Hammer Und Vajra

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References
1. Puttaswamy, T. K. (2012). Mathematical Achievements of Pre-modern Indian Mathematicians. Newnes. p. 141. ISBN 978-0-12-397913-1.
2. Biswas, Dilip Kumar (September 1949). Law, Narendra Nath (ed.). "The Maga Ancestry of Varahamihira". The Indian Historical Quarterly. 25 (3): 175.
3. Randal W. Oulton (13 May 2007). "Michaelmas Bannock". Cooksinfo.com. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
Image 1: The Bulls of Guisando
Image 2: Celtic Triskele art

On Bruja, Mago, and the Celtic heritage in the greater Latin culture.

Often in the west when people think of the word “Latin” they associate it with Hispanic Culture or Heritage. This is especially true in regards to those in the Americas. Sometimes one will include other Latin-based languages such as French or Italian or sometimes Romanian, however, in general, Latin being that of Spain, Portuguese, or people south of the United States is the common conception in vernacular.

What people of all Latin cultures seem too often overlook, or purposely downplay, is the greater Indo-European connection they have, especially that of the Celtic branch. This includes those of the greater Latin America and South American diaspora.

A majority of the regions we think of as Latin in Europe were originally Celtic lands and these Celts who were both integrated and absorbed by Latin culture had a large impact linguistically, culturally, genetically, and of course sticking true to my work, spiritually.

Even if one isn’t of “Latin” heritage connections it would be a worthy endeavor to search the impact that Celts had in Eurasia and thereby the world. Celts were spread across Central, Western, and Eastern Europe, as well as pockets in Anatolia and what would be considered the Middle East. If subtlety isn’t apparent enough I am implying that Germanic, Scandinavian, Latin, some Mediterranean, and Slav all have Celtic ties within their roots.

Linguistics and Etymology are often the keys to unraveling the history of terms that show the greater cultural, spiritual aspects, as well as genetic migration. For this, we will look at the terms Bruja and Mago.



bruja "witch" (also Portuguese bruxa, Aragonese broixa, Catalan bruixa), from *bruxtia, from *brixta "magic"; akin to Middle Welsh brith-ron "magic wand", Breton bre "witch, magic", breoù "spells, charms", Old Irish brichtu "charms", brigim "to light up, illuminate", Brigit "shining one". Possibly from Iberian/Celtiberian *bruxtia (compare Catalan bruixa, Portuguese bruxa, Occitan bruèissa), from Proto-Celtic *brixtā (“spell, magic”) (compare Old Irish bricht (“charm”), Old Breton brith (“magic”)). It could instead be akin to a different Celtic word such as Old Irish Brigit (literally “high, exalted”).
-- Wikipedia

Judging by the breakdown of the above word one can see the connection between what would become synonymous with the word English / Germanic word Witch and its origins in an understanding of holy light, blessings, or being divine. The connection to the Goddess Brigit is a strong one where she is viewed as the Dawn Goddess, associated with the Sun and Solar energy and has been synchronized with a Christian saint whose symbol is a solar cross that is very similar to a swastika.

One will notice that the connection between light versus dark, solar worship, harvest and plenty, as well as sacrifice plays a strong role in the Celtic branches of Indo-European faith and may have had a cultural impact among Latin understanding of faith and what would be absorbed into Christianity.

Since Lady Brigid is seen as a Scots-Irish Goddess (with some English worship) we will therefore look closer to the regions of the continental Celts who had a larger direct impact closer to the Hispania. This would be the Gauls and Iberian Celts.

Below is an excerpt from a website that does a pretty good job of making these connections between, what some will be considered the primary God, Lugh the Solar / Shining aspect, and the Goddess Brigit.



“The god Luxovius gave his name to the city of Luxeuil and, with Bricta, presided over its curative springs.2113 His name is said to derive from *leuk meaning ‘light’ - probably forming the name of the Irish god Lugh as well; hence his possible association with both light and water symbolism.2114 As regards the name of the goddess, it is important to point out that its correct spelling is Bricta or Brixta, and not Brixia or Bricia: the 18th-century archaeologists misread the T as an I.2115 Pierre Wuillemier explains that the alternation between ct and xt in Bricta or Brixta is consonant with the Gaulish language, for those groups of letters were phonetically identical.2116 Similarly, the names Divixta and Divicta are the same.2117 The suffix – ta, found in other goddess names, such as Nantosuelta, Rosmerta and Segeta, indicates Bricta is a noun of action.



Holder sees a connection between Bricta/Brixta and the name of the River Breuchin, which waters Luxeuil, for it is called Brusca or Brisca in the Life of Saint Columbanus.2118 The River Breuchin gave its name to two villages, situated on its banks: Breuches and Breuchotte, which are respectively situated four and eight kilometres from Luxeuil. Bricta might thus have been originally the personification of the River Breuchin and have been later attached to the salutary waters of Luxeuil.2119

As regards the significance of her name, Olmsted suggests that it derives from the IE root *bhrēk- meaning ‘to shine’; hence Bricta, ‘the Shining One’,2120 but the etymology* advanced by Lambert, Delamarre and Leurat is far more convincing.2121 According to them, Brixta/Bricta is to be related to the Gaulish word brixtom/brictom or brixta signifying ‘magic’, ‘enchantment’, ‘charm’ or ‘spell’. The word brixta appears on line 3 of a twelve-line magical formula addressed to the god Maponos, inscribed on a lead tablet discovered in 1971 at a place known as the ‘Sources des Roches’ in Chamalières (Puy-de-Dôme): brixtía andiron, that is ‘by the magic power of the infernal (deities)’.2122 It also repeatedly appears in the forms brictom and brictas in a magical text engraved on the two faces of a lead tablet called ‘Plomb du Larzac’, discovered in 1983 on the necropolis of Hodpitalet-du-Larzac (Aveyron), e.g. on face 1a, line 1: in sinde se bnanom brictom, i.e. ‘the magic of the women’, and line 9: andernados brictom, i.e. ‘the magic of the underworld’.2123 Gaulish brixta must be cognate with the Old Irish bricht, ‘bewitchment’, Middle Welsh lled-frith, ‘charm’ and Old Breton brith, ‘magic’, all derived from an old IE theme *bhregh- meaning ‘to declare ceremoniously’.2124 As Bricta ends with a suffix of action, *bhrgh-tá > *briktá > brixtá would denote ‘magical activity’ and Bricta might be ‘the woman who exercises magic’, that is the ‘magician’ or the ‘witch’.2125 “ -- https://theses.univ-lyon2.fr/

Now the God Lugh (Lvgvs / Lug) is often seen as the Head God or Tri-God (when depicted with three heads) of the greater pan-Celtic Pantheon. While this may have strong connections to later Trinitarian understandings in Christianity and how trinity motifs and theology connects to Indo-European faith in general, we will however be focusing on the attributes of Lord Lugh and how they correlate to the word Mago.



The term Magi or Magus usually refers to Priests or Wisemen (Literally what the term Wizard means) of the Zoroastrian faith. However, I will argue that it has greater implications beyond what we modernly associate with Zoroastrianism and Persia. While this may seem like Unverified Personal Gnosis to some, I think there is a thread that reaches from East to West regarding this priesthood traditions, the worship of the Gods, as Savior God (originally via Mitra) that connected Druids, Chaldeans, Brahmin (Buddhist thereby with Saka) and even the Greeks and Scythians. Though it could be seen as controversial this influence could originally have extended to the original faiths that were absorbed into the primary three Abrahamic faiths, though at some point the message may have been lost, changed, or corrupted.

In the Northern Indian traditions, Sakaldawipiya Brahmin claim to be connected to 10 Maga (Sanskrit मग) or priests who conducted the worship of Mitra as the Sun God, synchronized with Surya (Vedic Sun God), at Mitravana known as Multan. This was detailed in Samba Purana, Bhavishya Purana, and most importantly in the Mahabharata. They also claim their homeland is that of Sakadvipa. (1) The Indian Astronomer Varahamihira (505-587AD) stated that a statue of the “Sun-god” (Mitra) is depicted wearing a central Asian outfit and horse writing boots. (2). Many of these depictions match the Saka, Scythian, Sogdian, possibly Tocharian and Persian tribes as well as what some consider Turkic tribes of the north.



This connection to the God Mitra (Persian Mithra, Roman Mithras) is an important one with the speculation that the Scythians worshipped Mithra as what Herodotus called the “Scythian Ares”. Mitra is a prominent Deva within the Rig Veda often paired with Varuna. This paring of the God of Water/Sky and or Underworld (afterlife) with Mithra seems to be a common motif. Mithra was worshipped in the Persian Avesta via Zarathustra as one who is as worthy of praise as Ahura Mazda (Wise Lord / Sky Father) and is often invoked as the mediator between Ahura Mazda and Angra Maiynu with his Mother being that of the Water/Earth Anahita. It has been speculated that he was paired with or syncretically worshiped via the Sumerian God Nergal during the early Persian expansions. His “cult” was established in Rome and spread via the Roman Empire as what is now known as the Cult of Mithras. Rome took this cult and built temples or brotherhoods in his name across Western Europe. The connection to Ares, though hypothetical, in possible correlation to the Germanic Mars Tacitus speaks of as well as what will later be codified as the one to whom the legendary Sword of Mars is used to swear oaths to. The Scythians themselves were thought to swear oaths upon a sword and that their “Ares” was only represented as a sword. This oath swearing is important as it is a primary attribute of the Mithra. Oaths are made to him and honored through him with punishment for breaking them in his control as well. He is one who commits sacrifice (often of a Bull) and thereby brings blessing, protection, Salvation, and ends drought. He is considered the son of the Sun or Sky father and often operates similar to the Chaoskampf via a sacrificial role. In the Avesta, he is the lord of wide pastures and associated with shepherds as well.



While the position of Lugh isn’t the same as Mithras, Lugh is much more akin to Odin or Shiva in Cosmological ranking and Mercury by archetype.
Lugh is also associated with pastoral life and artisans, with this Son / Avatar Sétanta becoming the protector of the fields and lands of Chulainn after having slain his monstrous dog. Lugh represents the Solar / Shining light and defeats the Evil / Chaotic Balor releasing the rains and bringing forth blessings. In an interesting way, though it may be seen as a stretch, the Angel / Saint Michael is one of the most popular saints amongst the Indo-European peoples (often synchronized with Saint George). Michael is often depicted as defeating “Satan” restoring order, providing blessings, and guidance of light towards salvation or God for those who look to him.
For the many Christians, 29th September is the day of Michaelmas or Feast of Saint Michael and the Angels. Michael is celebrated for his defeat of Satan during the war in heaven.

In Scotland (particularly the Isle of Skye) many events and celebrations that were done during Lughnasadh were changed to this day. (3) Lughnasadh is a Celtic harvest festival held a month prior on the 1st of August between the summer solstice and Autumn Equinox. This is in celebration of the God Lugh (Lugus) who is often depicted as a triple deity, who defeated the Fomorian Balor (Balor of the Evil Eye). During Lughnasadh, there is usually dancing and a Bull is slain/sacrificed. This could have possible connections to the Slaying of the Bull by Mithras as well. Eras change during the slaying of the bull and the defeat of chaos. Both Gods are considered Gods of the Oath and Lords of the pasture.



Lammas and Michaelmas are both holidays for harvest associated with wheat and bread. Offerings of bread and wine are associated with this Mass as well as within the communal ceremonies of Mithras in the Cult of Mithras.

Other connections to Michael are the usage of the spear (though this could also be correlated with the Sky Father for Lugh) and within the Roman interpretation of the connection with Lugh, Michael, and Mercury they were seen as one and the same. Though this could be a mistake by the Romans who also equated Mercury with Odin / Wotan. However, Lugh and Odin are possibly the same archetypes of the sacrificial skillful Sky Father.

However, with over 14 European cities named after Lugh. Laon and Lyon in France. Leiden / Leyden in Holland. Possibly Loudon (a few named across the world including in Tennessee, USA). And finally, the Galicia region of Spain has the region of Lugo.

It should be noted that while the worship and or adoration of Saint Michael is rather widespread amongst Christians, it is very popular among both Celtic and Latin speaking peoples with the name Miguel being a very popular name among Spanish speakers.

In conclusion, one can easily draw the connections between the Spanish words Bruja, Mago, Magic and Brigid, Lugh, Magi, and Michael as well as the greater Celtic and Indo-European connection that is often overlooked within Spanish traditions.



Hammer and Vajra!
Written by Zachary Gill 03 March 2022.
Note: Another interesting topic is the number of Spanish rivers named Deva. In Northern Spain there us a river named Deva based on a Celtic Goddess of a similar name. English river names such as Dee are related and are speculated to come from a PIE word related to Goddess similar to that of the river and Goddess Danu.