Indo-European Mythology and Religion

The essays presented in this collection are based on Alexander Jacob’s earlier works, Ātman: A Reconstruction of the Solar Cosmology of the Indo-Europeans, Hildesheim: Georg Olms, 2005 and Brahman: A Study of the Solar Rituals of the Indo-Europeans, Hildesheim: Georg Olms, 2012. They expand on the cosmological and religious themes discussed in these books with special reference to the origins and development of the Indic and European spiritual traditions. Those familiar with the earlier works will not be surprised that Dr. Jacob’s view of the term ‘Indo-European’ is rather more comprehensive than the more restricted term ‘Āryan’ that has hitherto been widely used as a synonym of it. And those interested in the Āryan ethos itself - chiefly on account of the German use of the term during the last war – may be surprised to learn that it does not consist in nationalistic virtues so much as in spiritual discipline and development - and that this development is characteristic of the religions of very extended and diversified branches of the Indo-European family. I. The Origins of the Indo-European ReligionsII. Pralaya: Cosmic Floods, the Sun and the First ManIII. Sāmkhya-Yoga, Shramana, Brāhmana, Tantra: The religious traditions of the ancient IndiansIV. Vedic and Tantric Rituals: A comparisonV. Reviving Adam: The sacrificial rituals of the Indo-Āryans and the earlyChristiansVI. Dionysus and Muruga: Notes on the Dionysiac religionVII. On the Germanic gods Wotan and Thor