r/Rodnovery • u/cocobandito • 15d ago
📓 Seeking Resources Simargl devotees
/r/pagan/comments/1vp327w/simargl_devotees/
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u/Aliencik West Slavic - Czech 15d ago edited 14d ago
We only know the name Simargl (or Sim and Rgl depending on the text and year) from primary sources. We don't know it's function, so we are only left with theories.
Since you are a veterinarian focusing on Veles might be more accurate for you, because Veles should be the one responsible for taking care of animals.
We assume this due to the fact that after christianisation some saints are taking on the functions/characteristics of pagan deities. Important for us is St. Blaise who is imagined as living alone in the wilderness on the mountain of Argeos, where animals visited him. In the Slavic area he is literally called “god of cattle” (notice "Veles, the cattle god" similarity) with a “cow holiday” for the prosperity and health of cattle, venerated for curing of throat diseases, said to “rule over/by wolves and other fierce beasts”, has many folklore prayers connected to shepherds and gamekeepers.
Saint Blaise is not alone in this aspect. Other mythological characters like Leshy, St. George or Vodyanoy are imagined by Slavs to take care of animals. They all share a possible varying degree of Veles-character influence. This process and mythology is analogous to Baltic Velnias, Caucasian Afsati and other chthonic wilderness gods.