In my quest to find appropriate beings to invoke in the Quarters of my IndoWiccan rituals, I did the following research. I hope some find it of use here on their path.
~Devi~
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Here is some basic research so far into the order of Indic elemental-type beings:
APSARAS
An Apsaras (Sanskrit: apsarāḥ, plural apsarasaḥ, stem apsaras-, a feminine consonant stem) or Accharā (Pāli), is a female spirit of the clouds and waters in Hindu and Buddhist mythology. Despite ending in -s, "apsaras" is to be construed as singular. The English plural is "apsarases".
In the Rig-Veda there is one Apsaras, wife of Gandharva; in the later scriptures there are many apsarases, created by Lord Brahma, who act as the handmaidens of Indra or the celestial damsels of his court who dance before his throne.
Natya Shastra lists the following apsarases: Manjukesi, Sukesi, Misrakesi, Sulochana, Saudamini, Devadatta, Devasena, Manorama, Sudati, Sundari, Vigagdha, Vividha, Budha, Sumala, Santati, Sunanda, Sumukhi, Magadhi, Arjuni, Sarala, Kerala, Dhrti, Nanda, Supuskala, Supuspamala and Kalabha.
Apsarases are said to be able to change their shapes at will, and specially rule over the fortunes of gaming and gambling. Urvasi, Menaka, Rambha and Tilottama are the most famous among Apsarases who are well versed in the arts of music and dancing. The total number of Apsarases at Indra's court is 26, each representing a distinct aspect of the performing arts. They can be compared with the ancient Greek muse. They may also, in their "Nature" capacity, be rendered comparable to the Greek nymphs, dryads, naiads, etc.
Apsarases are the wives of the Gandharvas, court servants of Indra. They danced to the music made by their husbands, usually in the various gods' palaces.
One of their duties is to guide to paradise the heroes who fall in battle, whose wives they then become. They are distinguished as daivika ("divine") or laukika ("worldly").
The Apsaras was associated with fertility rites. In Hinduism, the lower Apsarases (also Vṛkṣakas, dryads or tree-fairies) are sometimes referred to as nature spirits, who sometimes lured men to their deaths; cf. the Slavic Rusalki.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apsaras
GANDHARVA
In Hinduism, the Gandharvas (Sanskrit: गंधर्व, gandharva) are male nature spirits, husbands of the Apsarases. Some are part animal, usually a bird or horse. They have superb musical skills. They guarded the Soma and made beautiful music for the gods in their palaces. A connection between their name and that of the Greek centaurs was proposed in the 19th century, but has met with strong opposition from some Indo-Europeanists.
In Hindu theology, Gandharvas act as messengers between the gods and humans. In Hindu law, a Gandharva marriage is one contracted by mutual consent and without formality
In Buddhism, a Gandharva (Sanskrit) or Gandhabba (Pāli) is one of the lowest-ranking devas in Buddhist theology. They are classed among the Cāturmahārājikakāyika devas, and are subject to the Great King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Guardian of the East.
Gandharvas can fly through the air, and are known for their skill as musicians. They are connected with trees and flowers, and are described as dwelling in the scents of bark, sap, and blossom. They are among the beings of the wilderness that might disturb a monk meditating alone.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gandharva
YAKSHA
Yaksa (Sanskrit) or Yakkha (Pāli) is the name of a broad class of nature-spirits or minor deities who appear in Hindu and Buddhist mythology. The feminine form of the word is yaksī or yaksinī.
In both Hindu and Buddhist mythology, the yakṣa has a dual personality. On the one hand, a yakṣa may be an inoffensive nature-fairy, associated with woods and mountains; but there is a much darker version of the yakṣa, which is a kind of cannibalistic ogre, ghost or demon that haunts the wilderness and waylays and devours travelers, similar to the raksasas.
The yaksas may have originally been the tutelary gods of forests and villages, and were later viewed as the steward deities of the earth and the wealth buried beneath.
In Indian art, male yakṣas are portrayed either as fearsome warriors or as portly, stout and dwarf-like. Female yaksas, known as yaksinīs, are portrayed as beautiful young women with happy round faces and full breasts and hips.
In Buddhist mythology, the yaksa are the attendants of Vaiśravaṇa, the Guardian of the Northern Quarter, a beneficent god who protects the righteous. The term also refers to the twelve heavenly generals who guard the Buddha of Medicine.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaksha
NAGAS
Nāga (नाग) is the Sanskrit and Pāli word for a minor deity taking the form of a very large snake, found in Hinduism and Buddhism.
Nāgas in Hinduism
Stories involving the nāgas are still very much a part of contemporary cultural traditions in predominantly Hindu regions of Asia (India, Nepal, and the island of Bali). In India, nāgas are considered nature spirits and the protectors of springs, wells and rivers. They bring rain, and thus fertility, but are also thought to bring disasters such as floods and drought. According to some traditions nāgas are only malevolent to humans when they have been mistreated. They are susceptible to mankind's disrespectful actions in relation to the environment. Since nāgas have an affinity with water, the entrances to their underground palaces are often said to be hidden at the bottom of wells, deep lakes and rivers. They are especially popular in southern India where some believe that they brought fertility to their venerators. Some believed that the legends of nāgas may have originated with some kind of tribal people in the past.[citation needed]Varuna, the Vedic god of storms, is viewed as the King of the nāgas. Nāgas live in Pātāla, the seventh of the "nether" dimensions or realms.[1] They are children of Kashyapa and Kadru. Among the prominent nāgas of Hinduism are Manasa, Shesha or Sesa and Vasuki.
The nāgas also carry the elixir of life and immortality. One story mentions that when the gods were rationing out the elixir of immortality, the nāgas grabbed a cup. The gods were able to retrieve the cup, but in doing so, spilled a few drops on the ground. The nāgas quickly licked up the drops, but in doing so, cut their tongues on the grass, and since then their tongues have been forked.
Ganapati is popularly worshipped in numerous avataras [2] including that of the Naga King.
In Buddhism, the nāgas are the servants of Virūpākṣa (Pāli: Virūpakkha), one of the Four Heavenly Kings who guards the western direction.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naga...thology%29
FOUR HEAVENLY KINGS
I found this extremely interesting - all the creature that are sevitors of the Buddhist Four Heavenly Kings (Gaurdians of the 4 Cardinal Directions - whose colors and so forth DO NOT correspond to the normal Buddhist/Chinese ones, but DO to a great extent correspond to the Wiccan ones = N-Earth/Yaksha, W-Water/Nagas, E-Air/Gandharvas) originiate in the Vedic tradition, and for the most part line up extremely well with our elemental calls.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four...enly_Kings
The problem lies with the Southern realm, as kumbhandas do not really fit any description that makes sense (in the Western Wiccan context) for Fire or its attributes:
The kumbhandas are spirit eating demons who are known for their huge scrotums. They have human bodies and horses heads.
nichirenscoffeehouse.net/Shute...s.html
And althouth I can certainly find reference to the other beings within the pre-Buddhist Vedic cosmology, I have yet to find reference to kumbhandas outside of the Buddhist Vedic context - making it further problematic for one working within the Hindu Vedic context.
This led me to research further into supernatural being of the Vedic universe, and I found this:
EIGHT KINDS OF SUPERNATURAL BEINGS
In addition to the geography of the Mt. Sumeru world system and the six worlds which compose it, one should know something about the population. In addition to human beings and animals, there are many kinds of gods, demons, and other supernatural creatures. The major ones are included in the group called the eight kinds of supernatural beings who protect and revere the Dharma. These are:
1. Devas or gods: This category includes all those who live in the heavenly realms, from the celestial courtiers, the apsaras, to the Four Heavenly Kings, Indra, Brahma, and all the other devas, or shining ones. The major devas and groups of devas who inhabit the heavenly realms are:
Apsaras: These are the attendants, retainers, entertainers, and celestial nymphs who populate the heavenly palaces.
The Four Heavenly Kings: These are the guardians who defend the world and the four sides of Mt. Sumeru from the fighting demons. They are: Vaishravana - Heavenly King of the North; Dhritarashtra - Heavenly King of the East; Virudhaka - Heavenly King of the South; and Virupaksha - Heavenly King of the West. They dwell in the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings, and from there command their armies under the direction of Indra.
The Thirty-three Gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-three: According to the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (cited in The Myths and Gods of India by Alain Danielou) there are thirty-three gods and these consist of their ruler, Indra; the lord of creation, Prajapati; the eight spheres-of-existence, the Vasus; the eleven divinities-of-life, the Rudras; and the twelve sovereign-principles, the Adityas.
The Vasus rule the elements of the earthly realm. Their name means "dwellings" because they rule the dwelling places of all that exists. Danielou lists them as follows:
"The eight Vasus include the earthly-sphere (prthiva) and the fiery energy which dwells in it, Agni; the sphere-of-space (antariksa) and the fiery energy which dwells in it, Vayu, the Wind; the heavenly-sphere (dyaus) and the fiery energy which dwells in it, the Sun (Surya); then comes the sphere-of-constellations (naksatra) and the gentle energy which dwells in it, the Moon or Offering (Soma). " (The Myths and Gods of India, pp. 85-86)
The Rudras rule the life-forces and their dynamism keeps the world in motion and change. Their name means "howlers" and they are called this because of the suffering that is caused when the life forces withdraw upon death. They are fearsome warlike deities and are aspects of the god Shiva. According to the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, there are ten Rudras corresponding to the ten life-forces of human beings and an eleventh corresponding to the self or atman. Danielou states: "Eight of the Rudras are equivalents to eight of the auspicious manifestations of Siva (asta-murti); the others represent the fearful forms of fire. The first can be propitiated through worship; man should keep aloof from the others." (Ibid, p.103). The eleven could also possibly be the five deities who are the components of Siva, the five deities who are the five faces of Siva, and the self.
The Adityas rule the intellect and the celestial sphere. They are the sons of Aditi, the Primordial-Vastness. Danielou lists them as: "The twelve-sovereign principles are generally given as Mitra (solidarity), Varuna (fate), Aryaman (chivalry), Daksa (ritual skill), Bhaga (the inherited share), Amsa (the god's given share), Tvastr (craftsmanship), Savitr (the magic power of words), Pusan (prosperity), Sakra (courage), Vivasvat (social laws), and Visnu (cosmic law)." (Ibid, p. 115)
Yama: The first human being to have passed away was Yama, and he then became the first ancestor and eventually the ruler and judge of the dead. Though he presides over the worlds of the hells and hungry ghosts, his palace is in the Heaven of Time.
Mara: The "murderer" who rules over the realm of desire from the Heaven of Free Enjoyment of Transformation by Others, the sixth and highest heaven of the realm of desire.
Maha Brahma: The Great Brahma who dwells in the Maha Brahma Heaven dwells in the realm of form and transcends the realm of desire and the machinations of Mara, but there is still a subtle (or perhaps not so subtle) egotism which keeps him bound to the six worlds of rebirth. The Great Brahma believes himself to be the omnipotent creator of the world.
Ishvara: The Freedom God who dwells in the Highest Heaven. Sometimes he is called Maheshvara, the Great Freedom God. He is the highest and most sublime of the devas.
2. Ashuras or fighting demons: These are the anti-gods who fight against the devas out of pride and envy.
3. Nagas or dragons: These are the serpents or dragons who live in the ocean and rule over the rain, rivers, and tides. They also guard the hidden treasures of the world. They are classified as supernatural animals.
4. Gandharvas: These are the court musicians of the heavenly realms. They are classified as supernatural animals.
5. Kimnaras: These are court singers and dancers. The men are said to have horse heads and sing, while the women are fully human in form and dance. Kimnaras are also portrayed as birds with human heads and torsos. They are classified as supernatural animals.
6. Garudas: These are either giant birds who hunt and eat the nagas, or they are humanoids with wings and the heads of birds. They often serve as mounts for the devas. They are classified as supernatural animals.
7. Mahoragas: These are also celestial musicians. They are either giant snakes or humanoids with the heads of snakes. They are classified as supernatural animals.
8. Yakshas: The Yakshas are the spirits of the forests, fields, villages, and towns. They are also serve as the armed forces of the Heavenly King Vaishravana. This last type of supernatural being is actually part of a much larger category, the rakshasas, who are themselves a powerful type of hungry ghost. The Matrix and Diamond World Mandalas in Shingon Buddhism states: "The sutras of both exoteric and Esoteric Buddhism describe three types of Raksasas: firstly, the demons who belong to the company of Yaksas; secondly, the unbelievers, who are the enemies of the gods; and thirdly, those who haunt cemetaries at night and hinder the offerings of the sacrifice, the evil demons who raised up corpses and capture and eat men." (p. 492)
Copyright by Ryuei Michael McCormick. 2002.
nichirenscoffeehouse.net/Shute...c.html
It is unfortunate that there is not another grouping of being within the 33 Gods of the Heaven of the 33, because the Vasus work beautifully with Earth, the Rudras are wonderful for Fire, and the Adityas are perfect for Air. This leaves Water and her attributes.
Perhaps then, we can look once again to the class of supernatural animals - as some Wiccan traditions certainly use supernatural animals as their Quarter gaurdians. So we are back to:
Nagas-West/Water,
"The Dragons, or Serpents (Nagas): These are spirits associated with water. They control rivers, lakes and seas, and they dwell deep in the ocean. They include the cyclonic forces of nature, whether they are material or spiritual. They control storms and the wild & instinctive forces of nature."
www.tientai.net/teachings/...8groups.htm
Gandharvas-East/Air, However, using the definition of Gaurudas from
they seem almost more suited to Air overall.
"The king of birds, with golden wings, living below heaven but above the highest trees of the earth. It is associated with the legends of the Roc and the Phoenix, and it is said to be able to travel a hundred thousand miles in a single day. It is the enemy and devourer of serpents (Nagas). The name means 'Wings of Speech', and it represents the spiritual power and magic of the spoken word, which conquers nature, invokes and inspires the mind and carries it far and wide. The god of knowledge (Vishnu) is said to ride on its back and it carries the 'Wish-Fulfilling (Cintamani) Gem' around its neck."
Gandharvas here www.tientai.net/teachings/...8groups.htm described as make them seem more suited to Fire due to the excitment and erotic associations:
"Gods of fragrance & music, celestial musicians of Sakra Devendra (Indra), with the King of Heaven Dhritarastra (Protector of the Nation - The Strong) as their lord. They are said to feed on fragrance and cause ecstasy. They are erotic and are the patrons of marriageable girls."
Yakshas-North/Earth, but interestingly we find Kinnaras listed as one of the 8 types of beings, which as described here www.tientai.net/teachings/...8groups.htm as:
"The Kinnaras are the musicians of Vaisravana, also known as Kuvera (God of Wealth), with men’s bodies & horses’ heads. They are the same as the Kentauros (Centaurs) of Greek mythology - in fact the words Kinnaras and Kentauros have the same Indo-European origin. They are called the ‘doubtful (mythical) spirits’ and ‘human but not human’. The males have horns & play on lutes, and the females sing & dance. They rank below Gandharvas - the music of the Kinnaras is like popular ('pop') music compared to the classical, heavenly music of the Gandharvas. The Kinnaras are first of all entertainers."
Perhaps more suited to the kind of Earth-spirit we are calling upon as opposed to the Yakshas:
"Originally Asuras and malignant demons from the earth, they were later accepted by the gods (Suras). They are guardians of the earth’s treasures and protectors of the gates & moats of their king Kuvera (the God of Wealth), one of the four Kings of Heaven."
The problem still remains with the Fire element - as the Gandharvas are traditionally associated with forests, mountains and air...none of which are very firey. Thier association with music and scent confirms them as more creature of Air than anything else, even if the Gaurudas may fit our ideal of Air moreso.
Of course, Agni being Agni there seems little reason for a class of beings to take on those attributes. But for the purposes of continuity it seems most logical that we stick to one class of beings for the Quarters. If we are forced into individual Vedic deities - which certainly COULD work on a purely elemental level - we are then faced with having to decide how exactly to work the fact that the Vedic deities are already assigned as a directional gaurdian and this doesn't line up with the Wiccan context. I feel it rude to snatch a deity from his traditional area just to make it fit our modern context - and likewise, using a 10-direction call in Wiccan (where the N-E-S-W associations do not even align) seems likewise silly.
So, the search continues...
But let us look for a moment at the traditional gaurdians of the 4 Cardinal directions:
In Hinduism the Guardians of the four cardinal directions are called the Lokapālas (लोकपाल). They are:
Kubera (north)
Yama (south)
Indra (east)
Varuna (west)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guar...p.C4.81las
Kubera works fine in the North as Gaurdian of the Earth and its Treasures and Abundance.
Yama in the South does not fit so well with our Fire:
"Yama (Sanskrit: यम) is the lord of death in Hinduism, first recorded in the Vedas. Yama belongs to an early stratum of Indo-Iranian mythology. In Vedic tradition Yama was considered to have been the first mortal who died and espied the way to the celestial abodes, and in virtue of precedence he became the ruler of the departed. In some passages, however, he is already regarded as the god of death. Yama's name can be interpreted to mean "twin", and in some myths he is paired with a twin sister Yamī."
Yama is assisted by Chitragupta who is assigned with the task of keeping complete records of actions of human beings on the earth, and upon their death, deciding as regards sending them to the heaven or the hell, depending on their actions on the earth.
Yama is also the lord of justice and is sometimes referred to as Dharma, in reference to his unswerving dedication to maintaining order and adherence to harmony. It is said that he is also one of the wisest of the devas.
Yama can be loosely related to the Greek deity Hades or Pluto, the god of the underworld."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yama...induism%29
Indra in the East is a bit troublesome, too:
The theonym Indra may be reconstructed for Proto-Indo-Iranian[citation needed], but not for Proto-Indo-European. Indra is also attested as a god of the Mitanni.
If Indra as a deity is cognate to other Indo-European gods, either thunder gods such as Thor or Perun, or heroic gods, or gods of intoxicating drinks, his name has either not been preserved in any other branch, or else it is itself an Indo-Iranian innovation. Janda (1998:221) suggests that the Proto-Indo-European (or Graeco-Aryan) predecessor of Indra had the epitheta *trigw-welumos "smasher of the enclosure" (of Vritra, Vala) and diye-snūtyos "impeller of streams" (the liberated rivers, corresponding to Vedic apam ajas "agitator of the waters"), which resulted in the Greek gods Triptolemos and Dionysos.
In the Vedic religion, Indra has prominence over the continuation of chief god of the Indo-European pantheon Dyēus (Dyēus appears in the Vedas as Dyaus Pita, a relatively minor deity who, interestingly, is the father of Indra). Compare to this the comparatively low status of Tyr compared to Odin or Thor in Norse paganism. The battle between Indra and Vritra is reflected in the Avesta, but only among the Indo-Aryans does Indra appear to have risen to the head of the pantheon.
Vedic Indra
The Rig-Veda states,
He under whose supreme control are horses, all chariots, and the villages, and cattle;
He who gave being to the Sun and Morning, who leads the waters, He, O men, is Indra. (2.12.7, trans. Griffith)
Indra is the chief god of the Rigveda (besides Agni). He delights in drinking Soma, and the central Vedic myth is his heroic defeat of Vritra, liberating the rivers, or alternatively, his smashing of the Vala, a stone enclosure where the Panis had imprisoned the cows, and Ushas (dawn). He is the god of war, smashing the stone fortresses of the Dasyu, and invoked by combatants on both sides in the Battle of the Ten Kings.
The Rig-Veda frequently refers to him as Śakra - the mighty-one. In the Vedic period, the number of gods was assumed to be thirty-three and Indra was their lord. (The slightly later Brihad-aranyaka Upanishad enumerates the gods as the eight Vasus, the eleven Rudras, the twelve Adityas, Indra and Prajapati). As lord of the Vasus, Indra was also referred to as Vāsava.
By the age of the Hindu epics, Indra became the prototype for all lords and thus a king could be called Mānavendra (Indra or lord of men) and Rama, the hero of the Ramayana, was referred to as Rāghavendra (Indra of the clan of Raghu). Hence the original Indra was also referred to as Devendra (Indra of the Devas). However, Sakra and Vasava were used exclusively for the original Indra. Though, modern texts usually adhere to the name Indra, the traditional Hindu texts (the Vedas, epics and Puranas) use Indra, Sakra and Vasava interchangeably and with the same frequency.
Status and function
Indra is an important god in many tales and epics. He leads the Devas (the gods who form and maintain Heaven and the elements, such as Agni (Fire), Varuna (Water) and Surya (Sun)), and constantly wages war against the demonic Asuras of the netherworlds, or Patala, who oppose morality and dharma. He thus fights in the timeless battle between good and evil. In addition, he is one of the Guardians of the directions, representing the east."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indra
Varuna is acceptable in the West, despite solar connotations:
"In Vedic religion, Varuna (Devanagari:वरुण, IAST:varuṇa) is a god of the sky, of rain and of the celestial ocean, as well as a god of law and of the underworld. He is the most prominent Asura in the Rigveda, and chief of the Adityas.
Vedic and other roles
As chief of the Adityas, Varuna has aspects of a solar deity. As the most prominent Asura, however, he is more concerned with moral and societal affairs than a deification of nature. Together with Mitra – originally oath personified — being master of rta, he is the supreme keeper of order and god of the law.
Varuna and Mitra are the gods of the oath, often twinned or identified as Mitra-Varuna (a dvandva compound). Varuna is also twinned with Indra in the Rigveda, as Indra-Varuna.
As a sky god, Varuna may either correspond to, or rule over, the dark half of the sky — or celestial ocean (Rasā), hence being also a god of rain — or represent the 'dark' side of the Sun as it travels back from West to East during the night.
The Atharvaveda[1] portrays Varuna as omniscient, catching liars in his snares. The stars are his thousand-eyed spies, watching every movement of men.
In the Rigveda, Indra, chief of the Devas, is about six times more prominent than Varuna, who is mentioned 341 times. This may misrepresent the actual importance of Varuna in early Vedic society due to the focus of the Rigveda on fire and Soma ritual, Soma being closely associated with Indra; Varuna with his omniscience and omnipotence in the affairs of men has many aspects of a supreme deity.
Both Mitra and Varuna are classified as Asuras in the Rigveda (e.g. RV 5.63.3), although they can already be addressed to as Devas as well (e.g. RV 7.60.12), possibly indicating the beginning of the negative connotations carried by Asura in later times.
Varuna later became the god of oceans and rivers and keeper of the souls of the drowned. As such, Varuna is also a god of the dead, and can grant immortality. He is attended by the nagas. He is also one of the Guardians of the directions, representing the west.
Later art depicts Varuna as a lunar deity, as a white man wearing golden armor and holding a noose or lasso made from a snake. He rides the sea monster Makara.
[edit] Name
As a theonym, Varuna quite likely dates from the Indo-Iranian age, although no Iranian continuation of the name has survived. The Mitanni names aruna and urvana may refer to the same early Indo-Aryan god. The name Varuna seems to derive from the PIE root *wer- or *wel-, meaning "to cover" (see also Vala, Vrtra).
Cognate names of gods in other Indo-European languages have been suggested, but remain uncertain: notably Uranos, the sky god in Greek mythology, and also Vörnir, a giant of Norse mythology (from *verunyos?), the Slavic god Svarog, and velnias, the Lithuanian for "devil". Many of these matches have been contested by linguists, particularly the connection with Uranos is considered untenable.
Varuna may be loosely connected to Poseidon in Greek mythology or Neptune in Roman mythology. The planet Neptune is called Varuna in Hindu Astrology.[citation needed] Kuiper Belt object 20000 Varuna, discovered in 2000, is named after the god Varuna."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varuna
Which brings us to perhaps the most simple answer, looking at the Pancha Mahabhuta (Five Great Elements) of Hinduism and seeing who/what is used to personify them:
"The Pancha Mahabhuta, or "five great elements", of Hinduism are Prithvi or Bhumi (Earth), Ap or Jala (Water), Agni or Tejas (Fire), Vayu or Pavan (Air or Wind), and Akasha (Aether)."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clas...n_Hinduism
Let me see if I can find directions coorespondances for these:
I find this in association with temple archetechture on www.hweb.nl/raja/akasha_gamanam.html:
"The doctrine explains that the Mahabhutas or Elements appeared one out of the other, generated from the transcendental plane, and producing the material universe. First to appear was Akasha, the Ether; from which came Vayu, the Air; from Air came forth Tejas, or Fire; from Fire emerged Apas or Water; and from Water was brought forth Prithivi, Earth. This is expressed in the temple architecture through the five concentric prakaras or courtyards surrounding the Sabha."
This works perfectly with the placement of the Elements in the Wiccan Quarters! The article explains that various parts of the temple were considered the dwelling of the elements as one opened into another. But no mention of cardinal direction associations...so this may be open to usage without infringing on a pre-determined cardinal association.
In this article, www.arthistory.upenn.edu/meist....html, outlining the symbolism in the archtechture of a Shiva temple, we find metion of goblin-like figures that are placed as Quarter Guardians:
"Four personified figures of the Mahabhutas were placed on the
corners of the upper vedi-platform of the Shore temple at Mahabalipuram, near Madras, in the seventh century A.D.; but the full range of "Elementals" the infinite particulate fragments or atoms of reality are associated with Siva's host of sprites (his pramathas).
The architects of a small Siva temple built at Amrol in
Central India early in the eighth century have rather placed such
bhuta-goblins representing the Elements in corner niches on the temple's walls. These take the place of a familiar set of Vedic deities that act as "Guardians of the Quarters" (the Dikpalas)."
I looked for a further definition of Shiva's sprites, the pramathas:
"Pramathas are the ghostly companions of Mahadeva" as a footnote to a verse in the Mahabharata that talks of the pramathas thusly:
""Bhishma said, 'Then all the highly blessed deities and the Pitris, and the highly blessed Rishis also, addressing the Pramathas, said, 1 'Ye are all highly blessed beings. Ye are invisible wanderers of the night. Why do you afflict those men that are vile and impure and that are unclean? What acts are regarded as impediments to your power?...
"The Pramathas said, 'Men are rendered unclean by acts of sexual congress. They who do not purify themselves after such acts, they who insult their superiors, they who from stupefaction eat different kinds of meat, the man also who sleeps at the foot of a tree, he who keeps any animal matter under his pillow while lying down for sleep, and he who lies down or sleeps placing the head where his feet should be placed or his feet where the head should be placed,--these men are regarded by us as unclean. Verily, these men have many holes. Those also are numbered in the same class who throw their phlegm and other unclean secretions into the water. Without doubt these men deserve to be slain and eaten up by us. Verily, we afflict those human beings who are given to such conduct.
Listen now to what those acts are which are regarded as antidotes and in consequence of which we fail to do any injury to men. Those men upon whose persons occur streaks of Gorochana, or who hold Vachas in their hands, or who make gifts of ghee with those ingredients that go by the name of Akshata, or who place ghee and Akshata on their heads, or those who abstain from meat are incapable of being afflicted by us. That man in whose house the sacred fire burns day and night without being ever put out, or who keeps the skin or teeth of a wolf in his abode or a hill-tortoise, or from whose habitation the sacrificial smoke is seen to curl upwards, or who keeps a cat or a goat that is either tawny or black in hue, is free from our power. Verily, those householders who keep these things in their houses always find them free from the inroads of even the fiercest spirits that live on carrion. Those beings also, that like us range through different worlds in pursuit of pleasure, are unable to do any injury to such houses. Hence, ye deities, should men keep such articles in their houses,--articles that are destructive of Rakshasas (and other beings of the kind). We have thus told you everything about that respecting which ye had great doubts.'"
www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m13/m13b096.htm
So, these beings, depicted as goblin directional gaurdians in a temple, destroy those who break certain taboos regarding Dharma and cleanliness.
In the Srimad Bhagavata, pramathas are described simply as "his [Shiva's] different mystic attendants".
www.srimadbhagavatam.org/canto...3.html
They are also described as a benign ghost here:
"Different kinds of Ghosts:
There are so many different kinds of ghosts, although they are all disembodied jivas, spirit souls really like you and me.
"Some of these different kinds some of you will have experienced, some consciously, and some unconsciously. The different kinds are brought about by the different ways "they met their end", and the consciousness that they achieved at that time.
There are Pramathas who are not harmful, but others like Vetaalas who like to haunt cemeteries, and who animate dead bodies (Zombies), they create an atmosphere of fear wherever they go."
www.salagram.net/ghosts.htm
Here they are classed as demi-god fiends attendant upon Shiva go.webassistant.com/wa/index.lhtml
It makes sense that within a Shaiva-context that these attendants could be set as Quarter guardians.
Other contexts may need to dig deeper.
~Devi~
~Devi~
====================================================
Here is some basic research so far into the order of Indic elemental-type beings:
APSARAS
An Apsaras (Sanskrit: apsarāḥ, plural apsarasaḥ, stem apsaras-, a feminine consonant stem) or Accharā (Pāli), is a female spirit of the clouds and waters in Hindu and Buddhist mythology. Despite ending in -s, "apsaras" is to be construed as singular. The English plural is "apsarases".
In the Rig-Veda there is one Apsaras, wife of Gandharva; in the later scriptures there are many apsarases, created by Lord Brahma, who act as the handmaidens of Indra or the celestial damsels of his court who dance before his throne.
Natya Shastra lists the following apsarases: Manjukesi, Sukesi, Misrakesi, Sulochana, Saudamini, Devadatta, Devasena, Manorama, Sudati, Sundari, Vigagdha, Vividha, Budha, Sumala, Santati, Sunanda, Sumukhi, Magadhi, Arjuni, Sarala, Kerala, Dhrti, Nanda, Supuskala, Supuspamala and Kalabha.
Apsarases are said to be able to change their shapes at will, and specially rule over the fortunes of gaming and gambling. Urvasi, Menaka, Rambha and Tilottama are the most famous among Apsarases who are well versed in the arts of music and dancing. The total number of Apsarases at Indra's court is 26, each representing a distinct aspect of the performing arts. They can be compared with the ancient Greek muse. They may also, in their "Nature" capacity, be rendered comparable to the Greek nymphs, dryads, naiads, etc.
Apsarases are the wives of the Gandharvas, court servants of Indra. They danced to the music made by their husbands, usually in the various gods' palaces.
One of their duties is to guide to paradise the heroes who fall in battle, whose wives they then become. They are distinguished as daivika ("divine") or laukika ("worldly").
The Apsaras was associated with fertility rites. In Hinduism, the lower Apsarases (also Vṛkṣakas, dryads or tree-fairies) are sometimes referred to as nature spirits, who sometimes lured men to their deaths; cf. the Slavic Rusalki.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apsaras
GANDHARVA
In Hinduism, the Gandharvas (Sanskrit: गंधर्व, gandharva) are male nature spirits, husbands of the Apsarases. Some are part animal, usually a bird or horse. They have superb musical skills. They guarded the Soma and made beautiful music for the gods in their palaces. A connection between their name and that of the Greek centaurs was proposed in the 19th century, but has met with strong opposition from some Indo-Europeanists.
In Hindu theology, Gandharvas act as messengers between the gods and humans. In Hindu law, a Gandharva marriage is one contracted by mutual consent and without formality
In Buddhism, a Gandharva (Sanskrit) or Gandhabba (Pāli) is one of the lowest-ranking devas in Buddhist theology. They are classed among the Cāturmahārājikakāyika devas, and are subject to the Great King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Guardian of the East.
Gandharvas can fly through the air, and are known for their skill as musicians. They are connected with trees and flowers, and are described as dwelling in the scents of bark, sap, and blossom. They are among the beings of the wilderness that might disturb a monk meditating alone.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gandharva
YAKSHA
Yaksa (Sanskrit) or Yakkha (Pāli) is the name of a broad class of nature-spirits or minor deities who appear in Hindu and Buddhist mythology. The feminine form of the word is yaksī or yaksinī.
In both Hindu and Buddhist mythology, the yakṣa has a dual personality. On the one hand, a yakṣa may be an inoffensive nature-fairy, associated with woods and mountains; but there is a much darker version of the yakṣa, which is a kind of cannibalistic ogre, ghost or demon that haunts the wilderness and waylays and devours travelers, similar to the raksasas.
The yaksas may have originally been the tutelary gods of forests and villages, and were later viewed as the steward deities of the earth and the wealth buried beneath.
In Indian art, male yakṣas are portrayed either as fearsome warriors or as portly, stout and dwarf-like. Female yaksas, known as yaksinīs, are portrayed as beautiful young women with happy round faces and full breasts and hips.
In Buddhist mythology, the yaksa are the attendants of Vaiśravaṇa, the Guardian of the Northern Quarter, a beneficent god who protects the righteous. The term also refers to the twelve heavenly generals who guard the Buddha of Medicine.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaksha
NAGAS
Nāga (नाग) is the Sanskrit and Pāli word for a minor deity taking the form of a very large snake, found in Hinduism and Buddhism.
Nāgas in Hinduism
Stories involving the nāgas are still very much a part of contemporary cultural traditions in predominantly Hindu regions of Asia (India, Nepal, and the island of Bali). In India, nāgas are considered nature spirits and the protectors of springs, wells and rivers. They bring rain, and thus fertility, but are also thought to bring disasters such as floods and drought. According to some traditions nāgas are only malevolent to humans when they have been mistreated. They are susceptible to mankind's disrespectful actions in relation to the environment. Since nāgas have an affinity with water, the entrances to their underground palaces are often said to be hidden at the bottom of wells, deep lakes and rivers. They are especially popular in southern India where some believe that they brought fertility to their venerators. Some believed that the legends of nāgas may have originated with some kind of tribal people in the past.[citation needed]Varuna, the Vedic god of storms, is viewed as the King of the nāgas. Nāgas live in Pātāla, the seventh of the "nether" dimensions or realms.[1] They are children of Kashyapa and Kadru. Among the prominent nāgas of Hinduism are Manasa, Shesha or Sesa and Vasuki.
The nāgas also carry the elixir of life and immortality. One story mentions that when the gods were rationing out the elixir of immortality, the nāgas grabbed a cup. The gods were able to retrieve the cup, but in doing so, spilled a few drops on the ground. The nāgas quickly licked up the drops, but in doing so, cut their tongues on the grass, and since then their tongues have been forked.
Ganapati is popularly worshipped in numerous avataras [2] including that of the Naga King.
In Buddhism, the nāgas are the servants of Virūpākṣa (Pāli: Virūpakkha), one of the Four Heavenly Kings who guards the western direction.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naga...thology%29
FOUR HEAVENLY KINGS
I found this extremely interesting - all the creature that are sevitors of the Buddhist Four Heavenly Kings (Gaurdians of the 4 Cardinal Directions - whose colors and so forth DO NOT correspond to the normal Buddhist/Chinese ones, but DO to a great extent correspond to the Wiccan ones = N-Earth/Yaksha, W-Water/Nagas, E-Air/Gandharvas) originiate in the Vedic tradition, and for the most part line up extremely well with our elemental calls.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four...enly_Kings
The problem lies with the Southern realm, as kumbhandas do not really fit any description that makes sense (in the Western Wiccan context) for Fire or its attributes:
The kumbhandas are spirit eating demons who are known for their huge scrotums. They have human bodies and horses heads.
nichirenscoffeehouse.net/Shute...s.html
And althouth I can certainly find reference to the other beings within the pre-Buddhist Vedic cosmology, I have yet to find reference to kumbhandas outside of the Buddhist Vedic context - making it further problematic for one working within the Hindu Vedic context.
This led me to research further into supernatural being of the Vedic universe, and I found this:
EIGHT KINDS OF SUPERNATURAL BEINGS
In addition to the geography of the Mt. Sumeru world system and the six worlds which compose it, one should know something about the population. In addition to human beings and animals, there are many kinds of gods, demons, and other supernatural creatures. The major ones are included in the group called the eight kinds of supernatural beings who protect and revere the Dharma. These are:
1. Devas or gods: This category includes all those who live in the heavenly realms, from the celestial courtiers, the apsaras, to the Four Heavenly Kings, Indra, Brahma, and all the other devas, or shining ones. The major devas and groups of devas who inhabit the heavenly realms are:
Apsaras: These are the attendants, retainers, entertainers, and celestial nymphs who populate the heavenly palaces.
The Four Heavenly Kings: These are the guardians who defend the world and the four sides of Mt. Sumeru from the fighting demons. They are: Vaishravana - Heavenly King of the North; Dhritarashtra - Heavenly King of the East; Virudhaka - Heavenly King of the South; and Virupaksha - Heavenly King of the West. They dwell in the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings, and from there command their armies under the direction of Indra.
The Thirty-three Gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-three: According to the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (cited in The Myths and Gods of India by Alain Danielou) there are thirty-three gods and these consist of their ruler, Indra; the lord of creation, Prajapati; the eight spheres-of-existence, the Vasus; the eleven divinities-of-life, the Rudras; and the twelve sovereign-principles, the Adityas.
The Vasus rule the elements of the earthly realm. Their name means "dwellings" because they rule the dwelling places of all that exists. Danielou lists them as follows:
"The eight Vasus include the earthly-sphere (prthiva) and the fiery energy which dwells in it, Agni; the sphere-of-space (antariksa) and the fiery energy which dwells in it, Vayu, the Wind; the heavenly-sphere (dyaus) and the fiery energy which dwells in it, the Sun (Surya); then comes the sphere-of-constellations (naksatra) and the gentle energy which dwells in it, the Moon or Offering (Soma). " (The Myths and Gods of India, pp. 85-86)
The Rudras rule the life-forces and their dynamism keeps the world in motion and change. Their name means "howlers" and they are called this because of the suffering that is caused when the life forces withdraw upon death. They are fearsome warlike deities and are aspects of the god Shiva. According to the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, there are ten Rudras corresponding to the ten life-forces of human beings and an eleventh corresponding to the self or atman. Danielou states: "Eight of the Rudras are equivalents to eight of the auspicious manifestations of Siva (asta-murti); the others represent the fearful forms of fire. The first can be propitiated through worship; man should keep aloof from the others." (Ibid, p.103). The eleven could also possibly be the five deities who are the components of Siva, the five deities who are the five faces of Siva, and the self.
The Adityas rule the intellect and the celestial sphere. They are the sons of Aditi, the Primordial-Vastness. Danielou lists them as: "The twelve-sovereign principles are generally given as Mitra (solidarity), Varuna (fate), Aryaman (chivalry), Daksa (ritual skill), Bhaga (the inherited share), Amsa (the god's given share), Tvastr (craftsmanship), Savitr (the magic power of words), Pusan (prosperity), Sakra (courage), Vivasvat (social laws), and Visnu (cosmic law)." (Ibid, p. 115)
Yama: The first human being to have passed away was Yama, and he then became the first ancestor and eventually the ruler and judge of the dead. Though he presides over the worlds of the hells and hungry ghosts, his palace is in the Heaven of Time.
Mara: The "murderer" who rules over the realm of desire from the Heaven of Free Enjoyment of Transformation by Others, the sixth and highest heaven of the realm of desire.
Maha Brahma: The Great Brahma who dwells in the Maha Brahma Heaven dwells in the realm of form and transcends the realm of desire and the machinations of Mara, but there is still a subtle (or perhaps not so subtle) egotism which keeps him bound to the six worlds of rebirth. The Great Brahma believes himself to be the omnipotent creator of the world.
Ishvara: The Freedom God who dwells in the Highest Heaven. Sometimes he is called Maheshvara, the Great Freedom God. He is the highest and most sublime of the devas.
2. Ashuras or fighting demons: These are the anti-gods who fight against the devas out of pride and envy.
3. Nagas or dragons: These are the serpents or dragons who live in the ocean and rule over the rain, rivers, and tides. They also guard the hidden treasures of the world. They are classified as supernatural animals.
4. Gandharvas: These are the court musicians of the heavenly realms. They are classified as supernatural animals.
5. Kimnaras: These are court singers and dancers. The men are said to have horse heads and sing, while the women are fully human in form and dance. Kimnaras are also portrayed as birds with human heads and torsos. They are classified as supernatural animals.
6. Garudas: These are either giant birds who hunt and eat the nagas, or they are humanoids with wings and the heads of birds. They often serve as mounts for the devas. They are classified as supernatural animals.
7. Mahoragas: These are also celestial musicians. They are either giant snakes or humanoids with the heads of snakes. They are classified as supernatural animals.
8. Yakshas: The Yakshas are the spirits of the forests, fields, villages, and towns. They are also serve as the armed forces of the Heavenly King Vaishravana. This last type of supernatural being is actually part of a much larger category, the rakshasas, who are themselves a powerful type of hungry ghost. The Matrix and Diamond World Mandalas in Shingon Buddhism states: "The sutras of both exoteric and Esoteric Buddhism describe three types of Raksasas: firstly, the demons who belong to the company of Yaksas; secondly, the unbelievers, who are the enemies of the gods; and thirdly, those who haunt cemetaries at night and hinder the offerings of the sacrifice, the evil demons who raised up corpses and capture and eat men." (p. 492)
Copyright by Ryuei Michael McCormick. 2002.
nichirenscoffeehouse.net/Shute...c.html
It is unfortunate that there is not another grouping of being within the 33 Gods of the Heaven of the 33, because the Vasus work beautifully with Earth, the Rudras are wonderful for Fire, and the Adityas are perfect for Air. This leaves Water and her attributes.
Perhaps then, we can look once again to the class of supernatural animals - as some Wiccan traditions certainly use supernatural animals as their Quarter gaurdians. So we are back to:
Nagas-West/Water,
"The Dragons, or Serpents (Nagas): These are spirits associated with water. They control rivers, lakes and seas, and they dwell deep in the ocean. They include the cyclonic forces of nature, whether they are material or spiritual. They control storms and the wild & instinctive forces of nature."
www.tientai.net/teachings/...8groups.htm
Gandharvas-East/Air, However, using the definition of Gaurudas from
they seem almost more suited to Air overall.
"The king of birds, with golden wings, living below heaven but above the highest trees of the earth. It is associated with the legends of the Roc and the Phoenix, and it is said to be able to travel a hundred thousand miles in a single day. It is the enemy and devourer of serpents (Nagas). The name means 'Wings of Speech', and it represents the spiritual power and magic of the spoken word, which conquers nature, invokes and inspires the mind and carries it far and wide. The god of knowledge (Vishnu) is said to ride on its back and it carries the 'Wish-Fulfilling (Cintamani) Gem' around its neck."
Gandharvas here www.tientai.net/teachings/...8groups.htm described as make them seem more suited to Fire due to the excitment and erotic associations:
"Gods of fragrance & music, celestial musicians of Sakra Devendra (Indra), with the King of Heaven Dhritarastra (Protector of the Nation - The Strong) as their lord. They are said to feed on fragrance and cause ecstasy. They are erotic and are the patrons of marriageable girls."
Yakshas-North/Earth, but interestingly we find Kinnaras listed as one of the 8 types of beings, which as described here www.tientai.net/teachings/...8groups.htm as:
"The Kinnaras are the musicians of Vaisravana, also known as Kuvera (God of Wealth), with men’s bodies & horses’ heads. They are the same as the Kentauros (Centaurs) of Greek mythology - in fact the words Kinnaras and Kentauros have the same Indo-European origin. They are called the ‘doubtful (mythical) spirits’ and ‘human but not human’. The males have horns & play on lutes, and the females sing & dance. They rank below Gandharvas - the music of the Kinnaras is like popular ('pop') music compared to the classical, heavenly music of the Gandharvas. The Kinnaras are first of all entertainers."
Perhaps more suited to the kind of Earth-spirit we are calling upon as opposed to the Yakshas:
"Originally Asuras and malignant demons from the earth, they were later accepted by the gods (Suras). They are guardians of the earth’s treasures and protectors of the gates & moats of their king Kuvera (the God of Wealth), one of the four Kings of Heaven."
The problem still remains with the Fire element - as the Gandharvas are traditionally associated with forests, mountains and air...none of which are very firey. Thier association with music and scent confirms them as more creature of Air than anything else, even if the Gaurudas may fit our ideal of Air moreso.
Of course, Agni being Agni there seems little reason for a class of beings to take on those attributes. But for the purposes of continuity it seems most logical that we stick to one class of beings for the Quarters. If we are forced into individual Vedic deities - which certainly COULD work on a purely elemental level - we are then faced with having to decide how exactly to work the fact that the Vedic deities are already assigned as a directional gaurdian and this doesn't line up with the Wiccan context. I feel it rude to snatch a deity from his traditional area just to make it fit our modern context - and likewise, using a 10-direction call in Wiccan (where the N-E-S-W associations do not even align) seems likewise silly.
So, the search continues...
But let us look for a moment at the traditional gaurdians of the 4 Cardinal directions:
In Hinduism the Guardians of the four cardinal directions are called the Lokapālas (लोकपाल). They are:
Kubera (north)
Yama (south)
Indra (east)
Varuna (west)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guar...p.C4.81las
Kubera works fine in the North as Gaurdian of the Earth and its Treasures and Abundance.
Yama in the South does not fit so well with our Fire:
"Yama (Sanskrit: यम) is the lord of death in Hinduism, first recorded in the Vedas. Yama belongs to an early stratum of Indo-Iranian mythology. In Vedic tradition Yama was considered to have been the first mortal who died and espied the way to the celestial abodes, and in virtue of precedence he became the ruler of the departed. In some passages, however, he is already regarded as the god of death. Yama's name can be interpreted to mean "twin", and in some myths he is paired with a twin sister Yamī."
Yama is assisted by Chitragupta who is assigned with the task of keeping complete records of actions of human beings on the earth, and upon their death, deciding as regards sending them to the heaven or the hell, depending on their actions on the earth.
Yama is also the lord of justice and is sometimes referred to as Dharma, in reference to his unswerving dedication to maintaining order and adherence to harmony. It is said that he is also one of the wisest of the devas.
Yama can be loosely related to the Greek deity Hades or Pluto, the god of the underworld."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yama...induism%29
Indra in the East is a bit troublesome, too:
The theonym Indra may be reconstructed for Proto-Indo-Iranian[citation needed], but not for Proto-Indo-European. Indra is also attested as a god of the Mitanni.
If Indra as a deity is cognate to other Indo-European gods, either thunder gods such as Thor or Perun, or heroic gods, or gods of intoxicating drinks, his name has either not been preserved in any other branch, or else it is itself an Indo-Iranian innovation. Janda (1998:221) suggests that the Proto-Indo-European (or Graeco-Aryan) predecessor of Indra had the epitheta *trigw-welumos "smasher of the enclosure" (of Vritra, Vala) and diye-snūtyos "impeller of streams" (the liberated rivers, corresponding to Vedic apam ajas "agitator of the waters"), which resulted in the Greek gods Triptolemos and Dionysos.
In the Vedic religion, Indra has prominence over the continuation of chief god of the Indo-European pantheon Dyēus (Dyēus appears in the Vedas as Dyaus Pita, a relatively minor deity who, interestingly, is the father of Indra). Compare to this the comparatively low status of Tyr compared to Odin or Thor in Norse paganism. The battle between Indra and Vritra is reflected in the Avesta, but only among the Indo-Aryans does Indra appear to have risen to the head of the pantheon.
Vedic Indra
The Rig-Veda states,
He under whose supreme control are horses, all chariots, and the villages, and cattle;
He who gave being to the Sun and Morning, who leads the waters, He, O men, is Indra. (2.12.7, trans. Griffith)
Indra is the chief god of the Rigveda (besides Agni). He delights in drinking Soma, and the central Vedic myth is his heroic defeat of Vritra, liberating the rivers, or alternatively, his smashing of the Vala, a stone enclosure where the Panis had imprisoned the cows, and Ushas (dawn). He is the god of war, smashing the stone fortresses of the Dasyu, and invoked by combatants on both sides in the Battle of the Ten Kings.
The Rig-Veda frequently refers to him as Śakra - the mighty-one. In the Vedic period, the number of gods was assumed to be thirty-three and Indra was their lord. (The slightly later Brihad-aranyaka Upanishad enumerates the gods as the eight Vasus, the eleven Rudras, the twelve Adityas, Indra and Prajapati). As lord of the Vasus, Indra was also referred to as Vāsava.
By the age of the Hindu epics, Indra became the prototype for all lords and thus a king could be called Mānavendra (Indra or lord of men) and Rama, the hero of the Ramayana, was referred to as Rāghavendra (Indra of the clan of Raghu). Hence the original Indra was also referred to as Devendra (Indra of the Devas). However, Sakra and Vasava were used exclusively for the original Indra. Though, modern texts usually adhere to the name Indra, the traditional Hindu texts (the Vedas, epics and Puranas) use Indra, Sakra and Vasava interchangeably and with the same frequency.
Status and function
Indra is an important god in many tales and epics. He leads the Devas (the gods who form and maintain Heaven and the elements, such as Agni (Fire), Varuna (Water) and Surya (Sun)), and constantly wages war against the demonic Asuras of the netherworlds, or Patala, who oppose morality and dharma. He thus fights in the timeless battle between good and evil. In addition, he is one of the Guardians of the directions, representing the east."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indra
Varuna is acceptable in the West, despite solar connotations:
"In Vedic religion, Varuna (Devanagari:वरुण, IAST:varuṇa) is a god of the sky, of rain and of the celestial ocean, as well as a god of law and of the underworld. He is the most prominent Asura in the Rigveda, and chief of the Adityas.
Vedic and other roles
As chief of the Adityas, Varuna has aspects of a solar deity. As the most prominent Asura, however, he is more concerned with moral and societal affairs than a deification of nature. Together with Mitra – originally oath personified — being master of rta, he is the supreme keeper of order and god of the law.
Varuna and Mitra are the gods of the oath, often twinned or identified as Mitra-Varuna (a dvandva compound). Varuna is also twinned with Indra in the Rigveda, as Indra-Varuna.
As a sky god, Varuna may either correspond to, or rule over, the dark half of the sky — or celestial ocean (Rasā), hence being also a god of rain — or represent the 'dark' side of the Sun as it travels back from West to East during the night.
The Atharvaveda[1] portrays Varuna as omniscient, catching liars in his snares. The stars are his thousand-eyed spies, watching every movement of men.
In the Rigveda, Indra, chief of the Devas, is about six times more prominent than Varuna, who is mentioned 341 times. This may misrepresent the actual importance of Varuna in early Vedic society due to the focus of the Rigveda on fire and Soma ritual, Soma being closely associated with Indra; Varuna with his omniscience and omnipotence in the affairs of men has many aspects of a supreme deity.
Both Mitra and Varuna are classified as Asuras in the Rigveda (e.g. RV 5.63.3), although they can already be addressed to as Devas as well (e.g. RV 7.60.12), possibly indicating the beginning of the negative connotations carried by Asura in later times.
Varuna later became the god of oceans and rivers and keeper of the souls of the drowned. As such, Varuna is also a god of the dead, and can grant immortality. He is attended by the nagas. He is also one of the Guardians of the directions, representing the west.
Later art depicts Varuna as a lunar deity, as a white man wearing golden armor and holding a noose or lasso made from a snake. He rides the sea monster Makara.
[edit] Name
As a theonym, Varuna quite likely dates from the Indo-Iranian age, although no Iranian continuation of the name has survived. The Mitanni names aruna and urvana may refer to the same early Indo-Aryan god. The name Varuna seems to derive from the PIE root *wer- or *wel-, meaning "to cover" (see also Vala, Vrtra).
Cognate names of gods in other Indo-European languages have been suggested, but remain uncertain: notably Uranos, the sky god in Greek mythology, and also Vörnir, a giant of Norse mythology (from *verunyos?), the Slavic god Svarog, and velnias, the Lithuanian for "devil". Many of these matches have been contested by linguists, particularly the connection with Uranos is considered untenable.
Varuna may be loosely connected to Poseidon in Greek mythology or Neptune in Roman mythology. The planet Neptune is called Varuna in Hindu Astrology.[citation needed] Kuiper Belt object 20000 Varuna, discovered in 2000, is named after the god Varuna."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varuna
Which brings us to perhaps the most simple answer, looking at the Pancha Mahabhuta (Five Great Elements) of Hinduism and seeing who/what is used to personify them:
"The Pancha Mahabhuta, or "five great elements", of Hinduism are Prithvi or Bhumi (Earth), Ap or Jala (Water), Agni or Tejas (Fire), Vayu or Pavan (Air or Wind), and Akasha (Aether)."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clas...n_Hinduism
Let me see if I can find directions coorespondances for these:
I find this in association with temple archetechture on www.hweb.nl/raja/akasha_gamanam.html:
"The doctrine explains that the Mahabhutas or Elements appeared one out of the other, generated from the transcendental plane, and producing the material universe. First to appear was Akasha, the Ether; from which came Vayu, the Air; from Air came forth Tejas, or Fire; from Fire emerged Apas or Water; and from Water was brought forth Prithivi, Earth. This is expressed in the temple architecture through the five concentric prakaras or courtyards surrounding the Sabha."
This works perfectly with the placement of the Elements in the Wiccan Quarters! The article explains that various parts of the temple were considered the dwelling of the elements as one opened into another. But no mention of cardinal direction associations...so this may be open to usage without infringing on a pre-determined cardinal association.
In this article, www.arthistory.upenn.edu/meist....html, outlining the symbolism in the archtechture of a Shiva temple, we find metion of goblin-like figures that are placed as Quarter Guardians:
"Four personified figures of the Mahabhutas were placed on the
corners of the upper vedi-platform of the Shore temple at Mahabalipuram, near Madras, in the seventh century A.D.; but the full range of "Elementals" the infinite particulate fragments or atoms of reality are associated with Siva's host of sprites (his pramathas).
The architects of a small Siva temple built at Amrol in
Central India early in the eighth century have rather placed such
bhuta-goblins representing the Elements in corner niches on the temple's walls. These take the place of a familiar set of Vedic deities that act as "Guardians of the Quarters" (the Dikpalas)."
I looked for a further definition of Shiva's sprites, the pramathas:
"Pramathas are the ghostly companions of Mahadeva" as a footnote to a verse in the Mahabharata that talks of the pramathas thusly:
""Bhishma said, 'Then all the highly blessed deities and the Pitris, and the highly blessed Rishis also, addressing the Pramathas, said, 1 'Ye are all highly blessed beings. Ye are invisible wanderers of the night. Why do you afflict those men that are vile and impure and that are unclean? What acts are regarded as impediments to your power?...
"The Pramathas said, 'Men are rendered unclean by acts of sexual congress. They who do not purify themselves after such acts, they who insult their superiors, they who from stupefaction eat different kinds of meat, the man also who sleeps at the foot of a tree, he who keeps any animal matter under his pillow while lying down for sleep, and he who lies down or sleeps placing the head where his feet should be placed or his feet where the head should be placed,--these men are regarded by us as unclean. Verily, these men have many holes. Those also are numbered in the same class who throw their phlegm and other unclean secretions into the water. Without doubt these men deserve to be slain and eaten up by us. Verily, we afflict those human beings who are given to such conduct.
Listen now to what those acts are which are regarded as antidotes and in consequence of which we fail to do any injury to men. Those men upon whose persons occur streaks of Gorochana, or who hold Vachas in their hands, or who make gifts of ghee with those ingredients that go by the name of Akshata, or who place ghee and Akshata on their heads, or those who abstain from meat are incapable of being afflicted by us. That man in whose house the sacred fire burns day and night without being ever put out, or who keeps the skin or teeth of a wolf in his abode or a hill-tortoise, or from whose habitation the sacrificial smoke is seen to curl upwards, or who keeps a cat or a goat that is either tawny or black in hue, is free from our power. Verily, those householders who keep these things in their houses always find them free from the inroads of even the fiercest spirits that live on carrion. Those beings also, that like us range through different worlds in pursuit of pleasure, are unable to do any injury to such houses. Hence, ye deities, should men keep such articles in their houses,--articles that are destructive of Rakshasas (and other beings of the kind). We have thus told you everything about that respecting which ye had great doubts.'"
www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m13/m13b096.htm
So, these beings, depicted as goblin directional gaurdians in a temple, destroy those who break certain taboos regarding Dharma and cleanliness.
In the Srimad Bhagavata, pramathas are described simply as "his [Shiva's] different mystic attendants".
www.srimadbhagavatam.org/canto...3.html
They are also described as a benign ghost here:
"Different kinds of Ghosts:
There are so many different kinds of ghosts, although they are all disembodied jivas, spirit souls really like you and me.
"Some of these different kinds some of you will have experienced, some consciously, and some unconsciously. The different kinds are brought about by the different ways "they met their end", and the consciousness that they achieved at that time.
There are Pramathas who are not harmful, but others like Vetaalas who like to haunt cemeteries, and who animate dead bodies (Zombies), they create an atmosphere of fear wherever they go."
www.salagram.net/ghosts.htm
Here they are classed as demi-god fiends attendant upon Shiva go.webassistant.com/wa/index.lhtml
It makes sense that within a Shaiva-context that these attendants could be set as Quarter guardians.
Other contexts may need to dig deeper.
~Devi~
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