World Mythology: The Gods of Death. Part #2/2

the previous part

Baron Samedi (Voodoo)

This is the main deity of the voodoo's religion. Baron Samedi is associated not only with the dead and death, but also with the sex and birth of children. He is depicted as a stylish skeleton, flaunts a black coat and cylinder (undertaker's clothing), and his main symbols are the coffin and the cross. The cross is not a Christian crucifixion, and is known in all cultures, the sign of the crossroads.

image source

The first grave in the new cemetery is dedicated to Baron. It is believed that man, in whom he possessed, shows intemperance in drink, food, smoking and sex. Baron Samedi is the patron Saint of thugs and goons. Along with Maman Brigitte (another spirit Loa) they convert the souls of the dead in transitional creatures (between life and final death), removing them from the mystic waters where they can lose their name and consciousness. The Baron can appear in our world on his own will. He is not only a conduit to another world, he is a very strong Spirit, which can use the dead souls for his goals. Also he controls black magic, therefore, wizards turn to him for help in their dark deeds.

According to legend, the Baron Samedi, was a real person. He was a powerful "black" sorcerer, the French took him prisoner along with his family and moved from Africa to Haiti, as slaves for coffee plantations. In slavery, he developed his abilities even more, due to the suffering of other slaves and hatred of white people. He became a vessel for the thousands evil spirits of the Loa, and moved to the underworld.

Yama (India)

In Indian mythology the God of death, ruler of the kingdom of the dead and judge over the people. Initially was a good God, his self-sacrifice gave rise to the original life on the Earth, he was associated with the sun. According to one legend, Yama went to explore the world and get to Heaven, because of it people became mortal.

image source

Yama itself has become a monster with red-blue-green skin, with the face of a horse and a bull's head. He is armed with a noose and a mace, walks around the world accompanied by two four-eyed dogs, who collect the souls of the dead. Then soul goes to court, where Yama decides where she will go: to heavens, one of the circles of hell, or going back to the land of the living, through reincarnation.

In Buddhist mythology, Yama is the Lord of hell, who was a great, but cruel ruler. He broke the promise given to the Gods, after which he was sent to hell, Eight generals and 80 000 soldiers accompanied the king in the afterlife. Three times a day to his throat was poured molten copper, until Yama did not atoned for all his sins. Becoming the Lord of hell, Yama zap people with illness and old age.

Hades (Greece)

One of the three key gods in Greek mythology. After Zeus killed his father Kronos (bloodthirsty Titan devouring his children), and freed his brothers and sisters, he divided the three kingdoms with his brothers. Zeus-the earth and the sky, Poseidon – sea, Hades - underworld. Like all Greek gods had human form, but could transform into different creatures.

The Greeks were afraid of Hades and his Kingdom, it was a deserted dark field, which wandered the souls of the dead, which complained about the lack of light and joy. But Hades was also worshiped as the God of fertility, in the opinion of the people he was responsible for the harvest and the General growth of plants on earth (later this ability passed to his wife Persephone).

image source

In our time, Hades is usually depicted in a negative light, in fact he is neutral. Unlike the other gods, he almost constantly is in his Kingdom and guards it, while the other Gods sitting on mount Olympus and not in their possessions. Besides, Hades is loyal to Zeus, in contrast to the same of Poseidon, who once almost overthrow Zeus, by deception.

Hel (Scandinavia)

One of the three monsters, who will destroy the gods at the end (other two her brothers, the giant wolf Fenrir and the huge snake Jörmungandr), she is the daughter of the God Loki. When she was brought to Odin, he gave her possession of the Kingdom of the dead, where to go the souls of all the dead except warriors killed in battle (they go to Valhalla).

image source

Hel is described as a woman of gigantic proportions, she is even bigger than the other giants. One half of her body black and blue, the other livid, so sometimes she is called a blue-and-white Hel. Above the waist she looks like a living woman, but her hips and legs covered with spots and decompose as a corpse. According to the legends, her possessions are in the country ice giants, and no soul can escape from her. Even the dead gods (and this has happened), remained in her Kingdom forever. In the end of the world, Hel will lead the army of the dead to storm the heavens.

Izanami (japan)

The goddess Izanami was the sister and wife of her brother Izanagi, together they created the world and people. After creating the earth, they decided to create rulers of the universe, so Izanami then gave birth to other gods. The last one was the God of fire Kagutsuchi. After birth, the goddess was greatly weakened, and besides, the last son severely burned her, so Izanami went to the land of darkness and sorrow - Yomi.

image source

Izanagi couldn't live without his love and went to return her. In the darkness he heard the voice of his wife, who told him that it's too late to change anything, then Izanagi lit a torch to take the last look at his beloved. Instead her he saw a monster, dripping with pus and surrounded by monsters, the goddess attacked him. But Izanagi could to escape and close the entrance to the land of the dead with a huge rock. At that moment, he felt the presence of Izanami on the other side of the rock and asked her to dissolve their union. Izanami replied that in this case, she will strangle all the people in one day, but Izanagi replied that he was ready to build in a day fifteen hundred houses for pregnant women.

Hine-nui-te-pō (Maori)

Great woman of night. The goddess of night and death, ruler of the underworld, she hates the God Tane. Tane, God of forests and birds, looking on his parents gods (original creators), decided that he too needs a wife, his mother showed him how to create a goddess. Originally, the Hine-nui-te-pō had name of Hinetitama (girl-sunrise), together with Tane they gave birth people.

image source

When she found out that her husband is both her father-the Creator, she ran into underworld (spirit world), because of shame and disgust. Tanya followed her to the underworld, but she told him to go back and educate their children (humans), but she will have to wait for them all in the underworld. According to Maori belief, she created the red color of the sunset from her hatred. Her divine appearance - the full moon.

The hero Maui tried to make mankind immortal, having descended into the body of a sleeping Hine-nui-te-pō , but she woke up and killed him. So Maui became the first dead person, due him all people would grow old and die.

Osiris (Egypt)

The God of rebirth and the king of the underworld. Initially, Osiris as a son of the Supreme God RA, lived on earth and ruled Egypt, he taught people agriculture, horticulture and construction. But was killed by his brother Seth, because of envy. After the resurrection of Osiris by his wife and the God Anubis, he decided to rule in the underworld. The image of Osiris is the result of his resurrection through embalming: depicted as a mummy with green face wrapped in a shroud, with hands, holding symbols of Royal power.

image source

Before the rise of the cult of Osiris, Anubis rules in the underworld. His appearance - a man with a Jackal head. Anubis was the guide of souls to the Kingdom of the dead, where judged them with help the feather of the goddess Mut and weights. On the one Cup weights he put the heart of the deceased, and on the second one feather: If man didn't sinned in life, the feather outweighed his heart, and he went to heaven. Otherwise, it is sent to be devoured by the beast Ammit (a lion with a crocodile head).

***

As we see all these gods are similar and different in the same time. The realm of the dead or the spirit realm exist in every mythology originally, the gods simply became the rulers of this Kingdom. Some voluntarily, others because of a tragic and random event, others as a punishment. With someone of them you may agree, someone is impartial judge, who judges the soul according to the sins and finds her deserved punishment, while others try to gather the greatest harvest because of revenge or envy.

Most ancient civilizations (Incas, Aztecs, Egyptians) didn't perceive the gods of death negatively, they considered them one of the most important in the Pantheon and treated with great respect. The ancients regarded death as continuation of life, the inevitability and the need to maintain balance in the Universe.

image source

In the Northern mythologies the death and its overlord are perceived more negatively, as the absolute but a necessary evil. In legends the hero seeks to fight death, or to cheat on her. It can be explained by the fact that the ancient and advanced nations - the peoples of the South, lived in a more comfortable natural environment, striving for harmony with the surrounding world. In the North, man had to get used to the new, harsher conditions. Nature, like everything around, is no longer perceived as an ally, but as an enemy, against which you need to constantly fight to survive.

image source

Cold winters, strong wind, weak sun, the lack of land for cultivation challenged the man, and the result of losing was death. The Northern Nations have always been more pragmatic and hatd, than the South, therefore death couldn't have the positive qualities for them. But they understood its inevitability and treat it with due reverence.

---