Slavic Gods- an embodied idea of the World and world rules. When getting acquainted with the Slavic faith and traditions, of course, one cannot ignore the Slavic Gods. A deep understanding of the faith of our Ancestors begins with knowledge of their characters.
Today there are various ideas about who the Slavic Gods are. Some sources list many Gods, and even those who are known to us from the myths of India or Egypt are classified as Slavic. In other sources, on the contrary, only a few Slavic Gods are named, believing that our ancestors did not develop a developed mythology. We will talk about mythology and Slavic Gods the way they talk about it in the Russian North. Many ancient traditions, tales, fairy tales, Slavic myths have been preserved here, from which we know this.
Division of Slavic Gods into light and dark
Northern legends say that Rod, the Creator God, created the Slavic world and divided it into three parts: Rule, Reality and Nav. The bright Slavic Gods live in Prav. In Reveal there are people and elemental Gods. In Navi there are dark gods.
This division is simple, however, modern man often misunderstands it. We are accustomed to correlating “light” with “good” and “darkness” with “evil”. Therefore, many mistakenly believe that only the Slavic Gods of the world of Rule deserve veneration. The ancient Slavs treated the Gods of Navi with no less respect than the Gods of the world of Rule, although they were afraid of them. However, in the Slavic picture of the world, Navnye, Dark Gods are needed; one cannot do without them.
Slavic Gods of the world Rule
Among the Slavic Gods of Rule we include, first of all, Svarog, Heavenly Father, And Lada, Heavenly Mother. Their children, Svarozhichi- one of the main characters Slavic mythology. However, not all of their children live in the world of Prav. For example, Stribog and Semargl appear more often in the world of Reveal, among people.
Of course, one of the significant Slavic Gods of the world is Rule - Belobog, God of White Light, God of Creation. Twin brothers Belobog and Chernobog symbolize the forces of creation and destruction, the balance of which is necessary for the development of the Slavic world, moving forward.
Sign of God Svarog “Konegon”
Sign of the Goddess Lada “Star of Lada”
Lada
Slavic Goddess Lada- Mother of the Gods, wife of God Svarog. For the Slavs, this Goddess became the embodiment of all the brightest, kindest things that can be in a family - harmony between spouses, good children, harmony and well-being of all home life. The sweetest, most merciful and understandable Slavic Goddess. When we think about a Slavic woman - a wife, mother, sister - the most appropriate image will be the face of the Divine Mother Lada. Do you want to know more about the Goddess Lada, about her symbols, signs, holidays and rituals of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Goddess Lada - Slavic Goddess of love and beauty»
Sign of God Belobog "Light"
Belobog
Slavic God Belobog- twin brother of God Chernobog. Our world stands on this love and struggle of two brothers, as our ancestors believed. This idea is similar to the global idea of the unity and struggle of opposites. Belobog is the one on whom the entire white light rests (this can be seen even from his name). Not the Sun, not the Moon, but a comprehensive idea of life, growth, development, movement. God Belobog, thus, is the personification of everything that forms the basis of obvious life. Do you want to know more about God Belobog, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Belobog - Patron God of the Slavs»
Sign of God Chura “Watchman amulet”
Chur
Slavic God Chur familiar to everyone, even those not interested in Slavic mythology. A well-known expression is a talisman: “Keep away from me!” calls upon our ancient Guardian God, God Chur. It is believed that this God preserves what belongs to a person by right, draws the line between “mine, ours” and “someone else’s”. Turning to this God helped to preserve one’s possessions, protected one from wrong actions, and protected one from troubles and enemies. “To come to your senses” in our language still means “to come to your senses from something incorrect and not useful.” God Chur is sometimes considered the First Ancestor, from whom all Slavic clans descended - in the pantheon he is not revered as the son of God Dazhdbog, but is a common unifying symbol. Do you want to know more about God Chura, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rituals of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Chur - Guardian God of Slavic clans»
Sign of the Goddess Alive “Summer Oblique Cross”
Alive
Slavic Goddess Alive- wonderful daughter of the Goddess Lada. The wife of God Dazhdbog, from her children descended Slavic generations. The Goddess is Alive for the Slavs - like a sip of living water, pouring into a person the opportunity to live, love, and give birth to their own kind. This personifies the flow of vital forces that allow a baby to grow up, a boy and a girl to become a father and mother. By turning to the Goddess Alive, wounds heal, health returns, and the joy of life infuses. In a word, this is the Goddess who brings Life. Do you want to know more about the Goddess Alive, about her symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Alive - the great Goddess of Life, Goddess of Summer»
Sign of the Goddess Lyolya “Lelnik”
Lelya
Young and beautiful Slavic Goddess Lelya- the one who embodies for the Slavs all the charm of a young smile, a ringing voice and a light tread. Goddess Lelya is the spring that descends to earth along with the Yarilo-Sun. The embodiment of these blossoming natural forces that restore man after a long and dark winter has been preserved in our culture in the form of the Guardian Goddess. The sign of the Goddess Lelya is often found in traditional embroidery and is called “bereginya”. All spring chants, round dances and sonorous songs are dedicated to her - the smiling and affectionate Goddess Lelya. Do you want to know more about the Goddess Lela, about her symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Slavic Goddess Lelya - Goddess of Spring»
Sign of God Lel and God Polel “Palm Amulet”
Lel and Polel
Many people know the Slavic God Lelya based on the fairy tale “The Snow Maiden”, where he, in the form of a shepherdess, played melodies of love on a simple horn. And this is perhaps the only image that is allowed by official culture. Meanwhile, for centuries, the image of God - a beautiful young man who kindled love in the hearts of people - was preserved in people's memory. God Lel is beautiful as the image of a loved one in the eyes of a woman in love. What is important is that God Lel is at the same time God’s twin brother Polelya. This God reigns in the hearts of already engaged people who have created their own family and patronizes a happy marriage. Thus, the brothers embody those relationships that contribute to happiness: God Lel is the God of love, God Polel is the God of a happy family. Do you want to know more about the Gods Lele and Polele, about their symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Lel and Polel - two Gods, without whom happiness is unthinkable»
Sign of God Kvasura “Oberezhnik”
Kvasura
Slavic God Kvasura embodies the now forgotten culture of fun without alcohol intoxication, eating without gluttony, holidays without “massacre”. A moderate attitude towards bodily pleasures while maintaining the joy of life is what is embedded in the image of God Kvasura. To be healthy, to be cheerful, to lead a healthy lifestyle without the use of amusing and intoxicating substances is what the Slavic God of fun reminds us of. It is this image that is easiest to turn to when you want to straighten your life, get health and freedom from addictions!Do you want to know more about God Kvasura, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Kvasura - Slavic God of Fun and Temperance»
Sign of God Kitovras "Kolohort"
Kitovras
Slavic God Kitovras- an amazing creature from old myths. A representative of the fairy-tale people that we know from Greek myths, God Kitovras is described as a centaur, half-man, half-horse. It would seem that all this is far from our lands, but it is in the north that the Kargopol clay toy “Polkan” is still made. This figurine, oddly enough, represents a centaur. About Polkan, or, in other words, about Kitovras, this is what people say: they say, he was such a storyteller that people and animals, listening to him, went with their thoughts, and then with their bodies, into the world about which this bayun sang. That, they say, before Kitovras was a great warrior - a magician and even a commander, and won many battles and did not lose a single one; but suddenly, at the zenith of his glory, he dropped everything and walked through the lands and villages, crossing paths, and began to tell fairy tales. And his tales were so heartfelt and reasonable that they gradually began to call Polkan the God of Wisdom. XWould you like to learn more about God Kitovras, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Kitovras - Slavic God of Wisdom»
Slavic Gods of the World of Reveal
Slavic Gods also live in the world of Reveal! First of all, the elemental Gods: Agidel, Goddess of Water; Semargl, God of fire; Stribog, God of Wind, his children and grandchildren, such as a warm breeze Dogoda; Mother of Cheese Earth, one of the most revered Slavic Goddesses.
There are other Slavic Gods who appear most often in the world of Reveal. Sun God Horse and his sister Divya, Moon Goddess. Tara- Slavic Goddess of the Guiding Star (North Star), it was her bright light in the old days that prevented travelers from going astray. We often see lightning in reality Perun and the rich rains that his wife sends Diva-Dodola.
Sign of the God Horse "Ognivets"
Horse
Slavic God Horse- God Rules, whom, fortunately, we see in our world in the firmament. When you look at the Sun, at its luminous image, you see the manifestation of the Slavic God Khors. There are other solar Gods (Kolyada, Yarilo, Kupala, Avsen), and the God of white light Belbog, and the God of reflected light Dazhdbog, but only God Khors is the same Sun in its manifest physical form. Beautiful fairy tales about God Horse they say that once upon a time the Creator Rod gave the day under his control, and every single morning God Horse rides out on his sparkling chariot to the sky, and every evening he ends up returning in a black boat along a black underground river to their mansions - in order to shine again in the morning and give warmth to all living things on earth.Do you want to know more about God Horse, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Horse - Slavic God of the Solar Disk»
Sign of the Goddess Divia “Lunnitsa”
Divya
Slavic Goddess Divya
- our beautiful friend Luna. It is the manifestation of this Goddess that we see in our world in the form of either a thin sickle or a full circle. Goddess Divya-Luna is the embodiment of mystery, changeability and predictive power. This Goddess is the patroness of Fortune Tellers, Sorcerers, and all Knowers. In the obvious world, its influence extends to women, determining the rhythms of life. The Beautiful Goddess is the twin of God Khorsa, who, by the will of the Creator Family, was given control of the night time. Every night the Moon Goddess rides into the sky on her white chariot and every morning she returns to herself, giving way to her brother in the sky. But, according to legend, she asked the Sky God Dy for permission to sometimes see her brother - so sometimes we see them meeting above our heads.Do you want to know more about the Goddess Divya, about her symbols, signs, holidays and rituals of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Divya - Slavic Moon Goddess»
Sign of God Dyya “Wealth amulet”
Dyy
Slavic God Dyy in our mythology - an ambiguous personality. Most likely, different attitudes towards wealth gave rise to a variety of explanations for the properties and incarnations of this God. We know from myths that God Dyy is the twin brother of God Viy, one of the darkest and most mysterious Gods of Navi. It is believed that God Dyy was born by the bright God at the dawn of time and is the embodiment of Heaven above our heads. It is believed that God Dyy is at the same time the Patron of Wealth and Prosperity - and we can understand this, since for our ancestors what happened in heaven directly affected the lives of people and the well-being of each family. Do you want to know more about God Dye, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Dyy - Slavic God of Wealth and Prosperity»
Sign of God Svyatogor “Godnik”
Svyatogor
Slavic God Svyatogor known according to myths as the God-hero of enormous stature. Late mentions of him are found even in epics about Ilya Muromets. Probably, in the image of this God we find some memories of a former race of people of enormous stature - the mythologies of many peoples tell of giants. In the Slavic epic, God Svyatogor is known as the one who holds the heavens on his shoulders. In Greek mythology, he is known as Atlas - the same one to whom Hercules came to accomplish his next feat. Do you want to know more about God Svyatogor, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “Svyatogor - Slavic Guardian of Heaven »
Sign of God Stribog “Bird amulet”
Stribog
Slavic God Stribog- the elemental God of Air, the embodiment of the winds blowing over Mother Earth. According to Slavic mythology, Stribog is the son of the mighty Svarog, born to him during the first battle of Prav and Navi. This famous battle occurred when Rhode planned to separate the Gods for different tasks. At that time, Svarog hit the Alatyr stone with his hammer, and from these sparks two twin brothers were born: Stribog, the God of Wind and Semargl, the God of Fire. God Stribog is thus one of the oldest Gods, the Father of the winds. God Stribog is addressed as a clear element that helps man live in harmony with Nature.Do you want to know more about God Stribog, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Stribog - Slavic God of the element of Air, God of the wind»
Sign of God Semargl "Rarog"
Semargl
Slavic God Semargl- the elemental God of Fire, the embodiment of the forces of earthly fire and heavenly fire. According to Slavic mythology, Semargl is the son of the mighty Svarog, born to him during the first battle of Prav and Navi, and the twin brother of the God of the wind Stribog.God Semargl is thus one of the oldest Gods, the owner of all fire. God Semargl is addressed as a clear element that helps man live in harmony with Nature.Do you want to know more about God Semargl, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Semargl - Slavic God of the element of Fire»
Sign of God Perun "Gromovnik"
Perun
Slavic God Perun- the formidable son of Svarog the blacksmith, the mighty defender of Reveal, God the Thunderer and Lada, the Heavenly Mother. God Perun is one of the most famous Slavic Gods; he is revered as the patron saint of warriors and protector of the World of Revealing. They tell stories about various deeds of God Perun, one of the most important is the battle with the creature of Chaos, Skipper Serpent. There are many known signs with the power of this Slavic God; the holiday of Perun is now celebrated as a day of military prowess. We see the appearance of Perun during a thunderstorm - flashing lightning and heavenly thunder.Do you want to know more about God Perun, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rituals of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Perun - Slavic God of Thunder and Justice»
Sign of the Goddess Diva-Dodola “Perunitsa”
Diva-Dodola
Slavic Goddess Diva-Dodola, also known as Perunitsa, is the Slavic Goddess of the Thunderstorm, wife of the warlike Perun. According to the Slavs, it is during a thunderstorm that this Goddess appears in the sky, surrounded by her priestesses, her bright progress across the sky is accompanied by downpours and bad weather, but it always leads to a clear sky and a rainbow bridge. This Goddess manifests as a natural phenomenon and as a world cleansing force leading to calm through the storm.Do you want to learn more about the Goddess Diva-Dodol, about her symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Diva-Dodola - Slavic Goddess of Thunderstorms»
Sign of God Yarilo "Yarovik"
Yarilo
Slavic God Yarilo (Yarila)- Slavic God spring sun, son of God Veles. Many mythological ideas have been preserved about God Yaril, mainly because among the people his veneration was hidden under the cult of St. George. God Yarilo, thus, appears as the spring sun, giving rise to seedlings, as the life-giving force of Nature and, what is important, as a protective force, male rage, as the embodiment of the power of love and life. God Yarilo is known as the patron of men and, interestingly, as the ruler of wolves.Do you want to know more about God Yarilo, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rituals of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Yarilo - Slavic God of the spring Sun»
Sign of God Dazhdbog “Straight Cross”
Dazhdbog
Slavic God Dazhdboga (Dazhboga) many know from the famous statement in “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”: “We are the grandchildren of Dazhdbog!” It is believed that from the marriage of the God Dazhdbog and the Goddess Zhiva, Arius was born, from whom the Slavic families descended. They revered God Dazhdbog as the progenitor of the Slavic family, as a warrior-defender, but most of all - as the deity of light, fertility and, as a result, the blessings of life. It is in the manifestation of solar reflected light that we see God Dazhdbog in Reveal. Some believe that the name of the Slavic God Dazhdbog is associated with rain, but this is not true. The name of this God is a derivative of “God willing.” Do you want to know more about God Dazhdbog, about his symbols, signs, holidays and glorification rituals? Then welcome here to the big articleDazhdbog - Slavic solar God»
Sign of the Goddess Tara "Vaiga"
Tara
Slavic Goddess Tara considered the twin sister of Dazhbog, who is sometimes called Tarkh Perunovich. Just like the twins Khors and Divya, who appear in the form of opposite phenomena (Sun and Moon), so Dazhdbog and Tara appear in different time days: Dazhdbog controls reflected sunlight, and Tara appears in the night as the guiding North Star. The goddess Tara was revered as the patroness of travelers, opening roads and helping to choose a direction. Since the roads of travelers can pass through forests, at the same time the Goddess Tara was considered the patroness of sacred oak forests. Do you want to learn more about the Slavic Goddess Tara, about her symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Slavic Goddess Tara - Goddess of the guiding star »
Sign of God Dogoda "Vratok"
Dogoda
Slavic God Dogoda little known among the great Gods of the Slavic pantheon. Nevertheless, this slightly frivolous, active and cheerful son of Stribog was revered as the God of Good Weather. The life of our ancestors depended on nature and weather conditions, so this natural manifestation of God's mercy delighted the people. There are few legends about him, but today, more than ever, we are ready to welcome the beautiful God Dogoda! Do you want to know more about God Dogod, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “Slavic God Dogoda - God of good weather, let's call him together!»
Sign of the Goddess Agidel “Heavenly Abyss”
Agidel
Slavic Goddess Agidel, granddaughter of the God Svarog, is known in the north as the Goddess of Water. Our ancestors depended on reservoirs; in the north, fishing was one of the main industries, so different kinds waters were endowed with various divine properties. Slavic mythology knows Vodyany, Mermaids, even the sea king, the Goddess Dana and the Gods of large rivers (for example, God Don). The goddess Agidel is, first of all, the mythological savior of the earth from drought, who discovered the world's waters, a girl who turned into river water. Thus, the Goddess Agidel is not the goddess of a specific body of water, but rather a manifestation of the divine properties of the water element that are merciful to humans. Do you want to know more about the Slavic Goddess Agidel, about her symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Agidel - Slavic Goddess of water»
Sign of God Avsen "Tausen"
Avsen
Slavic God Avsen known primarily as the God of the Autumn Sun. The autumn harvest festival, thanksgiving to the Gods for the harvest, farewell to summer - for our ancestors this meant the arrival of autumn and Avsen. God Avsen was endowed with calm wisdom - he is the eldest (and oldest) of the solar Gods, ruling the world for a quarter of the year. On the day of the winter solstice, God Avsen hands over the reins of power to his brother Kolyada, the young Winter Sun. Thus, God Avsen manifests himself as the autumn annual period, as the Sun and as the law of withering of what was once young. What is surprising is that at the same time God Avsen is a builder of bridges to the future. Do you want to know more about God Avsen, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “Avsen (Ovsen) - Slavic God of Autumn"
Sign of God Kupalo "Fern Color"
Kupalo
Slavic God Kupala (Kupala) manifests itself in our world on the shortest night of the year. God Kupalo takes control of the world and is the God of the Summer Sun, ruler of the annual period until the autumn equinox. The manifestation of God is a natural fall from its very limit, from the greatest height to a state of calm “reaping the fruits.” In Slavic mythology, God Kupala is the brother of the Goddess Kostroma, who experienced a terrible spell in childhood, which determined the subsequent difficult circumstances of life. Do you want to know more about God Kupalo, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the great article “God Kupala or Kupala - Slavic God of the Summer Sun"
Slavic Gods of the world Navi
Lord Navi - Chernobog, brother of Belobog. This dark God is not at all at war with his brother, he is only doing his job, very important, but unappreciated by many: Chernobog destroys what there is no longer a place in the world of Reveal.
Other Slavic Gods of the world Navi also exist in order to not let the world stop developing. In addition, it is the Naval Gods who guard the world of the dead and stand on the border between the ordered world and chaos. We include Navi among the Slavic Gods Morenu, Koshcheya, Viya. Even the Slavic God of the Winter Sun Kolyada spends most of his time in the world of Navi.
Sign of God Viy “All-Seeing Eye”
Viy
Slavic God Viy known from the work of N.V. Gogol, where Viy is chthonic monster, an all-seeing monster. It must be said that this literary character has almost nothing in common with the Slavic deity that our people remember. According to ancient Slavic myths, which we are recreating at the present time, God Viy is one of the oldest Gods created by the Creator Rod at the dawn of time. God Viy prefers Nav - the world of Spirits, where Souls go and from where they come to Reality. God Viy is a powerful wizard, gloomy, but striving to restore order. Slavic myths consider God Viy to be the “shepherd of souls” - the very force that forces souls to be cleansed of obvious hardships, undergo purification by fire and be reborn again. Do you want to know more about God Viya, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “God Viy - Guardian of Souls among the Slavs”
Sign of God Chernobog “Navnik”
Chernobog
Slavic God Chernobog perceived by some as a villain and enemy of humanity. It is believed that the twin brother of the light God Belobog, who embodies everything light and good, Chernobog embodies the opposite principle - darkness and evil. This is too simple and an incorrect idea of two opposing principles. So in the pair Horse-Divia, or Dazhdbog-Tara you can find light and darkness. But who said that this is good and evil? The idea of Chernobog will be correct if we think of him as the destructive principle of our worlds, of the one who takes on the role of the destroyer of the old and outdated. Chernobog is the governing force in the World of Navi, and that is why he was revered by our ancestors on a par with Belobog. Do you want to know more about God Chernobog, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the great article “God Chernobog - Slavic God of Destruction”
Sign of the Goddess Morena “Winter Oblique Cross”
Moraine
Slavic Goddess Morena (Madder, Mora)- many people are familiar with the Maslenitsa holiday, where they drive away “Morena-winter” and burn a straw effigy. The Goddess of Winter Morena is also the Goddess of Death, which is understandable. This is the Goddess Navi, considered the wife of the ruler of this world, God Chernobog. You should not imagine the Goddess Morena in the image of a scary old woman - on the contrary, in Slavic myths she is a young black-haired beauty, full of strength and plans. Also, one should not simplify the perception of this Goddess - from Slavic myths it is known that she is the daughter of Svarog, the Supreme God of the world of Rule and the beautiful and kind Lada. Do you want to know more about the Slavic Goddess Morena, about her symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the great article “Goddess Morena - Slavic Goddess of Winter and Death »
Sign of God Koshchei "Koshchyun"
Koschey
Slavic God Koschey is often perceived as the same “Kosha” from the Soviet fairy tale film. Slavic mythology is much deeper and wiser than mass cliches. God Koschey is an associate of God Chernobog, who left with him during the battle of Light and Darkness, which took place in time immemorial. God Koschey is the commander of the army, whose task is to cleanse those who live unrighteously; every night he leaves Navi for Yav to restore justice and take souls so that they have the opportunity to start living again. The Slavic God Koschey is a just, punishing God of Death. Do you want to know more about God Koshchei, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “Koschey the Immortal - Slavic God of Death"
Sign of the Trojan God “Healer”
Trojan
Slavic God Trojan arouses both interest and bewilderment. The “three-faced idol” on the island of Rügen (Ruyan) is known, but this is not about him. From Slavic myths we know the son of the God Veles and a human woman, who so strove for knowledge of healing that in the end Troyan was compared with the Gods. After his departure to Nav, Troyan was reborn and was recognized as God. Since that time, the new God Trojan has been known as the God of healing. Do you want to know more about the Trojan God, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the great article “God Trojan - Slavic God of Healing”
Sign of God Kolyada "Kolyadnik"
Kolyada
Slavic God Kolyada Many people know it for the holiday of carols, which is celebrated on the winter solstice. The symbolism of this holiday coincides with the image of God Kolyada in the minds of the Slavs. God Kolyada is the God of the young winter sun, leaving Navi at this time. God Kolyada in mythology is the light of the sun and the light of knowledge (the word “enlightenment” gives this image of the sun, light, knowledge, growth). God Kolyada is the brother of Avsen, from whom he takes the reins of government for a quarter of the year, in order to then give them to the bright Yaril on the day of the spring equinox. Do you want to know more about God Kolyada, about his symbols, signs, holidays and glorification rituals? Then welcome here to the big article “God Kolyada - God of the Winter Sun”
Sign of the Goddess Kostroma “Cross”
Kostroma
Slavic Goddess Kostroma known from Slavic mythology as the sister of God Kupalo. Because of her quarrelsome nature, a misfortune occurred with her brother Kupala in childhood, and the curse that Kostroma brought upon both of them led to an even greater tragedy in adulthood. These difficult events led to spiritual rebirth of both brother Kupala and sister Kostroma. Once in the world of Navi, Kostroma has changed and is now the embodiment of the forces that support love in this world. Goddess Kostroma for the Slavs is the Patroness of lovers. Do you want to know more about the Slavic Goddess Kostroma, about her symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “Goddess Kostroma - Slavic patroness of lovers »
Sign of the Goddess Devan “Star amulet”
Devana
Slavic Goddess Dewans known as the Goddess of the Hunt. Like many Slavic Gods, she had a difficult history - as is known from myths, this proud and headstrong daughter of Perun wanted to become the most important in the world of Rule and rebelled against Svarog. After Perun pacified his unreasonable daughter, she became the wife of God Svyatobor, but their marriage was unsuccessful. Devana left her husband and began to rob long roads. The gods decided to stop Devan and sent her to Nav. Rebirth in Navi led to the fact that after this the Goddess Devana became wise, careful, but still loved traveling and hunting. Do you want to learn more about the Slavic Goddess Devan, about her symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the great article “Slavic Goddess Devan - Goddess of the Hunt” »
Sign of the God of Perplexity “Spiral”
Pereplut
Slavic God Pereplut little known among the Western Slavs, but in the Pomeranian north, on the contrary, it is one of the revered and famous Gods, the Patron of sailors. It is his influence in the world that creates a fair wind and opens the paths along which sailors can return home. God Pereplut is the God of Navi, and that is why he can help sailors who risk crossing the border between worlds, setting off on a long sea voyage. Do you want to know more about God Pereplut, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the great article “God Pereplut - God of Travelers”
Slavic Gods that stand apart
A special story Veles, God of the Three Worlds. The name of this Slavic God suggests that paths to all three worlds are open to him, therefore we cannot attribute him to any of them. Veles is especially revered in the Russian North; the amazing story of this God is definitely worth learning. The Goddess also stands apart Makosh, Goddess of Fate and Magic.
Sign of the Goddess Makosh “Rodovik”
Makosh
Slavic Goddess Makosh known and loved like no other. This is the Goddess of Fate and Magic, who owns the threads of destinies of both men and women, people and Gods. Due to its great action and influence on the well-being of people, the veneration of the Goddess Makosh mixed with the cult of the Goddess Mother of Cheese-Earth, also the giver of blessings. But Makosh is the giver of blessings in great importance, for the entire family line, and Mother Earth of cheese - more “down-to-earth” well-being for a specific period. In mythology there is no mention of the fact that God Rod, who created our Motherland, Worlds, Gods, ever created the Goddess Makosh. This silence may indicate that the Goddess Makosh is a force that came from outside. Do you want to know more about the Slavic Goddess Makosh, about her symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the great article “Slavic Goddess Makosh - Goddess of Fate and Magic »
Sign of God Veles “Bull Head”
Veles
Slavic God Veles known also to those who are little familiar with Slavic mythology in general. The veneration of God Veles is due to the fact that he simultaneously embodies all the powers of the three Worlds - this was precisely the plan of the Creator Family for him. That is why the influence of God Veles is great on human life and death. God Veles is revered as the Patron of nature, the manager of wild and domestic animals, in a word, the obvious well-being of people depends on his power. In addition, it is believed that it is God Veles who helps the Souls of the dead get to white Nav and then transfers the Souls of children across the Berezina River to be born in Yavi. By all accounts, God Veles, who is the God of Wisdom and Magic, stands especially in the pantheon of Slavic Gods. Do you want to know more about the Slavic God Veles, about his symbols, signs, holidays and glorification rituals? Then welcome here to the big article “Veles - Slavic God of Three Worlds »
Sign of the God of the Family "Svaor"
Genus
And the last one we remember here will be the First God, Rod-Creator, who created the Motherland in the middle of Chaos, creating order in the world order. According to Slavic mythology, God Rod is not exactly the Supreme Creator of the universe; he is the one who created the three worlds in which our bodies and souls exist. God Rod is the one who created the world order and maintains the rules, he is the force that gives meaning to our existence. It was he who created the Gods and gave them various manifestations, organizing a sequence of development and cessation, light and darkness. Do you want to know more about God Rod, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “God Rod - the Slavic God-Creator »
The ancient Slavic pantheon is very complex in its structure and numerous in composition. Most gods were identified with various forces of nature, although there were exceptions, the most striking example of which is Rod, the creator god. Due to the similarity of functions and properties of some gods, it is difficult to determine for sure which names are just variations of the names of the same god, and which belong to different gods.
The entire pantheon can be divided into two large circles: the elder gods who ruled all three worlds in the primordial stage, and the second circle - the young gods who took the reins of power in the new stage. At the same time, some elder gods are present in the new stage, while others disappear (more precisely, there are no descriptions of their activities or interference in anything, but the memory that they existed remains).
In the Slavic pantheon there was no clear hierarchy of power, which was replaced by a clan hierarchy, where sons were subordinate to their father, but brothers were equal to each other. The Slavs did not have clearly defined evil gods and good gods. Some deities gave life, others took it, but all were revered equally, since the Slavs believed that the existence of one without the other was impossible. At the same time, gods who were good in their functions could punish and cause harm, while evil ones, on the contrary, could help and save people. Thus, the gods of the ancient Slavs were very similar to people not only in appearance, but also in character, since they simultaneously carried within themselves both good and evil.
Outwardly, the gods looked like people, and most of them could turn into animals, in the form of which they usually appeared to people. The gods were distinguished from ordinary beings by their superpowers, which allowed the deities to change the world around them. Each of the gods had power over one of the parts of this world. The effects on other parts not subject to the deities were limited and temporary.
Genus
The most ancient supreme male deity among the Slavs was Rod. Already in Christian teachings against paganism in the 12th-13th centuries. they write about Rod as a god who was worshiped by all peoples.
Rod was the god of the sky, thunderstorms, and fertility. They said about him that he rides on a cloud, throws rain on the ground, and from this children are born. He was the ruler of the earth and all living things, and was a pagan creator god.
In Slavic languages, the root “rod” means kinship, birth, water (spring), profit (harvest), concepts such as people and homeland, in addition, it means the color red and lightning, especially ball lightning, called “rhodia”. This variety of cognate words undoubtedly proves the greatness of the pagan god.
Rod is a creator god, together with his sons Belbog and Chernobog he created this world. Alone, Rod created Prav, Yav and Nav in the sea of chaos, and together with his sons he created the earth.
The sun then came out from His face. The bright moon is from His chest. The frequent stars are from His eyes. The clear dawns are from His eyebrows. Dark nights - yes from His thoughts. Violent winds - from the breath...
"The Book of Kolyada"
The Slavs had no idea about appearance Rod, since he never appeared directly in front of people.
Temples in honor of the deity were built on hills or simply large open areas land. His idol was phallic in shape or simply shaped like a pillar painted red. Sometimes the role of an idol was played by an ordinary tree growing on a hill, especially if it was quite ancient. In general, the Slavs believed that Rod is in everything and therefore can be worshiped anywhere. There were no sacrifices in honor of Rod. Instead, holidays and feasts are organized, which are held directly near the idol.
The companions of the Family were Rozhanitsy - female deities of fertility in Slavic mythology, the patroness of the family, family, and home.
Belbog
Son of Rod, god of light, goodness and justice. In Slavic mythology, he is the creator of the world along with Rod and Chernobog. Outwardly, Belbog appeared as a gray-haired old man dressed like a sorcerer.
Belobog in the mythology of our ancestors never acted as an independent individual character. Just as any object in the world of reality has a shadow, so Belobog has its integral antipode - Chernobog. A similar analogy can be found in ancient Chinese philosophy (yin and yang), in the Ynglism of the Icelanders (Yuj rune) and in many other cultural and religious systems. Belobog, thus, becomes the embodiment of bright human ideals: goodness, honor and justice.
A sanctuary in honor of Belbog was built on the hills, with the idol facing east, towards the sunrise. However, Belbog was revered not only in the sanctuary of the deity, but also at feasts, always making a toast in his honor.
Veles
One of the greatest gods of the ancient world, son of Rod, brother of Svarog. His main act was that Veles set the world created by Rod and Svarog into motion. Veles - "cattle god" - owner wildlife, master of Navi, powerful wizard and werewolf, interpreter of laws, teacher of the arts, patron of travelers and merchants, god of luck. True, some sources point to him as the god of death...
At the moment, among various pagan and Rodnoverie movements, a fairly popular text is Veles’s book, which became known to the general public in the 1950s of the last century thanks to the researcher and writer Yuri Mirolyubov. The Veles book is actually 35 birch tablets, dotted with symbols, which linguists (in particular, A. Kur and S. Lesnoy) call Slavic pre-Cyrillic writing. It's interesting that original text Indeed, it does not resemble either the Cyrillic or Glagolitic alphabet, but the features of the Slavic runitsa are presented in it indirectly.
Despite the wide spread and mass veneration of this god, Veles was always separated from the other gods; his idols were never placed in common temples (sacred places in which images of the main gods of this territory were installed).
Two animals are associated with the image of Veles: a bull and a bear; in the temples dedicated to the deity, the wise men often kept a bear, which played a key role in the rituals.
Dazhdbog
God of the Sun, giver of heat and light, god of fertility and life-giving force. The symbol of Dazhdbog was originally considered to be the solar disk. Its color is gold, speaking of the nobility of this god and his unshakable strength. In general, our ancestors had three main solar deities - Khors, Yarila and Dazhdbog. But Khors was the winter sun, Yarilo was the spring sun, and Dazhdbog was the summer sun. Of course, it was Dazhdbog who deserved special respect, since a lot depended on the summer position of the sun in the firmament for the ancient Slavs, a people of farmers. At the same time, Dazhdbog was never distinguished by a tough disposition, and if a drought suddenly attacked, then our ancestors never blamed this god.
The temples of Dazhdbog were located on the hills. The idol was made of wood and placed facing east or southeast. Feathers from ducks, swans and geese, as well as honey, nuts and apples were brought as gifts to the deity.
Devana
Devana is the goddess of hunting, wife of the forest god Svyatobor and daughter of Perun. The Slavs represented the goddess in the form of a beautiful girl dressed in an elegant marten fur coat trimmed with squirrel. The beauty wore a bear skin over her fur coat, and the head of the animal served as her hat. Perun's daughter carried with her an excellent bow and arrows, sharp knife and a spear, with which they go to fight a bear.
The beautiful goddess not only hunted forest animals: she herself taught them how to avoid dangers and endure harsh winters.
Dewana was first of all revered by hunters and trappers; they prayed to the goddess to grant good luck in the hunt, and in gratitude they brought part of their prey to her sanctuary. It was believed that it was she who helped to find the secret paths of animals in the dense forest, to avoid clashes with wolves and bears, and, if the meeting did take place, to help the person emerge victorious.
Share and Nedolya
Share is a good goddess, Mokosh’s assistant, weaving a happy destiny.
He appears in the guise of a sweet young man or a red-haired maiden with golden curls and a cheerful smile. He cannot stand still, he walks around the world - there are no barriers: swamp, river, forest, mountains - Fate will instantly overcome.
Doesn't like lazy people, careless people, drunks and all sorts of things bad people. Although at first he makes friends with everyone - then he will sort out the bad things, evil man will leave.
NEDOLYA (Need, Need) - the goddess, Mokosh’s assistant, weaves an unhappy fate.
Dolya and Nedolya are not just personifications of abstract concepts that do not have objective existence, but on the contrary, they are living persons identical to the maidens of fate.
They act according to their own calculations, regardless of the will and intentions of a person: a happy person does not work at all and lives in contentment, because the Share works for him. On the contrary, Nedolya’s activities are constantly aimed at harming people. While she is awake, misfortune follows misfortune, and only then does it become easier for the unfortunate man when Nedolya falls asleep: “If Likho is sleeping, don’t wake him.”
Dogoda
Dogoda (Weather) - the god of beautiful weather and a gentle, pleasant breeze. Young, ruddy, fair-haired, wearing a cornflower blue wreath with blue butterfly wings gilded at the edges, in silver-shiny bluish clothes, holding a thorn in his hand and smiling at the flowers.
Kolyada
Kolyada is the baby sun, in Slavic mythology the embodiment of the New Year's cycle, as well as a holiday character similar to Avsen.
Kolyada was celebrated on winter holidays from December 25 (the turn of the sun to spring) to January 6.
“Once upon a time, Kolyada was not perceived as a mummer. Kolyada was a deity, and one of the most influential. They called carols and called. The days before the New Year were dedicated to Kolyada, and games were organized in her honor, which were subsequently held at Christmastide. The last patriarchal ban on the worship of Kolyada was issued on December 24, 1684. It is believed that Kolyada was recognized by the Slavs as the deity of fun, which is why he was called upon and called upon by merry bands of youth during New Year’s festivities” (A. Strizhev. “People's Calendar”).
Kryshen
The son of the Almighty and the goddess Maya, he was the brother of the very first creator of the world, Rod, although he was much younger than him. He returned fire to people, fought on the shores of the Arctic Ocean with Chernobog and defeated him.
KUPALO
Kupala (Kupaila) is the fruitful deity of summer, the summer hypostasis of the Sun god.
“Kupalo, as I remember, was the god of abundance, like the Hellenic Ceres, to whom the madman offered thanks for the abundance to the Shah at that time, when the harvest was about to arrive.”
His holiday is dedicated to the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. The night before this day was also sacred - the Night before Kupalo. Feasting, merrymaking and mass swimming in ponds continued all that night.
They sacrificed to him before collecting bread, on June 23, St. Agrippina, who was popularly nicknamed the Bathing Suit. Young people decorated themselves with wreaths, lit a fire, danced around it and sang Kupala. The games continued all night. In some places, on June 23, they heated bathhouses, laid grass for a bathhouse (buttercup) in them, and then swam in the river.
On the very Nativity of John the Baptist, weaving wreaths, they hung them on the roofs of houses and on barns to remove evil spirits from the home.
Lada
LADA (Freya, Preya, Siv or Zif) - the goddess of youth and spring, beauty and fertility, an all-generous mother, patroness of love and marriages.
In folk songs, “lado” still means a dearly beloved friend, lover, groom, husband.
Freya's outfit shines with the dazzling brilliance of the sun's rays, her beauty is charming, and the drops of morning dew are called her tears; on the other hand, she acts as a warlike heroine, rushing through the heavens in storms and thunderstorms and driving away rain clouds. In addition, this is a goddess, in whose retinue the shadows of the dead walk in afterworld. The cloud fabric is precisely the veil on which the soul, after the death of a person, ascends to the kingdom of the blessed.
According to popular poems, angels, appearing for a righteous soul, take it on a shroud and carry it to heaven. The cult of Freya-Siwa explains the superstitious respect that Russian commoners have for Friday, as a day dedicated to this goddess. Anyone who starts a business on Friday will, as the proverb goes, back off.
Among the ancient Slavs, the birch tree, which personified the goddess Lada, was considered a sacred tree.
Ice
Ice - the Slavs prayed to this deity for success in battles; he was revered as the ruler of military actions and bloodshed. This ferocious deity was depicted as a terrible warrior, armed with Slavic armor, or all-weapon. A sword at the hip, a spear and a shield in the hand.
He had his own temples. When preparing to go on a campaign against enemies, the Slavs prayed to him, asking for help and promising abundant sacrifices if they were successful in military operations.
Lel
Lel is the god of love passion in the mythology of the ancient Slavs, the son of the goddess of beauty and love Lada. The word “cherish” still reminds us of Lela, this cheerful, frivolous god of passion, that is, undead, love. He is the son of the goddess of beauty and love Lada, and beauty naturally gives birth to passion. This feeling flared up especially brightly in the spring and Kupala night. Lel was depicted as a golden-haired, winged baby, like his mother: after all, love is free and elusive. Lel threw sparks from his hands: after all, passion is fiery, hot love! In Slavic mythology, Lel is the same god as the Greek Eros or Roman Cupid. Only the ancient gods hit the hearts of people with arrows, and Lel kindled them with his fierce flame.
The stork (heron) was considered his sacred bird. Another name for this bird in some Slavic languages is leleka. In connection with Lelem, both cranes and larks were revered - symbols of spring.
Makosh
One of the main goddesses of the Eastern Slavs, the wife of the thunderer Perun.
Her name is made up of two parts: “ma” - mother and “kosh” - purse, basket, shed. Makosh is the mother of filled cats, mother good harvest.
This is not a goddess of fertility, but a goddess of the results of the economic year, a goddess of the harvest, and a giver of blessings. The harvest is determined by lot, fate, every year, so she was also revered as the goddess of fate. A mandatory attribute when depicting her is a cornucopia.
This goddess connected the abstract concept of fate with the concrete concept of abundance, patronized the household, sheared sheep, spun, and punished the careless. The specific concept of “spinner” was associated with the metaphorical one: “spinning of fate.”
Makosh patronized marriage and family happiness. She was represented as a woman with a large head and long arms, spinning at night in a hut: superstitions forbid leaving the tow, “otherwise Makosha will spin it.”
Moraine
Morena (Marana, Morana, Mara, Maruha, Marmara) - the goddess of death, winter and night.
Mara is the goddess of death, daughter of Lada. Outwardly, Mara looks tall beautiful girl with black hair in red clothes. Mara cannot be called either an evil or a good goddess. On the one hand, it gives death, but at the same time it also gives life.
One of Mara’s favorite pastimes is needlework: she loves to spin and weave. At the same time, like the Greek Moira, he uses the threads of fate of living beings for needlework, leading them to turning points in life, and, ultimately, cutting off the thread of existence.
Mara sends her messengers all over the world, who appear to people in the guise of a woman with long black hair or in the guise of doubles of people who are destined for warning, and foretell imminent death.
They didn’t build part of Mary permanent places worship and honor could be given to her anywhere. To do this, an image of the goddess, carved from wood or made from straw, was installed on the ground, and the area was surrounded by stones. Directly in front of the idol, a larger stone or wooden plank was installed, which served as an altar. After the ceremony, all this was dismantled, and the image of Mary was burned or thrown into the river.
Mara was revered on February 15, and flowers, straw and various fruits were brought as gifts to the goddess of death. Sometimes, during years of severe epidemics, animals were sacrificed, bleeding them directly at the altar.
Welcoming spring with a solemn holiday, the Slavs performed a ritual of expelling Death or Winter and threw an effigy of Morana into the water. As a representative of winter, Morana is defeated by the spring Perun, who strikes her with his blacksmith's hammer and casts her into an underground dungeon for the entire summer.
In accordance with the identification of Death with thunder spirits, ancient belief forced these latter to fulfill its sad duty. But since the thunderer and his companions were also the organizers of the heavenly kingdom, the concept of Death became twofold, and fantasy portrayed it either as an evil creature, dragging souls into the underworld, or as a messenger of the supreme deity, accompanying the souls of deceased heroes to his heavenly palace.
Diseases were considered by our ancestors as companions and assistants of Death.
Perun
The Thunder God, a victorious, punishing deity, whose appearance excites fear and awe. Perun, in Slavic mythology, the most famous of the Svarozhich brothers. He is the god of storm clouds, thunder and lightning.
He is presented as stately, tall, with black hair and a long golden beard. Seated on a flaming chariot, he rides across the sky, armed with a bow and arrow, and slays the wicked.
According to Nestor, the wooden idol of Perun, placed in Kyiv, had a golden mustache on its silver head. Over time, Perun became the patron of the prince and his squad.
Temples in honor of Perun were always built on hills, and the highest place in the area was chosen. Idols were made mainly of oak - this mighty tree was a symbol of Perun. Sometimes there were places of worship of Perun, arranged around an oak tree growing on a hill; it was believed that this is how Perun himself means best place. In such places no additional idols were placed, and the oak tree, located on a hill, was revered as an idol.
Radegast
Radegast (Redigost, Radigast) is a lightning god, a killer and eater of clouds, and at the same time a luminous guest who appears with the return of spring. Earthly fire was recognized as the son of Heaven, brought down as a gift to mortals, by fast-flying lightning, and therefore the idea of an honored divine guest, a stranger from heaven to earth, was also connected with it.
Russian villagers honored him with the guest's name. At the same time, he received the character of a guardian god for every foreigner (guest) who came to someone else’s house and surrendered under the protection of local penates (i.e., hearth), the patron god of merchants who came from distant countries and trade in general.
The Slavic Radigost was depicted with the head of a buffalo on his chest.
Svarog
Svarog is the creator god of earth and heaven. Svarog is the source of fire and its ruler. He creates not with words, not with magic, unlike Veles, but with his hands, he creates the material world. He gave people the Sun-Ra and fire. Svarog threw a plow and a yoke from the sky to the ground in order to cultivate the land; a battle ax to protect this land from enemies, and a bowl for preparing a sacred drink in it.
Like Rod, Svarog is a creator god, he continued the formation of this world, changing its original state, improving and expanding. However, Svarog’s favorite pastime is blacksmithing.
Temples in honor of Svarog were built on hills overgrown with trees or shrubs. The center of the hill was cleared to the ground and a fire was lit in this place; no additional idols were installed in the temple.
Svyatobor
Svyatobor is the god of the forest. Outwardly, he looks like an aged hero, representing an old man of strong build, with a thick beard and dressed in animal skins
Svyatobor fiercely guards forests and mercilessly punishes those who harm them; in some cases, the punishment can even be death or eternal imprisonment in the forest in the guise of an animal or tree.
Svyatobor is married to the goddess of hunting Devan.
Temples were not built in honor of Svyatobor; their role was played by groves, forests and forests, which were recognized as sacred and in which neither deforestation nor hunting was carried out.
Semargl
One of the Svarozhichs was the god of fire - Semargl, who is sometimes mistakenly considered only a heavenly dog, the guardian of seeds for sowing. This (storing seeds) was constantly carried out by a much smaller deity - Pereplut.
The ancient books of the Slavs tell how Semargl was born. Svarog hit the Alatyr stone with a magic hammer, struck divine sparks from it, which flared up, and in their flames he became visible. fire god Semargl. He sat on a golden-maned horse of silver color. Thick smoke became his banner. Where Semargl passed, a scorched trail remained. Such was his strength, but more often than not he looked quiet and peaceful.
Semargl, God of fire and the Moon, fire sacrifices, home and hearth, stores seeds and crops. Can turn into a sacred winged dog.
The name of the God of Fire is not known for certain; most likely, his name is so sacred. Of course, this God does not live somewhere in seventh heaven, but directly among people! They try to pronounce his name out loud less often, replacing it with allegories. The Slavs associate the emergence of people with Fire. According to some legends, the Gods created a Man and a Woman from two sticks, between which a Fire flared up - the very first flame of love. Semargl does not allow evil into the world. At night he stands guard with a fiery sword and only one day a year does Semargl leave his post, responding to the call of the Bathing Lady, who calls him to love games on the day of the Autumn Equinox. And on the day of the Summer Solstice, 9 months later, children are born to Semargl and Kupalnitsa - Kostroma and Kupalo.
Stribog
In East Slavic mythology, the god of the wind. He can summon and tame a storm and can turn into his assistant, the mythical bird Stratim. In general, the wind was usually represented in the form of a gray-haired old man living at the edge of the world, in a dense forest or on an island in the middle of the ocean.
Stribog's temples were built on the banks of rivers or seas; they are especially often found at river mouths. The temples in his honor were not fenced off from the surrounding area in any way and were designated only by an idol made of wood, which was installed facing north. A large stone was also placed in front of the idol, which served as an altar.
Triglav
In ancient Slavic mythology, this is the unity of the three main essences-hypostases of the gods: Svarog (creation), Perun (law of Rule) and Svyatovit (light)
According to different mythological traditions, Triglav included different gods. In Novgorod of the 9th century, the Great Triglav consisted of Svarog, Perun and Sventovit, and earlier (before the Western Slavs moved to the Novgorod lands) - of Svarog, Perun and Veles. In Kyiv, apparently, from Perun, Dazhbog and Stribog.
The Lesser Triglavs were composed of gods lower on the hierarchical ladder.
Horse
Horse (Korsha, Kore, Korsh) is the ancient Russian deity of the sun and solar disk. It is best known among the southeastern Slavs, where the sun simply reigns over the rest of the world. Horse, in Slavic mythology, the god of the Sun, guardian of the luminary, son of Rod, brother of Veles. Not all gods were common among the Slavs and Rus. For example, before the Russians came to the banks of the Dnieper, Horses were not known here. Only Prince Vladimir installed his image next to Perun. But it was known among other Aryan peoples: among the Iranians, Persians, Zoroastrians, where they worshiped the god of the rising sun - Khorset. This word also had a broader meaning - “radiance”, “brilliance”, as well as “glory”, “greatness”, sometimes “royal dignity” and even “khvarna” - special marking by the gods, chosenness.
Temples in honor of Khors were built on small hills in the middle of meadows or small groves. The idol was made of wood and installed on the eastern slope of the hill. And as an offering, a special pie “horoshul” or “kurnik” was used, which crumbled around the idol. But to a greater extent, dances (round dances) and songs were used to honor the Horse.
Chernobog
God of cold, destruction, death, evil; the god of madness and the embodiment of everything bad and black. It is believed that Chernobog is the prototype of the immortal Kashchei from fairy tales. Kashchei is a cult character in Slavic mythology, whose folklore image is extremely far from the original one. Kashchei Chernobogvich was the youngest son of Chernobog, the great Serpent of Darkness. His older brothers - Goryn and Viy - feared and respected Kashchei for his great wisdom and equally great hatred of his father's enemies - the Irian gods. Kashchei owned the deepest and darkest kingdom of Navi - the Koshcheev kingdom,
Chernobog is the ruler of Navi, the god of time, the son of Rod. In Slavic mythology, he is the creator of the world along with Rod and Belbog. Outwardly, he appeared in two forms: in the first, he looked like a hunched, thin old man with a long beard, a silver mustache and a crooked stick in his hands; in the second he was depicted as a middle-aged man of thin build, dressed in black clothes, but, again, with a silver mustache.
Chernobog is armed with a sword, which he wields masterfully. Although he is able to instantly appear at any point in Navi, he prefers to move astride a fiery stallion.
After the creation of the world, Chernobog received Nav, the world of the dead, under his protection, in which he is both a ruler and a prisoner, since, despite all his strength, he is not able to leave its borders. The deity does not release from Navi the souls of people who ended up there for their sins, but the sphere of its influence is not limited to Navi alone. Chernobog managed to bypass the restrictions imposed on him and created Koshchei, who is the incarnation of the ruler of Navi in Reality, while the power of God in another world is significantly less than the real one, but still allowed him to spread his influence to Reality, and only in Rule does Chernobog never appear.
Temples in honor of Chernobog were made of dark stones, the wooden idol was completely covered with iron, except for the head, on which only the mustache was trimmed with metal.
Yarilo
Yarilo is the god of spring and sunlight. Outwardly, Yarilo looks like a young man with red hair, dressed in white clothes with a flower wreath on his head. This god moves around the world riding a white horse.
Temples in honor of Yarila were built on the top of hills covered with trees. The tops of the hills were cleared of vegetation and an idol was erected in this place, in front of which a large white stone was placed, which could sometimes be located at the foot of the hill. Unlike most other gods, there were no sacrifices in honor of the god of spring. Usually the deity was worshiped with songs and dances at the temple. At the same time, one of the participants in the action was certainly dressed up as Yarila, after which he became the center of the entire celebration. Sometimes special figurines in the image of people were made, they were brought to the temple, and then smashed against a white stone installed there; it is believed that this brings the blessing of Yarila, from which the harvest will be larger and sexual energy will be higher.
A little about the world order of the Slavs
The center of the world for the ancient Slavs was the World Tree (World Tree, Tree of the World). It is the central axis of the entire universe, including the Earth, and connects the World of People with the World of the Gods and the Underworld. Accordingly, the crown of the tree reaches the World of the Gods in heaven - Iriy or Svargu, the roots of the tree go underground and connect the World of the Gods and the World of people with underground world or the world of the Dead, ruled by Chernobog, Madder and other “dark” Gods. Somewhere in the heights, behind the clouds (heavenly abysses; above the seventh heaven), the crown of a spreading tree forms an island, and here is Iriy (Slavic paradise), where not only the Gods and ancestors of people live, but also the ancestors of all birds and animals. Thus, the World Tree was fundamental in the worldview of the Slavs, its main integral part. At the same time, it is also a staircase, a road along which you can get to any of the worlds. In Slavic folklore, the Tree of the World is called differently. It can be oak, sycamore, willow, linden, viburnum, cherry, apple or pine.
In the ideas of the ancient Slavs, the World Tree is located on the Buyan island on the Alatyr-stone, which is also the center of the universe (the center of the Earth). Judging by some legends, light Gods live on its branches, and dark Gods live in its roots. The image of this tree has come down to us, both in the form of various fairy tales, legends, epics, conspiracies, songs, riddles, and in the form of ritual embroidery on clothes, patterns, ceramic decorations, painting of dishes, chests, etc. Here is an example of how the Tree of the World is described in one of the Slavic folk tales, which existed in Rus' and tells about the extraction of a horse by a hero-hero: “... there is a copper pillar, and a horse is tied to it, there are pure stars on the sides, the moon is shining on the tail, the red sun is in the forehead...”. This horse is a mythological symbol of the entire universe
Of course, one post cannot cover all the gods that our ancestors worshiped. Different branches of the Slavs called the same gods differently, and they also had their own “local” deities.
Share Goddess happy fate, happiness and good luck in creative deeds. Nedolya Goddess, which endows people and their children with an unhappy fate for violating the Laws of RITA (Heavenly Laws on the Purity of Family and Blood) and the Blood Commandments.
— Tarkh Perunovich, Guardian God of Great Wisdom. Named Dazhdbog (giving God - giving prosperity).
Perun(Old Russian Perun, Ukrainian Perun, Belarusian Pyarun, Polish Piorun) - God of Thunder, patron of the prince and the squad. After the spread of Christianity in Rus', many elements of the image of Perun were transferred to the image of Elijah the Prophet (Ilya the Gromovnik). The name of Perun heads the list of gods in the pantheon of Prince Vladimir in The Tale of Bygone Years.
Personification of many Gods and Ancestors, One and Multiple at the same time. When we talk about all our Ancestors: Fathers, Grandfathers, Great-Grandfathers and Ancestors, we say - this is my KIND. We turn to him when we need the support of the Gods and Ancestors, for our Gods are our Fathers, and we are their children.
God of Fire and Fiery Purifications and Fire Sacrifice on holidays, especially on the Day of God Kupala and the Day of Perun. Mediator between people and Heavenly Gods.
The Patron God of cattle breeders and livestock breeders, as well as the Ancestral Patron of the Western Slavs - the Scotts (Scots), which is why they said that “Veles is the cattle God.” Having moved to the British Isles, the Scotts named the province Scotland (Scotland) in honor of their Ancestral Patron God, his name Wales (Wales, i.e. Veles). Veles is the Patron God of the Hall of the Wolf in the Svarog Circle. The Guardian of the Gate leading to Vyriy, escorts the deceased to Svarga.
Guardian Goddess of the family hearth. Our ancestors called Vesta an adult woman who already had a family and children. She had sufficient knowledge and skills to care for her loved ones.
Alive, Zhivana, Seva - the personification of fruitful strength, youth, beauty of all nature and man - that is, spring. Alive reigns when fields and forests, gardens and orchards turn green and bloom, when people, waking up from a dull winter sleep, seem to see for the first time the beauty of spring nature, the beauty of blossoming youth, and for the first time experience the charm of love and tenderness. It is in the spring that you can see Zhiva or Zhivits, her young servants: in the form of beautiful maidens they soar over the earth, casting such affectionate glances at her that she blooms and turns green even more.
Goddess Lelya (Lala)- goddess of spring, daughter of the goddess of beauty, love and fertility Lada. According to myths, it was inextricably linked with the spring revival of nature, the beginning field work. The goddess was imagined as a young, beautiful, slender and tall girl.
- According to popular beliefs, one of the main components of the universe (together with water, air and fire).
Stribog- in East Slavic mythology, the god of the wind. The name Stribog goes back to the ancient root “strega”, which means “elder”, “paternal uncle”. A similar meaning is found in the “Tale of Igor’s Campaign,” where the winds are called “Stribozh’s grandchildren.”
— The name of this God is probably known to everyone because of the holiday that is celebrated immediately after Winter Solstice. Carols are songs sung in honor of Kolyada. Many, even those who have heard carols, do not know what the word “Kolyada” means. Kolyada is a diminutive of “kolo”, the baby sun (represented as a boy or girl, because for small age the child’s gender does not yet play a significant role; Our sun itself is neuter). This deity arose from the holiday of the winter solstice, from the poetic idea of the birth of the young sun, that is, the sun of the next year. This ancient concept of the annual baby has not died to this day - it has been transferred to the concept of " New Year»
Svetovid- God of Light, God of Life, “vita” - life, God of the Sun. Svetovid is another name for God Svetovit. The most ancient non-personalized Gods of the Slavs are Rod and Rozhanitsy. The genus is identified with the masculine principle, sometimes with grain (including the sun and rain grains that fertilize the earth).
Goddess Makosh Heavenly Mother of God, Goddess of a happy lot. Together with his daughters Dolya and Nedolya, he determines the Fates of people and Gods, weaving the Threads of Fate. Patron Goddess of weaving and needlework. The Slavic name for the constellation Ursa Major is Makosh i.e. Mother of the ladle.
(Madder; Marzana, Marzana, Marzhena (Polish), Muriena/Marmuriena (Slovak), Marya (Latvian), Smrtonoska (Czech), Marysya (Belarus)) – Goddess of Death, disease, cold, winter, evil , night, darkness, black witchcraft, anger. By name and meaning in myths they resemble the Celtic goddess of death Morrigan (Marganna).
Yarilo (Yarila)- one of the attributive names of God of the ancient Rus (from “bright”, “hot”, “furious”). In Slavic mythology it was associated with the sun, spring, fertility and love.
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- the embodiment of light, the god of goodness, luck, happiness, goodness, the personification of the daytime and spring sky. His sanctuary was on a hill open to the sun, and Belbog’s numerous gold and silver decorations reflected the play of rays and even at night illuminated the temple, where there was not a single shadow, not a single dark corner.
Veles is one of the greatest gods of the ancient world, the son of Rod, the brother of Svarog. His main act was that Veles set the world created by Rod and Svarog into motion. Veles - “cattle god” - master of the wild, master of Navi, powerful wizard and werewolf, interpreter of laws, teacher of the arts, patron of travelers and merchants, god of luck.
Dazhdbog is the god of the Sun, the giver of heat and light, the god of fertility and life-giving force. His name is heard in a short prayer that has survived to this day - “Grant, God!”
Dogoda is the god of quiet, pleasant winds and clear weather, the complete opposite of his fierce brother, the patron saint of the winds, Pozvizd.
Karachun is the god of cattle death and death from frost.
Karachun is the second name of Chernobog.
Kolyada is the ancient god of merry feasts; it is believed that his name is derived from the word “kolo” (circle). Teacher of the Third Law of Life. He told people about the Great Kolo of Svarog, about the Day and Night of Svarog, and also established the first calendar.
Kryshen, the son of the Almighty and the goddess Maya, was the brother of the very first creator of the world, Rod, although he was much younger than him. He returned fire to people, fought on the shores of the Arctic Ocean with Chernobog and defeated him.
Lel is the god of love passion in the mythology of the ancient Slavs, the son of the goddess of beauty and love Lada. The word “cherish” still reminds us of Lela, this cheerful, frivolous god of passion, that is, undead, love.
Ovsen is Kolyada’s younger twin brother. He got the role of putting into practice the divine knowledge that Kolyada taught people.
Ozem is the god of the underworld, the guardian of the earth's depths.
He protects gold, silver and copper ores.
Perun is the god of thunderclouds, thunder and lightning, the most famous of the Svarozhich brothers. Perun is the patron saint of warriors and the princely squad, the ruler god, the punishing god for non-compliance with laws, the protector of Reveal, the giver of male strength.
Rod is the creator god of the visible world. Everything born by Rod still bears his name: nature, homeland, parents, relatives. The clan gave birth to Svarog, the great god who completed the creation of the world.
Svarog is the creator god of earth and heaven. Svarog is the source of fire and its ruler. He creates not with words, not with magic, unlike Veles, but with his hands, he creates the material world. He gave people the Sun-Ra and fire. Svarog threw a plow and a yoke from the sky to the ground in order to cultivate the land; a battle ax to protect this land from enemies, and a bowl for preparing a sacred drink in it.
Svyatobor is the god of forests and woodlands. He predetermines the fate, life and destiny of all inhabitants of the forest, ensuring harmony and agreement in nature.
Svyatovit is a deity identical to Svarog among the Western Slavs.
Semargl is the god of fire and the moon, fire sacrifices, home and hearth, keeper of seeds and crops. Could turn into a sacred winged dog.
Stribog is the god of the wind in East Slavic mythology. He can summon and tame a storm and can turn into his assistant, the mythical bird Stratim. In general, the wind was usually represented in the form of a gray-haired old man living at the edge of the world, in a dense forest or on an island in the middle of the ocean.
ROD - Slavic God. The Supreme Almighty, the All-God is the beginning and cause of everything living and inanimate in this world, he is in everyone, hence such native and important words for every Slav as HOMELAND, NATURE, SPRING, etc. Identifies many Gods and Ancestors, he one and multiple at the same time, when we remember all our ancestors: Fathers, Grandfathers, Great-Grandfathers and Great-Great-Grandfathers, we say - this is our KIND.
Rod is the most revered of the Slavic gods, and his image is the strongest amulet.
BelBog is the bright hypostasis of the Supreme God of the Slavs of the Family, the embodiment of light. God of luck and happiness, embodying the universal forces of conservation and creation. He is the God of a bright and spring day, a happy life. Previously, our Slavic ancestors did not begin any serious business without glorifying Belobog. He is also considered the giver of wealth and fertility.
Svarog is the God of Heaven, the ruler and father of the other light Gods.
Svarog is the patron and creator of heavenly and earthly fire, the patron and progenitor of the entire Slavic Family.
Svarog is God the blacksmith who created the manifest world, the visible universe (hence the word: “bungle”, i.e. create, create something). Svarog sends to earth Sun rays, making it fertile, nourishes and warms the flora and fauna.
Lada - Female hypostasis of the Rod. Goddess of love, beauty, marriage, abundance. By the name of Lada, the ancient Slavs called not only the original goddess of love, but also the entire structure of life - Lad, where everything should be harmonious and harmonious.
The wife called her beloved Lado, and he called her his Ladushka.
Svyatovid - many Slavic tribes revered Svyatovid as the god of victories and war. A special festival was dedicated to Svyatovid - the name day of the sheep - and they were celebrated only in the fall. Therefore, at the same time he was recognized as the god of fertility; prayers were sent to him for an abundance of earthly fruits and prosperity in the house and in the Family!
Perun God - the Thunderer, the Slavic warrior, with his will prevents the forces of Darkness from destroying the Light, which keeps the Forces of Reveal and Navi in balance. This is God connecting Earth and Heaven with his Fire Arrows, strong lightning driving away evil spirits, and the golden one fertilizing the fields. Perun is the god of thunder and fair power, protector of the Slavic lands and patron of fearless warriors, son of the God Svarog and the Goddess Lada. His path is the path of truth, alien to all wickedness and lies. Anyone who follows him will certainly receive immortal glory and great power.
Makosh (Mokosh) - Great Goddess. She possesses the secret of Rule, the secret of the Fate of all living on this earth. Both people and Gods obey her commands. She patronizes women in their household chores. Also, all kinds of sorcery and fortune telling cannot do without Mokosha, here she is revealed as the “Mother of the Lot” and the “Goddess of Fate”; fortune telling, magic, is under the auspices of this Goddess.
Makosh is a spinner, she spins the threads of fate into a ball, and depending on our actions, weaves a Share (good deeds) and a share (bad deeds and actions) into our ball of fate.
Makosh is also the patroness of marriage and family happiness, for one of the special secrets trusted only to Mokosh was dreams of a betrothed.
Veles is one of the greatest gods of the ancient world, God of wisdom and wealth, prophetic and Great.
Veles is the giver of earthly goods and wealth, the trustee of farmers and merchants.
He is the spiritual mentor of wise magicians and storytellers, the patron of travelers, shamans and magicians. Veles is also the master of Navi, the guide of human souls to another other world, the keeper of the ancient knowledge of the Vedas and paths to the three worlds: Reality, Nav, Rule - Earthly, Underground, Heavenly. Depicted in a hat with horns or a horned helmet with a staff and a cornucopia in his hands.
Dazhdbog (Dazhbog) - Slavic God of white light, sun and warmth. The giver of all kinds of blessings and the guardian of life on earth (hence his name Dazhdbog - the Giving God). Dazhdbog is the deliverer of people from the forces of the dark world of all wickedness. During the day he rides across the sky in a golden chariot, holding a shield in his right hand - the Sun, and at night he sails on a silver boat in the underworld.
The Slavic Goddess is alive, the personification of all earthly life, as well as fruitful strength, youth, beauty, fertility and birth!
The Goddess is Alive, bestows kindness, tenderness, cordiality and attentiveness on pregnant women and nursing mothers, so she protects all the girls who have yet to give birth to Slavic children.
Horse - God of the Sun among the Slavs, God of the solar disk, was widely revered in all Slavic lands. The ancestral memory transferred this god to such kind words as a good round dance - the oldest sacred dance, holding hands and leading him, our ancestors thereby welcomed Horse, merging with him with common energy and becoming a particle of God.
Until now, many Slavic peoples designate the solar disk with the word “horo”.
And the ancient sanctuaries of Khors and other Gods were called mansions, hence the word Temple.
Yarilo - Slavic god of fertility, spring, ardent god of awakening nature and the spring Sun, inspiration and youth, natural strength, love delight and battle rage. He is the very embodiment of a solar yari - a riot of vital force that lifts the ears of corn filled with strength towards the sky on the arable land. It is embodied in a person as a strong will to continue one’s Family and the will to live in general.
Lel - love passion, god of love and marriages. He was portrayed as a handsome and cheerful fair-haired shepherdess. Who, playing a gentle melody of love on his magic pipe, awakens passion in the hearts of Slavic boys and girls!
We still have the Ancestral memory of this beautiful and cheerful god of innocent love passion, this is the word that we use to this day - “cherish”, that is, love, undead...
In some Slavic languages, the Stork, which was considered the sacred bird of Lel, is called Lelka!
StriBog - old God, grandfather of the winds, deity of the air, sky. This is an old and powerful God, whose domain extends into the space between Heaven and Earth. Stribog controls elemental forces: lightning, winds, storms, whirlwinds and hurricanes. People turned to him when they wanted to influence the weather. Stribog was revered by the ancients as the destroyer of all evil intentions and atrocities. Mentioned in the "Tale of Igor's Campaign" "Behold the winds, Stribozhi vnutsi, blow arrows from the sea on Igor's brave regiments"
Chur is a patron God, protector of native lands, borders, protects the home hearth. He protects the Ancestral domain from evil spirits. Since ancient times, a conspiracy against evil spirits and all sorts of troubles has been preserved, which we still use, saying “Church, me” or “Church, on your tongue” to protect yourself from an unkind word.
His name goes back to ancient times, when the Great Deified Ancestor was called under the name Chura, Ancestor.
Chernobog is the dark hypostasis of the supreme Slavic Deity of the Family, Chernobog is the ruler of Navi, Darkness and the Pekel kingdom.
Embodies the universal forces of destruction and change for subsequent rebirth at a new level.
Madder is the goddess of death in Slavic mythology, responsible for the seasonal rituals of dying and resurrecting nature, as well as the rituals of causing rain. In the spring rituals of the Slavs, Madder was the name of a straw effigy - the embodiment of death (mora) and winter, which was drowned and burned during the celebration of the ancient holiday of Maslenitsa at the time of the Spring Equinox, which was intended to ensure the harvest. You can ask Marena to destroy all the bad and bad things that have accumulated in you.
Triglav is the unity of the three main essences-hypostases of the gods and the embodiment of the ancient Slavic vision of the universal world - these three worlds are Reality, Nav, Rule. - Svarog (Rule), Perun (Reality) and Veles (Nav). This is the deity of the trinity of the world order, which reflects the very essence of our world order.
Well, and finally, a little about Domovoy:
In Rus', a brownie is directly called master, hostess. In fact, the brownie is the ideal of the owner, as the Russian person understands him: he sees every little thing, tirelessly fusses and makes sure that everything is in order and ready - here he will help a worker, there he will correct his mistake.
If he likes the housing, then he serves the household and their elders, looks after the entire house and yard “more than the master’s eye,” and watches over family interests and cares about property “more than a caring man.”
The brownie cares only about his relatives, his home, his yard, and that is why he is called the brownie, this name indicates the space within which his power is honored and gifts are brought to him.