Entities of death and destruction

Azraeel in islamic faith and in the Quran is the angel of death also same with the jewish faith.

Höðr, sometimes called Hod, is the twin brother of Baldr, or Baldur, and is a Norse god associated with darkness and winter. He also happened to be blind, and appears a few times in the Norse Skaldic poetry

Mythology and Legends

Their father, odin, was concerned about Baldr, who kept suffering from terrible nightmares. So, Odin traveled to Niflheim, the land of the dead, where he resurrected a wisewoman and asked her for advice. She told him that Höðr would eventually slay Baldr, so Odin went back to Asgard, not happy about these developments.

Odin spoke with Baldr’s mother, Frigga, who decided to have all the creatures on earth swear an oath not to harm Baldr–this way, Höðr could use no weapon against his brother. Unfortunately, Frigga missed her chance to speak with themistelstone bush . Tricked by Loki, Höðr created an arrow from the mistletoe branch which pierced Baldr’s body, killing him instantly. In some stories, it is not an arrow but a spear instead.

The death of Baldr at Höðr’s hand signified the darkness ruling over the light. As the nights grew longer and colder, the sun faded away each year. There are some clear similarities between this story and many others which detail the changing of the seasons, such as the Greek myth of Demeter and Persephone, and the legend of the holly king and the oak king in Neo Wiccan beliefs.

Despite being tricked by Loki, Höðr was the one responsible for the death of his brother, and there was a general rule that deaths like Baldr’s must be avenged. Odin tricked a giantess into conceiving a child for him–and this child grew rapidly, reaching adulthood in just one day, to become the god Vali. 

Vali then journeyed to Midgard and killed Höðr with an arrow, mirroring the death of Baldr. In Norse mythology, Baldr’s death is one of the signals that Ragnarok, the end of the world, is coming.

The legends of Höðr appear in the Nores eddas. In the Prose Edda, he is described in the Gylfaginning with a bit of foreshadowing, saying of Höðr: “He is blind. He is of sufficient strength, but the gods would desire that no occasion should rise of naming this god, for the work of his hands shall long be held in memory among gods and men.”

There are several verses in the Skáldskaparmál related to Höðr, in which he is called by a number of different names: the Blind God, Baldr’s Slayer, Thrower of the Mistletoe, Son of Odin, Companion of Hel, and Foe of Váli.

“as if they were untarnished accounts of how the heathen northern Europeans saw the world. They point back to the ancient northern European worldview, yes, but that worldview is often visible only opaquely, and hidden beneath layers of later accretions. The sources are the starting points for our knowledge of the pre-Christian Germanic world, but they are not the ending points.”

Höðr Today

A number of people have drawn connections between the god Höðr and the character of Hodor, and other Norse figures, in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire. Dorian the Historian at GAME OF THRONES AND NORSE MYTHOLOGY draws a number of parallels, and says, 

“In the story of the death of Baldr, Loki tricks Baldr’s blind & dim-witted brother, Hodr (also spelled Hodur), who is noted for his strength, into killing Baldr. The name piqued my interest, and the somewhat similar description really got me curious–dim-witted Hodor & blind Hodur.”

Höðr is typically associated with the winter months, although it is hard to know much more than that about him. After all, he only appears in one Norse myth, in the tale of Baldr’s death. However, because of his connection to the winter season, he is honored by some Norse Pagans in tandem with Baldr. As in many tales of twin deities, it is presumed that we cannot have one without the other, because the two are so complexly linked. 

“Höðr can be seen as a god of the wrongly accused, of atonement and redemption. If you have done something wrong, something hard to look at, Höðr can help you own up to it. Honesty has a way of wiping the slate clean. In the end, he rules side-by-side with his twin, redeemed. His role is as his brother’s adviser and he is fated to be his councilor in the world to come. Work with Höðr for help recovering from a tragic event, or for help with depression. He seems to be the Northern pagan answer to the Catholic-dubbed (but universally-experienced spiritual crisis) “Dark Night of the Soul” (loss of faith). Perhaps Höðr is a steadfast companion, who doesn’t push us to “make it better,” but rather sits with us right where we are, for as long as we need.”

Allegory of Death

Cultures around the world have honored the gods of death and dying. Peter Zelei Images / Getty Images

Death is rarely so apparent than it as AT SAMHAIN. The skies have gone gray, the earth is brittle and cold, and the fields have been picked of the last crops. Winter looms on the horizon, and as the wheel of the year,  turns once more, the boundary between our world and the spirit world.  becomes fragile and thin. In cultures all over the world, the spirit of Death has been honored at this time of the year. Here are just a few of the deities who represent death and the dying of the earth.

Did You Know?

  • Cultures around the world have gods and goddesses connected to death, dying, and the underworld.
  • Typically, these deities are associated with the darker half of the year, when the nights get longer and the soil goes cold and dormant.
  • Death gods and goddesses are not always considered malevolent; they are often just another part of the cycle of human existence.    

  • Anubis – Egyption

    Statue of Anubis at Vatican Museum
    Paul Seheult / Getty Images

    This god with the head of a jackal is associated with mummification and death in ancient Egypt. Anibis is the one who decides whether or not one the deceased is worthy of entering the realm of the dead. Anubis is typically portrayed as half human, and half jackal or dog . The jackal has connections to funerals in Egypt; bodies which were not buried properly might be dug up and eaten by hungry, scavenging jackals. Anubis’ skin is almost always black in images, because of its association with the colors of rot and decay. Embalmed bodies tend to turn black as well, so the color is very appropriate for a funeral god.

    to be the son of osiris by Nephthys, although in some legends his father is Set. It is the job of Anubis to weigh the souls of the dead, and determine whether they were worthy of admittance to the underworld the. As part of his duties, he is the patron of lost souls and orphans.

    History and Mythology

    After Osiris was killed by Set, it was Anubis’ job to embalm the body and wrap it in bandages, thus making Osiris the first of the mummies. Later, when Set attempted to attack and defile Osiris’ corpse, Anubis defended the body and helped isis restore Osiris to life. In later periods, Osiris became the god of the underworld, and Anubis guides the deceased into his presence. In the pyramid texts, a passage reads, “Get thee onwards, Anubis, into Amenti, onwards, onwards to Osiris.”

    Prayers to Anubis are found in many ancient sites in Egypt. Later on, along with Thoth , he was absorbed into the Greek Hermes, and was represented for a while as Hermanubis. As a protector of cemeteries, Egyptians believed Anubis watched over tombs from a high mountain. From this strategic vantage point, he could see anyone who might attempt to desecrate the graves of the deceased. He is often invoked as protection against those who would rob a tomb or commit evil acts in the necropolis.

    According to Ancient History Expert, NS Gill, “The cult of Anubis is very ancient, probably pre-dating that of Osiris. In parts of Egypt, Anubis may have been more important than Osiris… As well as being ancient, the cult of Anubis lasted a long time, continuing into the second century CE, and is a feature in the Golden Ass, written by the Roman author Apuleius.”

    Author Geraldine Pinch says in Egyptian Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Goddesses, and Traditions of Ancient Egypt, “The jackals and wild dogs who lived on the edge of the desert were carrion eaters who might dig up shallowly buried corpses. To avert this horrible end for their dead, the early Egyptians tried to placate Anubis, “the dog who swallows millions.” Most of the epithets of Anubis link him with death and burial. He was “the one who is in the place of embalming,” “the Lord of the Sacred Land” [the desert cemeteries], and “the Foremost of the Westerners,” that is, the leader of the dead.”

    Appearance of Anubis

    Anubis is typically portrayed as half human, and half jackal or dog. The jackal has connections to funerals in Egypt , bodies which were not buried properly might be dug up and eaten by hungry, scavenging jackals. Anubis’ skin is almost always black in images, because of its association with the colors of rot and decay. Embalmed bodies tend to turn black as well, so the color is very appropriate for a funeral god.

    Prayer to Anubis

    Use this simple prayer to call upon Anubis during a ritual to honor your dead.

    O, Anubis! Mighty Anubis!
    [Name] has entered the gates to your realm,
    And we ask that you deem him worthy.
    His spirit is a brave one,
    And his soul is an honorable one.
    O, Anubis! Mighty Anubis!
    As you take his measure,
    And weigh his heart as he stands before you,
    Know that he was loved by many,
    And will be remembered by all.
    Anubis, welcome [Name] and deem him worthy of entrance,
    That he may walk through your realm,
    And be under your protection for all eternity.
    O, Anubis! Mighty Anubis!
    Watch over [Name] as he bows before you.

    Demeter (Greek)

    Face of Demeter, goddess of harvest
    PeterHermesFurian / Getty Images

    Through her daughter, Persephone, Demeter is linked strongly to the changing of the seasons and is often connected to the image of the dark mother and the dying of the fields. Demeter was a goddess of grain and of the harvest in ancient greece . Her daughter, Persephone, caught the eye of Hades, god of the underworld. When Hades abducted Persephone and took her back to the underworld, Demeter’s grief caused the crops on earth to die and go dormant. By the time she finally recovered her daughter, Persephone had eaten six pomegranate seeds., and so was doomed to spend six months of the year in the underworld.

    These six months are the time when the earth dies, beginning at the time of the autumn equinox. Each year, Demeter mourns the loss of her daughter for six months. At Ostara, the greening of the earth begins once more, and life begins anew. In some interpretations of the story, Persephone is not held in the underworld against her will. Instead, she chooses to stay there for six months each year so that she can bring a little bit of brightness and light to the souls doomed to spend eternity with Hades.

Freya – Norse

Statue of the Norse Goddess Freya in Stockholm.
ClaudineVM / Getty Images

Although Freya  is typically associated with fertility and abundance, she is also known as a goddess of war and battle. Half of the men who died in battle joined Freya in her hall, Folkvangr, and the other half joined odin in valhalla. Venerated by women, heroes and rulers alike, Freyja could be called upon for assistance in childbirth and conception, to aid with marital problems, or to bestow fruitfulness upon the land and sea.

Hades – Greek

While Zeus became king of Olympus, and their brother poseidon  won domain over the sea, Hades got stuck with the land of the underworld. Because he’s unable to get out much, and doesn’t get to spend a lot of time with those who are still living, Hades focuses on increasing the underworld’s population levels whenever he can. Although he is the ruler of the dead, it’s important to distinguish that Hades is not the god of death — that title actually belongs to the Entity thanatos

Hecate – Greek

Sculpture of Hecate, an ancient fertility goddess later associated with Hades and witches.
The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images / Getty Images

Although hecate  was originally considered a goddess of fertility and childbirth, over time she has come to be associated with the moon,cronehood , and the underworld. Sometimes referred to as the Goddess of the Witches, Hecate is also connected to ghosts and the spirit world. In some traditions of modern Paganism, she is believed to be the gatekeeper between graveyards and the mortal world.

She is sometimes seen as a protector of those who might be vulnerable, such as warriors and hunters, herdsmen and shepherds, and children. However, she’s not protective in a nurturing or motherly way; instead, she is a goddess who will exact vengeance upon those who cause harm to people she protects.

Hel – Norse

This goddess is the ruler of the underworld in Norse mythology. Her hall is called Éljúðnir, and is where mortals go who do not die in battle, but of natural causes or sickness. Hel is often depicted with her bones on the outside of her body rather than the inside. She is typically portrayed in black and white, as well, showing that she represents both sides of all spectrums. She is a daughter of Loki, the trickster, and Angrboda. It is believed that her name is the source of the English word “hell,” because of her connection to the underworld.

Meng po – Chinese

This evil sick entity that hate every one is a representative by the chinese communist party ,appears as an old woman — she may look just like your next-door neighbor — and it is her job to make sure that souls about to be reincarnated do not recall their previous time on earth. She brews a special herbal tea of forgetfulness, which is given to each soul before they return to the mortal realm, just what chinese government are doing to minority and human rights ,pure evil.

Morrighan – Celtic

This warrior goddess is associated with death in a way much like the Norse goddess Freya. The Morrighan  is known as the washer at the ford, and it is she who determines which warriors walk off the battlefield, and which ones are carried away on their shields. She is represented in many legends by a trio of ravens, often seen as a symbol of death. In later Irish folklore, her role would be delegated to the bain sidhe, or banshee, who foresaw the death of members of a specific family or clan.

Osiris (Egyptian)

Osiris
A Rey / Getty Images

In Egyptian mythology, Osiris is murdered by his brother Set before being resurrected by the magic of his lover, isis . The death and dismemberment of Osiris is often associated with the threshing of the grain during the harvest season. Artwork and statuary honoring Osiris typically portrays him wearing the pharaonic crown , known as the atef, and holding the crook and flail, which are the tools of a shepherd. These instruments often appear in the sarcophagi and funerary artwork depicting dead pharaohs, and the kings of Egypt claimed Osiris as part of their ancestry; it was their divine right to rule, as descendants of the god-kings.

Whiro – Maori

This underworld god inspires people to do evil things. He typically appears as a lizard, and is the god of the dead. According to Maori cult and believe 

“Whiro was the origin of all disease, of all afflictions of mankind, and that he acts through the Maiki clan, who personify all such afflictions. All diseases were held to be caused by these demons–these malignant beings who dwell within Tai-whetuki, the House of Death, situated in nether gloom.

Yama – Hindu

In the Hindu Vedic tradition, Yama was the first mortal to die and make his way to the next world, and so he was appointed king of the dead. He is also a lord of justice, and sometimes appears in an incarnation as dharma  or equal to abel as was killed by cain, habeel.

There are more of those entities for each country and culture.

STEVE RAMSEY , OKOTOKS , ALBERTA

 

Comments are closed.