God Semargl in Slavic mythology. Myths of the Slavs. Gods Svarog and Semargl How Semargl was depicted on rings and amulets

God Semargl (Fire God)- The Most High God, the guardian of the Eternally Living Fire and the guardian of the exact observance of all Fire Rites and Fiery Purifications.

Semargl accepts Fiery Gifts, Requirements and bloodless Sacrifice on ancient Slavic and Aryan holidays, especially on Krasnogor, on the Day of God Kupala and on the Supreme Day of God Perun, being a mediator between people and all the Heavenly Gods.

The Fire God Semargl is the Patron God of the Hall of the Heavenly Serpent in the Svarozh Circle.

The Fire God joyfully blesses all people from the Clans of the Great Race, who with pure Soul and Spirit observe all the Heavenly Laws and the Many-Wise Commandments of the Light Gods and Ancestors.

Semargl is also called upon in the treatment of sick animals and people, in order to save patients from various ailments and diseases. When a person’s temperature rose, they said that Fire God settled in the Soul of the sick person. For Semargl, like a Fire Dog, fiercely fights against illnesses and illnesses, which, like enemies, have entered the body or Soul of the sick person. Therefore, it is considered unacceptable to bring down a patient’s fever. The best place to cleanse yourself from illness is considered to be a bathhouse.

Anthem-Orthodox Praise:

Semargl Svarozhich! Great Ognebozhich! Sleep with the pain, cleanse the womb of the child of the people, of every creature, old and young, You, God's delight. Cleansing with fire, opening the power of Souls, save the child of God, may the sickness disappear. We glorify you, we call you to us, now and ever and from Circle to Circle! So be it, so be it, so be it!

Birth of Semargl!

There are references to the emergence of Semargl from the flame. They say that once the heavenly blacksmith Svarog himself, striking the Alatyr stone with a magic hammer, struck divine sparks from the stone. The sparks flared up brightly, and in their flames the fiery god Semargl appeared, sitting on a golden-maned horse of a silver color. But, seeming to be a quiet and peaceful hero, Semargl left a scorched trail wherever his horse stepped.

Beliefs associated with Semargl

The name of the God of Fire is not known for certain, most likely because his name is extremely sacred. Holiness is explained by the fact that this God does not live somewhere in the seventh heaven, but directly among earthly people! They try to pronounce his name out loud less often, usually replacing it with allegories.

The Slavs have long associated the emergence of people with Fire. According to some legends, the Slavic Gods created a Man and a Woman from two sticks, between which a Fire flared up - the very first flame of love. Semargl also does not allow evil into the world.

At night, Semargl stands guard with a fiery sword, and only one day a year does he leave his post, responding to the call of the Bathing Lady, who calls him to love games on the day of the Autumn Equinox. And on the day of the Summer Solstice, 9 months later, children are born to Semargl and Kupalnitsa - Kostroma and Kupalo.

Semargl mediator between people and gods

Semargl accepts Fiery Gifts, Requirements and bloodless Sacrifice on ancient holidays, especially on Krasnogor, on the Day of God Kupala and on the highest Day of God Perun, and is a mediator between people and all Heavenly Gods.

Semargl is called upon in the treatment of sick animals and people, in order to save the sick from various ailments and diseases. When a person has a fever, they say that the Fire God has settled in the Soul of the sick person. For Semargl, like a Fire Dog, fiercely fights against illnesses and illnesses, which, like enemies, have entered the body or Soul of the sick person. Therefore, it is considered unacceptable to bring down a patient’s fever. The best place to cleanse yourself from illness is considered to be a bathhouse.

God Semargl in Slavic mythology:
God Semargl in pagan mythology was one of the sons of the great god Svarog. Svarog's children were called Svarozhichi, and his son Semargl after birth becomes the god of earthly fire.
One of the Svarozhichs was the god of fire - Semargl, who is sometimes mistakenly only considered heavenly dog, guardian of seeds for sowing. This (storing seeds) was constantly carried out by a much smaller deity - Pereplut.

Mentions of the name Semargl in chronicles

The name of Semargl is mentioned in Russian chronicles - the pantheon of the book. Vladimir, it supposedly came from the old Russian “smag” (“I’ll call Karn after him, and I’ll jump across the Russian land, Smag mooing in a flaming rose” i.e. fire, a tongue of flame, Fire-Svarozhich - half dog, half snake. Probably , the mediator between the waking world and the heavenly world, which in the Vedic tradition is the god of fire - Agni. He is also the penezhny (fiery) serpent from conspiracies. Mentioned in the Paisevsky collection of St. Gregory (14th century) and the Chrysostom collection of 1271. Ognebog - Yognebozhe, according to the “Veda of the Slavs” by Verkovich, among the Pomak Bulgarians:

Fala ti Yogne God!
Fala ti Yasnu Sun!
You heat it up on the ground.
Pecking the chickadee into the ground...
Pokrivash e Tsarna Muggle,
ta sa niche and gleda.

He is, quite possibly, Rarog, Rarogek is the son of Svarog, according to Czech medieval sources.
The identification of this god with the Iranian Senmurv (a giant magical bird) is considered unjustified, but there is probably a connection with the firebird (the fiery messenger of happiness), which brings his happiness.

Simargl (Old Russian Semargl, Simargl, Sim-Rgl) - in East Slavic mythology, a deity who was one of the seven (or eight) deities of the Old Russian pantheon (see article Slavic mythology), whose idols were installed in Kiev under the prince Vladimir (980). The name Semargl apparently goes back to the ancient *Sedmor(o)-golvъ, “Seven heads” (cf. the polycephaly characteristic of the Slavic gods, in particular the seven-headed Ruevit). According to another, more controversial hypothesis (K.V. Trever and others), the name and image of Semargl is an Iranian borrowing and goes back to the mythical bird Senmurv. D. Worth connects Semargl with the Dove bird. Semargl's functions are unclear; they are probably related to sacred number seven and the embodiment of the seven-membered ancient Russian pantheon. It is characteristic that in some texts of the Kulikovo Cycle the name Semargl is distorted into Rakliy, and this deity is considered as a pagan, Tatar. Lit.: Trever K.V., Sanmurv-Paskudzh, L., 1937; Jakobson R., While reading vasmer's dictionary, in his book: Selected writings, v. 2, The Hague-P., 1971; Worth D., Dub-Simyrj, in the book: East Slavic and general linguistics, M. , 1978, pp. 127-32.
"Myths of the Peoples of the World"

Semargl - the most mysterious deity of the Slavs

This cult developed among the Slavs under the influence of Scythian influence approximately 3 thousand years ago. Semargl, in all likelihood, meant “seed”. This deity was not the most popular among the ancient Slavs, but probably remained the most mysterious to this day. Simargl is a sacred winged dog that guards seeds and crops, revered along with the ancient Russian coast guards. Even in the Bronze Age, among Slavic tribes there is an image of dogs jumping and tumbling around young shoots. Apparently, these dogs protected crops from small livestock: chamois, roe deer, wild goats. Semargl among the Slavs was the embodiment of armed good, “good with teeth,” as well as claws and even wings. In some tribes Semargl was called Pereplut; the cult of this deity was associated with festivals in honor of mermaids, as well as bird-maidens, who were deities of irrigating fields with rain. Rituals in honor of Semargl and the mermaids were held in early January and consisted of prayers for water for the new harvest. Another major holiday of Semargl and mermaids was mermaid week from June 19 to 24, ending with the holiday of Kupala. Archaeologists in many female burials of the 10th - 11th centuries. They discovered silver hoop bracelets that fastened the long sleeves of women's shirts. During ritual pagan games, before dancing, women took off their bracelets and danced “carelessly,” portraying mermaids. This dance was dedicated to the winged dog Semargl, and, apparently, the legend of the frog princess came from him. During the ritual, all participants drank a sacred drink prepared with herbs. Gifts were brought to Semarglu-Pereplut, his image in the form of a dog, most often cups with the best wine. In rare surviving images, the sacred dog Semargl was depicted as if growing from the ground. From written sources it becomes clear that the Semarglu ritual took place with the obligatory participation of boyars and princesses, who brought rich gifts to the idol.

"World cults and rituals. The power and strength of the ancients." Compiled by Yu.A. Matyukhina. -M.:RIPOL classic, 2011. Pp. 150-151.
Some researchers compare Simargl with the Iranian deity Simurgh (Senmurv), a sacred winged dog, guardian of plants. According to B.A. Rybakov, Simargl in Rus' in the 12th-13th centuries was replaced by Pereplut, which had the same meaning as Semargl. Obviously, Semargl was the deity of some tribe, subject to the Grand Duke of Kyiv Vladimir.
Balyazin V.N. "Unofficial history of Russia. Eastern Slavs and the invasion of Batu. - M.: OLMA Media Group, 2007., pp. 46-47

Here is my vision of the Slavic god Semargl, born on the basis of personal study of legends and traditions:

Semargl Ognebog is probably one of the most mysterious light gods of the Slavic world.

Its mystery lies in the fact that many Slavic Gods were created by man in “his own likeness” and had a completely human appearance, and Semargl had the image of a winged fiery wolf.

Most likely, the image of Semargl is older than the “humanized” images of the gods……. And it may be the key to your inner strength. Look around you will not see flying fire wolves, there are none outside until you find it inside. Our external world is a reflection of the internal, do not look for gods outside, find them inside yourself and then they will appear outside.

Semargl lives in you - this is your spiritual fire, crushing the chains of ignorance, this is the fire of sacred rage, sweeping away the enemy's outposts on its way, this is the heat of the body, defeating the diseases of the body, this is the fire in the furnace, warming you.... in modern understanding - this is even nuclear energy. All this is the god Semargl, or rather his manifestations

According to legend, Semargl was born from the blow of Svarog’s hammer on the Alatyr stone: from the splashing sparks, a flame shot up, and a rider on a golden-maned horse appeared in the fire.

Imagery ancient language speaks of the interaction of divine forces, which there is no point in revealing, because their divinity will be lost. Our language is a limited tool, especially after the cutting off of its imagery and the reform carried out by the Bolsheviks. The appearance of Semargl is facilitated by several forces, and at all levels of existence they are similar: the force of friction and impact. The blow of Svarog’s hammer on the anvil of Alatyr gives birth to Semargl, the blow of a wave of your anger against insurmountable circumstances ignites a sacred rage in you, the blow of a flint and a steel against each other causes the fire of the material world, the interaction of two nuclei causes a nuclear explosion.....the interaction of your spiritual and material principles causes spiritual fire.

Semargl's mission is simple and at the same time complex: the Winged Wolf does not let the dark principle from the manifest world into the world of Rule, standing guard over Reveal with a “burning” sword. He is the keeper of the interworld between reality and rule, although Nav is also available to him, and can come from Navi.....

He is the shield and sword of the human world - he can protect, warm, protect, heal, or he can destroy and destroy everything in his path.

The keys and connection to Semargl are stored in your subconscious. And you will receive them only when you become holistic and do not use this power for selfish purposes, when your consciousness is cleared of the dark spots of ignorance, then you learn to consciously use its power. The Slavic Gods will not entrust a nuclear bomb to a child, and the power of Semargl is hidden behind seven seals, which will be revealed only to pure consciousness.

Accept the image of Semargl, feel the divine fire in your soul, help others understand and accept the Native Gods. Help Semargl spread his wings in each of us, help awaken strength, rage and wolfish agility. To the Glory of Our Gods and Ancestors!

Slavic mythology includes a huge number of deities who have their own specific tasks and areas of influence. Although religion is widespread in modern world, the number of pagans is huge. One of the significant figures is the god Semargl.

Who is Semargl?

The highest deity, the keeper of the eternal flame and the guardian of observance of all rituals associated with fire, all this is about Semargl or Firebog. It is believed that he patronizes the palace of the heavenly serpent in the Svarozh Circle. Semargl is the eldest son of the supreme god. The Slavs believed that he was the patron of the Moon, the hearth and other areas associated with fire. When a person has a fever, they say that the Fire God has entered the person’s soul, so previously it was forbidden to deliberately lower the temperature.

Semargl is a symbol

Several symbols are associated with the god, who is the keeper of fire. The main sign is the Wolf rune (it is also called the Semargl rune), and they also use the image of a winged dog or Rarog - the banner of Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavovich. Since Semargl Svarozhich is an image of the primordial fire, stylized flames are considered its symbol. Many people talk about another symbol - a solar sign with a dog's head instead of an upper blade, but in fact there is no documentary evidence of this.

Semargl - Slavic mythology

The cult of this deity arose approximately 3 thousand years ago. There is an assumption that the name of the deity is associated with the word “seed”. It is worth noting that the god of the Slavs, Semargl, was not popular in those days, but people still worshiped him.

They imagined him as a winged dog who guarded seeds and crops. He was revered along with other coast guards.
Idols of Semargl were installed on temples along with other deities. He was revered on days associated with signs of fire.
The deity is an intermediary between the real world and the gods. He has the power to quickly move from Reveal to Pravi and in the opposite direction. His duty is to protect people and prevent evil from coming to earth.
Semargl, unlike other deities, lives directly among ordinary people, so he covers many areas of life.
People turned to him when people and animals were sick. Before the battle, the warriors prayed to Semargl to grant them victory.

God of the Slavs Semargl - amulet

Using available materials, you can make a powerful one with your own hands. The base is birch bark, which is an excellent conductor of energy. If you can’t get it, you can take a piece of soft leather, suede or a chip of any wood. It is necessary to cut out the rune and put a symbol on it, and then perform a ritual so that the Semargl amulet begins to work.

You should start the ritual on an empty stomach, and you need to wear clean and smart clothes.
The altar should be created in the northwest, for which you lay out a clean tablecloth, light a candle and place a rune, face down.
Concentrate, close your eyes and read the plot.

Glorification of Semarglu

According to the old style, April 1, and according to the new style, Semargl is venerated on April 14. This is a festival of fire, with which various traditions and signs are associated. In ancient times, on this day, a Morena doll was made from branches and burned at the stake to say goodbye to winter. Summon the goddess of fertility and spring. Be sure to light a fire and jump over it so that the god Semargl will come and melt the fire. In addition, they must glorify him by reading a special text.

Prayers to Semarglu

In ancient times, people often turned to this deity, so many rituals are known that help cope with various problems and receive numerous benefits. For example, farmers believed that the Slavic god Semargl was the spirit of fertility, so they performed a special ritual to protect the crops. The fields were burned with fire for a rich harvest, and the remaining ash was used for fertilizer. During the burning, a special conspiracy was read to help Semargl.

In the modern world, the god of fire is often approached with requests for healing, improving feelings between spouses, happiness in the home, and other problems. It is worth noting that conspiracies dedicated to this god are similar to hymns. To heal from an illness, an image of Semargl must be placed above the person, and water at the head of the bed. Light a candle and chant the plot. After this, the patient should be given the prepared water to drink, but leave the candle to burn completely. The painting depicting Semargl Ognebog should be kept near the patient until recovery.

They turned to the god of fire to improve their personal life, since he cares about the safety of feelings. It is best to pray to him on the day of the autumn equinox. In order for the god Semargl to help the Slavs, it is necessary to light a large candle, place a mirror and an image of the deity nearby. Looking at the flame, say plot number 1. After this, place a coin under the candle as a ransom and leave it to burn completely. After this, throw a coin into any fire, saying plot number 2.

Slavic culture is replete with images that faded into the background with the advent of Christianity. The pantheon of pagan gods had many faces. Today, its main representatives are considered to be, and. A deity that is not talked about in school course history, it turned out to be Semargl.

Origin story

A number of researchers have worked to restore lost legends telling what the god Semargl meant to the Slavs. Some argued that the roots of the myths about him lead to Iranian stories, others recalled the ancient Persian deity named Simurgh. The latter was a hybrid of a dog and a bird. Semargl had a similar appearance. Artifacts found by archaeologists prove the connection between the two images. The theory put forward by scientists says: the Slavs who lived near the Iranian border adopted traditions from their neighbors, and the worship of Semargl was one of them.

In the 9th century, the political situation in Rus' was not harmonious. seized power by killing. He enlisted the support of like-minded people: the Khazars, Iranians and Jews. The addition of a new face to the divine pantheon was a thoughtful political action that united those who were pleasing to the prince. Perun, as the patron of the army, became the main god.

Scientists, finding out the biography of the deity and the abilities with which it was endowed in Slavic mythology, noted that there is practically no information on this issue. Only a couple of records confirm its existence in the ancient legends of our ancestors. The Slavs considered Semargl a mediator between people and Perun. He was always in combat readiness, able to resist the forces of evil, and this characteristic is similar to the Iranians' description of the Simurgh. They believed that God protects the Tree of Life, which stores on its branches the seeds of all known to the world plants.

Semargl was often depicted as a winged dog that resembled a griffin. The artifacts on which his image is applied were made between the 9th and 12th centuries. They depict Semargl surrounded by ornaments, which automatically made the item a talisman. Amulets, on which an intricate pattern in the form of grass and branches was drawn, were kept in Slavic families even after the adoption of Christianity. This is evidenced by an image found on the gate of one of the temples in Suzdal.

Values and functions

Semargl was considered a fiery deity. He was called the fire god because he kept the primordial flame. By transmitting messages from the world of mortals to the world of gods, he became a kind of courier and acted in the name of people against dark forces. The Slavs believed that thanks to Semargl, the primordial heavenly flame remained protected, which he carefully passed on to the allies when it was necessary to repel an enemy attack. He increased the strength of the warriors on whose side he acted, and was the concentration of divine power.

According to legend, Semargl, the elder, united the forces of the main gods to oppose Chernobog. He stood up for the world of Rule and was not much inferior to Perun, who was the brother of the deity. The importance of Semargl cannot be underestimated, because he was the personification of a brave warrior, a valiant defender and messenger.

There is a specific interpretation in which Semargl appears practically as the god of death. He is the patron of fertility, the time of harvest, which occurs in autumn, when all living things die or go to sleep until spring. Semargl is directly connected to the earth. Fans called their idol the god of the moon, because they believed that he left the world every night in order, armed with a flaming sword, to patrol the lands entrusted to his protection. Surprisingly, this image resembles an archangel who, with a similar sword, stands at the head of the heavenly army.

The Slavs tried not to mention Semargl’s name out loud, remembering that he lives in the world of mortals and knows about what is happening in their lives without being called upon. His spirit was called upon to strengthen the family hearth and protect against disease.

Semargl in culture

In images applied to clothing and jewelry, Semargl was depicted as a hybrid of a dog and an eagle. In the writings about Zarathustra he was mentioned under the name Simurgh, which translated meant “firebird.” Mentions of him or his prototype are found in Persian poems dating back to the 11th century. Rituals associated with praising the god or making sacrifices to him took place using fire.

His number was seven. They saw a connection in the name Semargl with this figure, concluding that it got its name in honor of the deity. Considering that there are six gods in the Slavic pantheon, it can be assumed that Semargl was depicted as the seventh.

In the book “Ruskolan - Ancient Rus'» Semargl is depicted in the guise of a horse with a golden mane and silver hair. Author A.I. Asova associates the deity with Simurgh, popular in Iran and revered in Ancient Greece

No other god of the Slavic pantheon has caused as much controversy among historians as Semargl (Simargl, Semargl). There are debates about everything - from its origins to appearance. Some believe that behind this name there is a winged dog. Others believe that he is not a god, but a being of a lower order, like a goblin or a merman. Some even argue that Semargl was the result of an error when rewriting ancient manuscripts.
But still, one must take into account the fact that, according to the Tale of Bygone Years, in the Kiev penttheism, which included the most famous and powerful gods, there was also a place for Semarglu. This allows us to discard the version that he belonged to the category of creatures, like a goblin. In addition, the Slavs did not know a single god who existed in the form of an animal. Yes, almost everyone, and maybe everyone, could turn into one or another creature. But their basic appearance remains anthropomorphic. Therefore, we will reject other versions, considering as the main one that our ancestors really knew Semargl, and in the form of a powerful god. However, it is possible that he could turn into a winged dog, just as Veles could turn into a bear or aurochs.
Unfortunately, the only thing that has reached us from time immemorial with relative certainty is the name Semargl. His occupation, alas, is completely lost. Even in fairy tales, sayings, conspiracies and songs, there are no lines left that more or less accurately indicate why our ancestors revered this god so highly. Therefore, we list only the most probable versions.
According to one of them, it is Semargl who is the keeper of the seeds. Thanks to him, they can survive the harshest winter under the snow, so that in the spring, as soon as the snow melts and the earth warms up, they can emerge and cover the fields with a green carpet, providing food for all the livestock and wild animals on which the life of all mankind directly depends.
According to another version, Semargl acts as the god of fire. There is even a theory that Semargl was born from sparks when the blacksmith Svarog hit the Alatyr stone with a hammer. However, this is not a reason to include this god in the ranks of the Svarozhichi, as many often do.
Finally, some historians draw a direct parallel between Semargl and Mercury. Semargl did not live in heaven like other gods, but among people. In this way, he could communicate with our ancestors, conveying to them the will of the gods, and also warn of any dangers. Of course, this is a serious reason to highly honor the powerful god and include him in the ranks of the most important for our ancestors. Alas, against the backdrop of such closeness with ordinary people What seems especially strange is the fact that his name does not appear at all in jokes, fairy tales and conspiracies.

Another interpretation of the Slavic god Semargl.

God Semargl - Warrior-Svarozhich, God of Fire, Heavenly Messenger, Guardian of the Russian Land. Semargl was brought to life by the blow of Svarog's magic hammer on the Alatyr stone.

The divine sparks flared up into a hot flame, in which the fiery God Semargl was visible. He appeared riding a golden-maned horse of sparkling silver. Hot flames were enveloped in thick clouds of smoke. It was the thick smoke that has since become his banner.

Where God Semargl rode on his horse, scorched earth remained. Semargl's power is so enormous that not every God will dare to fight him. However, more often Semargl looked calm, quiet and peaceful. And only in battle with enemies did he reincarnate and become so terrible and dangerous that the enemy without hesitation preferred a shameful flight from the battlefield rather than meeting with the unbridled rage and strength of Semargl.

Semargl, with a fiery sword in his hands, constantly stands guard over the Russian land. He also appears in the form of a winged dog. No one can pass by him unnoticed.

God Semargl is one of the forefathers of humanity. A man and a woman emerged from the Fire-Love that flared up between two sticks.

Semargl's wife is a beautiful swimsuit whole year waiting for a date with her dear husband. On the day of the autumn equinox, Semargl leaves his post and hurries into the hot embrace of the Swimsuit, and exactly nine months later They have children - and Kostroma.

Semargl - god of fire and fire sacrifices, son.

According to legend, after hitting the Alatyr stone with a magic hammer, sparks were struck, from the flared flame of which the fiery god Semargl appeared. The newly-minted deity sat on a golden-maned horse of silver color. Wherever the god of fire appeared, wherever he passed, a scorched trail remained everywhere. And an omen of the imminent appearance of Smeargle is the appearance of thick black doom. The symbol of the deity is a sacred winged dog, in the guise of which Smeargle himself could also appear.

Idols of the god of fire were installed on temples along with other deities:, and. And they honored, according to folk calendar, on days associated with signs of fire and fire. On holidays, especially on Krasnogor, on the days of Kupala and Smeargla, they tried to appease Smeargla with the help of fiery gifts and bloodless sacrifices.

Capabilities

God is a mediator between worlds, people and gods; he is able to quickly travel from Reveal to Pravi and back. Semargl protects the mortal world, preventing evil from entering it. Every night the god stands guard with a fiery sword in his hands, ready to repel any attack from the forces of darkness. Only once a year can the god of fire leave his post: on the day of the Autumn Equinox, Semargl responds to the call of the Bathing Lady, who calls for love games. And nine months later, on the day of the Summer Solstice, children are born to the gods - Kostroma and Kupalo.

Sphere of influence

Unlike other deities, Smeargle lives directly among people, and therefore covers many areas of their lives. He is considered the god of fire and the Moon, fire sacrifices, at the same time, Smeargle guards the home and hearth, crops and seeds.

God is called upon when treating sick people and animals: they say that when a patient has a fever, the god of fire has settled in his soul and is now fighting illnesses and illnesses there, so it is unacceptable to bring down the fever. The warriors preparing for battle also tried to attract Smeargle's attention so that he would grant victory in the battle.