Yarilo - the god of the sun, spring, strength and flowering of life. His father is Veles, and the mother of Dodola, who is the wife of Perun. Such a betrayal caused the struggle between the two gods to die. The Slavs considered Yarilo a symbol of renewal. With him are associated only good and bright concepts, for example, sincerity, purity, tenderness, etc.
Who is God Yarylo?
They portrayed him as a young guy without a shirt. He attracted many with his blue eyes. He had light hair with a light rusty hue. Behind Yarilo a large cloak of red developed. He moved on a white horse or on foot. There, where his bare foot stepped, plants rose and flowers blossomed. By the way, according to some beliefs Jarilo was portrayed as a woman, but only in men's clothes. She had her own attributes, so in her right hand she held a scarecrow of a human head, and in the other a spike of rye. On his head was a wreath of first wild flowers. In some myths, the Western Slavs say that Yarilo had another attribute - a shield on which the sun was depicted. Many considered him a god of youth and carnal pleasure. According to existing legends Yarilo was quite loving. Since this god was still considered the patron of physical love, on some images there is a tense phallus - a symbol of fertility. In principle, we can conclude that Yarilo is a Slavic god not only of the sun, but of love . People believed that he also obeys all wild animals, nature spirits and inferior deities. In the winter, he became Frost and killed everything he had created in the spring.
The main myth with the participation of this god is related to the creation of life on earth. When Mother Earth was sleeping under the veil of Chaos, Yarilo appeared. He began to kiss her passionately, which caused the Earth to wake up. In a place where the sun god left his kiss, flowers, fields, forests, rivers, seas, etc. appeared. The heat of the Slavic god Yarilo so heated up the Earth that she gave birth to animals, birds, fish and other creatures. That is why often living beings are called "Yarilo's children". Special and fervent kisses led to the birth of a man.
Slavs with God Yarilo associated a lot of different rituals, in which dolls and effigies were used to personify him. For example, early in the spring they sang various songs and held celebrations in honor of the sun god, where they chose Yarilu and Yarilikhu. At the end of the celebration, the effigy dedicated to Yarilo was funneled and buried in the open field. A similar ritual symbolized the arrival of spring. Every year the sun god died and was born again.
Symbol of the sun god Yavilo among the Slavs
The swastika played a big role in the life of the Slavs. Various symbols were applied to buildings and embroidered on clothes. Images were used to create various amulets and bracelets. Interestingly, neo-paganism constantly attributes Yarilo new solar signs and today there are about 150 of them. In general, there are several symbols, whose belonging to this god still managed
- Kolovrat is a symbol of the rising sun, and also he points to the eternity of life and to the victory of evil over good.
- Posolon is a symbol of the setting sun, but it indicates the end of creative productive activity.
- Coward is a symbol of fertility and prosperity.
- Inglia is the symbol of the primary fire, from which the universe appeared.
- Svayor-Solntsevrat - a symbol of the movement Jarilo in the sky.
The pagan god Jarilo is honored on March 21, the day of the first month of the pagan year. By the way, other gods who awaken life at that time were revered at that time: Zhiva, Dazhdbog and Svarog. They remember Yarylo also on Yury Zimniy - on December 9.