What were the gods in Russia. Pagan gods of Slavic mythology and their meaning in Ancient Russia: a list of creature names

21.10.2019

Paganism is the common name for all the original beliefs of different peoples, originating from the depths of centuries. Slavic paganism is our faith, the faith of the entire Slavic people.

One of the oldest peoples, which today includes: Russians and Ukrainians, Belarusians and Poles, Czechs and Slovaks, Bulgarians and Macedonians, Serbs and Montenegrins, Slovenes and Croats. We bake pancakes, seeing off Shrovetide - Morena and telling ancient tales about Baba - Yaga. Bread is still the head of everything, and hospitality is in honor.

On Kupala we jump over fires and look for a flowering fern. Brownies live with us in our houses, and mermaids bathe in rivers and lakes. We guess at Kolyada, and sometimes we just flip a coin. We honor our ancestors and leave offerings to them on the day of remembrance. We treat ailments and diseases with herbs, and from ghouls - vampires we use garlic and aspen stake. We make a wish while sitting between the tesks and spit over our left shoulder when we meet a black cat.

Groves and oak forests are sacred to us, and we drink healing water from springs. We speak, fishing tackle and read amulets from the evil eye. Valiant courage finds itself in fisticuffs, and in case of trouble, our brave warriors will take her away from the Slavic land.

The pantheon of Slavic gods looks like a genealogical tree of a princely family: Rod was the most ancient supreme male deity among the Slavs. Already in Christian teachings against paganism of the XII-XIII centuries. they write about Rod as a god worshiped by all peoples. Rod - God Progenitor. Svarog, Semargl, Makosh, Lada - the gods Fathers; Perun, Veles - the second generation (sons), Dazhbog, Yarilo, Khors - the third generation (grandchildren).

The ancient pagan pantheon was divided into solar gods and functional gods. There were four hypostases of the Sun God, according to the number of seasons: Khors (Kolyada), Yarilo, Dazhdbog (Kupaila) and Svarog (Svetovit). All mythological creatures responsible for one or another side of human life can be divided into three main levels: the highest, the middle and the lowest.

Yes, on highest level the gods were located, whose "functions" are most important for the Slavs and who participated in the most common legends and myths. These include such deities as Svarog (Stribog, Sky), Semargl - the god of death, Veles - the black god, the lord of the dead, wisdom and magic, Earth, Svarozhichi (children of Svarog and the Earth - Perun, Dazhdbog and Fire).

At the middle level there were deities associated with economic cycles and seasonal rituals, as well as gods who embodied the integrity of closed small groups, such as Rod, for example Chur u Eastern Slavs. This level probably included most of the female deities, somewhat less human-like than the gods of the highest level.

The lower level housed beings that were less human-like than the gods of the higher and middle levels. These included brownies, goblin, mermaids, ghouls, banniks (banniks).

When worshiping, the Slavs tried to observe certain rituals, which, as they believed, made it possible not only to receive what they asked for, but also not to offend the spirits they addressed, or even protect themselves from them, if necessary.

Svarog

The supreme deity of the Slavs was Svarog (aka Rod). Svarog is a god - a blacksmith, the God of fire and the family hearth, the father of Dazhdbog. According to researchers - the supreme god of the Eastern Slavs, heavenly fire. Svarog greatly contributed to the development of knowledge. It was Svarog who gave people ticks and taught them how to smelt copper and iron. In addition, Svarog established the very first laws according to which each man was supposed to have only one woman, and a woman one man.

Yarilo was imagined as a young man: an ardent, loving groom dressed in white clothes, barefoot, riding a white horse. Yarilo belongs to the annually dying and resurrecting gods of fertility. He appeared at the right time of the year, spread the spring solar warmth, brought youthful freshness, ardor of feelings into the life of nature and the life of people, filled people with courage. Yarilo obeys wild animals, spirits of nature and lower deities. In winter, Yarila turns into Frost and destroys what he gave birth to in the spring. On Kupala, the ceremony of Seeing Yarila is held - since Yarilo, the God of the spring Sun, "dies" to be reborn next Spring. In its place comes the adult Sun, the Sun-husband Dazhdbog.

Dazhdbog is the god of fertility and sunlight. Dazhdbog rides across the sky in a wonderful chariot harnessed by four white fire-maned horses with golden wings. And the sunlight comes from the fire shield that Dazhdbog carries with him. Twice a day - in the morning and in the evening - he crosses the Ocean-Sea on a boat pulled by geese, ducks and swans. Dazhdbog had a majestic tread and a direct look that did not know lies. And also marvelous hair, sunny-gold, easily flying in the wind.

Khors is a male deity, embodying the desire of boys and adult husbands for knowledge, spiritual growth, self-improvement, to overcome the difficulties encountered in life and to find right decisions. During the day, this horseman slowly moves across the sky, and at night he returns back along the underground "Sea of Gloom" to reappear in the sky in the morning. The Patron God of good weather and giving rich Harvest to grain growers. He also patronized trade and exchange. Earth Protector God.

God Perun is the God of thunder and lightning, like heavenly fire, the patron of warriors and the princely squad, the God-governor, the god punishing for non-compliance with laws. It happened that God's punishment overtook the wicked, burning his dwelling with fire, or killed himself with lightning. And, besides, there was great faith among the people that Perunov's lightning was capable of expelling evil spirits, as well as a devilish obsession, and also protecting from sorcery and sending diseases and disasters. Perun is the lord of heaven, but the earth is also under his rule. Dedicated to this formidable god of the forest and grove. Due to the fact that the oak was considered the main tree of Perun, oak groves were considered sacred forests.

Semargl was represented in the form of a bird (usually a predatory - "falcon") or a dragon with a sparkling body, flaming hair and radiance escaping from the mouth, as well as a fiery whirlwind.
He sat on a golden-maned horse of a silver suit. Thick smoke became his banner. Where Semargl passed, there was a scorched trail. Such was his strength, but more often he looked quiet and peaceful. Semargl, God of fire and moon, fire sacrifices, home and hearth, keeps seeds and crops. Can turn sacred winged dog. The name of the God of Fire is not known for certain, most likely, his name is so holy. Still, because this God does not live somewhere in the seventh heaven, but directly among people!

Kostroma

Kupalo

Semarg does not let evil into the world. At night, he stands guard with a fiery sword, and only one day a year does Semargl leave his post, responding to the call of the Bathing Lady, who calls him to love games on the day of the Autumn Equinox. And on the day of the Summer Solstice, after 9 months, the children of Kostroma and Kupala are born at Semargl and Bathing.

Veles

According to Slavic ideas, after the world was created by Rod, the god Veles set this world in motion. Day began to give way to night, the seasons began to change, winter was followed by spring, spring was followed by summer, then autumn and again winter. Very few knew that law - only sorcerers and magicians who served Veles. Veles could take on any guise. Most often he was portrayed as a wise old man, a protector of plants and animals. In the ancient Russian chronicles, Veles is considered the patron and protector of all domestic tamed animals and the god of material well-being. He was a werewolf god, the god of hunting and prey, the owner of the waters and the patron of warriors. The gray prophetic Wolf from Russian fairy tales was considered a distant ancestor of Veles. Veles also acts as the god of the Underworld. the god of the kingdom of Navi, where the souls of the dead go after death.

Stribog - In East Slavic mythology, the god of the wind. He can summon and tame a storm and can transform into his assistant, the mythical bird Stratim. In general, the wind was usually represented as a gray-haired old man living at the end of the world, in a dense forest or on an island in the middle of the sea - ocean. He was mentioned and revered along with Dazhbog. Probably, the wind, like rain and sun, were considered the most important for the farmer. Stribog was also prayed by seafarers to give "wind to sail".

Stribog

Stribog - in East Slavic mythology, the god of the wind. The name Stribog goes back to the ancient root "streg", which means "senior", "paternal uncle". He can summon and tame a storm and can transform into his assistant, the mythical bird Stratim. In general, the wind was usually represented as a gray-haired old man living at the end of the world, in a dense forest or on an island in the middle of the sea-ocean.

whistling

The wind has many grandchildren and sons, small breezes:
Whistle - the elder wind, is considered the god of the storm;
Podaga - hot, withering wind, lives in the desert in the South;
Weather - warm, light breeze, God of pleasant weather;
Siverko (North wind) - brings cold from the Arctic Ocean, very severe.
Poludenik together with Midnighter frolic day and night.

Makosh. Goddess of lucky lot. Together with her daughters Doley and Nedolya determines the Fates of people and Gods, weaving the Threads of Fate. Goddess Makosh at all times was a very attentive and caring Patron of weaving and all kinds of needlework, and also made sure that a good harvest grew in the fields where the peasants put their Soul into their hard work.

To those who were not lazy, but worked in the fields, in gardens and orchards in the sweat of their brow, putting their Soul into their hard work, the Goddess Makosh sent her youngest Daughter - the blond Goddess Dole. The same people who worked poorly and negligently in their fields (no matter what kind he was), got a bad harvest. Therefore, the people said that "from Makosh Dolya came to measure the harvest" or "Makosh Nedolya sent the harvest to measure."

Lada is the patroness of family happiness, mothers, children, widows and orphans. Her golden hair is adorned with pearls, and her dress is adorned with rich embroidery and jewels. In the name of Lada, the ancient Slavs called not only the original goddess of love, but also the whole system of life - a way where everything should have been fine, that is, good. Lada is the goddess of youth and spring, beauty and fertility, a generous mother, the patroness of love and marriages. Her dress shines with the dazzling brilliance of the sun's rays, her beauty is charming, and the drops of morning dew are called her tears; on the other hand, she acts as a militant heroine, rushing through the heavenly spaces in storms and thunderstorms and driving rain clouds. In addition, she is a goddess, in whose retinue the shadows of the dead march into the afterlife. The cloudy fabric is precisely that veil on which the soul, after the death of a person, ascends to the kingdom of the blessed. Among the ancient Slavs, the birch, personifying the goddess Lada, was considered a sacred tree. The white swan is the sacred animal of Lada, whose name meant, among other things, "swan". Lada gave birth to twins - Lel and Polel.

Goddess Marena (Mara) - Great Goddess of Winter, Night and Eternal Sleep and Eternal Life. Goddess Marena, or Marena Svarogovna, one of the three named sisters of the Much Wise God Perun. Very often she is called the Goddess of Death, terminating the earthly life of a person in the Explicit World, but this is not entirely true. But the Goddess Marena, in addition to observing the rest of Nature on Midgard-Earth, when Mother Nature is gaining life-giving forces for the spring awakening and the life of plants and animals, also observes the life of people. And when the time comes for people to go on a long journey along the Golden Path, the Goddess Marena gives instructions to each deceased person in accordance with the creative experience gained.

Goddess Zhelya - the goddess of mortal sorrow, pity and funeral lamentation, the messenger of the dead, escorting to the funeral pyre. Even the mere mention of her name relieves the soul. From here and words: To wish, Pity. It symbolizes grief, Zhelya was revered as a memory of the ancestors. Karina's sister. Daughter of Mary and Koshchei. Unearthly beauty and sad, with a pale face and long black hair, that's how she was represented.

Jelly and Karna

Zhelya and Karna fly over the battlefield and notify who will be killed. When the battle ends, Zhelya sits with his head bowed and his arms around his knees, mourning the dead. According to those customs, fallen soldiers were burned on funeral pyres, and Zhelya carried their ashes in a horn.

Nearby were always Belobog and Chernobog, who were in constant struggle with each other: daylight dimmed in the impending twilight, and the darkness of the night was dispelled by the morning dawn; Joy hurried to replace sadness: after cruelty and envy, the time for selfless and good deeds came. Belobog was portrayed as a wise, gray-bearded and gray-haired old man, Chernobog as an ugly skeletal "koshchei". However, Belobog and Chernobog were equally revered.

Chernobog (black Serpent, Kashchey) Lord of Navi, Darkness and Pekelny kingdom. God of cold, destruction, death, evil; God of madness and the embodiment of everything bad and black. Sacrifices were made to him before the start of important matters, for example, before going on a military campaign. The victims were often bloody and human, they killed captives, slaves and horses.

They portrayed Radegast armed from head to toe, with a battle ax, in a helmet on which an eagle spread its wings, a symbol of glory, and with a bull's head, a sign of courage, on a round shield.
Radegast is a god of lightning, a killer and devourer of clouds, and at the same time a luminous guest, who appears with the return of spring. The idea of an honorary divine guest, a visitor from heaven to earth, was also connected with him. The Russian settlers honored him with the name of a guest. Along with this, he received the character of a saving god of any foreigner (guest), who appeared in a strange house and surrendered himself under the protection of a local hearth, a patron god of merchants who came from distant countries and trade in general.

Among our pagan ancestors, he was not a deity of the highest rank, but his name is still known and honored everywhere. He was revered as the patron and guardian of the borders of land holdings. On the boundaries of their plots, the farmers poured hillocks, enclosing them with a palisade, and no one dared to tear such a hillock for fear of angering the deity. The frontier strip was considered inviolable, no one could cross it arbitrarily. Chur also protected a person and all his goodness from evil spirits: as a resident of passers-by roads, he had more power over devils than anyone else. Therefore, in case of danger, it is still advised to remember this god and shy away, saying: "Chur me!", That is, to ask: "Chur, take care of me!" Even the secrets of a person's thoughts he guards

Syra Mother Earth

Syra - Earth Mother - the goddess of the earth, a fertile mother, the wife of Heaven. The earth was presented to the imagination of the pagan, who deified nature, as a living human-like creature. Herbs, flowers, shrubs, trees seemed to him her magnificent hair; he recognized the stone rocks as bones, the tenacious roots of trees replaced the veins, the blood of the earth was the water oozing from its depths. And How living woman, she gave birth to earthly creatures, she moaned in pain in a storm, she was angry, causing earthquakes, she smiled under the sun, giving people unprecedented beauty, she fell asleep in a cold winter and woke up in the spring, she died, burned by drought and was reborn after the rains. And, as if to a true mother, a person resorted to her at any time of his life. Remember fairy tales? The hero will fall to the damp earth - and will be filled with new strengths.

Bereginya

The ancient Slavs believed that Bereginya is a great goddess who gave birth to all things. She is accompanied everywhere by radiant riders, personifying the sun. She was especially often addressed during the ripening of bread - this indicates that the goddess belongs to the supreme patrons of the human race. After all, the great goddess was supposed to protect the people she created! Gradually, our ancestors believed that there are many coastlines in the world, they live in forests. According to popular beliefs, betrothed brides who died before the wedding turned to the coast. For example, those girls who committed suicide because of the betrayal of the insidious groom. In this they differed from the water mermaids, who always live in the water, and are born there.

Karachun

Karachun is a dark god. His servants were rod bears, in which snowstorms turned around, and packs of blizzard wolves. Karachun's day coincided with one of the coldest days of winter, December 12/25, when the nights cease to shorten, and the sun no longer looks at frost, but at warmth. The ancient Slavs considered Karachun an underground god, commanding frost. For Belarusians, "karachui" is a sudden death at a young age; evil spirit shortening life. In Russian, this is death, death. Particularly scary is leap year, it is considered the time of Karachun, His element. Therefore, the people believe that more people die on a leap year.

Lelya is the goddess of fertility according to the second Rozhanitsa, the daughter of Lada, the goddess of childbearing. She is the patroness of women and young maidens. She is asked for a betrothed.

Lel is Lely's brother. He is a fiery God, scattering or throwing sparks from his hand. His strength was in the kindling of love. He is the son of beauty, because beauty gives birth to love. He was depicted as a golden-haired youth.

The Goddess of Life in the broadest sense of the word, Life itself. Alive - the goddess of well-being, the deity of beauty and spring, as the flowering of all living things, the beginning of life. According to legends preserved in Poland, in the spring it turns into a cuckoo to “inform” people about the season and determine who will live for how long.

Perunica

This goddess is the wife of the god Perun (she is one of the incarnations of the Goddess Lada). She is sometimes called the thunder maiden, as if emphasizing that she shares power over thunderstorms with her husband. She is a cloud maiden - beautiful, winged, warlike.

Kolyada

Kolyada - God of feasts, food, fun. Seasonal god, holiday god. Kolyada marked the Slavic New Year. God-Kolyada comes into the world with light and goodness, having defeated evil and darkness. Kolyada is the Patron God of military people and Priests. Kolyada was often depicted with a sword in his hand, and the blade of the sword was pointed down.

Dobrogost

Dobrogost - among the Western Slavs, the patron of good news, the messenger of the gods - something like the ancient Hermes. Descending from heaven, he put on winged boots, reminiscent of boots-walkers of Russian fairy tales.

sea king

The sea king (Water) is the lord of all waters on earth. sea king, popular belief, rules over all the fish and animals that are only found in the seas. In folk tales, the Sea King is also called the Water King.

Mother of God Rozhana - Goddess of prosperity, spiritual wealth and comfort. Goddess-Patron of pregnant women. This is the most ancient image in Slavic mythology. This goddess is a woman. She represents the feminine principle in the universe. Women in labor are a collective female image. To this day, we call women in the maternity hospital Rozhanitsy, as they are likened to the Mother Goddesses who give new life.

Baba Yoga is the Patron Goddess of orphans. She collected them from cities and villages, and delivered them to her Skete. She did this in order to save her from death.

Treebog is a forest deity, thanks to which everything in Nature blooms and turns green.

Magura - Daughter of the Thunderer Perun, cloud maiden. The beautiful, winged, warlike Magura is akin to the Scandinavian Valkyrie. Her heart is forever given to warriors, heroes. On the battlefield, Magura cheers the fighters with warlike cliques, her golden helmet sparkles in the sun, instilling joy and hope in the hearts. Well, if a warrior fell from the blow of an enemy sword or pierced by an arrow, Magura will overshadow him with his wings, touch his cold lips - and let him drink water from a golden cup. Having tasted the living water of Magura, he will go to heavenly palaces - for eternal life, where, in the midst of unearthly bliss, he always remembers the last kiss of Magura.

Svyatobor - God of the forests, lord of the goblin. Brother of the Danube and Svyatogor.

Didilia is also from the Lada family. goddess of matrimony, childbearing, growth, vegetation, personification of the moon. She is present at the resolution of wives from the burden, and therefore barren wives made sacrifices to her and prayed to her to give them children. She appeared as a young beautiful woman, having on her head, like a crown, a bandage adorned with pearls and stones; one hand was unclenched, and the other was clenched into a fist.

Polelia is the second son of the goddess of love, the god of matrimony, marriage bonds. It is no coincidence that he was depicted in a simple white everyday shirt and a wreath of thorns, he gave the same wreath to his wife. He blessed people for everyday life, a family path full of thorns.

Numerogog - God of time and astrologers.

Triglav

Triglav - Triune god. Unites Nav, Yav and Rule. Represents space. Follows human karma. Big Triglav - Svaro Mr. Perun - Svyatovit or Perun - Dazhdbog - Fire, small - Horse - Veles - Stribog. He also patronizes the three families of Rurik, Sineus and Truvor.

Volkh - God of sorcery, hunting, war, daring, master of beasts. The mother of Volkh was the earthly woman Martha, and the real father was the god Veles. When Volkh was born, he was wearing a wolf skin. And although after he was washed in water, the skin fell off, Volkh, like his father Veles, was a werewolf. He hunted, turning into various animals.

baked

Baked - the god of lust. His appearance is changeable. Protects men. married women this god was not painfully revered, for he forced men to suddenly forget their family obligations, their duty to their wife and children. There were many admirers of Prypekala, however, they preferred to keep it a secret, for there were frequent cases when deceived wives, having gathered together, set fire to the sanctuary of this patron of troubles and even stoned his priests.

Siwa is the goddess of autumn and garden fruits. Depicted as a naked woman long hair holding an apple in her right hand and a bunch in her left. And sometimes in the form of a gray-haired old man. Siva is a deity not only of garden fruits, but also of the very time of their ripening, autumn. After Siva drove Kashchei from Mount Khvangur, he himself began to rule there. There was a well with living water nearby, and from this well fire beat up to the sky.

There are many more mid-level gods, here are some interesting ones:
Zibog is the god of the earth, its creator and keeper. It was he who created mountains and seas, hills and rivers, crevices and lakes. He watches over and tills the land. When he gets angry, volcanoes erupt, a storm rises on the sea, the earth shakes.

Zirka is the goddess of happiness. Every person has his own Zirka, who, like a guardian spirit, is constantly with her chosen one. There is a saying: “What will become of him if he is not in Zirka’s favor!”

Hall of Iria, where fallen warriors feast and hone their skills.

Niy (Viy) - the deity of the underworld, one of the main servants of Chernobog. He was also a judge of the dead. Viy is also associated with the seasonal death of nature during winter. This god was also considered the sender of nightmares, visions and ghosts. A huge humpbacked old man with long hairy arms and paws. Eternally angry, because you have to work without rest day and night - to receive the souls of the dead. Whoever fell into the clutches of the ugly Niy, there is no turning back. In later times, this is the leader of the evil spirit Viy.

Nemiza is the god of air, the lord of the winds. Nemiza was depicted with a head crowned with rays and wings. Nemiza is called upon to restore order and pacify violent winds.

Dana is the goddess of water. She was revered as a bright and kind goddess, giving life to all living things. According to the ancient notion, the thunder god boils rainwater in a thunderstorm flame, bathes heaven and earth in its downpours, and thereby bestows the power of fertility on the earth.

The Goddess Vesta - the Goddess-Keeper of Wisdom, manages the arrival of Spring and the Awakening of Nature. In sculptural images, very rare, however, this goddess is represented as a richly dressed girl with a veil thrown over her head.

Karna is the Patron Goddess of reincarnations, giving the right to a person to get rid of the mistakes made and fulfill his destiny.
Dzevana - Goddess-Keeper of small children. Patroness of breastfeeding mothers.
Mor - God of death, cold, disease. Son of Mary.
Frost - God of winter, snow, cold. Son of Veles and Mary.

Shchur is the god of the boundary, on the other side of which there is death.
Sandman - Goddess of drowsiness, sleepy dreams, drowsiness, laziness. Wife of Sleep.
Bayan - God of songs, music and musical instruments. Grandson of Veles, son of Tur.
Krivda - Goddess of lies, deceit, untruth. Daughter of the Court and Nedoli.

Truth - Goddess of truth, truth, honesty, loyalty to the oath. Elder sister Krivdy.
Resentment - Goddess of resentment, trouble. Daughter of Mary
Zorya - Goddess of dawn, dawn, purification, health, children, love, vision, singing. Daughter of Dazhbog.
Troyan - God of health, healing herbs, medicine. Associated with fire and water. The patron of time and space.

Prince Vladimir of Kyiv (978-1015)

Having reigned in Kyiv in 980, Grand Duke Vladimir I made a kind of pagan reform, apparently trying to raise the ancient folk beliefs to the level of state religion - next to his towers, on a hill, the prince ordered to put wooden idols of six gods: Perun with a silver head and golden mustache, Fire-Svarozhich, Dazhdbog, Stribog, Semargl and Mokosh.

temple

Around 988, Vladimir was baptized himself, baptized his boyars and, under pain of punishment, forced everyone to be baptized. Formally, Russia became Christian. The funeral fires went out, but for a long time pagan burial mounds were piled up in the villages, secretly praying to Perun and Svarozhich, and celebrating the violent holidays of their native antiquity. Paganism merged with Christianity.

Sudarushka's blog

A few centuries ago, life was different. The people who inhabited the very territories on which civilization is built today wore different clothes.

They thought differently, their attitude was different. The feeling of fear in those days was caused not by broken nails and an overdue loan, but by hunger and war.

When fear came into the hearts and minds of the people, they prayed. This is similar to today's reaction of believers of different religions, only people of those times prayed to pagan shrines.

Russia was pagan. And there were many gods: we know some names from films and books, others are beyond our knowledge.

To study ourselves, we study our history. Our ancestors believed that adversity means the wrath of the gods, and a good harvest is their gift.

Today we still do not know what awaits us on the other side of life, where dead people go.

But what if pagan gods really exist, and the fact that we have changed religions and take pagan mythology as a fairy tale is a manifestation of their will?

In paganism, people believed in the existence of many gods. Legends were written about each of them, each had its own signs.

Carving a sign on axes and swords, the knights went into battle, confident that they were supported by a higher power. Women drew amulets, protecting the house and children from troubles.

There are not so many differences between Christianity and Islam. Orthodoxy involves the same rituals: wearing pectoral cross for protection, keeping icons in the house and transport, turning to shrines for help.

Faith has always saved people. It is not given to man to know for sure whether miracles are will higher powers, or is it the result of absolute faith, the placebo effect.

Pagan gods:

Name	Description	additional information
Veles	His area of responsibility is peace and prosperity in business, the fertility of livestock and the harvest	The people, who lived only at home, asked Veles for a harvest, for the health of livestock. He was responsible for such processes as the change of day and night, change of mood. Veles was approached with various requests. According to legend, after the baptism of Russia, Veles transferred his powers to St. Nicholas, and he himself became a goblin. Funny interweaving of paganism and Christianity
Genus	The creator of the world, the main deity. He was in charge of life and death	The name Rod has entered into all the main words of our language: parents, nature, Motherland. Paganism describes Rod as the creator of all life on earth. Before his appearance, the earth was plunged into darkness
Svarog	Son of Rod, blacksmith god	Svarog helped Rod establish life on earth. He is a blacksmith who gave the people a plow and chains. The forges were his temple, where he was especially revered, because he was the founder of this craft.
Semargl	God of fire	He was born from a spark and became the patron of fire. He is the keeper of the home. According to legend, in order to revive him on earth as a bird, a person must hatch a chicken egg on the oven for 9 days and 9 nights.
Dana	water goddess	She is the goddess of health and beauty, she saved warriors from death by giving them water to drink. Water is the basis of life: it was believed in those days, and modern scientists have proven it. Dana gave the name to the rivers: Danube, Dnieper and others. Her husband during the long winter does not let her go to the ground, so that in the spring Dana would give rain to fields and forests, dissolve the snow
Dazhdbog	Rain god, husband of Dana	Together with his wife, he commanded the water element, answering for the rains. Dazhdbog was asked for the fulfillment of desires, he instilled in people faith in a miracle. People made a wish by referring to it
Perun	Son of Svarog, lord of thunder and lightning	A warrior with the ability to throw lightning, the patron saint of warriors. Rod - Perun's grandfather, ordered his grandson to protect the world from wars and troubles
Yarovit	god of War	He was revered by the conquerors. Terrible heavenly deity, giving fury to warriors in battles
Chernobog	Deity of death, sickness	They were afraid of him, blaming him for the severe cold in winter. Today we know that the matter is in climatic features, and earlier Chernobog was responsible for the cold. People considered him guilty of diseases and insanity

There are many more gods. In western and eastern Russia, they differed. Their list is so extensive that many deities had names, but people did not know their history.

Pagan symbols of the gods and prayers of the Slavs

There are prayers in every religion. People asked for protection and help from higher powers. The prayer inspired confidence that their request was heard, that they would really be helped.

It gave a sense of calm. Many believers were considered healers, their faith was so strong that it helped to heal from diseases.

And today there are grandmothers who successfully treat diseases. Even serious cases, when medicine is powerless, can be treated by healers.

And there is no information: how the treatment takes place. What these women do: turn to dark forces, ask God for help, or simply skillfully control energy flows.

Here is an example of a pagan prayer:

"Knock Knock! Let sleep come to you, and ailments recede. I command you to sleep soundly and drown in night dreams.

Let all gloomy thoughts pass by your head! If you sleep soundly, then you will be healthy! I command you: sleep (name).

Conspiracies also existed in pagan culture. People reinforced prayers with signs, carving them on the head of the bed, the handle of the weapon. The symbols of the gods were carried with them like a pectoral cross.

This is how the sign of Veles looks like:

This is one of the designations of Perun:

This is a symbol of the god Rod:

The Slavs carved symbols of the gods and other signs on their bodies so that protection would always be with them:

Hierarchy scheme

Pagan rulers had different powers. We list them in descending order of strength and power:

Horse.
Yarilo.
Dazhdbog.
Svarog.
Perun.
Stribog.
Veles.
Lada.
Chernobog.
Mokosh.
Paraskeva Friday.
Moraine.

How to find a patron by date of birth

You can determine your Slavic patron by date of birth.

Some facts amaze with their accuracy no worse than the signs of the zodiacs:

Period of birth	patron name	Short description
21.01. - 20.02	Stribog	Lord of the wind, gives power, greed, thirst for wealth and recognition
21.02. - 22.03	Mokosh	People value family, timid, indecisive
23.03. - 20.04	Yarila	friendliness, communication
21.04. - 21.05	Lada	Health, warmth
22.05. - 02.06	Lelya	Sense of humor, resourcefulness (similar to the description of the Gemini sign)
03.06. - 13-06	Kostroma	Spring and fertility. Endowed people with talent in literature. Pushkin was born on 06.06. Coincidence?
13.06. - 21.06	Dodola	Youth, beauty
22.06. - 22.07	Veles	Wisdom, supernatural powers

Since ancient times, people have explained many phenomena by the "wrath" or "gift" of God. To the question "how many pagan gods were there?" no one can answer. Only a few pagan gods are known, such as the ancient Russian god Svarog or Dazhdbog, but they could also form a pantheon. There were also pagan gods and the "lower" class, which united any minorities or were associated with seasonal rites or economic cycles.

Also, female deities belonged to this class of pagan gods, in which only some groups believed. As a sign of respect for all the gods, feasts were arranged for each, where all kinds of livestock like goats and rams were sacrificed to them, thus affecting them, and sometimes they simply brewed beer for the whole tribe. On such holidays, the pagan gods also took a meal along with people.

WATCH THE VIDEO

Various pagan gods and spirits controlled a certain element and impulse natural phenomena. The gods represented the role of the creator in their field. In turn, people with a developed consciousness controlled the natural gods and spirits. After listing some pagan gods, you can not only learn about that era, but also compare the cultures of different peoples.

Svarog, he is a saint - researchers believe that he was the supreme god of the Eastern Slavs and heavenly fire. It is depicted in the drawings as a warrior with a four-headed horse, which symbolizes the cardinal points. In his hand you can see the cornucopia.

Perun - in Slavic mythology, he took the place of the god of thunder. At the end of the years of paganism in Russia, he was the main god, personifying princely power. Depicted in the drawings in the form of an angry bull Tura. There is also a mention of him in the book "The Tale of Igor's Campaign". Veles - known as the central deity in Slavic mythology and was the patron saint of domestic animals. One of the greatest gods of the ancient world.

The genus is the parent of all living things and everything that we see around. His merits included the separation of Pravda from Krivda. Some consider him one of the oldest deities. Avsen, he is Ovsen,

Usen is a pagan god who changes the seasons. Represented in the images by a man on a golden-red horse, who brought spring and autumn.

Lada - harmony, love and beauty under the rule of this Slavic goddess. On her images you can see a beautiful maiden with a huge bouquet of flowers.

Belobog is the god of fertility.

Niy, also known as Viy, is a pagan god who acts as a posthumous judge and ruler of the underworld. Dark guardian of souls. Souls that have left the body.

Lelya is the daughter of Lada, the goddess of Spring. It is inextricably linked with the awakening of nature in the spring, as well as the resumption of field work.

Alive - youth, beauty, fruitful power, all this is in the personification of Spring.

Makosh is the pagan goddess of fate, as well as all women's needlework. "Makosh" can be referred to as "mother". Prefers female fertility and productivity, economic prosperity in the house.

Mara is the most ancient Slavic goddess. Death, she's Morena, Mara. Gloomy, but not at all evil.

Volkh - was supposedly a werewolf god, an earthly god, a god of hunting.

Stribog was the god of the wind in Slavic mythology. The tamer of the storm, found on the pages of the book "The Tale of Igor's Campaign".

Yarila (Yarilo) - ardent, like a quick-tempered, cheerful, furious. Yarila was a rider on a white horse with red hair.

Chernobog - acted as a pagan god of darkness, the ruler of Navi and the Pekelny kingdom. Depicted as a humanoid idol. Black body color and silver mustache.

Dajbog is the god of the Sun, who gives heat and light. Ancestors believed that this pagan god is the patron of weddings.

Dogoda is a pagan god of warm wind, pleasant weather. God of the quiet. In the images it is found as a ruddy young man in a cornflower blue wreath, wings behind his back, who overshadows everything around with his smile.

Numberbog - the pagan god of numbers, the conqueror of time. This god has two faces - one is like the sun, and the other is a crescent. The sun symbolizes the course of the day, and the moon symbolizes the night.

Khors is the Slavic god of the Sun, a relative of Veles. Scientists have long been unable to determine its full nature.

Semargp is the Slavic god of fire, who is only mistakenly called the heavenly dog, who guards the seeds for sowing.

Chur - among our ancestors, this pagan deity was of a low rank, but many remember and honor him. It is believed that he was the ruler and saver of land holdings. And many more different deities, responsible for various moments of life.

Prayer is the most popular genre of religious literature inherited from the ancient pagans. Every culture and people had their own prayer. The Greek hymn, the Babylonian psalm, the prayers of the Romans in prose, the liturgy of the Vedas - all this is just a small part of the prayers that ascended to the pagan gods.

WATCH THE VIDEO

Paganism (people, peoples) - it is customary to consider that these are various religions adopted before Christianity. In other words, many divine religions. Christianity is the direct opposite of these religions, since paganism meant the people and "languages".

The pagan gods were the national religion, but the pagans themselves did not call themselves such a definition. Pagan gods magically influenced nature, communicated with ancestors. In the cult of the pagan gods, in addition to the usual "calendar" holidays, there were also agricultural celebrations, as well as family feasts. In the future, such religions began to simply be destroyed by Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, but they did not succeed in completely destroying such a cult. Scientists, in turn, try to avoid the term "paganism", because of the variety of concepts of this word.

In 980, Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich made an attempt to create a nationwide pagan pantheon, but unfortunately the attempt was unsuccessful. After that, the baptism of Russia took place in 988. This opinion should be attributed to erroneous, since already initially many peoples had a pantheon. This pantheon was erected for a different reason. Nevertheless, paganism was pushed into popular culture official religions(Christianity, Buddhism, Islam).

Watch the video "History of Russia"

Pagan culture is brimming various names higher forces responsible for certain processes or phenomena of the world. Each deity occupies a certain place in the universe and has its own powers that affect the course of events. The ancient Slavs did not have a single God for all tribes and peoples, people worshiped a large number higher powers and received their patronage in this or that matter.

Hierarchy of the Gods of Slavic culture

The position of the gods in the culture of the pagans is distributed depending on the seniority and power of influence on the events of the world.

At the head of everything is Rod, who is the creator of the universe and the first "elder" gods. Next are Svarog - the heavenly father and the creator of the earthly firmament and Lada the Mother of God, who became the mother of the Gods of the first generation, in addition, women in labor and Svarozhich stand at the origins of the creation of the world and the struggle for light.

At the first stage, there are Gods who have great influence on what is happening in the world and are especially revered among the people.

At the middle level of the hierarchy are the gods in the sphere of influence of which are fertility, Agriculture, hunting, fishing, handicraft, trade, medicine.

Below are the helpers of the gods of different levels - spirits. Spirits include representatives of light and darkness to the same extent: brownies, sheepskins, watermen, middays, mermaids and other entities.

In addition, there is a division into the forces of light and darkness, there are also gods that are closer to people and, on the contrary, do not have points of contact with the people.

The division of the Slavic gods into light and dark

When creating the world, it was divided into 3 parts: Yav - the place of life of people and elemental deities, Rule - the world of the Gods and Nav world dark forces and the dead. In the modern world, everything is judged more one-sidedly, darkness is evil, and light is good. In the ancient Vedic culture, the forces of light and darkness were equally held in high esteem. It was believed that without dark forces the existence of the world, knowledge and improvement is not possible. This is a necessary condition for harmonious development and movement. Death was seen as a transition to a new level.

Pantheon of Slavic gods

In ancient Russia, people believed in different Gods and worshiped them, brought gifts, asked for help. AT different parts The vast country had its own idols, in which they especially believed and revered their composition of celestials. Even the lists of gods belonging to the dark and light worlds were not the same. In one city, Perun was especially revered, in another - Veles, in the third Makosh or Lada sang great glory, nevertheless, everywhere there was a composition, a pantheon in which certain idols were established.

If you look at the Eastern and Western Slavs, you can find a difference in the names of the gods and their composition. Let's try to make a generalized list of revered deities with a description of their sphere of influence on the life of pagans. Whether there were really living people behind each image is another question and where people originally got that knowledge from. Perhaps after some time, mankind will know much more than is now open. However, at the moment we are studying the issue in a way that is accessible to us.

Slavic gods of the world

The higher forces standing at the origins of the creation of the world and not in direct contact with people belong to the world of Rule.

Belobog

In the sphere of influence of the Slavic Belobog is goodness, light, honor and justice. He does not participate in fights but protects the world.
The opposite of Belobog is his brother Chernobog and they are in a state of confrontation.

Belobog keeps the princes of the universe, the foundations of life and the world order. He was portrayed as a bright old man with a long white beard and a staff in his hands.

People honestly working without paying attention to all sorts of difficulties and obstacles can count on the help of God.

For information on the meaning of the Belobog symbol, see.

Veles

The Slavic god of the three worlds - Veles possessed significant magical power. He is the patron saint of animals and magic. Possesses the gift of reincarnation. According to the myths and legends of ancient Russia,
Veles is the guardian of 2 worlds: Provi and Navi. It is Veles who manages the preservation of the borders and in his retinue there are many spirits helping people: brownie, ovnik, wood goblin and others.

Unlike Perun, who patronizes only strong people and those in power, Veles helped people regardless of their origin and was revered in many human communities.

in addition, the site contains information about the amulets with the power of Veles:

Alive

Lelya

The goddess of spring, love and fidelity, the daughter of Lada the Virgin was one of the most beloved among the Slavs. They brought her flowers as a gift, asked for love.

In the sphere of influence of Lel were girls before marriage and children under 3 years old. Ease of character, femininity, preservation from the follies and mistakes of youth - this is the activity of the young goddess.

Lel was depicted as a beautiful bright girl, always surrounded by birds and animals.

Detailed information about the patroness of first love and the symbol of Lely, read in full

Makosh

Chur

The grandson of Svarog and Lada was held in high esteem by our ancestors. In the sphere of influence of Chur are borders and frontiers. He protects the world of Reveal from the penetration of any evil from the world of Navi. In addition, Chur monitors the fulfillment of this word and the safety of property fenced with churs - small columns with the image of the Deity or his symbol.

In helping people and subordinating Chur are brownies and banniki. Detailed information can be found here

Slavic gods of the world Reveal

The world of Reveal was not deprived of the gods. Most of the deities of the Slavic culture associated with the real world are elemental gods: water, wind, fire and earth. They play the most important role in people's lives.

Avsen

Slavic god of autumn - Avsen. He was revered as the patron of bridges, crossing paths and any life changes.

Honoring Avsenya (Tausenya) falls on the day of the autumn equinox, the day when the harvest has already been harvested and it is time to prepare for a long and cold winter. After Tausen (September 22-23), the day is waning, night and cold come into play.

Avsen's patronage extends to people who are at a crossroads in life. Helps to overcome difficulties in the transition and change of life. The power of the symbol plays a big role in preserving family and love.

Description of the character of God and who patronizes, read in full.

Agidel

The goddess of water Agidel is known among the northern Slavic peoples. The girls turned to Agidel on the day of Kupalo, throwing a wreath on the water. In the sulfur of influence of Agidel, life-giving water fills the body with health, the spirit with faith and strength, giving youth and beauty.

According to the faith of the ancient Slavs, it has healing power, spreads it through the water.

The god of beautiful, fertile weather and a warm summer breeze is Dogoda.

Dazhdbog

God of the sun, summer warmth, fertility and light -. Slavic Dazhdbog patronized the farmers and was always held in high esteem by the Slavs. The solar disk is the symbol of the sun god.

The idol of Dazhdbog was installed on a hill facing east or southeast. The idol was made exclusively from wood. Feathers of birds, honey, nuts were brought as a gift.

Divya

The Slavic Goddess of the moon - Divia was the sister of Khors. The image of the goddess is closely associated with moonlight, magic and sorcery. In the sphere of influence of Divya is female magic, healing, intuition and beauty.

The main purpose of the division is lighting at night. Although the light of the moon cannot be compared with the sun, it is enough to find a way in the darkness of the night and be able to see what is happening around.

smoke

In Slavic mythology, the image of Dyy was not preserved, he appeared to each in different ways. Initially, Dyi was the god of the sky, over time, taking the side of evil, he became the patron of the night sky. At a later time, wealth also appeared in the sphere of influence of Dyi. According to legend, it was established that Dyy lived in the mountains of the Urals, after which he was overthrown and sent to the world of Navi.

Dyi is considered the father of Dodola and Churila.

Dodola

Ghoul

In Slavic culture, ghouls were evil spirits that bring death. They appeared to people in the form of the dead with iron teeth. One touch of a ghoul to a person is enough and he dies of an unknown disease.

According to some sources, ghouls, like vampires, drank blood from people and ate their body. It was believed that if a ghoul left the body by drinking blood, the dead could become a ghoul.

After the adoption of Christianity, ghouls belong to the mortgaged dead, that is, people who have not been baptized and have not received a funeral service.

List of Slavic gods

This article lists the deities of the Slavic pagan pantheon with brief characteristics of their functions and an indication of the primary sources of information about them (in footnotes). For more complete information about the paganism of the Slavs, see the article "Slavic mythology".

Common Slavic gods

* Perun - Thunderer, the main god of the pantheon
Mother Cheese-Earth - a female image of the personified fertile, giving birth to the earth-mother. Wed such common Slavic customs as swearing by the earth, confession to the earth, kissing the earth, etc.

Gods of the Eastern Slavs

On the right - the pantheon of Vladimir as imagined by the ancient Russian scribe Pantheon of Prince Vladimir

Perun is the main god, patron of the prince and squad, also a thunderer. Replaced by Elijah the prophet.
Khors - the personified sun
Dazhbog - solar deity, patron of the Russian land and Russian people from prince to farmer
Stribog - a deity, probably associated with atmospheric functions (wind)
Simargl - a semi-divine character with obscure functions, possibly a messenger between the heavenly and earthly worlds
Mokosh is a female deity, the patroness of spinning and weaving. Changed Friday.

Other gods Ancient Russia

Volos ~ Veles - often identified, however, according to sources they have different functions:
- Hair - "cattle god", patron of cattle. Changed St. Blaise of Sebaste.
- Veles - the patron god of storytellers and poetry
The clan and women in labor are characters who personified the destined, the fate of the newborn, “what kind written"
Svarog - possibly a blacksmith god
Svarozhich - personified fire

Burial of Kostroma. Lubok drawing. XIX century Ritual characters-symbols of fertility They are not gods in the literal sense of the word, being an archaic stage in the development of the cult of a dying and resurrecting deity. They are stuffed animals, which are the focus of the forces of fertility and fertility. After honoring and mourning, the effigies are torn, drowned or burned. The remains are scattered over the fields or in the barn.

Scarecrow of Maslenitsa
Yarilo
Kostroma
Kostrubonka

Characters personified holidays in folklore

Kolyada
Pancake week
Kupala

"Gods" and characters of book origin

Troyan is a character-symbol of antiquity in the Tale of Igor's Campaign. In other sources, it is listed along with the rest of the gods. It was apparently borrowed to Russia from the South Slavic folklore tradition.
Dyy - a variant of the name of the ancient Zeus in ancient Russian teachings against paganism
Alkonost, Sirin, Gamayun - mythical birds from ancient Russian book works

Gods of the Western Slavs

Idol of the Baltic Slavs (Fr. Volin) Gods of the Baltic Slavs

Svyatovit - the main god of Arkona, associated with war and victory
Triglav is the main god of his area, a sacred black horse is associated with him, his idol has three heads
Svarozhich (Radegast) - the main god of the land of rataries, associated with military functions
Chernobog - an evil god who brings misfortune
Prove - the main god of the Stargard district, was revered in the sacred oak grove
Pripegala - a god with obscure functions, judging by the source - a "Dionysian" type
Podaga - the god of Vagrs with obscure functions, who had a temple and an idol in Plun
Zhiva - a female deity, the main deity of her area

Three gods Korenitsa

Yarovit - god of war and fertility
Ruevit - the main god of Korenitsa, the god of war
Porevit or Porenut - a god with obscure functions

Effigy of Marzhana prepared for burning Seasonal characters of the Western Slavs

Marzhana (Morana) - a spring mythological and ritual character, a scarecrow-embodiment of death and winter, which was drowned, torn or burned to ensure the harvest

Inferior characters

Rarog - mythological fire bird
Veles - devil, demon in Czech proverbs
Ferry (Perun) - mentioned in curses (such as Parom do you! or Ej, do Pioruna!)

Mythological characters of the southern Slavs

Burning badnyak at the stake near the church of St. Sava in Belgrade

Badnyak is a mythological and ritual character, symbolizing old year. It is embodied by a log that is burned at Christmas.
Bozic is a mythological and ritual character symbolizing the new year. "Young god" as opposed to Badnyak - "old god".
Pitchfork - female water spirits similar to mermaids
Herman is a seasonal character associated with fertility
Dabog is a mythologized image of the "king on earth", as opposed to God in heaven
Dodola or Paparuda is a female character who participates in rituals for calling rain. Associated with Perun.

Characters of lower mythology

Mortgage dead - people who did not die by their own death (drowned, suicides, drunkards, etc.), as well as those who died on the battlefield
Mermaids - the souls of the "mortgaged" dead, living in the water
Mavka - evil spirit, mermaid
Ghoul - "mortgaging" dead man, killing people and drinking their blood
Christmas spirits - various inhabitants of the other world, penetrating into this world during Christmas time, when the gates between the worlds are open
Bes - an evil spirit hostile to people
Werewolf - a werewolf sorcerer who can take the form of a wolf
Beregini - characters with obscure functions (possibly associated with plant cults)
Fever - a female spirit that inhabits a person and causes illness
The fire serpent is a demon in the form of a fireball that flies up the chimney and visits women who yearn for their husbands.
Kikimora - a negative female character, a type of brownie
Noons - women's field spirits of noon, as a milestone and critical time
Brownie - patron spirit of the house
Bannik - the master spirit of the bath
Yard - the master spirit of the yard
Barn - the master spirit of the barn
Vodyanoy - the master spirit of rivers and reservoirs
Goblin - the master spirit of the forest
Baba Yaga

Notes

Procopius of Caesarea. War with the Goths. Book VII (book III of the War with the Goths), 14
1 2 PVL 1950 I, p. 56.
PVL 1950 I, p. 25, 38-39, 52, 56, 80-81; Novgorod I Chronicle (989), Novgorod IV and Sofia I Chronicle; Conversation of three saints; Walking of the Virgin through torments, etc.
PVL 1950 I, p. 56; Conversation of three saints; A word about Igor's regiment, p. 36; Walking of the Virgin through torment, 23.
PVL 1950 I, p. 56, 197-198 (Ipatiev Chronicle); A word about Igor's regiment, p. 17, 19.
PVL 1950 I, p. 56; A word about Igor's regiment, p. 12.
PVL 1950 I, p. 56; The word of a certain Christ-lover; Word of St. Gregory ... about how the filthy bowed to idols, etc.
PVL 1950 I, p. 25, 52; Prologue Life of St. book. Vladimir
A word about Igor's regiment, p. 7; Walking of the Virgin through torments, 23; Life of St. Abraham of Rostov, 221-222.
The word of Isaiah the prophet, interpreted by St. John Chrysostom, about those who supply the second meal to the family and women in childbirth
PVL 1950 I, p. 197-198 (Ipatiev Chronicle).
The word of a certain Christ-lover and zealot in the right faith, etc.
Propp 1995, p. 81-85.
First mentioned in the admonition of St. Tikhon of Zadonsky to the inhabitants of Voronezh, 1763; Propp 1995, p. 81-85.
Propp 1995, p. 98-99.
Propp 1995, p. 97.
A word about Igor's regiment, p. 6, 14, 19, 35; The Word and Revelation of St. apostle; Walking of the Virgin through torment, 23.
Helmold I, 52; II, 12; Saxo Grammar XIV, 564.
Ebbon III, 1; Herbord II, 32-33.
Titmar VI, 22-23. Other sources are, apparently, later compilations.
Helmold I, 52; Knitlingsaga, 314. As opposed to it, some researchers reconstruct Belobog on the basis of indirect sources.
Helmold I, 52, 69, 83.
Letter from Archbishop Adelholt of Magdeburg, 1108 (some scholars question its authenticity)
Helmold I, 83.
Helmold I, 52.
According to the assumption of R. O. Jacobson, they were the gods of the three seasons.
Ebbon III, 8; Gerbord III, 6.
1 2 Saxo Grammar XIV, 577.
1 2 3 Zelenin D.K. Unnatural deaths and mermaids
Propp 1995, p. 89-92.
1 2 Word of St. our father John Chrysostom, etc.

Literature

Helmold. Slavic chronicle. M., 1963.
Mansikka V.J. Religion of the Eastern Slavs. Moscow: IMLI im. A. M. Gorky RAN, 2005.
The Tale of Bygone Years / Ed. V. P. Adrianov-Peretz. M.-L.: Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, 1950. Part I.
Propp V. Ya. Russian agricultural holidays: (Experience of historical and ethnographic research). M.: Terra, 1995.
A word about Igor's regiment. M., 1800.

Slavic mythology List of Slavic gods Gods Mythical creatures Mythic lands


Belobog1 Bozhich Veles ~ Volos Dabog Dazh(d)bog Devan Zhiva Lada1 Lelya1 Madder Mother - Cheese Earth Mokosh (Makosh) Pereplut Perun Porevit Porenut Prove Radegast1 Rod2 Rozhanitsy2 Rugevit Svarog1 Svarozhich Svyatovit Semargl (Simargl) Stribog Triglav Troyan Horse Chernobog Yarilo2 Yarovit
Alkonost Anchutka Asilki Baba Marta Baba-Yaga Babai Bannik Bereginya Bes Bolotnik Buka Witcher Verlioka Vechorka Viy Vila Water Volkolak Gamayun German Dennitsa Dole Dvorovoy Brownie Mortgage dead Zarya Sinister Serpent Gorynych Ivan-da-Maria Kikimora Kolyada Korgorushi Kostroma Kostrubonka Koschey Kupala Lel1 Goblin Fever Mavka Frost Ovinnik Fire Serpent of the Field Noon Friday Rarog Mermaid Sirin Nightingale the Robber Ghoul Damn Chugaister Miracle Yudo Chur Shishiga Yuda the Lizard
Alatyr Belovodye Buyan Iriy Kalinov Kitezh Bridge Lukomorye Lysaya Gora Smorodina River Far Far Away
Notes: 1 the historicity of the deity is debatable; 2 divine status is debatable.

Categories:

Slavic mythology
Gods of the Slavs

Ancient Slavic gods, goddesses and their purpose. Old Slavic mythology

The ancient Slavic pantheon of gods was actually quite extensive and included about 70 different characters. Mostly these gods were associated with some forces of nature, and the most important of them was Rod. The Slavs believed that this deity created the entire visible reality, separated Yav from Navi (the visible world from the spiritual), as well as Truth from Krivda. Rod is considered the most ancient deity, the patron of nature, fertility, harvesting. Our ancestors believed that he is the lord of the clouds and sends a soul to earth at the birth of a child. His bird is considered a duck, and his fish is a pike, since in many legends women give birth to children after tasting fish soup from this particular fish.

Ancient Slavic gods have similar names with Indian ones

Fans these days ancient religion erect monuments to Rod in the form of red phallic symbols made of ash, elm or beech, which echoes the Indian tradition of erecting such monuments in honor of the Indian forest Rudra. The latter is also the god of thunder, agriculture, and fertility, and is a creature with red skin, black hair, and a blue neck. Indian Rudra is also a warrior dressed in animal skins. God Rod in Russia is still unconsciously worshiped, when April 21 is celebrated as the day of the Orthodox Rodion the icebreaker (in paganism - Radogoshche).

The customs of those times are still observed today.

Next to Rod in the Slavic epic there are two goddesses (Lada with her daughter Lelya), who patronize pregnant and giving birth women. Lada is the wife of Rod, correlated in other cultures with Venus, the Hyperborean Lato or Demeter. She was associated with the period of summer ripening of fruits, a house, an established life. In Russian, this was expressed in the words LADit, adjust, that is, establish order, equip. The goddess Lelya patronized among the Slavs girlish love, lovers, beauty, happiness, the first shoots on arable land. Therefore, it was customary to call Lelya - Spring - at the end of April (then the climate was more severe, and the winter was long). The ancient Slavic gods did not leave any tablets to the peoples living on the territory of Russia (or, perhaps, they were lost due to the prescription of times). However, for many years, up to our time, some customs have been observed, bequeathed since then. For example, it was customary to cut a child’s hair for the first time “on Rozhanits”, that is, on the day of the holiday in their honor, September 8-9.

Four sun gods in Russia

The ancient Slavic god of the Sun, according to a number of versions, was not alone in Russia in prehistoric times. The researchers found that people then worshiped different solar deities in different times of the year. So, to the god Khors, identified with the growth of solar energy flows (Kolyada), offerings were brought in the period from the winter solstice to the spring equinox (December 22 - March 21). This deity "managed" directly the solar disk and brought the luminary to the sky on a chariot (among the Greeks, such functions were performed by Helios). The name of the god comes from the word “khor”, which meant “circle”, the word “round dance” and “horoshil” - a ritual cake - a round-shaped kurnik, have the same root.

The ancient Slavic sun god Yarilo received his share of offerings and prayers between March 21 and June 22. His arrival brought an increase in the productive force in plants, the awakening of feelings and temperament in people, as well as courage. Therefore, Yarilo was also a warrior, the son of Veles and Diva-Dodola, who conceived a child in an immaculate way, smelling the lily of the valley, into which Veles turned. He was associated either with a young temperamental youth, or with a woman dressed in a man's outfit. Therefore, in Slavic languages there are many “feminine” words associated with this god - rage, milkmaid, spring - “yara”, spring sheep - “bright”, spring wheat, etc.

God taught people to forge iron

The ancient Slavic gods of the Sun - Dazhdbog (Kupala) and Svetovit - Svarog - were respectively responsible for solar energy in the second half of the year. Dazhdbog, identified by the Slavs with sunlight, "ruled" from the end of June to the end of September, and Svarog - from September 23 to the winter solstice. The circle closed. Especially in Russia, Svarog was revered, who was a great blacksmith, warrior and patron of the family hearth. He taught people to smelt copper and iron and, according to some researchers, commanded a ban on polygamy or polyandry. Svarog was worshiped in the territory of the modern Czech Republic, Slovakia, and his largest sanctuary was in Poland. The ancestors of the Eastern Slavs called the god Rarog, which is somewhat consonant with the name of Rurik, who became the first official ruler of the tribes of ancient Russia.

Slavs worshiped the earth

The ancient Slavic gods had a certain hierarchy, to the highest level of which belonged those who personified the most significant forces of nature. Including Svarog, Dazhdbog, Fire and Mother Earth Cheese. The latter was an integral part of the universe, along with air, water, fire. In the most ancient burial rituals, elements of the deification of the earth are represented by a special arrangement of the dead - in the form of embryos, which reflects the return to the mother's womb. The earth from such graves was considered sacred, they tried to touch it in order to cleanse themselves of misfortunes (the modern tradition is to throw a handful on the coffin lid). In Russia, it was customary to carry the earth in amulets when leaving. Until the beginning of the last century, the peasants celebrated her name day on Spirits Day (it was impossible to carry out any manipulations, plow, sow, dig, etc.).

The ancient Slavic gods and goddesses have a difference in names and functions in different regions of the Slavic tribes. For example, Grandfather-Vseved, who is the deity of spring thunderstorms, is called “Dedo-Lord” by the Bulgarians and is associated with an old man who came to people to teach them to plow and sow. Goddess Makosh, who was worshiped to receive good harvest, and even Prince Vladimir in Kyiv put her in the pantheon of the gods, for the northern peoples she was Mokosh - the unkind goddess of cold.

Do not wake up - it will be worse!

The ancient Slavic goddesses Dolya and Nedolya were companions of Makosh and determined the fate of a person. The share weaved a happy fate and could instantly move around the world, knowing no barriers. She made friends with everyone, but did not like lazy people, drunkards, evil people, leaving them. Not a share made a person's life miserable, regardless of his own will. Troubles haunted the unfortunate until Nedolya fell asleep, which was reflected in the proverb-warning: "While Likho is sleeping, do not wake him."

The ancient Slavic gods and their purpose are the subject of research by modern scientists. It is believed that the deities in question fulfilled the needs of the society of that time to find explanations for the impact of natural forces and ways to appease these forces. Note that analogies with the cults of the gods in other regions of the earth come across very often. For example, the Western Slavs had the god Dobrogost, who brings good news from " heavenly office”, which, like Hermes, was depicted in winged shoes, like walking boots. Therefore, it can be assumed that the ancient gods of those times, perhaps, were not only an expression of the forces of nature and manifested themselves visually in different parts of the planet, which is recorded in myths, legends and customs of service among different peoples.

Slavic gods - the paganism of the Ancient World.

Information about the deities of the ancient peoples who inhabited our planet is scarce. They have to be restored according to the preserved myths, legends, fragmentary retellings and information from excavations of cultural sites. From these bits of information, it became known that ancient people sought to "humanize" some life situations and components of the environment. This is how the concept of human aggression - war - was identified. And then came the Gods of War. Such gods are most popular and revered among militant tribes. As a mythological story, war is often associated with the creation of the Cosmos and the protection of existence. There are widespread myths about the war between different groups of gods, where the clashes between them moved to the earth and became already earthly wars between people. In legends, gods often intervene in people's lives: patronizing or punishing. Every ancient pagan culture had Gods of War.

The ancient Roman historian Gaius Cornelius Tacitus in his treatise “On the Origin of the Germans and the Location of Germania” (98 AD) describes the amazing militancy of the representatives of this people, their attraction to constant battles and bloodshed. Like other Roman authors, Tacitus believes that many Germanic gods are an identification of the Roman ones. So the furious god of war Mars is equivalent to the Germanic god Tivaz, who is also called Tyr. It is difficult to say when the Germans began to revere Tivaz and other deities of war. It is also not known exactly when he was replaced by Wodanus as the supreme god of war, whom Roman writers compared to Mercury. Together with Tiviaz and Wodan, the Germans also worshiped the third god of war - Donar (Thor or Tunar). In the late pagan period, most of the Germans considered him the most powerful and noble god.

Although, as historians note, “the Slavs were never a warlike people, adventurers like the Germans…”, they also had their own gods of war. Today, the most famous are such Slavic gods as Perun and Semargl. Despite their deep antiquity, and therefore well-known, they were little revered because of their warlike appearance. Perun was represented as a warrior armed with an ax, racing on a golden chariot harnessed by white and black stallions. Semargl was seen as a wolf with wings and falcon legs, and sometimes with a falcon's head. Slavic warriors often identified themselves with wolves.

The Slavic gods of war, in other matters, like all pagan gods "demanded" sacrifice, this rite took on a large-scale character. As it became known from the evidence of ethnographic and archaeological excavations, wolves and dogs were sacrificed to the gods, while human sacrifice was considered the highest ritual offering. These were the prisoners.

With the introduction of Christianity, the Slavic gods officially ceased to exist. Their characters began to be viewed as negative, except for those identified with Christian saints. To strengthen spiritual unity people and soften the transition from paganism to Christianity, Prince Vladimir did not lead the cruel persecution of the adherents of the old faith. Over time, this led to the fact that the Slavic gods began to be personified in Christian characters. So Perun was compared with Saint Elijah.

More than a thousand years have passed since the adoption of Christianity, but the Russian pagan gods are still not forgotten. In folk art, in paintings, woodcarving, embroidery patterns, their schematic images and symbols have been preserved. Moreover, today many believe that Russian paganism can be revived as something original, not borrowed from other peoples and not subject to globalization.

Dictionary of Slavic Gods. Part 1: Ancient Slavic Pantheon

Quote from Svetoyar Read the WholeTo your quote pad or community!
Dictionary of Slavic Gods. Part 1: Ancient Slavic Pantheon

In Slavic pagan religious beliefs, there was a hierarchy among the gods, characteristic of many peoples who worshiped several gods. The ancient Slavs also had their own pantheon of gods, although out of the total number, different Slavic tribes had "their own" gods, the most revered by the tribe.
The most ancient supreme male deity among the Slavs was Genus. Already in Christian teachings against paganism of the XII-XIII centuries. they write about Rod as a god worshiped by all peoples.
Rod was the god of the sky, thunderstorms, fertility. They said about him that he rides on a cloud, throws rain on the ground, and children are born from this. He was the ruler of the earth and all living things, he was a pagan creator god.
In the Slavic languages, the root "genus" means kinship, birth, water (spring), profit (harvest), such concepts as people and homeland, in addition, it means red and lightning, especially ball, called "rhodium". This variety of cognate words undoubtedly proves the greatness of the pagan god.
God Rod. Svarog.

Svarog (Svetovit).

All Slavic gods that were part of the ancient pagan pantheon were divided into solar gods(four hypostases of the sun god) and functional gods.
Rod was the supreme deity of the Slavs.
There were four hypostases of the Sun God, according to the number of seasons: Khors (Kolyada), Yarilo, Dazhdbog (Kupaila) and Svarog (Svetovit).
Functional gods: Perun - patron of lightning and warriors; Semargl - the god of death, the image of the sacred heavenly fire; Veles - black god, lord of the dead, wisdom and magic; Stribog is the god of the wind.
Since ancient times, the Slavs have celebrated the change of seasons and the change in the phases of the sun. And therefore, for each season (spring, summer, autumn and winter), its own incarnation of the sun god (Khors / Kolyada, Yarilo, Dazhdbog / Kupaila and Svarog / Svetovit), especially revered throughout the season, was responsible.
God Khors (the sun-baby Kolyada) was worshiped between the winter solstice and the spring equinox (from December 22 to March 21); the sun-youth Yarila - between the spring equinox and summer solstice(from March 21 to June 22); the sun-husband Dazhdbog (Kupail) - between the summer solstice and the autumn equinox (from June 22 to September 23); to the wise sun-old man Svarog (Svetovit) - between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice (from September 23 to December 22). To denote a share, good luck, happiness, the Slavs used the word “god” common to all Slavs. Take, for example, "rich" (having a god, a share) and "wretched" (the opposite meaning). The word "God" was included in the names of various deities - Dazhdbog, Chernobog, etc. Slavic examples and evidence of other most ancient Indo-European mythologies allow us to see in these names a reflection of the ancient layer of mythological ideas of the Proto-Slavs.
All mythological creatures responsible for one or another side of human life can be divided into three main levels: the highest, the middle and the lowest.
So, at the highest level are the gods, whose "functions" are most important for the Slavs and who participated in the most common legends and myths. These include such deities as Svarog (Stribog, Sky), Earth, Svarozhichi (children of Svarog and the Earth - Perun, Dazhdbog and Fire).
At the middle level there were deities associated with economic cycles and seasonal rituals, as well as gods who embodied the integrity of closed small groups, such as Chur among the Eastern Slavs, etc. This level probably included most of the female deities, somewhat less human-like than the gods of the highest level.
The lower level housed beings that were less human-like than the gods of the higher and middle levels. These included brownies, goblin, mermaids, ghouls, banniks (baenniks), etc.

Bird Gamayun. Bannik or baennik. Kikimora. Goblin. When worshiping, the Slavs tried to observe certain rituals, which, as they believed, made it possible not only to receive what they asked for, but also not to offend the spirits they addressed, or even protect themselves from them, if necessary.

God of war and confrontation Perun (favorite god of the Vikings-Varangians)
and the god of livestock Veles (the most revered god of the Slavs).

The main god of the Eastern Slavs was the god of livestock Veles (Volos), so important to them. One of the first to whom the Slavs initially began to make sacrifices were ghouls and beregini.

Bereginya.

Somewhat later, they "began to put a meal" to the Family and the Women in Childbirth - Lada and Lele.
Subsequently (after the enslavement by the Varangians), the Slavs prayed mainly to Perun (the god of war and confrontation beloved by the Varangians), however, retaining faith in their former gods (for more details, see below). "Pancake week" ).
The ancient beliefs themselves had a system determined by the conditions of life in which this or that Slavic tribe found itself.

http://supercook.ru/slav/slov-mif-02.html