- Son of Heaven, heavenly horseman, god of War(patron of warriors) and chosen king(cf. Messiah), cleansing the earth from monsters - demon-mangus. As the first person to descend from the sky (more precisely, to hatch from a heavenly “cosmic egg”), Geser goes back to the pre-Buddhist, Bon tradition. In some Mongolian versions, Tsoton turns out to be Geser's double, one of his incarnations.
Based on the similarity of functions or appearance, Geser is close to a number of characters in the Buddhist pantheon: for example, as the god of war (Tib. Dalha, Mong. Daisun-tengeri, Kalm. Daichin-tengri) is sometimes identified with Jamsaran; Since the end of the 16th century, the god of war in Chinese mythology Guan Di has been associated with Geser.
Cult
Etymology
Most often, his name is derived from the Iranian-Sogdian form of the title “Caesar”.
Geser's childhood
According to legends, Geser is the son of the supreme god Hormust Khan, born on earth in order to defeat the monsters that appeared from pieces of the body of Atai Ulan. According to another, Tibetan version of Geser, one of the three sons of the heavenly ruler was sent to the state of Lin, which did not have a ruler. He is reborn in Lina in the family of one of the princes as an ugly, snotty child named Joru (in a number of versions, he was conceived by his mother from a mountain spirit). He is being pursued by his paternal uncle Thotun (Mong. and Kalm. Tsoton, Choton, Bur. Soton, Hara Zutan). As a child, the boy shows miraculous abilities, destroys various demons, wins an equestrian competition for the possession of the beautiful Drugmo ( Rogmo goa, Urmai-goohon), the throne and treasures of Lin. Then he receives a wonderful horse from the sky, acquires his true majestic appearance and the name Geser (in Mongolian versions - Geser-khaan, usually called “the ruler of 10 countries of the world, the eradicator of 10 evils in 10 countries”).
In the Mongolian versions, Geser’s appeal to the lord of hell Erlik is curious - “My elder brother” (Erlik can be considered as the first person who died). In a number of versions of the epic, Geser's earthly father is a mountain spirit. Considering the connection with the deity of the sacred mountain, which, according to the concepts of Tibetan mythology, is consistent with the heavenly origin of the hero, as well as with the world mountain, Geser is perceived as the ruler of the “center” (this corresponds to the genealogical myths about Tibetan rulers), opposed to the rulers of the outskirts, the struggle with which is essentially adequate to the civilizing activities of a cultural hero. Sometimes Geser himself is the ruler of one of the four countries of the world - the North. But, apparently, the most ancient localization of Geser is Krom (possibly from Rum - the Iranian name for Byzantium). Under the influence of Indian and Buddhist mythologies, Geser's father turns out to be Brahma or - in the Ladakh (Western Tibetan) version and in all Mongolian ones - Indra (Mong. Khormusta; Among the Western Buryats, his place is sometimes taken by the shamanic deity Esege Malan Tengri).
The exploits of Geser
According to a number of stories, Geser goes to China, where, with the help of miraculous means, he gets himself a princess and rescues his earthly mother from hell; destroys the demonic kings of neighboring countries (in the north, south, east and west), subjugating their subjects to his power. In Mongolian legends, Geser revives heroes who died in the war with Sharigols.
Geser defeats the demon of the north, the cannibal Lubsan (cf. Mong. Lobsaga, Kalm. Luvsarga, Bur. Lobsogoldoy Khara mangadhai), with the help of the demon's wife Meza Bumdzhid (Mongolian Tumen Jargalan, Western Buryat. Tumen Yargalan; according to some versions, including Mongolian ones, she is the ex-wife of Geser, abducted by a demon). Meza Bumjid brings the hero a “drink of oblivion”, after drinking which he remains in the north.
In Lin, Thothun (Tsoton), who in vain harassed Drugmo, commits treason, as a result, Lin is attacked from a neighboring state choirs(in the Mongolian version - the Sharaigols, in the Kalmyk - the Sharguli khans, in the Buryat - the Sharablin khans), who capture Drugmo, and she becomes the wife of one of the Khor kings - Gurkar (Mong. Tsagaan Gertu khaan"White Yurt Khan"). Having thrown off the obsession thanks to heavenly intervention, Geser hurries to his homeland. In the guise of a bad boy (Mongolian Oljibay) he penetrates the choirs, kills Gurkar by witchcraft and, having subjugated his state, returns to Lin together with Drugmo.
In occultism
Sayings
- The Gate of the North belongs to Geser Khan.
In modern fiction
- The name of Geser and his heroic-mystical aura were used by S. V. Lukyanenko in “Watches”: one of the characters in the cycle, Geser (aka Boris Ignatievich) - Light Other(Great), head of the Night Watch of Moscow. His main opponent is Zebulun.
- The Bene Gesserit (Daughters of Gesser) are a social, religious and political organization in the Dune universe (a series of science fiction novels by Frank Herbert).
- In the trilogy "The Eye of Power 1917-1921" A. Valentinov features a minor mystical hero Geser Khan (Jor-bashi) under the name “commander Jor”.
- There is a painting by Nicholas Roerich Geser Khan 1941. Tempera on canvas. 91 x 152. Memorial apartment of Yu. N. Roerich, Moscow.
- The Most Light Segger, Creator and Patron, whose name is an anagram of the name Gesser, is the god of the monotheistic religion of the same name in the world of Laar, the setting of the card game "Berserk" and books based on it.
Notes
Literature
in Russian- Dugarov B. S. The cult of Mount Hormusta in Buryatia // Ethnographic Review. - 2005. - No. 4. - pp. 103-110.
- Neklyudov S. Yu., Tumurtseren Zh. Mongolian legends about Gesar. New entries. - M.: Nauka, 1982. - 373 p.
Geser(Mong. Geser, Bur. Abai Geser, Kalm. Geser Khan) - in the mythology of the Mongolian peoples and the peoples of Tibet who were in contact with the Syanbi: a heaven-sent cultural hero - the Son of Heaven, a heavenly horseman, the god of war (patron of warriors) and the chosen king (cf. Messiah), cleansing the earth from monsters - demon-mangus. As the first person to descend from heaven (more precisely, to hatch from a heavenly “cosmic egg”), Geser goes back to the pre-Buddhist, Bon tradition. In some Mongolian versions, Tsoton turns out to be Geser's double, one of his incarnations.
In terms of similarity of functions or appearance, Geser is close to a number of characters in the Buddhist pantheon: for example, as the god of war (Tib. Dalha, Mong. Daisun-Tengeri, Kalm. Daichin-Tengri) is sometimes identified with Jamsaran; Since the end of the 16th century, the god of war in Chinese mythology Guan Di has been associated with Geser.
Cult
There were mysteries dedicated to some of the plot cycles of the Gesariad. In Tibet and among the Mongolian peoples, there were widespread beliefs about the involvement of the spirit of the hero (and himself) in the performance of the epic poem, about his special connection with the singer. In cult practice, Geser, as a universal protective deity (like most shamanic deities), acts as a patron of warriors, a protector of herds, a conqueror of demons, and a giver of good fortune (including hunting luck). In shamanic invocations, Geser is sometimes called Burkhan or Tengri, he is called the son of the sky, living on top of a high white mountain peak in a house of clouds and fogs. The festival of Geser - Sagaalgan - was celebrated in the spring and was accompanied by singing and archery.
According to legend, the palace of Geser has been preserved in Kama, in which, instead of beams, the “heroic swords and spears” of his warriors are laid: after completing his exploits, King Geser kept all his weapons here. The Temple of Geser exists in Ulaanbaatar and also in Lhasa.
Etymology
Most often, his name is derived from the Iranian-Sogdian form of the title “Caesar”.
Geser's childhood
According to legends, Geser is the son of the supreme god Khormust Khan, born on earth in order to defeat the monsters that appeared from pieces of the body of Atai Ulan. According to another, Tibetan version of Geser, one of the three sons of the heavenly ruler was sent to the state of Lin, which did not have a ruler. He is reborn in Lina in the family of one of the princes as an ugly, snotty child named Joru (in a number of versions, he was conceived by his mother from a mountain spirit). He is being pursued by his paternal uncle Thothun (Mong. and Kalm. Tsoton, Choton, Bur. Soton, Khara Zutan). As a child, the boy displays miraculous abilities, destroys various demons, wins an equestrian competition for the possession of the beautiful Drugmo (Rogmo-goa, Urmai-goohon), the throne and the treasures of Lin. Then he receives a wonderful horse from the sky, acquires his true majestic appearance and the name Geser (in Mongolian versions - Geser-khaan, usually called “the ruler of 10 countries of the world, the eradicator of 10 evils in 10 countries”).
In the Mongolian versions, Geser’s appeal to the lord of hell Erlik is curious - “My elder brother” (Erlik can be considered as the first person who died). In a number of versions of the epic, Geser's earthly father is a mountain spirit. Considering the connection with the deity of the sacred mountain, which, according to the concepts of Tibetan mythology, is consistent with the heavenly origin of the hero, as well as with the world mountain, Geser is perceived as the ruler of the “center” (this corresponds to the genealogical myths about Tibetan rulers), opposed to the rulers of the outskirts, the struggle with which is essentially adequate to the civilizing activities of a cultural hero. Sometimes Geser himself is the ruler of one of the four countries of the world - the North. But, apparently, the most ancient localization of Geser is Krom (possibly from Rum - the Iranian name for Byzantium). Under the influence of Indian and Buddhist mythologies, the father of Geser turns out to be Brahma or - in the Ladakh (Western Tibetan) version and in all Mongolian ones - Indra (Mongolian Hormusta; among the Western Buryats, his place is sometimes taken by the shamanic deity Esege Malan Tengri).
Geser(Boris Ignatievich, “chief”) - Other, Light Mage of the Highest Category, head of the Night Watch. Age - much more than a thousand years. This can be understood from the moment in the novel “The Last Watch”, where Geser recalls that Asians were once tall, blue-eyed and fair-haired. There is also reason to believe that Geser was a contemporary of the Great Merlin. Geser is very experienced. Conducts risky multi-move combinations, putting the well-being of the entire Night Watch and all of Moscow at stake. Judging by some of his phrases, by his habits, and by his manner of dressing, one can assume that Geser lived in Central Asia for a very long time.
In both films, the role of Geser was played by Vladimir Menshov
Meaning of the name:
Geser (Geser, Geser Khan) is a character in Tibetan mythology (Gesar, Kesar) and the mythology of the Mongolian peoples, including the Buryats (Abai Geser khubun), as well as a number of Turkic (Salars, Yellow Uyghurs, Tuvans, Altaians) and Tibeto-Burmese peoples; the prototype of Geser could be the Tibetan prince Gosylo, Genghis Khan, Alexander the Great, and the etymology of his Tibetan name Kesar possibly goes back to Caesar/Caesar. He is the son of the supreme god Khormusta (Khurmasty) born on earth in order to defeat the monsters that appeared from pieces of the body of Atai Ulan. Geser is a hero of epic tales and poems, an object of a developed religious and mythological cult (appears in shamanic invocations, prayers, conspiracies, etc.). Most often, his name is derived from the Iranian-Sogdian form of the title “Caesar” or from the name Gosylo (in Chinese transcription - the name of the ruler of the Tufan principality in northeastern Tibet, 11th century). The original core of the tale apparently took shape in northeastern Tibet. According to the legends about Geser, one of the three sons of the heavenly ruler was sent to the state of Lin, which did not have a ruler (king). He is reborn in Lina in the family of one of the princes as an ugly, snotty child named Joru (in a number of versions, he was conceived by his mother from a mountain spirit). He is being pursued by his paternal uncle Thotun (Mong. and Kalm. Tsoton, Choton, Buryat. Soton, Khara Zutan). As a child, the boy displays miraculous abilities, destroys various demons, wins an equestrian competition for the possession of the beautiful Drugmo (Rogmo-goa, Urmai-goohon), the throne and the treasures of Lin. Then he receives a wonderful horse from the sky, acquires his true majestic appearance and the name Geser (in Mongolian versions - Geser-khaan, usually called “the ruler of 10 countries of the world, the eradicator of 10 evils in 10 countries”). Geser defeats the demon of the north, the cannibal Lubsan (cf. Mong. Lobsaga, Kalm. Luvsarga, Buryat. Lobsogoldoy Khara Mangadhai) with the help of the demon’s wife Meza Bumjid (Mong. Tumen Jargalan, Western Buryat. Tumen Yargalan; according to some versions, including the Mong. , she is Geser's ex-wife, kidnapped by a demon). Meza Bumjid brings the hero a “drink of oblivion”, after drinking which he remains in the north.
In Lin, Thotun, who in vain sought Drugmo, commits betrayal, as a result, Lin is attacked by the hors from the neighboring state (in the Mongolian version, the Sharaigols, in the Kalmyk khans of Sharguli, in the Buryat Sharablin khans), Drugmo is captured, and she becomes the wife of one of the khora kings - Gurkar (Mong. Tsagaan Gertu khany khan, “white-yurt khan”). Having thrown off the obsession thanks to heavenly intervention, Geser hurries to his homeland. In the guise of a bad boy (Mongolian Oljibay), he penetrates the choirs, kills Gurkar by witchcraft and, having subjugated his state, returns to Lin together with Drugmo. According to a number of stories, Geser goes to China, where, with the help of miraculous means, he gets himself a princess and rescues his earthly mother from hell; destroys the demonic kings of neighboring countries (north, south, east and west), subjugating their subjects to his power. In Mongolian legends, Geser revives the heroes who died in the war with the Sharigols.
Geser. Monument in Ulan-Ude.
In all versions, Geser is characterized as a trickster: he resorts to cunning and witchcraft, his fights, as a rule, are not heroic, but “shamanic” in nature (catching and destroying the enemy’s souls). This feature of the image of Geser contributed to the development of mythological-parody principles in the stories about Geser, which is manifested primarily in his relationship with Thotun, who in most stories acts as a “negative double” of Geser (unsuccessful imitation, rivalry in matchmaking, assault on Geser’s wife, betrayal in war). In some Mongolian versions, Tsoton turns out to be Geser's double, one of his incarnations.
The most ancient core of the image of Geser is a heaven-sent cultural hero who cleanses the earth of monsters (cf. Indian Rama). In the oral Mongolian tradition (and in the Buryat version of the epic), Geser gained a reputation as a destroyer of demons and monsters (mangus). Demon warfare brings Geser closer to the Tibetan masang and the similar Buryat Bukha-noyon baabai. As the chosen king and even the first person to descend from the sky (more precisely, hatched from the heavenly “cosmic egg”), Geser goes back to the pre-Buddhist, Bon tradition. In the Mongolian versions, an echo of such an interpretation may be Geser’s address to the lord of hell Erlik - “My elder brother” (Erlik can be considered as the first person who died). In a number of versions of the epic, Geser's earthly father is a mountain spirit. Considering the connection with the deity of the sacred mountain, which, according to the concepts of Tibetan mythology, is consistent with the heavenly origin of the hero, as well as with the world mountain, Geser is perceived as the ruler of the “center” (this corresponds to the genealogical myths about Tibetan rulers), opposed to the rulers of the outskirts, the struggle with which is essentially adequate to the civilizing activities of a cultural hero. Sometimes Geser himself is the ruler of one of the four countries of the world - the north. But, apparently, the most ancient localization of Geser is Krom (possibly from Rum - the Iranian name for Byzantium). Under the influence of Indian and Buddhist mythologies, Geser's father turns out to be Brahma or - in the Ladak (Western Tibetan) version and in all Mongolian ones - Indra (Mongolian Hormusta; among the Western Buryats, his place is sometimes taken by the shamanic deity Esege Malaan-tengeri). Based on the similarity of functions or appearance, the incarnations of Geser (or his wonderful horse) are close to a number of characters in the Buddhist pantheon; as the war deity Geser (Tib. Dalha, Mong. Daisun-tengeri or Daichin-tengeri) is sometimes identified with Jamsaran. Later (from the end of the 18th century) is the identification of Geser with the god of war in Chinese mythology - Guan Di.
There were mysteries dedicated to some of the plot cycles of the Gesariad. In Tibet and among the Mongolian peoples, there were widespread beliefs about the involvement of the spirit of the hero (and himself) in the performance of the epic poem, about his special connection with the singer. In cult practice, Geser, as a universal protective deity (like most shamanic deities), acts as a patron of warriors, a protector of herds, a conqueror of demons, and a giver of good fortune (including hunting success). In shamanic invocations, Geser is sometimes called Burkhan or Tengri, he is called the son of the sky, living on top of a high white mountain peak in a house of clouds and fogs. Unlike Tibet, where many of Geser’s comrades and opponents are also deified, among the Mongolian peoples only Geser is the object of cult worship.
The main character of the epic is the figure of Geser - the son of a heavenly deity, sent into the world to fight the forces of evil. During this struggle, Geser accomplished numerous feats. The plot of the epic is very entertaining and full of events.(archetypal picture)
Nowadays there are three main versions of “Geser”: Buryat, Tibetan and Mongolian. The Buryat variants preserved the most archaic features of the common Central Asian myth.
The epic "Geser" reflects the people's dreams of an ideal kingdom and a just ruler. In the first seven songs of the Buryat version, anti-Lamaist motives are found.This epic contains extensive data on shamanistic cosmogony.
The epic “Geser” reflected in an allegorical form the ideas of people who lived in society at the stage of transition from gathering and hunting to cattle breeding, from matriarchy to patriarchy. The poem praises fidelity to duty and stigmatizes treason and betrayal.“Geser” is a hymn of love for one’s land. “Do not allow the enemy to approach your native land, do not wait for him, but go out to meet him, there he will be defeated” - this is one of the most important motives of this epic legend.
The epic tells that in time immemorial it happened that unprecedented diseases, famine and pestilence began to spread on earth, wars broke out, misfortunes and misfortunes began to come to people. The Celestials, seeing this, decided to send Buhe Beligge to earth, who should was born on earth as a man, and not come to people in the guise of a celestial being. The future hero was born into the family of a seventy-year-old old man and his sixty-year-old wife, who was actually the daughter of the sun, and received the name Zurgai.
(picture clickable)
He was an ugly child: snotty and mangy, but already in early childhood the magical abilities of this extraordinary baby appeared. His earthly relatives began to guess about the great destiny of the future hero. Even while Zurgai was lying in the cradle, an evil shaman was sent to him by heaven, who was supposed to destroy the hero. The baby easily copes with the shaman. Soon Zurgai makes his own bow and makes a horse out of tree bark, on which he goes to fight the evil demons Albins. He brings brides to the house: first the khan’s daughter, and after a while another girl, the daughter of a rich man, wins the competition. Thanks to these girls, Abai Geser appeared to people in his true form: a hero - the liberator of the earth from evil demons. The celestials send Geser a magical horse to help him, which will be his faithful assistant in dangerous battles and campaigns. Geser's first feat was the battle with the giant Lobsogolda-Mangadhai. The evil spell of this giant's wife turns Geser into a donkey. But the celestials help him regain his former appearance as Abai Geser. The battle with a powerful enemy lasted six months, and the celestials did not remain indifferent to this battle. In the end, Geser manages to win. Another feat of Geser was the battle with a monster possessing great magical power, Gal-Durme-khan. The hero cannot defeat the villain in a fair fight, because Gal-Durme Khan can die and be reborn an infinite number of times. But exhausted by the battle, he promises not to do evil to people in the future and retires to the eastern edge of the earth. In the battle with Kharaabal Mergen, Geser dies, defeated by formidable black forces that came from the east. These powers were caused by the magical spells of Kharaabal Mergen. Geser's prophetic horse informs the wives and sons of his master about his death and helps them find a magical remedy that brings Geser back to life. Gzszr accomplished many other feats. He cleared the world of monsters, established peace, harmony and prosperity on earth, and made it more suitable for human life.
The epic about Geser has preserved ancient folklore motifs. In the language of the legend there are many words and idiomatic expressions that have long gone out of use. This provides linguists with material for studying the history of the Buryat language.
Many peoples who know the epic legend about Geser worship Geser as a celestial being, a deity, a great spirit. Geser patronizes warriors, protects herds, he is the conqueror of demons and the giver of good fortune (including hunting luck). In shamanic invocations, Geser is called Burkhan or Tengri, the son of the sky, living above a high white mountain peak, in the house of clouds and fogs. Unlike Tibet, where many of Geser’s comrades and opponents are deified, among the Mongolian peoples only Geser is the subject of cult veneration. The Buryats have legends that songs about Geser protect from the ghosts of the dead and demons. There were special magical talismans of Geser, which were supposed to save their owner from the machinations of evil spirits.
The historical origin of the legend of Gzser is lost in the distant past of the great nomadic empires of Central Asia. It is still not known who the real prototypes of the epic heroes are. The hundred-year history of the study of the epic has given rise to many theories and hypotheses.
Representatives of the Gelukpa Buddhist school believe that the epic has no historical basis. Representatives of other traditions believe that King Kesar (Geser) was the leader of the nomadic tribes of Central Asia who were at enmity with Tibet. The basis for the hypothesis that Geser lived in the 11th-12th centuries AD was the biography of Padmasambhava, which mentions the name of Geser. Albert Grünwedel opined that the name Kesar represented a Mongol-Tibetan translation of the Roman title Caesar (Caesar). In the Manchu tradition, King Geser is identified with Guan Di, the popular hero of the famous Chinese novel “The Three Kingdoms”. Guan Di was the military commander of the founder of the Wuhan dynasty. There is a hypothesis that the Geseriad glorifies the national hero Genghis Khan. However, studies of the Buryat version of the epic have shown that this is not so, since the legend about Geser was compiled among the people long before the birth of Genghis Khan. Europeans learned about “Geser” from the message of the famous traveler, naturalist and historian Peter Simon Pallas. In 1772, traveling through Eastern Siberia, he visited the city of Maimachen (now Altan-Bulak) on the border of Mongolia, where the Geser Temple was located. Pallas described the temple in detail and reported on the existence of the epic. In addition to the only description of this temple, Pallas recorded a prayer to Geser that was read here, as well as an oral tradition according to which the incarnation of Geser is the Dalai Lama. After Pallas' expedition, a lot of evidence was collected about the veneration of Geser and the temples erected to him. Temples of Geser were built until the 30s of the 19th century. In the mid-19th century, a statue of Geser in the image of a Buddhist monk was consecrated in Urga (now Ulaanbaatar). One of the datsans of Urga (Dishi - samdanlin-datsan) received the two-volume “Geser-un choynhor” (Geser’s Prayer Wheel) - a collection of prayers and spells for expelling evil spirits in the name of Geser. It is known that during the Sino-Japanese War of 1894, a new statue of Geser the Warlike was erected in the hallway of one of the Mongolian temples of Geser the Good. Lamas and laymen believed that old Geser the Monk would not dare to kill the Manchu Emperor, but Geser the Warlike would be able to do it. In 1921, Baron Ungern, having taken possession of Urga, announced in the courtyard of the Geser Temple that he had arrived to defend the religion of Buddha and the throne of the great Manchu emperors from the Reds and atheists. Baron Ungern was hailed as the embodiment of Geser the Warlike. The lamas argued that the bullets of the Red Russians and the black Chinese could not harm the incarnation of Geser and only a Mongol bullet could defeat him. In 1932, a new temple of Geser was built near the Gandan Monastery in Ulaanbaatar, where believers were attracted by a soothsayer who predicted the future.
The epic has 22 thousand lines. The first literary edition of the Mongolian version of the epic was published in Mongolian in Beijing in 1716. The epic has been translated into many languages of the world. Mongolian scholar B. Laufer, who believed that the epic had Mongolian roots, wrote: “The Tale of Geser Khan... is, without a doubt, the most interesting work of all Mongolian literature, in which heroism, humor and poetry are colorfully mixed with oddities and the trivial.” In 1930 – 1931 edited by academician B..Ya. Vladimirtsov published a grandiose epic of the Buryat people, recorded by Ts.Zh. Zhamtsarano from the words of Manshud Emegeyev, one of the great Buryat Uligershin storytellers. Vladimirtsov highly valued the Buryat version of Geser and put it on a par with the masterpieces of world literature. He called it “a colossal Buryat epic, far superior to the Iliad.”
In 1931, the French traveler Alexandra David-Neel, who lived in Tibet for a long time, published a brief retelling of the Tibetan version of “Geser” in French. She came to the conclusion that the legends about Geser rest on a historical basis. The great military leader, a truly historical figure whose life is hidden in the mythological narrative, according to her, lived between the 11th and 12th centuries. She called the Geseriad the “Iliad” of Central Asia” and believed that the epic of Geser “in its national significance should be considered along with the Iliad, Aeneid, Nibelungs and Roland.”
Many places are associated with the name of Geser in Buryatia and other countries. It is believed that Geser's homeland was the high Sayan mountains, and Geser's throne was the highest peak - Mount Munku-sardyk (Eternal White Char), located on the border of Mongolia and Buryatia. An architectural complex was created near the city of Ulan-Ude, which is called “Geser’s Parking Lot,” where, according to myth, the hero of the epic stopped to rest and tied his horse to a hitching post before moving on. The millennium of the epic “Geser” was solemnly celebrated in Buryatia in 1995.
Geser, Geser, a character in Tibetan mythology (Gesbr, Kesbr), the mythology of the Mongolian peoples, including the Buryats (Abby Gesir Khuben), as well as a number of Turkic (Salars, Yellow Uighurs, Tuvans, Altaians) and Tibeto-Burman peoples. Geser- epic tales and poems, the object of a developed religious and mythological cult (appears in shamanic invocations, prayers, conspiracies, etc.). Most often, his name is derived from the Iranian-Sogdian form of the title “Caesar” or from the name Gosylo (in Chinese transcription - the name of the ruler of the Tufan principality in northeastern Tibet, 11th century). The original core of the tale apparently took shape in northeastern Tibet. According to the legends about Geser, one of the three sons of the heavenly ruler was sent to a state that did not have a ruler (king). He is reborn in Lina in the family of one of the princes as an ugly, snotty child named Joru (in a number of versions, he was conceived by his mother from a mountain spirit). He is being pursued by his paternal uncle Thotun (Mong. and Kalm. Tsoton, Choton, Buryat. Soton, Khara Zutan). As a child, the boy displays miraculous abilities, destroys various demons, wins an equestrian competition for the possession of the beautiful Drugmo (Rogmo-goa, Urmai-gokhon), the throne and treasures of Lin. Then he receives a wonderful horse from the sky, acquires his true majestic appearance and the name Geser (in Mongolian versions - Geser Khan, usually called “the ruler of 10 countries of the world, the eradicator of 10 evils in 10 countries of the world”). Geser defeats the demon of the north, the cannibal Lubsan (cf. Mong. Lobsaga, Kalm. Luvsarga, Buryat. Lobsogoldoy Khara Mangadhai) with the help of the demon’s wife Meza Bumjid (Mong. Tumen Jergalan, Western Buryat. Tumen Yargalan; according to some versions, including the Mong ., she is the ex-wife Gesera, kidnapped by a demon), Meza Bumjid brings the hero a “drink of oblivion”, after drinking which he remains in the north.
In Lina, Thotun, who in vain sought Drugmo, commits treason, as a result of which the Hors (Mong. Sharaigols, Kalm. Sharguli Khans, Buryats, Sharablin Khans) attack from the neighboring state, capture Drugmo, and she becomes the wife of one of the Hor kings - Gurkar (Mongolian Tsagan Gertu khan, "white yurt khan"). Having thrown off the glamour, thanks to heavenly intervention, Geser hurries home. In the guise of a bad boy (mon. Oljibay), he penetrates the choirs, kills Gurkar in a witchcraft way and, having subjugated his state, returns to the city together with Drugmo. According to a number of stories, Geser goes to China, where, with the help of miraculous means, he gets himself a princess and rescues his earthly mother from hell; destroys the demonic kings of neighboring countries (in the north, south, east and west), subjugating their subjects to his own. In Mongolian legends Geser revives the heroes who died in the war with the Sharigols.
In all versions Geser characterized as: he resorts to cunning and witchcraft, his fights, as a rule, are not heroic, but “shamanic” in nature (catching and destroying the enemy’s souls). This feature of the image Gesera contributed to the development of mythological and parodic principles in stories about Geser, which is manifested primarily in his relationship with Thotun, who acts as a “negative double” in most plots Geser(unsuccessful imitation, rivalry in matchmaking, assault on wife Gesera, betrayal in war). In some Mongolian versions, Tsoton turns out to be a double Gesera, one of its incarnations.
The oldest core of the image Gesera- heaven sent cultural, clearing the earth of monsters (cf. Indian Ramu). In the oral Mongolian tradition (and in the Buryat version of the epic) for Geser. reputation as a slayer of demons and monsters was established ( mangos). Demon fighting brings people together Gesera with Tibetan masang and similar Buryat Bukha-noyon babay.
As the chosen king and even the first person to descend from heaven (more precisely, hatched from the heavenly “cosmic egg”; see in Art.), Geser goes back to the pre-Buddhist, Bon tradition. In Mongolian versions, an echo of such an interpretation may be the appeal Gesera to the lord of hell Erlik - “My elder brother” (can be considered as the first person who died). In a number of versions of the epic, the earthly father Geser- mountain spirit. Considering the connection with the sacred deity, which, according to the concepts of Tibetan mythology, is consistent with the heavenly origin of the hero, as well as with the world mountain,
Geser is perceived as the ruler of the “center” (this corresponds to the genealogical myths about Tibetan rulers), opposed to the rulers of the outskirts, the fight against which is essentially adequate to the civilizing activity of the cultural hero. Sometimes by myself Geser- ruler of one of the four countries of the world - the north. But, apparently, the most ancient localization Geser- Krom (possibly from Rum the Iranian name for Byzantium). Under the influence of Indian and Buddhist mythologies, G.'s father turns out to be either - in the Ladak (Western Tibetan) version and in all Mongolian ones - (Mongolian; among the Western Buryats, his place is sometimes taken by the shamanic deity Esege Malan-). By similarity of functions or appearance of the embodiment Gesera(or his wonderful horse) are close to a number of characters in the Lamaist pantheon; like a deity of war Geser(Tib. Dalha, Mong. Daisun- or Daichin-) is sometimes identified with Jamsaran. Later (from the end of the 18th century) is the identification Gesera with the god of war in Chinese mythology - Guandi
.
There were mysteries dedicated to some of the plot cycles of the Heseriad. In Tibet and among the Mongolian peoples, there were widespread beliefs about the involvement of the spirit of the hero (and himself) in the performance of the epic poem, about his special connection with the singer. In cult practice Geser as a universal protective deity (like most shamanic deities) acts as a patron of warriors, a protector of herds, a conqueror of demons, and a giver of good fortune (including hunting success). In shamanic invocations G. is sometimes called Burkhan or, he is called the son of the sky, living on top of a high white mountain peak in a house of clouds and mists. Unlike Tibet, where many comrades and opponents are also deified Gesera, among the Mongolian peoples the object of cult worship is only Geser.
Lit.: Geseriad. The legend of the merciful Geser Mergen Khan, the eradicator of ten evils in ten countries of the world, trans., intro. article and comment. S. A. Kozina, M.-L., 1935; Abai Geser, entry. article, trans. and comment. A. I. Ulanova, Ulan-Ude, 1960; Abai Geser-khubun, part 1-2, trans. and approx. M. P. Khomonova, Ulan-Ude, 1961-64; Damdinsuren Ts., Historical roots of Geseriada, M., 1957; Stein R. A., Recherches sur l'épopée et le barde au Tibet, P., 1959; Tucci G., Heissig W., Die Religionen Tibets und der Mongolei, Stuttg., 1970.