The Goddess and the Lions

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Lions and Oxen were ancient goddess symbols. These association have

existed

since Paleolithic times. Evidence of such links were found at :

 

1. Chapel of th elions in the cave sanctuary of Les Trois Freres,

Dordogne,

France.

-- Shown an image of lions and her cubs on an alter

-- On the wall too is alifelike image of another lioness, engraved in

the middle

Paleolithic period ( between 18,000 and 14,000)

 

2. Paleolithis temple of Peck-Merle, France

-- An unusual red figure known as the Lion Queen. This is a classic

image of the

feline aspect of the Goddess.

 

3. High up in the Anatolis, Yasilakaya, once the Hittite Capital

Shows the Goddess ( more than 6 feet/ 2 meter) in height mounts on a

lion as a god

advances towards her. The Lion with its tawny golden mane is

sometimes

mythologically analogous with the Sun. There fore the image of an

earth

Goddess riding on a lion suggests the combination of natural element.

Some

said its more of a devine marriage.

 

4. Babylonians and Egyptians

-- HAve shown several images of Goddess, seated on a birthing throne,

with each

arm resting on a panther or other big cats, and the head of a baby

apperaing

between her legs.

 

-- Statues of Goddess with lion heads, sugges an even closer link

probably

hints at the myths and ritual of metamorphosis related to the cycles

of the sun

 

Hathor : an egyptian Goddes had lion heads that looked forward and

backward,

symbolising time. Hathor was a goddess of many attributes and

functions. Most

often she is associated with the Cow, and worship as a cow goddess.

Ancient

Egypt too is an agriculature society, thus it is not surprise that

they too

worship the cow and have a cow goddess. In the predynastic time, the

cow

represents fertility, therefore association with the mother goddess

seems so

natura.

 

Tefunt: daughter of the Sun god and the wife of his son, Shu ( Shu is

being

worship in a form of a lion) and Tefunt transform herslf into a

lioness and roam

throughout the desert emitting flames from her eyes and nostrils,

drinking

bloos and feed on flesh and animals. Also called as the eye of Re.

 

Sekhmet : is a lion goddess, whose name means "the powerful one". She

is

usually depeicted as a woman with the head of a lion. Sh e is a

fierce goddess

and was a mistress of war and strige. Ironically she is also the

mistress of

healing who drove away sickness. Some of Sekhmet name : "lady of the

Place of

the Beginning of Time" ," the one who was Before the Gods were" An d

she is

believed to be much older than egypt. Sh e is said to exist well

before the time

of the earth.

 

As for the chinese, the lion is a sacred/holy animal. A myths

tells of a legend

of a strange creature appearing in China, horrifying the whole

villages,

eating men and animal. None of the anumals able to fight this

creature

effectively and in despair, they asked the lion for help. The Lion

shook his

mane, rushed towards the creature and wounded it. The Strange animal

went away

but promise to return and seek revenge.

A year later, the strange animal did return, but the Lion is too busy

guarding

the heaven gate. So the village decided to imitate th elions. They

used bamboo

and cloth, and produced an image of the lion. The "lion" pranced and

roared,

and the creture fled away again. This is the reason why ont he eve of

the Chinese

New Year, the lions always dance. They danced to frightened the evil

away.

 

 

 

Long live the lions !!!!

 

Om ParaShaktiye Namaha