Chapter 3: Perun.
There are only two Slavic deities that have universal recognition among the Slavic tribes and they are Perun and Veles. The etymology of Perunâs name is Per- meaning âto strikeâ and -un meaning âoneâ, so Perun is one who strikes.
Because Perun is one of the oldest bogi of the Pantheon, along with Veles, he has acquired quite a long list of attributes.
Perun is the Bog of the Sky, Thunder, Lightning, Storms, Rain, Order, Justice, Law, War, and Oak Trees. He has as his attributes: Eagles, A hammer, the Axe of Perun, his lightning tipped arrows, and horse drawn carts.
One of the most famous myths about Perun details his war with Veles. After Veles takes his son Yarilo, Perun begins to attack Veles on the earth in Yav. But, because Veles can shapeshift he hides and transfigures himself each time that Perun discovers him and strikes at him. It was believed that anytime lightning hit something that it was because Veles was hiding there. Eventually, Perun manages to kill Veles and throw him into the underworld in Nav.
Some people say that Perun as a Consort Mat Zemla Mokosh and has as his parents Svarog and Lada. But this is not true, this is just modern guess work. In the original Chronicles, we have no record of a family tree of the gods, nor if they had children, which few exceptions. As an example, we know from the Chronicles that Svarog is the father of Dazhbog, but no wife is mentioned.
This is what is mentioned in the Chronicles about Perun:
Procopius, The History of the Wars, Vol. VII (6th century), âfor they acknowledge that one god, creator of lightning, is the only lord of all: to him do they sacrifice an ox and all sacrificial animals.â
Nestor, From the Tale of Bygone Years, or the Primary Chronicle (12th Century) there are three that I want to highlight:
âThe first mention of the Slavic pantheon occurs, in fact, in connection with the treaty of 907, where we find that Olegâs men âswore by their weapons and by their god Perun, as well as by Volos, the god of cattle, and thus confirmed the treaty.ââ
âAnd even as I have given oath to the Greek Emperors in company with my boyars and all my subjects, so may we preserve this treaty inviolate. But if we fail in the observance of any of the aforesaid stipulations, either I or my companions, or my subjects, may we be accursed of the god in whom we believe, namely, of Perun and Volos, the god of flocks, and we become yellow as gold, and be slain with our own weapons. Regard as truth what we have now covenanted with you, even as it is inscribed upon this parchment and sealed with our seals.ââ
âVladimir then began to reign alone in Kiev, and he set up idols on the hills outside the castle with the hall: one of Perun, made of wood with a head of silver and a mustache of gold, and others of Khors,
Dazhâbog, Stribog, Simarâgl, and Mokoshâ. The people sacrificed to them, calling them gods, and brought their sons and their daughters to sacrifice them to these devils*.â
*It should be noted that these Chronicles were usually written by Christians, so of course they would call our Slavic gods devils, thatâs what they do.
Helmold, Chronicle of the Slavs (12th century):
âBut they do not deny that there is among the multiform godheads to whom they attribute plains and woods, sorrows and joys, one god in the heavens ruling over the others. They hold that he, the all powerful one, looks only after heavenly matters; that the others, discharging the duties assigned to them in obedience to him, proceeded from his blood; and that one excels another in the measure that he is nearer to this god of gods.â
Perun is one of the most referenced among the Chronicles, there are a lot of quotes that I left out from the Primary Chronicle, to keep the size down. The three that I did choose were the ones that I thought best showed the ancient Slavic practices and beliefs of Perun.
I hope this look at Perun was educational.
Slava!