Perkūnas
Perkūnas (Latvian Pērkons, Prussian Perkūns) is the common Baltic thunder god, second only to Dievas: god of sky, thunder, lightning, storms, rain, fire, war, law, order, fertility, mountains and the oak.
Baltic religion has no native planetary, zodiac, tarot or sabbat system: the Jupiter primary, the Sagittarius/Aries/Leo affinities, the tarot cards and Litha/Ostara are modern Western and Neopagan overlays. The tradition's own account is primary - the oak-and-axe thunderer of the dainos who keeps order and pursues the devil - and his own day is Thursday, not any Wiccan sabbat.
Correspondences
- Planetary Correspondence
- Jupiter
- Zodiac Affinity
- SagittariusAriesLeo
Offerings
- Offerings
- BeerBreadIronOak leavesFirst grain
Sacred timing
- Sacred Timing
Symbols and forms
- Alternate Names
- Pērkons (Latvian)Perkūns (Prussian)Parkuns (Sudovian)
- Gender Expression
- Masculine
- Titles
- The ThundererLord of the OakKeeper of Order
- Symbols
- OakAxeHammerThunderboltFire
Practice
- Invocation Approach
- ToneClean thunderous addressAddressPerkūnasThe ThundererLord of the OakRelationshipThe active god who keeps the world in orderWarningHe enforces oaths and his strike is finalResonanceThose swearing oaths and farmers waiting for rain
- Modern Practice
Perkūnas is called in a storm and before an oath, at the oak and with iron in hand: beer, bread and the first grain, and the plain statement of what is being promised. The practice is the keeping of an order - oaths, boundaries, the law of the household - and the thunder is the witness.
Nature and meaning
- Domain
- ThunderLightningStormsRainFireWarLawOrderFertilityMountainsOak
- Mythology Summary
Perkūnas (Latvian Pērkons, Prussian Perkūns) is the common Baltic thunder god, second only to Dievas: god of sky, thunder, lightning, storms, rain, fire, war, law, order, fertility, mountains and the oak. He strikes the devil (velnias) who hides under stones, in hollow trees and in the water, and the oaks split by lightning are his; his weapons are the axe and the hammer, and Thursday is his day. The sources are the 16th-17th century accounts (Łasicki, Praetorius) and the immense daina corpus rather than any temple text.
Details
- Correspondences
- ColorsBlueWhiteRedScentsPine resinJuniperFrankincense boswellia sacraMetalsIronTinAnimalsBullGoatEagle
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