Perun is the formidable God of the Slavic pantheon. The meaning and effect of the amulets of Perun. How amulets and talismans were created

Perun is a thunder god in the mythology of the Slavs, the most famous and revered. What place did he occupy in the pantheon, what is famous for and how was this deity worshiped?

In the article:

Perun - Thunder Warrior

Perun is the most revered god among the Slavs, the lord of thunder and lightning, the patron saint of the prince and his squad. "Smashing"  was the pure embodiment of masculinity. - oak, hammer, ax, whip, and the characteristic features of the appearance of his idol were a silver head and a golden mustache. Our ancestors not only compared Perun with the Scandinavian god Thor, whose signs were also the hammer and lightning, but also considered them to be one essence, and explained the differences in appearance with different perceptions of reality among peoples.

It was believed that Perun travels through the sky in a chariot, clutching a zipper in his hand, which was also called the "damn finger." According to legend, the demon, whom the Thunderer tried to hit, escaped his anger, hiding in a man, then in a stone, then in a toad, then in the branches of trees. Therefore, lightning struck in a hill or lonely standing trunks - most often it was an oak, which later began to be revered as the sacred tree of Perun. Under him, ritual killings of bulls and cocks were arranged, designed to appease God and show him respect.

Lightning Oak

The signs of Perun are the flowers of iris, blue, like a cold flame of lightning, symbolizing the cleansing of the spirit from filth. IN " Tales of Bygone Years  "Mention is made of" thunderstones ", which were found on almost everyone. Especially a lot of them were in Novgorod, which was considered the largest in the territory of Russia, - strange axes carved from stone. The Slavs believed that God himself created them by striking lightning at the rocks.

Legends testify that during the birth of Perun a major earthquake occurred. His parents were Svarog (the blacksmith god) and Lada, she is Glory - the name of the Slavs came from this name. When Perun was very young, he and his three sisters were kidnapped by the half-human half-scorpion Skipper the beast, who plunged God into a deep sleep. Svarozhichi Sirin, Stratim and Alkonost rescued their brother, having washed him with living water.

Diva Dodola - faithful wife of Perun

Perunitsa - Wife of Perun

The ancestors also preserved a romantic legend about the acquaintance of Perun with his wife. Perunitsa, or Peryna - the daughter of Dyu, the lord of the starry sky, and Divia, the ruler of the Moon, who sent prophetic dreams to people. The second name Dyi, which the Greeks named him, is Zeus.

At first glance, the young goddess liked Perun, who, without further ado, offered to get married. Frightened by such a pressure, Diva cried and rushed to run home. But the stubborn Thunderer followed her, not knowing that a new misfortune lay in his way - the monstrous three-headed serpent, who lived in the Black Sea. Noticing the beauty, he decided to take possession of her.

Perun found his lover's house and was invited to talk with his parents. Although Dyy was not in a hurry to give consent to his daughter’s marriage, he liked the daredevil, who was not afraid to cover a huge distance for the sake of the proud Diva. They were distracted from the conversation by a monstrous roar and roar - a serpent, crawling out from the bottom of the sea, destroyed everything around, trying to kidnap Dodola. Both thunders entered into a fierce battle with the monster, and, striking him with lightning, drove him back into the abyss. After this, Dyy, convinced of the power of Perun, agreed to the wedding.

Children of Perun - the great gods of the Slavs

Tarh Perunovich

Among Thunderbolt children, two deserve the most attention - Tarkh Perunovich, aka Dazhbog, and Dewana, which became an integral part of the pantheon of the southern Slavs. Mention of them is present even in Hindu beliefs. For example, some Slavists claim that it was a type of Buddha.

Dazhbog has always been considered the God-Keeper of knowledge, possessing great wisdom. His name means "giver of happiness", "giver of God." Initially, he saved people suffering from darkness and cold, warming them with his warmth and radiance, and then presented nine books in which all the secrets of the world were collected from the very beginning of its existence. The son of Perun was the patron of sunlight and fertility.  He is often mentioned in songs, and the epithets “The Red Sun” were added to the name of Prince Vladimir, which was the highest manifestation of reverence and popular love, associating the prince with a deity.

The daughter of Perun was known to almost all peoples. The Greeks called her Artemis, saying that a fearless hunter came to them from distant Slavic lands. The Romans called the goddess Diana.

Daughter of Perun - Dewan

Dewana is famous for her incredible power inherited from her father. She had the ability to turn into a beast, bird, fish. Even at a young age, the girl tamed huge scary wolves, lasting to her hands like domestic dogs. Over time, the huntress, who has no equal in her craft, insanely proud. In the end, she decided that she would be a better ruler than her grandfather Svarog. Rule, Jav and Nav were to become the new lands of Devan.

However, Dazhbog found out about his sister's plans and told everything to his father. The enraged Perun rushed to look for the rebellious daughter and noticed her in the forest, tracking down the prey. From the terrible animal roar of the Thunderbolt, the foliage fell from the trees, and the hand-wolves of Devan, whining and tucking their tails, fled. Perun began to convince the stubborn daughter, but she stood her ground - all three worlds should be hers. Desperate, the Thunderer challenged Dwan to a duel.

From the power of the deities the steel of swords was heated, and they threw them to the ground; spears turned into chips. The cunning Devana changed into a lioness and attacked her father, hoping to catch him by surprise. But Perun became a maned lion and knocked down his daughter. The huntress was terribly afraid for the first time in her life and, turning into a bird, soared into the sky. But the Thunderer in the guise of an eagle threw her from under the clouds into the water.

Dewana became a fish and tried to swim away, but fell into her father’s net. Desperate, the girl sobbed, praying for mercy. Perun took pity and embraced his child, forgiving her. Since then, Dewana vowed to obey her father, knowing that terrible punishment threatens her for pride.

Veles and Perun - the battle of life and death

Perun and Veles

Veles has long been a good god, the patron of cattle, storytellers and poets, the guardian of contracts, the memory and souls of ancestors, the lord of waters and rains. It was his figure that was key to the north of Russia. He was given a gift of cereal stalks - the so-called "Beard of a snake"for Veles is like a snake. Because of his appearance, his people considered the deity a werewolf, a devil who hid his ugly nature under the scales. They called on Perun to defeat the monster.

A long-standing dislike of snakes - after all, it was the snakes who tried to abduct the future wife of the Thunderer - made itself felt, and he agreed to a duel. Perun tried to kill, but nothing came of it - the cunning god slipped away, turning into a horse, which was raised by a strong wind with one wave of his tail, and sparks struck with a blow of his hooves, then into a monstrous boar, ruining the crops in revenge to people asking for intercession from Perun. There was no harm to him from enemy lightning, and therefore, once, having gained courage, Veles stole the beautiful Mokosha and took all the livestock of Perun to the green wilds.

The Thunderbolt infuriated, threw lightnings - and the forest broke out. Just failed to lure the cunning Veles. Desperate, Perun descended to the ground and began to personally seek the enemy. And he was lucky - wandering among the thicket, he stumbled upon a huge oak tree, in the hollow of which the weary snake, tired of the pursuit, slept, and snored so hard that he heard nothing. Immediately with a thunderbolt, Perun split a tree, clamped Veles and set fire to the trunk. The snake howled not in its own voice, begged for mercy, but the Thunderer was adamant and demanded the return of his daughter and cattle.

Pagan symbols, such as the sign of Perun as a tattoo or its ax as a keychain, are beautiful and attractive. Contemporaries retain the memory of their ancestors when they refer to such symbols. Among the images we see bizarre ornaments and symbols of the gods.

Slavic symbol - the sign of Perun

Each fragment of the image had a meaning and role, protected from various troubles, types of dark witchcraft. The figure showed what position the tattoo carrier occupies in society, to which group it belongs.

The Slavs actively used underwear, amulet, incense, pouches, charmed belts. Tattoos in the role of protective drawings were also popular. The tradition was to apply protective images directly to the body. Not everyone had the right to decorate a fellow tribesman with a tattoo. This painstaking and important work was entrusted to a special person - a sorcerer. He applied a color image and put magical protection. He worked slowly, plunging into the process, mentally appealing to higher forces. For tattooing, only natural paints were used.

Typical Slavic symbols

The Slavs worshiped pagan gods and the forces of nature. They made tattoos with trees, associating them with fertility, with the connection between the worlds in their picture of the world. Trees with mighty trunks told a man that his life would be long and happy, programming for this program.

Reptiles were known as treacherous and evil creatures. By tradition, the tattoo with their participation contained the meaning of victory over the snake. A dragon or snake was defeated by a hero who pierced them with a spear or lightning. Such an image served as a defense against negativity.

Reliable protection from the evil eye is the cross, no matter how it is depicted. A popular place for a cross tattoo is on the area of \u200b\u200bthe heart or on the back. He keeps the carrier and his health, takes away troubles and spells sent by ill-wishers.

A popular place for a cross tattoo is on the area of \u200b\u200bthe heart or on the back

How amulets and talismans were created

When creating, we proceeded from the current situation: are there any problems, in which area do you need help or protection. They added magical energy to the necessary area, strengthened it, and corrected character traits.

The manufacture was oriented according to the lunar calendar: it helped to strengthen or weaken those qualities that the talisman is aimed at.

They took as a basis a thing that could be found on a forest trail or on the banks of a river, as well as made with one's own hand. It was a natural material: plant or root, metal, clay, part of the animal: tooth or skin.

To cover the amulet with symbols, you need to apply them in the way that the material dictates. On fabric, leather - embroider or draw, on wood - draw or cut, on metal - extrude or mint.

The most high-quality amulets were made by sorcerers, professional healers. For reliable operation, the subject was manufactured under conspiracy, precisely by technology. However, the manufacture of amulets by blood relatives was also allowed. Although they did not know all the tricks, they brought love, a desire to protect and a strong attitude to positive for the owner of the talisman.

Does each character fit a man or woman?

Slavic tradition divided the symbolism into male and female. Therefore, amulets and tattoos also had their own specifics: they attracted special magical energy to a person of a certain gender. Woman should not wear male symbols  and vice versa: such talismans will not bring benefits, they can even do harm.

The ancient Slavs divided the symbols into female and male

Talismans are suitable for women to enhance fertility, protecting her health. The mother must be absolutely healthy in order to continue the family, to feed and protect the offspring. Also, for the guardian of the hearth, the support of her wisdom, female cunning, was desirable. They did not forget about protecting women from harmful witchcraft.

The male amulet contains elements that support courage, the mood for luck in gaining material wealth, ingenuity, calculation, cunning. A strong half of humanity must carry an amulet from the evil intent of the enemy. It is also reasonable to protect oneself from external magical influences, so that he does not face a love spell or damage. It is also necessary to protect health: if a man is healthy, he will be able to protect himself, his family and country. Be sure to protect and reproductive function, sexual strength. However, special emphasis has always been placed on the main role of men: warriors, defenders, hunters. For this reason, one of the most common among warriors was the symbol of Perun. Such a guard could be worn by one who already carries out military service. But it was not forbidden to make a tattoo with the sign of Perun and the one who was just about to defend his land.

Who is Perun?

This is a Slavic god, personifying strength, power. Its name comes from the ancient word "strike". He also protects and protects all life. He is the patron of warriors, people of honor, valiant heroes.

Before him, the gods of the Slavs were primarily patrons of agriculture. With the expansion of borders and numerous battles during the defense against raids, another dominant god became relevant. Many squads appeared, and their fighters turned for help to someone who could give them strength, endurance, and courage.

The tree of Perun was an oak; Thursday was considered its holy day. His sanctuaries stood on high ground, in oak groves. This god was famous for justice and the fact that he punished the enemy with lightning. At feasts and before important events, something must have been sacrificed to Perun. He stood at the head of the pantheon of Slavic gods.

Perun is a Slavic god personifying strength, power

The first type of lightning, which metal Perun, was lilac-blue and killed to death. Slavs killed by lightning were not customary to mourn. They thought that Perun with his lightning killed the evil that was hidden inside a man. If, after a lightning strike, a person remained alive, they said that God had marked him as his future servant.

Another type of lightning of Perun was golden - they could awaken the fertility of the earth, were creative. Therefore, he was not only a warrior, but also showed his power in other areas.

Perun was on the bright side in the war between light and darkness. Being at the same time a warrior and a fighter of light forces, a thunderbolt, he combined the images that the Romans divided into two gods: Mars and Jupiter.

Perun was also called the god of princes, he was a symbol of their power. In ancient monuments it is recorded that Slavic princes, concluding an agreement with the Greeks, swear by Perun. With the baptism of Rus, they hastened to get rid of idols with the image of this god. But people remembered the Thunderer and continued to ask Perun for help in the battle and in strengthening other masculine qualities.

Researchers suggest that later his image under the influence of Christianity was transformed into Egoriy the Brave (i.e., George the Victorious), who defeated the snake.

The charm in the form of the symbol of Perun makes its bearer strong, courageous and belligerent

The strength of the sign of Perun

This amulet makes its bearer strong, courageous and warlike. As a talisman, it belongs to those who have taken upon themselves the responsibility of protecting their loved ones and their land. Like a tattoo, this symbol helps to perceive all the best features of Russian soldiers, to join the traditions. The amulet is ideal for those who not only withstand the blow of the enemy, but can also respond to it, show physical strength and spiritual strength.

Which of the amulets to prefer

Perun had many images, and many symbols belonged to him. All amulets have one common property - they give strong protection.

A shield of Perun is considered a strong amulet - it should be worn by a leader of an army or a warrior from a noble family. The amulet protected from arrows, spears and from all negative influences. The shield was covered with signs of protection (a thunder wheel is suitable for this). Now media requirements are not so strict. The shield of Perun can be used as protection by any person, protecting himself from the enemy or from trouble. Also, the shield helps if you need luck.

The ax of Perun is a symbol for strengthening power and protection, and at the same time it means the unification of the clan. The warrior going on a campaign made such a tattoo so that it protected him from enemy weapons and hid him from danger. In the campaign and military trials, this amulet preserves the health and courage of a fighter. This is a real masculine symbol, well emphasizes and strengthens the strengths of character. It is worn in the form of a pendant on a lace, which is threaded into a hole in the handle.

Pekun's ax is a symbol for power and defense

The amulet of Perunov color will protect from damage or the evil eye. The amazingly shaped swastika with eight ends schematically depicts a fern flower, where Perun has invested part of his strength. The amulet breaks someone else's magical influence, protects from damage and the evil eye. Its meaning: nobility, struggle for a just cause, courage, honor.

There is such an amulet: a bird that fluffed its tail. Her wings are open, and a flame erupts from her beak. This is a symbol of courage, which will bring wisdom to the owner of the amulet and help in the birth of offspring. The figure of such a bird helps to be more successful in life, protects against negativity.

How to choose the amulet and drawing for a tattoo

When choosing symbols for protection, trust your intuition. No need to focus on what image seems beautiful or fits in the shape of accessories.

Both the tattoo and the amulet will give you strength and protect only if you are convinced of their magical capabilities. In this case, you will receive a real amulet from everything negative around you and spiritual support.

Do not forget that the random selection of tattoos and charms is dangerous. Hieroglyphs and obscure symbols cannot be applied to the body or kept inside. Not knowing their meaning, you risk ruining your fate and getting into trouble.

Perun is the ancient Slavic god of thunder and lightning. He is the supreme ruler in the pantheon of pagan higher forces, who patronizes the prince and the fighting squad. Perun empowers men, and brutally punishes them for non-compliance with military laws.

Birth story

According to legend, the parents of the pagan deity were not ordinary people, but higher powers. His mother, Lada, the patroness of all Russia, the supreme female deity, was in charge of family relations, procreation, love and spring. The beregin and the keeper of the hearth, she became a symbol of female beauty, but not so much physical as internal, spiritual. Father, Svarog, was a representative of heavenly forces, a skilled blacksmith who forged the Earth with his own hands. It was he who became the ancestor of all the other deities worshiped by the Slavs.

The pagan god Perun was born on that rainy day, when thunders of thunder shook the earth, and frightening lightning pierced the vault of heaven. These forces of nature became the best lullaby for the baby: only during a thunderstorm did he sleep sweetly, did not cause unnecessary trouble. Legend has it: when little Perun grew up a bit, he ran with lightning racing and tried to shout down the thunder. But only becoming absolutely adult, he learned to control these forces of nature, to control them. Hardened by his father's work in the forge, he fell in love with the weapons that were made there. Therefore, he took on another task: to protect the valiant warriors during the battle.

Appearance

Pagan were depicted in the guise that inspired fear and respect for mere mortals. Perun was no exception. Often he was presented as a respectable man of 35-40 years old with a golden mustache and beard that shone like lightning. At the same time, the hair was black, with silver gray streaks of the color of a thundercloud. Like her, they swirled around his face.

God traveled across the sky in a huge chariot: the rumble of its wheels was the thunder that terrified people on Earth. The symbol of Perun is a black and white magpie, so its divine transport was harnessed not only by winged horses, but also by these birds. In addition, a thunderer could appear in front of people in different guises. For example, in the image of the formidable bull of Tour, who was considered an inviolable animal guarded by Perun. The deity was portrayed in a red cloak fluttering in the wind: this robe subsequently became the main distinguishing feature of the image of any Old Russian prince.

Iris and Oak

These are the main symbols of the thunder. Like all the gods of the Slavs, Perun had its own signs, which were invariably associated with his character, aureole and activity. For example, a mighty oak. in the annals documented rituals, of which this tree was a part: usually the highest in the area, with thick branches and a dense crown. Near him, sacrifices were made in honor of Perun: they killed roosters, left pieces of meat, stuck arrows in the ground.

Another symbol of Perun is an iris of heavenly color. The blue flower was used not only in rituals associated with the deity. He was also part of the temple where the idol was placed. They made it in the form of an iris, the petals of which gradually fell to the ground and were supplemented by pits at the ends. A sacred fire burned in these depressions, and in the middle of the cup was a figurine of Perun. Another plant is dedicated to God - the color of fern. The mythical element was searched on the night of Ivan Kupala. The Slavs believed: Perun will give untold treasures to those who can overcome all the dangers and find him in the dense thickets.

Other characters

The famous sign of Perun is the so-called thunderstorm. This is a symbol similar to the sun. Six rays diverge from the center, directed in different directions. A sign was often painted above the front door of the house. People believed that it protects the native walls from evil spirits and evil eyes. For the same purpose, he was carved on shutters and roofs. Women embroidered a symbol in the form of a flower: such “towels” were given to men on a military campaign in order to protect them from enemy swords and arrows, to endow them with strength and courage. Later, this sign of Perun transformed a little and became like a wheel - one that was part of the thunders chariot.

The main weapon of God was considered an ax with wonderful power. Inserted in with images of Thunder and the Sun, it also served as a talisman of human dwelling, prevented the penetration of evil forces, troubles and misfortunes. Interestingly, after the baptism of Rus, all the symbols and properties of Perun passed "by inheritance" to the prophet Elijah - the saint, who is revered by the whole Orthodox world.

Attributes

The day of the week of Perun is Thursday, during which the Slavs worshiped him and made sacrifices. Carrying out rituals, people asked the deity for the opportunity to change their lives for the better. Since then, it is believed that Thursday is the most successful day for changes, new beginnings. Ideally, when at this time she only accelerates the steps in the right direction, contributing to the whole process.

Like other gods of the Slavs, Perun patronized the world of flora and fauna. In addition to the aforementioned oak, iris, fern, bull and magpie, wolves, boars, bay horses, as well as boletus, peas and oats were under his protection. The number of the deity is 4, metal is tin, stone is lapis lazuli, sapphire. The planet of the solar system - Jupiter, under the influence of which grow rich crops, cattle gives offspring. When the science of astrology became popular in the territory of modern Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine, it was believed that all agricultural work should be started invariably during the period during which Jupiter dominates.

Abilities

Based on the fact that Perun was a thunderer, he knew how to cause severe thunderstorms. God is not only metal lightning at his pleasure: with their help he punished people who angered him. Usually undesirable burned alive in place. Those who managed to survive were considered almost holy. The lucky ones were called the “tagged Perun”, because after the incident they usually opened up hidden magical powers, healers and psychic abilities.

And Perun himself - the god of thunder and lightning - was an excellent magician. He flew across the sky in a chariot, knew how to transform into different animals, birds, people. At his request, he created ghostly creatures whom he sent to mortals with a certain mission. In addition, Perun possessed tremendous physical strength; it was not without reason that it was compared to oak. By the way, the Slavs were so afraid of the Thunderer that they never chopped these trees. They revered the oak tree into which lightning struck with double ecstasy: the wands and clubs cut from its trunk were considered the best weapons not only in the battle against mortal enemies, but also with magical creatures from the afterlife Navi.

Enemies of the deity

They were dark entities who tried to penetrate from the afterlife into the lives of people in order to harm them, to bring evil. For example, according to a long-standing legend, the lightning god Perun kills a three-headed snake, who tried to abduct his beloved Diva. In order to defeat the enemy, he even steps over his pride and joins forces with the girl’s father, his long-time opponent, After the monster is overthrown, Perun is engaged to the beautiful Diva, from this union a brave Dewana is born - the goddess of hunting, the wife of the patron of the forests Svyatobor.

Perun and Veles constantly competed with each other: either they could not share herds of animals, then they proved who was stronger and more powerful. Their hostility can not be called enmity, rather it is the story of two brothers who do each other petty dirty tricks, while maintaining respect and even experiencing hidden kindred love. By the way, Veles was the god of cyclic movement. In humans, he was associated with a bear with strong magical abilities.

First feat

It was he who elevated Perun to unprecedented heights in the divine pantheon. And this is not surprising. The gods of the Slavs - Perun in particular - were not indifferent to battles and battles. The thunderer passed his baptism of fire during the battle with the ugly Scepter - half serpent, half scorpion. Having overthrown him, he earned the respect of higher powers, as well as mere mortals. After this, other battles of Perun followed: he killed the children of Chernobog, the evil lord of dark forces, defeated griffins and basilisks. For indomitable fearlessness and boundless fury, he was made the main defender of the worlds of people and gods - Reveal and Reign.

Reading old written sources, for example, the manuscript of Procopius of Caesarea, dated to the VI century, it can be assumed that Perun was considered the supreme god. By the rays of his glory, he eclipsed even his father and grandfather - Svarog and Rod. And this is natural: Perun was the patron saint of combatants. And for most of its history, Russia was in a state of bloody war, and the poet of Perun appeased gifts and sacrifices regularly and generously.

Day of god Perun

Our ancient ancestors celebrated it on June 20. On this day, men cleaned their weapons - axes, axes, knives, spears - and marched with them along the main streets of the city. At the same time, the soldiers sang ritual songs that glorified the deity. In a kind of parade, they reached the edge of the forest, where a temple was built - a place in which sacrifices were made. Having slaughtered a rooster or a bull, people sprinkled their armor and weapons with their blood - it was believed that after the ritual it was blessed by God himself for a victorious war. In addition, she was smeared with the heads of combatants to protect them from death in an unequal battle.

When the ritual ended, the soldiers returned to the city, where staged battles of Veles and Perun took place on the main square, of which the latter invariably emerged victorious. A lot of gifts were prepared for the deity, which were stacked in a boat and set on fire. They buried the ashes, after which they sat down for the Priests advised the soldiers to spend this night with women, since they should be victors not only on the battlefield. Also on Perunov day, people caused rain: they poured water on the chosen girl so that their summer drought would not destroy their harvest.

Serving Perun

This process was called sorcery, or fattening. Only specially trained people who were prophesied this role from birth could perform rituals and ceremonies. They were called accordingly: the wise men or priests. Some chronicles state that princes or other high-ranking persons often played their role. The honorary caste also included boys, to whom this title passed by inheritance, as well as young men gifted with unusual abilities.

The pagan gods of the ancient Slavs always had a high priest, who was the connecting link between the higher powers and the people. This also applies to Perun. The other priests served the High Priest, who are on this hierarchical ladder a notch. Their duties included maintaining the sacrificial fire in pagan temples, organizing and conducting sacrificial rites, walking through villages and talking about the power of the deity. Priests often turned to people for help. They brought gifts and asked the magician to put in a word for them in front of Perun: to heal from wounds received in battle, to endow invulnerability to enemy arrows, to make a born baby courageous and strong.

In the sunset of the pagan era

The Thunderer was especially honored at this time. In each house hung a charm of Perun in the form of a small hatchet or rotor. Even Prince Vladimir, before christening Russia, ordered the installation of a huge idol depicting a deity in the very center of Kiev, not far from the princely chambers. Later, when he adopted the new faith and began to spread Christianity in all Russian lands, he ordered the idol to be thrown into the river. People who were brought up on pagan traditions ran along the shore for a long time and shouted after the floating statue: "Father Perun, blow it!" ("blow out" meant swim out).

Years later, on the very spot where the waves threw the idol to the land, they built the Vyduby Monastery, which still exists today. Also today, the fashion for ancient traditions has returned. Scientists have found the so-called Santi Perun - a book that allegedly sets out the basic teachings of God, his laws and commandments. Although some researchers doubt the reliability of the find. They say that this is an analogue of the Indian and Aryan Vedas, only redone and veiled. Although the source is more informative, moreover, its true origin has long been proven.

Perun Ilya

As already mentioned, after the baptism of Russian lands, the gods of the Slavs were transformed into other higher forces. Perun, for example, is an analogue. In lamentations he was called "thunder", since he is considered to be the manager of the thunderous forces of nature. The main reason for this confusion is described in the biblical story: through the prayer of a prophet from heaven, fire fell on the ground and burned the enemy, also with its help water sprinkled dried fields and saved the harvest. In the minds of ordinary people in our time, Ilya is considered a more pagan deity than a saint from the Orthodox religion.

When a thunderstorm arrives, people say that he is riding his heavenly chariot. During the harvest, they always leave a few ears of wheat - Ilya on his beard. This is also something like ancient sacrifices. It can be concluded: no matter how hard we try, pagan traditions, rites and rituals continue to exist in our daily lives. The memory of them is transmitted by genes from generation to generation. Recently, young people have been united in groups: by joint efforts they revive Slavic rites, including those that glorify the mighty and courageous Perun.

PERUN - the God of Thunder, who occupied the pantheon of the gods of pagan Russia, but for a very short time, a place similar to that which the ancient Greeks assigned to Zeus, and since this refers literally to the eve of the introduction of Christianity in Russia, the name of Perun is known more than the names of other gods. During this period of time, especially in the princely milieu, he was assigned the main place and the main role among all recognized gods. But we should not forget that the transformation of Perun into the sovereign of the world takes place (his image was known, of course, much earlier and was, as some researchers of Slavic mythology believe, borrowed, probably from Scandinavia) almost simultaneously with the formation of the Kiev state.

Perun  - the god of thunder, lightning and rain. He is subject to all the elements of nature. He commands everyone. He has a huge retinue of minions, fulfilling his will. Thunder and Lightning, Rain and Hail, Winds and Storms, including, frost, Dubyn, Dugin, Lesin, Valigora, etc., etc., snakes, are all helpers of Perun. Subordinate to him and and - and the lord of the underworld, and therefore all his evil spirits, serve Perun. Rivers that were considered sacred were dedicated to him; groves, oak forests and entire forests were dedicated to him, the felling of trees in which was prohibited under pain of death.

Perun  - cruel, awesome god. He was offered bloody sacrifices, including human ones. Not by chance, but as a means of intimidation and subjugation of the people, the cult of Perun finds response and distribution primarily among princely circles. Already initially, when he had not yet been elevated to the rank of a higher deity, according to B. Rybakov, Perun "Was obviously not so much a god of fertilizing clouds, as Perun the Storm, a formidable deity of the first tribal squads, mounted warrior shepherds armed with battle axes, which became a symbol of the god of the storm for a long time",and with the beginning of the formation of the state, it becomes a symbol of princely squads, a symbol of power - a princely thunderstorm.

The gods are great; but Perun is terrible;

Horror brings a great foot

How is he in preceding his lightnings

Clothed with darkness, whirlwind

Terrible clouds leads.

Stepping on a cloud - lights from under the heels;

Rhiza waved - the firmness turns red;

He will look at the earth - the earth will shake;

He will look at the sea - he will boil with a boiler.

The mountains are leaning in front of him.

The official introduction of the cult of Perun as the supreme deity occurs shortly before the introduction of Christianity. His temples were established and installed idols of Perun only in 980 by Prince Vladimir. In front of the temple of Perun, an eternal flame burned, the continuous maintenance of which was the responsibility of the priests. For the careless performance of this duty, the perpetrator was threatened with the death penalty in the form of burning at the stake.

Perunov is a proud temple,

He spread the shadows far in the mountains:

An unquenchable flame always burns before him,

At the entrance, the cornerstone is approved,

And he is called the stone of death by the people;

He is drenched in black blood everywhere;

On him, the unfortunate that victim trembled,

The ferocity of the priests who fed:

There are deadly weapons hanging

Blood vessels filled are standing.

"Vladimiririada"

This deity was clearly a lover of bloody sacrifices. So, even to prevent the death of the crop from thunderstorms, which Perun controlled, on July 20 (old style) they made “meat” sacrifices.

The body of the statue of Perun was carved from wood, its head was cast from silver, its ears, mustache and beard were made of gold, its legs were forged from iron, and in his hand he held a picture of lightnings made of precious stones.

This gloomy temple contained a terrible idol,

On it is a golden crown, a purple porphyry;

He held the twisted peruns in his hand,

Who threatened to anger;

The golden ones on the brow had huge horns,

Silver chest, had iron legs;

His high throne burned with rubies

And he was called the god of all gods.

The forerunner of the terrible for man:

Broken with feathers, it shines with lightning,

Murder on the brow, death wears on the eyes.

His crown is a snake, his clothes are fear.

"Vladimiririada"

The introduction of Christianity in Russia in 988 required the elimination of worship of all pagan gods. According to the order of Prince Vladimir, all idols were subject to destruction. Ai chopped and burned. (Is it any wonder that in Russia periodically destroyed, now destroyed, monuments of the past, including church ones. It was the Orthodox Church who introduced this custom with us.)

The idols of Perun acted somewhat differently. In Kiev, he was tied to horses and dragged through the city, escorted by twelve combatants to the Dnieper, threw him into the water and rafted over the Dnieper rapids. Similarly with an idol. Perun was treated in Veliky Novgorod, sending him on a voyage along the Volkhov River: the river was considered the road to the other world, where Perun was sent.

On the example of the introduction of the cult of Perun as the supreme deity, one can see how the form of religion changes under the influence of socio-political conditions, under the influence of the needs of the emerging state, how its social role changes, how religion is put at the service of those in power.

The Lord is sitting on the throne of thunders

In his hand is a wild whirlwind

He threw lightning into the abyss of ramparts,

And the sea hit the rocks

And the waves of his song from the beginning of centuries

I did not stop the great.

The lord descends to earth in thunders

And the heart of nature trembled:

Caves in the bottomless mountains howled

Ethereum collapsed vaults

Swirling ashes encircled the universe

And the peoples fell silent in horror.

A. N. Muravyov

In a less pronounced form, such processes — the processes of the formation of religion at the service of the dominant social groups — are also observed in modern Russia.
  Perun is one of the most important Gods of the Slavs. Thunder God, the patron saint of warriors. It was in the name of Perun that the Russian ambassadors swore when concluding a treaty with the Greeks in 911, which speaks of its high status in the Divine Pantheon of the Slavs. The vigilantes of Igor swore by the names of these two Gods. They are also mentioned in the contract of Svyatoslav 971. Perun patronized the prince and the prince's squad - this is clearly evident in the history of a thousand years ago. Perun, as the God of thunder and lightning, implied by himself inhuman strength and power. In the pantheon of Prince Vladimir, Perun was the main among all the other Gods, and the Tale of Bygone Years clearly tells about this: “And Vladimir began to reign in Kiev alone, and set idols on a hill outside the courtyard: a wooden Perun with a silver head and gold mustache, (and) Simargla and. The idol of Perun in the center of Kiev looked majestic: his head was silver, and his mustache was golden. The idol of Perun was also established in Novgorod: "and Dobrynya came to Novugorod, put Perun an idol over the Volkhov River, and the people of Novgorod like God to roar him."

In honor of Perun, eternal fires were lit on the temples. Eternal bonfires that never went out were made of oak logs - a tree that directly relates to Perun. Live fire was extracted from oak. Oak groves and forests also belonged to this God and were carefully guarded as sacred. When there was no rain for a long time, in such groves they called to Perun to send people their fat herds (clouds), which would water the earth with water, and with their arrows (lightning) defeated the enemy and evil spirits. Konstantin Bagryanorodny in the X century even left a description of the ritual associated with oak, which he saw on the island of Khortitsa:   "On this island they make their sacrifices, because there is a huge oak tree: they sacrifice live roosters, they strengthen the arrows around [oak], and others - pieces of bread, meat, and that everyone has, as their custom tells them to." Archeology science has twice found the sacred tree Oak with artifacts claiming that these finds were revered by our ancestors along with chura and idols. So in 1909, near the mouth of the Desna, a 150-year-old oak was extracted from the water. It is noteworthy that at a relatively young age, four wild boar jaws were cut into a tree trunk and managed to grow into it, which were located in a square. In 1975, not far from the first find, a second tree was found, only now 9 boar jaws were grown at a height of about 6 meters, and the bottom of the trunk bore traces of fire. Both finds date back to the 8th century AD. In one of the Ukrainian carols, it is said that two oaks stood in the pristine ocean before the creation of the world. One of the Russian fairy tales says that the oak grows to the very sky. In the 15th century Serbian-Bulgarian apocrypha it is said that all the light rests on an iron oak: “the oak is iron, the hedgehog is the first seedling, but rooting alone is worth the power of God”. All this tells us that the oak, as a symbol of Perun, was very revered among the Slavic tribes and had both a sacred and a divine appearance.

We have heard about the holidays of Perun, in which sacrifices were made either in the form of a bull or in the form of a rooster. Judging by some sources, the cock must be red. When examining the temple of altar of 980 in Kiev, in which the same unquenchable fires from oak wood were burning, a large number of bones were found that mainly belonged to bulls. Bones of pigs and birds were also found in the altar. In addition, ceramics and a battle iron ax, a symbol of Perun, were found along with the bones. An analogue of this temple-altar-sanctuary was also found in Novgorod, in Peryn.
  It is known that Perun under different variants of names existed in the traditions of different tribes and peoples. For example, in Lithuania he was called Perkunas, in Belarus - Pyarun, in India - Parjánya, also in India Indra was considered the God of thunder, thunder and lightning. In Scandinavia, this God was called Thor, the Celts called him Tarinis. Western Slavs called Perun - Prov. This is how the cult of Prove Helmold describes it: “Here, among very old trees, we saw the sacred oaks dedicated to the god of this land, Prove. They were surrounded by a courtyard surrounded by a wooden, skillfully made fence, which had two gates. All cities were replete with penates and idols, but this place was the shrine of the whole earth. Here were the priest, and their festivities, and various rites of sacrifice. Every second day of the week, the whole nation used to gather here with the prince or priest for trial. Entrance to the courtyard was allowed only to the priest and those who wanted to make a sacrifice or to those who were in danger of mortal danger, because they were never refused shelter here. ”

From the fact that historical sources convey his name, like Prove, the opinions of researchers differ. Some say that it’s simply distorted - Perun, others say that in this way the God of the Storm could also be the God of Law, it was not without reason that courts were held in the place of his worship.

During baptism, the images of the pagan Gods were transferred to the images of Christian saints. This fate did not bypass Perun. In a sense, people renamed their God and the image of Perun was transferred to Ilya the Prophet, who is also called Ilya Gromovnik.

The word Perun in one sense or another is found many times even in such an ancient scripture as Mahabharata, for example: “You are a cloud, you are Vayu, you are fire originating from lightning in the sky. You are the persecutor of the crowds of clouds, it is you who are called Punarghana, you are the terrible and incomparable Perun, you are the rumbling cloud! Namely - you are the creator of the worlds and their destroyer, oh invincible! ”Or:“ Once upon a time, for the mighty Indra, a perun was created to kill Vritra, it scattered into tens and hundreds of pieces in the head of Vritra. And the breakaway part of the perun is worshiped by the Gods. Every remedy that exists in the world is considered the body of Perun. The brahmana has such a piece of perun in his hand, the ksatriyas have it in a chariot, the vaisyas own it in the form of their bounties, and in the sudras it is in their duties. The horses of the kshatriyas are also a part of the perun, therefore their horses are considered inviolable. ”

Historians and linguists have quite accurately found out that the name Perun comes from the ancient Slavic word perti or scream, which meant - to strike, to beat. Although here a question arises, to which there is no unequivocal answer - the name came from the verb or vice versa. Thus, Perun means - smashing, striking. The word "Perun" in ancient Russia was simply called lightning with thunder. Ancestors believed that Perun expels the heavenly herds (clouds) to fall on the heavenly fields, buzzes loudly into the pipe, throws lightnings on the ground. Clouds and clouds were called Perunov Trees, on which lightning birds sit.

The mention of Perun in ancient sources is very common. In particular, some of them clearly state that the Thunderer was worshiped, sacrificed to him: “... They believe that one of the gods, the creator of lightning, is the lord over all, and they sacrifice bulls and perform other sacred rites” . In the Conversation of the Three Hierarchs, Perun is called the angel of thunder and lightning. However, the first mention refers all to the same Tale of Bygone Years, which refers to the oath of Russia with the Byzantines: “And if anyone on the Russian side thinks to destroy such love ... then those who are not baptized will not receive help either from God or from Perun, but not be protected by shields "and let them perish from their swords, from arrows and from their other weapons, and be slaves in this life and in the afterlife." After that, an oath took place on a hill (this is very characteristic of the temples of Perun, which were located on a hill), near the idol of Perun, where Prince Igor and his retainers laid down their weapons, shields and gold. During the oath before the idol it was said: “And if we do not fulfill the above ..., let us be damned by the God in whom we believe, Perun and Volos, the bestial god, let us be yellow like gold, and let us be cut with our weapons.”

Slavic God Thunderer Perun

  Lightning strikes from heaven and causes thunder, split trees and even sometimes fall into living creatures - animals and people, in the Slavs' view - Perun’s arrows or an ax, which he throws into hiding evil. It is for this reason that after a rain with thunder it smells so fresh and easy on the soul. One of the Belarusian fairy tales tells how the Thunderer pursues the devil, trying to hit him with lightning, but the devil hides in a person, then in animals, then in a tree, then in a stone and, finally, hides in the water. One belief is connected with this. Wickedness hides in the water most of the time and comes to the earth in the period from Kupala to Perunov day (Ilyin). Therefore, you can swim only during this period, when all the evil spirits came out of rivers and lakes. For the same reason, it was during this period that a large number of thunderstorms - Perun shoots out evil creatures that have come to the ground.

The weapon of God Perun is called “thunder arrows”, “Perun stones,” “arrows”. The weapons of this God are considered - an ax, a club, stones. By “stones” is meant a chair from which it is possible to carve a spark by striking another stone or by striking iron. One belief says that the fire once hid in stone from its opponent - water. According to the description of a certain Striykovskago, "the idol of Perkun held in his hands a stone made like lightning." The ancient Slavs believed that the various mollusks, arrowheads, spears, axes, bizarre stones that they occasionally found while cultivating the earth are Thunderbolts, which were once fired by the Thunderbolt and went deep underground. Such things were revered as sacred, healing and capable of performing miracles. A sand alloy (belemnite) was also called Perun Stone. Often, amazing stones were found at the place of the lightning strike (melted sand) and called them “Perun's arrows,” which healed and plagued those diseases that were afraid of the wrath of the Thunderer.

Perunov color

The flower of Perun is considered Iris. South Slavic peoples, Bulgarians and Serbs call this flower - Perunik or Bogish. Judging by the excavations, the shrines of Perun were also made in the form of a six-petal Iris. In each petal, an unquenchable fire was burned, or in the center stood an idol with an altar or an altar. The symbol and amulet of the name of Perun is considered not only Iris (thunder sign on six petals, thunder wheel, Perunov shield, thunderbolt, Perunik, Perunov color), but also various hatchets, hammers. Hatchets are often found at archaeological sites. It is believed that hatchets - amulets in the form of axes (hammers) - were presented to young men and men as amulets, and also were a hallmark of the members of the royal squad, whose patron, as already mentioned, was Perun. In addition, the symbol of the Thunderbolt is the image of lightning and an eight-pointed star, which is called Perunitsa. Symbols in the form of hatchets, lightnings, a six-pointed wheel or a thunder sign with six petals, arrows are depicted on the temples of this God and his idols. A six-spoke wheel was previously depicted on all huts, clothing items, spinning wheels, weapons, utensils, etc. This symbol protected homes from lightning and was considered protective. Similar symbols can be seen now in some villages where houses with old platbands and traditional carvings are still preserved.

In connection with the study of the cult of this God by historians, it was revealed that Thursday is Perun's day. In the Indo-European tradition, this day is associated with the Thunder God. The poles call Thursday Peräunedån, which can be translated as Perun Day. Thursday before Ilyin Day in the Slavic tradition is considered equal in importance to the holiday. There is also a saying, “After the rain on Thursday,” which refers us to ancient beliefs.

Perunov Day

Even after the adoption of Christianity, the cult of Perun remained strong. For example, in the Life of St. Jaceka says that the inhabitants of Kiev secretly gathered on one of the islands, where they worshiped the old oaks that grew there. The Galician-Volyn prince Lev Danilovich in one of his salaries writes: “And from the mountains to Perunov Oak, the mountain Sklom. And from Perunov Oak to White Beregov. ” Someone Feofan Prokopovich already in the Petrine era in his “Spiritual Regulation” forbade “to sing a prayer before the oak”, which clearly tells us that paganism, and faith in Perun, in particular, did not disappear and did not die anywhere, but lived and lives until now.

Perunov Day is traditionally celebrated on July 20. Since Perun protects the soldiers, all men carry weapons that are sanctified during the holiday. In ancient times, a bull or a rooster was sacrificed in honor of Perun. Also on this day a ritual of inducing rain is often performed.