Perun is the god of thunder, rain and wind in Slavic mythology. It has long been considered one of the most powerful inhabitants of the pagan pantheon. Almost all of Kievan Rus worshiped him, with the exception of only a few eastern regions. In his glory, Perun overcame even Svarog, which was once considered the unshakable stronghold of the Slavic state.
God of wind, rain and thunder
Perun is the son of the great god Svarog and the goddess Lada. Legends describe his appearance as follows. Once Mother Sva (the original name of Lada) ate a huge pike in which the spirit of the god Rod himself was enclosed. And then an hour an incredible force pierced her body. She felt that a new life was born in her womb.
Her husband Svarog realized - they will have a son, whose strength will surpass all who live in this world. And indeed, soon Lada gave birth to a boy. On his birthday, lightning and wind went wild. They rumbled so that the world seemed to crack apart. And when, seemingly, the end came, Perun appeared. The boy ordered the weather to calm down, and then everything calmed down.
Since then, the rain god daily practiced in the management of the elements. Growing up, he was able to curb not only the wind, but also lightning. Since then there has not been a deity more powerful than him, since no one could stand against the power of heavenly light.
The face of Perun
Today it’s hard to say what the rain god was like. The mythology of the Slavs is very blurred. For the most part due to the fact that ancient legends were passed from mouth to mouth. This distorted them. In addition, part of the myths was completely lost during the baptism of Russia, as Christians forced the Slavs to forget about the old gods.
Nevertheless, some details of the appearance of Perun were able to survive to this day. For example, initially the god of lightning was depicted as an adult, a strong man with gray hair. Later, the opinion of the Magi was divided. Some said that he had a golden beard, and instead of a mustache, clots of lightning, others said that he was no different from ordinary mortals, in addition to a well-built body.
The only thing all agreed on was the warlike uniforms of God. He always wore skillfully forged armor and a helmet. In addition, the heavenly warrior always held a huge club in one hand (sometimes it is depicted with a sword or spear), and in the other - an oak shield.
Celestial power
Perun controlled the forces of rain, wind and lightning. However, people rarely asked him to send water from heaven in dry times. This is due to the fact that for the Slavs Perun was the embodiment of a warlike god. He used his powers for battle, and not for agriculture.
And over the years, he completely turned into the main patron of warriors. Therefore, going to war, men and women asked Perun for favor. They believed that if the spirit of God touched their weapons, then no enemy could defeat them in fair battle. A thunderstorm on the eve of the battle testified that the celestial had heard the prayers of believers.
In addition , the Slavs believed that Perun protects Mother Nature. Day after day, he walks through forests and fields, watching that people wisely use the wealth presented to them. Moreover, the rain god possessed wonderful power. He could turn into any beast or bird.
Attributes of Perun
The rain god among the Slavs was often associated with oak. In general, this is not surprising. After all, the Russian people have always considered this tree majestic. Therefore, it was from its trunk that the magi carved totems that personified the image of the god Perun. The most famous of them is on the island of Khortytsya, in Ukraine.
Another attribute of God is a battle ax. He is a symbol of the warlike principle of the thunder. Therefore, all Russian soldiers carried an amulet in the form of an ax, which guarded them in battle.
No less significant in the cult of Perun was the iris flower. He was painted on all totems dedicated to God. Moreover, the shrines themselves were built so that they resembled the six petals of this plant.
In the later centuries of paganism, the magi added another symbol to the celestial piggy bank - a special rune called the star of Perun. The Slavs believed that her power was able to protect against any misfortune. Therefore, it was carved not only on totems and idols, but also painted on clothes and combat shields.
Worship of perun
The rain god quickly overshadowed the other gods of the Slavic pantheon. This was due to the fact that he helped the soldiers in the battles. Therefore, the princes and governors sought to appease him with all their might, erecting more and more new altars in his honor. Moreover, even the peace-loving people asked Perun for blessings. Indeed, according to legend, it could bring success and good luck in any endeavor.
As for the rites, most of them were carried out under the strict supervision of priests and sorcerers. To receive this sacred title could only selected people. Most often this happened in childhood, when one of the clergy noticed a mysterious power in the child. In practice, this indicated that the priests could call anyone they liked as a sorcerer.
Holy holiday
The rain god, like any other deity, had his own day in the Slavic calendar. Celebrated it on July 20. On this day, the magi gathered people together near the main altar. Here they sang ritual songs, performed round dances and offered Perun their gifts. A bull or a rooster was used as a ritual sacrifice.
After that, the people returned to the city or village and continued to celebrate. It is noteworthy that on this day in Russia the first parades of troops took place. Warriors in a friendly formation passed through the streets of the city, demonstrating to others their strength and cohesion.
At the end of the day, a huge bonfire was lit on the outskirts. It burned those gifts that were brought to the altar in the afternoon. Subsequently obtained ashes were scattered across the fields in the hope that Perun would not leave them without rain.
The myth of Perun
There are many ancient legends about the Thunderer. Most of them glorify the power of Perun. For example, the most famous of them tells about how the young God, along with his sisters, was stolen by the Skipper-beast (scorpion man). He possessed terrible witchcraft: the monster plunged the boy into eternal sleep, and turned defenseless girls into monsters.
But over the years, the older brothers found Perun. Awakening an adult man from sleep, they handed him a miracle sword. Thanks to him, a celestial monster was defeated by a wild monster, and then he bewitched the sisters.