अर्यमन्, pronounced as "əryəmən"; nominative singular is aryamā) is one of the Early Vedic deities (devas) of the Hindu pantheon. His name literally means a bosom friend, but is often confused as "the protector of the Aryans". He is an Aditya, a solar deity. He is supposed to be the chief of the manes and the Milky Way is supposed to be his path. Other related archivesAditya, Hindu, Milky Way, devas, solar deity

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This list of deities aims to give information about deities in the different religions, cultures and mythologies of the world. It is sorted alphabetically. There are also lists of deities by type; see the articles death deity, household deity, lunar deity, and solar deity. See also: List of fictional deities, List of people considered to be deities Related articles include Deva, Demigod, Divinity, God, God (male deity), Goddess, Mythology, Religion, Scripture. List of deities - Abenaki. Including:

• List of deities - Abenaki
• List of deities - African
• List of deities - Anglo-Saxon
• List of deities - Akamba
• List of deities - Akan
• List of deities - Ashanti
• List of deities - Australian Aboriginal
• List of deities - Ayyavazhi
• List of deities - Aztec
• List of deities - Bahá'í
• List of deities - Bushongo
• List of deities - Celtic
• List of deities - Chinese
• List of deities - Chippewa
• List of deities - Christian
• List of deities - Creek
• List of deities - Dacian
• List of deities - Dahomey
• List of deities - Dinka
• List of deities - Efik
• List of deities - Egyptian
• List of deities - Estonian
• List of deities - Etruscan
• List of deities - Finnish
• List of deities - Ancient Greek
• List of deities - Gnostic
• List of deities - Guarani
• List of deities - Haida
• List of deities - Hindu
• List of deities - Ho-Chunk
• List of deities - Hopi
• List of deities - Huron
• List of deities - Ibo
• List of deities - Incan
• List of deities - Inuit
• List of deities - Iroquois
• List of deities - Islamic
• List of deities - Isoko
• List of deities - Japanese
• List of deities - Judaic
• List of deities - Khoikhoi
• List of deities - Modern Western mythology
• List of deities - !Xũ
• List of deities - Kwakiutl
• List of deities - Lakota
• List of deities - Lotuko
• List of deities - Latvian
• List of deities - Lugbara
• List of deities - Lusitani
• List of deities - Mayan
• List of deities - Mesopotamian
• List of deities - Navaho
• List of deities - Norse
• List of deities - Pawnee
• List of deities - Persian
• List of deities - Polynesian
• List of deities - Prussian and Baltic
• List of deities - Pygmy
• List of deities - Roman
• List of deities - Salish
• List of deities - Sardinian
• List of deities - Semitic pagan
• List of deities - Seneca
• List of deities - Sikhism
• List of deities - Slavic
• List of deities - Sumerian
• List of deities - Thracian
• List of deities - Tumbuka
• List of deities - Ugarit
• List of deities - Yoruba
• List of deities - Zoroastrian
• List of deities - Zulu
• List of deities - Zuni

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In Hinduism, the Adityas are a group of solar deities, sons of Aditi and Kasyapa. In the Rigveda, they are seven deities of the heavens, chief of these being Varuna, followed by Mitra, Aryaman, Bhaga, Daksha, and Ansa, the seventh Aditya was probably the Sun, Surya or Savitar. As a class of gods, the Rigvedic Adityas were distinct from the Vishvedevas. In the Yajurveda (TS), their number is given as eight. In the Brahmanas, their number is expanded to twelve, corresponding to the twelve months: Ansa Aryman < ...

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Samson or Shimshon (שִׁמְשׁוֹן "Of the sun" (perhaps proclaiming he was radiant and mighty) or "[One who] Serves [God]", Standard Hebrew Šimšon, Tiberian Hebrew Šimšôn) is the third to last of the Judges of the ancient Children of Israel mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. He is described in the Book of Judges in chapters 13 to 16. Samson is something of a Herculean figure, utilizing massive strength to combat his enemies and perform heroic feats unachievable by ordinary men; ...

Including:

• Samson - Biblical story
• Samson - In rabbinic literature
• Samson - In other literature
• Samson - Samson as myth
• Samson - Samson's name and birthplace
• Samson - Dusk
• Samson - The day
• Samson - The yearly sun

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In Lakota mythology, Wi is one of the most supreme gods. He is a solar deity, and is associated with the American Bison. He is the father of Whope. Anog Ite attempted to seduce Wi, but she had one of her two faces changed into an ugly visage as punishment. His brother was none other than Shamash the Sun and Justice God. Other related archivesAmerican Bison, Anog Ite, Lakota mythology, WI, Whope, solar deity

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Mitra or Mithra or Mithras is an important deity of Persian and Indic culture; he appears in the Vedas as one of the Adityas, a solar deity and the god of honesty, friendship, contracts and meetings. In Persian civilization, where his name was rendered as Mithra, he later came into increased prominence as a major deity of Zoroastrianism. He can be identified with a proto-Indo-Persian deity whose name can be reconstructed as *Mitra. Mithraism began as an aspect of the religion of the old Vedic (Hindu) p ...

Including:

• Mitra - Etymology and Origins
• Mitra - Mitra in the Vedas
• Mitra - Mithra in the Persian World
• Mitra - Temples to Mithra in Greater Ancient Persia
• Mitra - Mithra in the Greco/Roman world
• Mitra - External link

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In Celtic mythology, Crom Cruach was one of the chief gods of Ireland. He may have been a solar deity, but he was definitely a fertility deity. There was an idol on the Mag Sleact, which is the plain of adoration or prostration, in Cavan County, Ulster devoted to Crom Cruach. His statue was an upright stone pillar coated in gold or silver, depending on the accounts, and surrounded by twelve smaller, stone statues that were of bare stone or covered in bronze (according to different sources). This alignment would have represen ...

Including:

• Crom Cruach - Texts

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Malina is a solar deity in Inuit mythology. She is found most commonly in the legends of Greenland. Legends about Malina link her closely with the lunar deity Anningan, her brother. Malina is constantly fleeing from Anningan as the result of strife between the two (legends vary as to the cause). Their constant chase is the traditional explanation for the movement of the sun and moon through the sky. Malina - Story. According to Inuit mythology, Malina and her brother Anningan or Aningaaq lived toget ...

Including:

• Malina - Story

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Ninurta 'Lord Plough' in Sumerian and Akkadian mythology was the god of Nippur, identified with Ningirsu with whom he may always have been identical. In older transcriptions the name is rendered Ninib and in older commentary he is sometimes seen as a solar deity. In Nippur Ninurta was worshipped as part of a triad of deities including his father Enlil and his mother Ninlil. Ninurta often appears holding a bow and arrow and a mace named Sharur to which he speaks when attacking the monster Imdugud, and ...

Including:

• Ninurta - Cultus

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Ravi may refer to: Ravi (god), a Hindu solar deity. Ravi (music director), a Hindi music director. Ravi (Last Name), Last Name, Spelled as "RAVEE". Predominantly from the Andhra Pradesh Region of India. Ravi is also a short name for names like 'Ravindranath", "Ravichander", "Ravinder", "Ravindra", "Ravikanth". Ravindranath Tagore (Ravi) was a nobel laurette for literature from India. He is best known for this work Geetanjali. Ravi River Sri Sri Ravi Shankar�

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In Slavic mythology, Belabog (alternately Bialbog, Byelobog, Bielobog, Belun, Bylun) (bel-oh-bog | byal-bog | bel-oon, from Slavic bel, byal (white or light) and bog (god), literally meaning White God) is a solar deity in the Slavic pantheon. Belobog is one of the archaic gods. He is master of light, source of good, happiness and luck, and is the absolute antagonist of darkness, evil, and of all negative emotions and activities. Probably Belobog was at ...

Including:

• Belobog - External link

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In Hinduism, Surya is the chief solar deity, son of Dyaus Pita or Indra. He has hair and arms of gold. His chariot is pulled by seven horses, which represent the seven colors of rainbow. Tvashtri is his son, as are the twins Yama and Yami and the Asvins (by Saranya). Another name also used in vedic astrology is Ravi. A well-known Hindu mode of worship of Surya is done at the rising (and also setting) of the Sun, known as Surya Namaskara (Sun Salutation). Twelve yogic postures are assumed in order with twelve sacred Hindu ...

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In Continental Brythonic (Gallic) Celtic mythology, Abellio (also Abelio and Abelionni) was a god of apple trees, worshipped in the Garonne Valley in southwest France. Abellio - Confusion with the God Apollo?. To a lesser degree, Abellio appears to have been known as a solar deity in Crete and the Pyrenees. The Cretan Abellio may however not be the same god, but rather a different manifestation or else dialectal form of the Greek god Apollo or his name. Apollo ...

Including:

• Abellio - Confusion with the God Apollo?
• Abellio - Etymology
• Abellio - Parallels in non-Celtic cultures?
• Abellio - Bibliography

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The sky father is a recurring theme in pagan and neopagan mythology. The sky father is the complement of the earth mother and appears in some creation myths, many of which are European or ancient Near Eastern. Other cultures have quite different myths; Egyptian mythology features a sky mother and an earthly dying and reviving god of vegetation. Shinto gives precedence to a sun goddess. A sky father also relates to a solar deity, a god identified with the sun. In Maori mythology, Ranginui was the sky father. In this story, the sky father and earth moth ...

Including:

• Sky father - History of the concept

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In Egyptian mythology, Bast (also spelt Ubasti, and Pasht) is an ancient goddess, worshipped at least since the Second Dynasty. The centre of her cult was in Per-Bast (Bubastis in greek), which was named after her. Originally she was viewed as the protector goddess of Lower Egypt, and consequently depicted as a fierce lion. Indeed, her name means (female) devourer. As protectress, she was seen as defender of the pharaoh, and consequently of the chief god, Ra, who was a solar deity, gaining her the titles La ...

Including:

• Bast goddess - Bast in Popular Culture

Read more here: » Bast goddess: Encyclopedia - Bast goddess