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Mythological Weapons Of Cosmic Destruction, Rebirth, and Bliss

September 23, 2007 at 2:25 pm by mahud

Garden of Eden and the Mythological Axis Mundi

As a Christian, I believed that there were two trees in the garden of Eden. As I began to study mythology, I came to the conclusion that the garden of Eden was a kind of axis-mundi, probably situated on a mountain, with it’s four rivers symbolic of the outpouring of the life principle from its trans-cosmic source to the four cardinal directions (Kind of like the four rivers of milk that flow from the primordial cow of creation in Norse mythology).

In most other mythologies, there is but one tree that functions as the axis-mundi, which led me to believe that in a hypothetical earlier version of the Eden myth, there was a single tree in the garden. I’m sure there is a Jewish legend that claims that both trees were entwined as one.

Transcendent and Imminent Realities Symbolized by the Sun and Moon

However, after deeper research I began to reconsider that there are in fact two trees. A Tree of Life, that can be equally destructive, which is the tree of transcendent divine reality, and an imminently divine cosmic tree of all things, in a constant state of decay and rejuvenation.

“A Tree of Life, that can be equally destructive, which is the tree of transcendent divine reality, and an imminently divine cosmic tree of all things, in a constant state of decay and rejuvenation.”

Another myth from India concerning Alexander the Great, who encounters a double-sexed, double-trunked speaking tree of the sun of moon (this is a reconstruction of the tree based on various accounts that mention these attributes), prophesied that he would both become king of the world and suffer imminent death. I believe this paradoxical destiny of Alexander, is the same as the God of the Cosmic Mysteries, who is also destined to rule eternally, according to his solar-eternal-undying-aspect of divinity, while according to his lunar-temporal-sacrificial-aspect of divinity, he is destined to die.

Recently, I’ve spent time categorizing some of the central themes of my Cosmic Mystery System, and reaching my category titled Divine weapon of death and life, I was struck by the notion that, as there are two trees, there are also two weapons.

The Solar Weapon of Divine Transcendence

The attributes of the first weapon are absolute, wielding the blow of either total bliss or total annihilation. This is the solar-transcendent weapon of the ineffable divine source, a symbolic extension of transcendent power. Examples include the indestructible and all destroying lightning bolt of Zeus, the Thyrsus/staff of Dionysus, and the world-consuming fifth head of Brahma (which I will return to shortly).

Coincidentally, someone recently Googled: Can we make a modern weapon with the help of hindu mythology?

This weapon corresponds with the ’solar’ Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden. After Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit of the second tree, they were expelled from paradise. This transition from bliss to wrath is marked by the revolving sword of fire that guarded the entrance to paradise, denying access to the tree of bliss, that had become the tree of wrath.

The revolving sword motif is possibly derived from the Mesopotamian glyph of the sun god Utu-Shamash, that is a stylized eight pointed ’star’ (the original pictographic representation of the Sumerian word for divinity) of four rivers (compare with the rivers of Eden. Also Shamash was responsible for watering the Mesopotamian paradise of Dilmun), and four sword-like objects, that could be interpreted as revolving, like a solar wheel.

The Lunar Weapon of Divine Imminence

The second weapon corresponds with the ‘lunar’ Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and represents the imminent and benevolent aspect of divinity. like the extreme solar weapon, the lunar weapon also has the power to bestow death and life, however, the death blow of the lunar weapon contains the transformative power to simultaneously recreate and restore to life. An example of this weapon would be the hammer of Thor, that had the power to both slaughter and resurrect the goats that drew Thor’s chariot, and of course at Ragnarok, Thor will crush the head of the ouroboros serpent, emblematic of space-time reality, returning the cosmic circle back to the beginning (symbolized by Thor’s nine fateful steps. nine symbolizing cosmic totality, e.g: the nine realms of the Nordic cosmos), thus recreating the ever-revolving cosmos (Check out In the footsteps of recreation).

Another example would be the Minoan Double-Axe, it’s curved twin blades I associate with the waxing waning moons, the lunar threshold of death and recreation, from which the cosmic cycle was surely derived.

The mythical reenactment of the cosmic-lunar mystery, is represented on a Mycenaean ring seal (above). The Goddess sits beneath the Ambrosial Tree, holding up three poppies in one hand, while lifting her breasts with the other, indicating a link between the milk of the poppy and the milk of the goddess. The central poppy is wounded by the moon blade of the double-axe, while the life-giving ambrosia drips down from its handle, telling us that the goddess’ child has passed through her triple womb and obtained the gift of life. Behind the tree, a small figure, the divine child himself, feeds upon the fruit of the tree.

The Cretan Labyrinth, means “Place of the Double Axe,” and like the symbol of the double axe itself, represents the cosmic realm and the womb of the Goddess, and like a cosmic cycle the beginning and end of the mythical labyrinth are also one. In the Greek myth, Ariadne guides Theseus towards his death at the centre of the labyrinth (Corresponding with the lunar-cosmic threshold), and guides him back out again into the realm of life.

My interpretation of the bull-slaying scene is that in the threshold the cosmic-lunar hero encounters the transcendent divine power, symbolized on Cretan coins as an eight pointed ’star.’ Our hero achieves transcendence with the all-destroying and indestructible divinity, becoming himself Asterion, all-destroying and indestructible, and slays himself (the man-bull) in his lunar-cosmic aspect (The bull is a lunar beast due to its horns), and obtains the boon of life (corresponding with the juice of the poppy), to be once again reborn via the labyrinthine womb of the Cosmic Goddess.

The Transcendent Divine Reality Within

It is worth mentioning that the eight pointed ’star’ in the centre of the labyrinth corresponds with the eight (on average) spokes that form the crown of the opium poppy. The flower itself, may well be the proto-iconic cosmic tree, it’s seed capsule corresponding with the cosmic-womb of the Goddess, surmounted by the star of trans-cosmic divinity that miraculously rises like the sun, from within the Lunar-cosmos. I have also briefly mentioned the Mesopotamian Tree of the Sun and Moon in Lunar Beasts (part six). I believe the same idea is rendered on this Cretan coin (or seal), of what appears to be a female deity giving birth to the sun.

The Cosmic Sacrifice

In Lunar beasts (part seven), I presented two related iconic representations of the Cosmic Mystery. The first depicted two Lunar Stags feeding from a cosmic tree (compare Mycenaean ring seal), while the second depicted a Lion Bird rising (like the sun) from between the backs of two Lunar Stags (compare the Cretan Coin above).

In this Sumerian cylinder seal (below), pre-dating the two previous examples by a millennium, both mysteries are presented together as a whole.

Instead of stags there are two rams, standing upon a horned mound, with a form of serpent. They appear to be feeding off an eight petalled flower, known as a rosette, which rests between their noses, while a bird of prey, gripping their backs with both talons (wound motif) rises up between them. The ram’s horns and the double horned mound (the womb of mother earth) correspond with the Old-and-New Moon double-door (discussed at length elsewhere). Below, the eternal mystery is concealed within the temporal mound, while above, the mystery is revealed in the form of the rosette, the solar gateway to paradise, and symbolic of the wrathful, yet blissful, trans-cosmic divinity.

“Below, the eternal mystery is concealed within the temporal mound, while above, the mystery is revealed in the form of the rosette, the solar gateway to paradise, and symbolic of the wrathful, yet blissful, trans-cosmic divinity.”

The whole scene depicts the cosmological sacrificial power, obtained by the Deity (miraculously born within the temporal realm) as he enters the eternal solar gateway. here, the Deity obtains (and partakes in) the divine ambrosia, which then becomes manifest within creation as he passes from one temporal lunar door (waning moon) to the other (waxing moon), ever-sustaining the universe, and solving the ‘Cosmological Problem’ of Atonement with the Divine.

Another Sumerian cylinder seal (late 4th millennium B.C) reveals the source of the All-Sustaining sacrificial power (below). Here, an anthropomorphic figure, revealed between two horns clasps branches to his chest, as if to suggest that he himself is a tree, while horned creatures are again feeding upon rosettes.

Wrath-Bliss of the indestructible Head

Returning to the All-Consuming divine head of Brahma (that Shiva gave Arjuna as a weapon to defeat his enemies in the war of the Mahabarata), compare with divine power concealed within the lunar-cosmic mound in the Sumerian cylinder seal (above). The all-destructive divine power is regulated through the cosmic sacrifice and miraculously contained within the Cosmic Mother.

In much older mythologies the decapitated head is connected with the first death, that marks the transition from Eternal Time to Temporal Time. The head is buried, like a seed which grows into food plants needed for sustenance in the transformed universe. Relating to this ancient theme, according to both Jewish and Christian traditions Adam’s (the Primal Man) head was buried at Golgotha, which means place of the skull. It was here that Jesus was crucified upon the ‘tree.’

“According to both Jewish and Christian traditions Adam’s head was buried at Golgotha, which means place of the skull. It was here that Jesus was crucified upon the ‘tree.’”

In a recent post entitled Brief History of the Seven-Headed Serpent Beast, I mentioned that the myth of Herakles battle with the Hydra, was most likely derived from a myth of a primordial battle between chaos (personified by a seven-headed serpent creature) and the hero (or heroes) of cosmic order. According to various versions of the myth, the Hydra had an immortal head (The middle head made of gold) that was also indestructible. Herakles buried the head beneath a large boulder, and so the forces of chaos were contained.

Finally, I am reminded of the head of Bran, that was buried at white hill in London, and had the power to repel foreign invasion. This Vital Head, also had the power to transport his companions into the blissful realms:

After a period of seven years the men journeyed to Gwales, and came upon a Royal hall above the ocean. Inside the great hall were three doors, two open and one closed. The men feasted in the presence of the head of Bran, and in a state of unparalleled joy, untouched by the sorrows of the past, they remained suspended in time for a period of eighty years. Cursed with curiosity, it was Heilyn who finally opened the forbidden door, and the spell was broken. The men were flooded with the knowledge of all the evil that had come upon them, including the death of their King.
The Second Branch of the Mabinogi

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