Cosmic Lion Goddess - Babalon?
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Does anyone know anything about this image? It appears in Joseph Campbells "Hero with a Thousand Faces", and is described as "The Cosmic Lion Goddess Holding the Sun", apparently from a 17th / 18th century source. I've seen a few images of Indian goddesses riding lions but this one looks as if it could almost be an illustration from the book of Revellations. Does anyone know where it comes from? Or what would be the Indian explanation of the symbolism?
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a312/Nashimiron/posts/Cosmic-Lion-Goddess_small.jpg
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Hi,
A few thoughts: Looks like Lust.
Also, it looks as if it is Durga, as she rides either a tiger or lion.
If you look up Durga, you'll find out about her.
In L.V.X.,
chrys333 -
@nashimiron said
"Does anyone know anything about this image? It appears in Joseph Campbells "Hero with a Thousand Faces", and is described as "The Cosmic Lion Goddess Holding the Sun", apparently from a 17th / 18th century source. I've seen a few images of Indian goddesses riding lions but this one looks as if it could almost be an illustration from the book of Revellations. Does anyone know where it comes from? Or what would be the Indian explanation of the symbolism?
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a312/Nashimiron/posts/Cosmic-Lion-Goddess_small.jpg"
That would be Durga, my friend, embodiment of Shakti (power/creative energy) & Devi (female aspect of divinity)
Really, any kind of dualistic symbol like the yin-yang, heaven & earth, cross-in-the-circle, or lingam-yoni is cognate with Beast-Babalon.
IAO131
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Thanks for the replies. I thought it probably was Durga. What drew my attention to this particular representation was the beast she's riding looks like a rather cool representation of Chaos. In all the other pictures of Durga I've seen she just rides a normal looking lion. I'd love to see a full colour version of this.
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Interesting take on it. Riding Chaos. You have good taste. Fabulous picture, makes you want to stare at it all the time.
Thanks,
chrys333