Primordial Rigden, Imperial Rigden & Historical Rigden

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Primordial...existing from the beginning of time : very ancient...a state or quality) basic and fundamental. synonyms: instinctive, primitive, basic, primal, primeval, intuitive, inborn, innate, inherent, visceral

"The Primordial Rigden, the richly-clothed royal image on our main Shambhala shrine".......http://calendar.shambhala-europe.org/images/Thangkas/Rigden.jpg

"Primordial ....Origin: late Middle English: from late Latin primordialis ‘first of all,’ from primordius ‘original’ (see primordium)....late 14c., from Late Latin primordialis "first of all, original," from Latin primordium "a beginning, the beginning, origin, commencement," from primus "first" (see prime (adj.) + stem of ordiri "to begin" (see order (n.)....(weaving) I begin to weave, lay the warp.

Imperial (adj.) ...... "having a commanding quality," from Old French imperial (12c.), from Latin imperialis "of the empire or emperor," from imperium. Meaning "pertaining to an empire"

"The Kalachakra tantra puts the life of Shakyamuni Buddha in the 9th. Century BC, instead of the more commonly accepted 6th. Century BC."............http://kalachakranet.org/kalachakra_tantra_history.html

Sucandra Bearded (Detail)
The First Dharma King of Shambhala, Sucandra (Beautiful Moon)
Tibetan (17th century).....Distemper on cotton
Given to the Museum of Fine Arts Boston by Denman Waldo Ross in 1906.....Denman Waldo Ross Collection
http://www.mfa.org/collections/object/the-first-dharma-religious-king-of-shambhala-sucandra-beautiful-moon-8501

Historical Rigden Kings of Shambhala:
"The Seven Dharmarajas (Tib. Chogyal)(Sanskrit:Just and righteous king;)
Suchandra (Tib. Dawa Sangpo) c. 900 to 876 BC.
Devendra (Tib. Lhayi Wang) (876-776 BC)
Tejasvin (Tib. Ziji Chän) (776-676 BC)
Somadatta (Tib. Dawä Jin) (676-576)
Deveshvara/Sureshvara (Tib. Lhaji Wangchug) (576-476)
Vishvamurti (Tib. Natshog Zug) (476-376)
Sureshana (Tib. Lhayi Wangdän) (376-276)
.....http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kings_of_Shambhala

"The Twenty-Five Kalki (Tib. Rigden).....The most recent 25 of the 32 Kings of Shambhala are known as Kalki kings (Tib. Rigden, wylie: rigs ldan). Kalki means "Holder of the Castes."

"Raja (/ˈrɑːdʒə/; also spelled rajah, from Sanskrit राजा rājā-) is a term for a monarch or princely rulers. Rana is practically equivalent, and the female form rani (sometimes spelled ranee) applies equally to the wife of a raja or rana......The title has a long history in the Indian subcontinent and South East Asia, being attested from the Rigveda, where a rājan- is a ruler, see for example the dāśarājñá, the "battle of ten kings"......Sanskrit rājan- is cognate to Latin rēx (genitive rēgis), Gaulish rīx, Gaelic rí (genitive ríg), etc., originally denoting heads of petty kingdoms and city states. It is believed to be ultimately derived from a PIE *h3rēǵs, a vrddhi formation to the root *h3reǵ- "to straighten, to order, to rule". The Sanskrit n-stem is secondary in the male title, apparently adapted from the female counterpart rājñī which also has an -n- suffix in related languages, compare Old Irish rígain and Latin regina. Cognates of the word Raja in other Indo-European languages include English reign and German reich. Rather common variants in Rajasthani, Marathi and Hindi, used for the same royal rank in parts of India include Rana, Rao, Raol, Rawal and Rawat....Protection of his subjects was seen as the first and foremost duty of the king. "

"Noedup Rongae & the Shambhala Lineage thangka.....The Primordial Rigden is the central figure here as well, together with his queen Lhamo Natsok Yum. But this painting is in the form of a lineage tree, and in the central part of the tree, around these two main figures, sit the Dharmarajas and Rigdens of Shambhala. It’s populous in the tree, with more than 70 mystic rulers sitting together, radiating......Noedup Rongae went to H.E. Namkha Drimed’s place in Orissa for the New Year’s celebrations a few years back to work all this out with the Sakyong. There were a lot of decisions to be made....Basically, who would be included, and where they would be placed. Some things were clearly specified, but there were also open elements. The painting follows a description in the Primordial Rigden Ngondro, and that text, for example, mentions “lineage gurus of India and Tibet...The iconography of the Dharmarajas and Rigdens also presented challenges. Noedup searched for a long time — years, in fact — to find suitable descriptions "...with Acharya David Schneider ....http://shambhalatimes.org/2012/07/11/shambhala-lineage-thangka-update/

"The Sakyong Foundation, with the support of the Shambhala community, successfully raised the funds for the Shambhala Lineage Thangka commissioned by Sakyong Mipham in July 2008. This seven by ten foot sacred painting is the work of master thangka artist Noedup Rongae and his team at the Shambhala Art School in Northern India......The Shambhala lineage draws on the wisdom of the Kagyu and Nyingma schools of Tibetan Buddhism as inherited by Chögyam Trungpa, founder of Shambhala, and Sakyong Mipham, his son and spiritual heir."...http://www.sakyongfoundation.org/rigden-lineage-thangka/

Artist Noedup Rongae describes the Shambhala Lineage thangka .....Shambhala Videos on YouTube.....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ui4p-QhwE90&feature=relmfu

"The Primordial Rigden embodies the wisdom and compassion of inherent basic goodness and is at the heart of Shambhala Buddhist meditation practice. The Primordial Rigden is central to the Shambhala Lineage and is the principle painting for the Shambhala Buddhist shrine rooms. Composed by the Artist under the guidance of the Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, spiritual director of the Shambhala Buddhist communities, this painting conveys what is referred to as the magical heart of Shambhala –the brilliant and peaceful presence of basic goodness and enlightened rulership."....http://www.cmoku.com/content/primordialRigden.htm

"THE PRIMORDIAL RIGDEN .....with The Dharmaraja Dorje Dradul & Shiwa Okar
In the beginning of 2010, at His Majesty The Sakyong Jamgon Mipham Rinpoche’s request, the Artist (Cynthia Moku) began preliminary drawings for a second Primordial Rigden thangka painting....Along with Shakyamuni Buddha at the top center of the composition..... three primary figures in this thangka. They are; the Primordial Rigden centered, the Vidyadhara Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche as The Dharmaraja Dorje Dradul above in the sky to the Rigden’s right, and Shiwa Okar, Peaceful White Light, above in the sky to the Rigden’s left. Thus, these three figures embodying the Primordial Rigden uncomponded wisdom & compassion, the Dorje Dradul indestructible wisdom teacher and Shiwa Okar principle yidam.....The thangka depicts the Primordial Rigden in a brilliant white and golden embodiment, seated on a white lotus resting on a gold and crystal throne surrounded by the Four Dignities. Appearing beneath spheres of light encircling the Dorje Dradul and Shiwa Okar, two Dragons move through the clouds towards the Primordial Rigden. The powerful Garuda spreads wings out wide, above a fully shining Great Eastern Sun and a banner proclaiming “Profound, Brilliant, Just, Powerful and All-Victorious”, while Tigers and Lions flank the throne of the Primordial Rigden."....http://shambhalamountainstore.com/primordial-rigden-8x8-485/

"Chögyam Trungpa..... “Shambhala: the Sacred Path of the Warrior ” which tells of a pre Buddhist Tibetan religion of the Shambhala Warriers......“The imperial rulers of Shambhala, who are called the Rigden Kings, are inhabitants of the cosmic mirror. They are referred to as ultimate drala. When you contact the wisdom of the cosmic mirror, you are meeting the ultimate dralas, the Rigden kings of Shambhala. Their vast vision lies behind all the activities of mankind, in the open, unconditioned space of mind itself. In that way, they watch over and protect human affairs, so to speak. This is quite different from the notion that the Rigdens are living on some celestial plane, from which they look down at the earth.”

The Essential Chogyam Trungpa.....By Chögyam Trungpa

Click on the image to enlarge

Cynthia Moku is an accomplished artist in Japanese brushwork and Buddhist Scroll painting. A student of Kyabje Kalu Rinpoche, she continues her meditation training with Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. Cynthia is the founder of Naropa University’s Visual Art Degree Program.....http://cynthiamoku.com/introduction/

"Rigden Gallery.......Seeking Shambhala: The Mythical Kings of Shambhala.....In 1906, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts acquired a set of 17th-century Tibetan paintings depicting the mythical Shambhala kings. The exhibition featured newly-conserved thangka paintings of the Rigden (or Kalki) Kings of Shambhala. The Museum has generously agreed to let Shambhala display these important thangkas online, and we are delighted to present them here........Deep within central Asia – according to ancient Tibetan Buddhist texts – hidden by mist and a ring of snow-covered peaks lies a fabulous kingdom called Shambhala. It’s a mystical, visionary place ruled by a lineage of thirty-two kings. Their charge: to uphold the Kalachakra Tantra, a sacred teaching passed from the Buddha to Shambhala’s first king.....http://shambhalanews.com/rigden-gallery-opening-page/

Click on the image to enlarge

Manjushri Yashas first Kalki King of Shambhala and the VAJRA CASTE...."The purpose of the Vajra Caste was not force everyone to convert to Buddhism but for people to re-discover the purity of their own traditions.."...https://collab.itc.virginia.edu/access/content/group/9f340e95-f808-4bc0-80bc-b23bcadd072e/copyrighted%20pdfs%20of%20texts/newmanbriefhistorykalachakra.pdf

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Email....okarresearch@gmail.com

March 2015

John Hopkins....Northern New Mexico

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Koykrylgan Kala...Qoy Qirilq'an Qala...4th c. BC

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"Khwarezm /kwəˈrɛzəm/ or Chorasmia /kəˈræzmiə/ (Persian: خوارزم‎) is a large oasis region on the Amu Darya river delta in western Central Asia.....C.E. Bosworth however, believes the Persian name to be made up of xor (خور "the sun") and zam (زم "earth, land"), designating "the land from which the sun rises", although the same etymology is also given for Khurasan. ".....C. E. Bosworth, The Encyclopedia of Islam, Vol IV, 1978. p. 1061

Aerial view of Koykrylgan Kala...."Koykrylgan Kala (also spelt Qoy Qirilq'an Qala) is an amazing and enigmatic site. Its circular shape is unique. Koykrylgan Kala is a 4th century BC fortress, but what lay within the fortifications is a mystery. Today, the site lies in a remote part of the surrounding desert. In the 2nd century BC, the complex was destroyed by fire, was rebuilt and remained in use until the 4th century AD. "...http://www.heritageinstitute.com/zoroastrianism/khvarizem/page4.htm

"Koy-Krylgan-kala: the Fortress of Lost Rams....Ruins of thousands of fortresses are disseminated at boundless open spaces of the Khorezm steppes, but the remnants of Koy-Krylgan-kala, the Fortress of Lost Rams, are unique. The fortress was discovered by archeologists of the Khorezm expedition casually in 1938. Archeologists were surprised with the form of ancient construction, unprecedented till then in Khoresm: the powerful citadel with the remains of a protective wall was not square and or rectangular as it was used to see, but it was round. Outside, protective constructions had the form of a correct circle with the citadel in the center, it was surrounded with an external fortification with towers. The space between the central building and the wall named the "ring" appeared completely built up. The clay construction was enormous: diameter of the central building was 42 m, height in the best remained part was about 8 m, the diameter of the whole construction - about 90 m......Thousands of fragments of magnificent pottery have been scattered on sandy barkhans round the fortress and among its ruins. Along with other findings, in particular bronze tips of arrows, they were used to identify its age - archeologists found out that it was the most ancient of all the monuments to ancient Khorezmian statehood known by that time. The earliest finds dated back to 4th-3rd centuries BC.... the fortress had two stages of the development. Earlier stage dated back to 4th-3rd centuries BC. The second period of the fortress referred to the first centuries AD."....http://www.advantour.com/uzbekistan/karakalpakstan/koy-krylgan-kala.htm

"Qoy Qırılg'an qala is in a remote desert location, just over 24km north northeast of To'rtku'l and 20km east southeast from Bostan. It lies within the tuman of To'rtku'l. ....The first archaeological viewing took place in 1938 when Sergey Tolstov, Yakh'ya Gulyamov, A. I. Terenozhkin and other members of the early Khorezm Archaeological Expedition were encamped at nearby Teshik qala...its 5 to 6 metre high walls were covered with narrow closely spaced loopholes. It was surrounded by a circular wall reinforced by the ruins of nine towers. The interior was filled with fragments of glazed and richly decorated ceramics and Tolstov found bronze Scythian arrow heads and two terracotta statuettes. Qoy Qırılg'an qala is a name that has been given to the site by local people over recent centuries. It is generally translated as "Fort of the Dead Sheep". However the exact meaning of Qırılg'an is not dead but fragile or breakable...Today only the central part of the fort remains. It is in a badly eroded state. Soviet archaeologists tended to leave their completed excavations exposed to the elements, and these mud-brick monuments are easily damaged by the winter rains. To make matters worse much of the mud brick from the outer walls seems to have been taken and recycled by local people.."....David and Sue Richardson 2005 - 2015.....http://www.karakalpak.com/anckoy.html

"Koy-Krylgan-kala was the powerful well fortified fortress with a number of protective walls which were destroyed with time, it was possible to trace them only in a small site. Similar fortifications were peculiar to all monuments of antiquity and the early Middle Ages of Khoresm. According to researches of archeologists, the Fortress of Lost Rams is one of the most ancient monuments ancient Khorezm statehood, the temple complex that partially functioned as a burial of the unknown ancient king or queen.......The fortress population consisted of Zoroastrians, worshipping Anakhita, the goddess of water and rivers, and Siyavus, the god of sun. This monument is interesting in terms of the central complex location. Its western part was built in honour of the goddess Anakhita, and eastern and the southern parts were turned towards the sun rising in honour of the god of sun Siyavush, evidenced by number of figurines and relicts of vessels with images of gods......The fortress history Koy-Krylgan-kala totals a millenium. The remnants of the most ancient ossuaries in the Central Asia were found along with paintings and inscriptions in ancient Khorezmian language. This fortress remains a historical puzzle until now, standing out with its unique design among other fortresses of Ancient Khorezm.".....http://www.advantour.com/uzbekistan/karakalpakstan/koy-krylgan-kala.htm

"Qoy Qırılg'an qala......Even today, the true purpose of the site still remains something of a mystery. Excavations showed that the building had been destroyed by fire and had later been ransacked. It seems to have originally been built in the 4th century BC shortly after Khorezm gained its independence from Persia. This period, originally named after the Kangyuy culture of the middle Syr Darya and now called the Early Antique Period, saw a huge blossoming of Khorezmian culture. Yet surprisingly the building was used for only one or at most two centuries before being abandoned in the early 2nd century BC. It was then briefly occupied by squatters.....It is possible that the lower floor might have originally functioned as some type of astronomical observatory, possibly monitoring the times for the rising and setting of certain stars and perhaps the cycles of the sun and the moon, given their highly venerated position in Zoroastrianism. We do know that the Khorezmians were familiar with eclipses, had an accurate calendar and knew the exact time of the seasons – vital for the management of their agricultural economy."...David and Sue Richardson 2005 - 2015....http://www.karakalpak.com/anckoy.html

"Siyawush......Persian - Son of Kay Kaus and Sudabe. His stepmother made advances which he rejected and she told her husband that his son had tried to rape her. The young man fled from the court but was killed by Afrasiyab. Sometimes referred to as Siyawush, Siyavahsh, Siyavahsh, Siyavarshan, Siyavarshan, Syavarsham or Syavarsham.....Siyâvash ( Persian (Persian) : سياوش) is a character in Shahnameh of Ferdowsi . One of the prince of Iran . He was executed by the orders of afrasyab .".....http://www.mythologydictionary.com/siyawush-mythology.html

"Kay Kāvus (Persian: كيكاوس‎; Avestan: Kauui Usan); sometimes Kai-Káús or Kai-Kaus, is a mythological shah of Iran and a character in the Shāhnāmeh. He is the son of Kay Qobād and the father of prince Seyāvash. Kāvus rules Iran for one hundred and fifty years during which he is frequently though increasingly grudgingly aided by the famous hero Rostam. He is succeeded by his grandson Kai Khosrow."....Firdawsī, The Sháh námeh of the Persian poet Firdausí. Oriental Translation Fund. Volume 21 of Publications, Oriental Translation Fund. Translated by James Atkinson. 1832.

"......Betts, A.V.G. and Yagodin, V.N. 2007 The Fire Temple at Tash-k’irman-tepe, Chorasmia.....http://www.academia.edu/3580384/Betts_A.V.G._and_Yagodin_V.N._2007_The_Fire_Temple_at_Tash-k_irman-tepe_Chorasmia "

"Historians mention that one of the names for the Oxus or Amu in ancient Afghanistan was Gozan, and that this name was used by Greek, Mongol, Chinese, Persian, Jewish, and Afghan historians. However, this name is no longer used.
"Hara (Bokhara) and to the river of Gozan (that is to say, the Amu, (called by Europeans the Oxus)...."....The Kingdom of Afghanistan: a historical sketch, By George Passman Tate
"the Gozan River is the River Balkh, i.e. the Oxus or the Amu Darya....."....Jews in Islamic countries in the Middle Ages, By Moshe Gil, David Strassler
"... and were brought into Halah (modern day Balkh), and Habor (which is Pesh Habor or Peshawar), and Hara (which is Herat), and to the river Gozan (which is the Ammoo, also called Jehoon)...".....Tamerlane and the Jews, By Michael Shterenshis

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Email....okarresearch@gmail.com

March 2015

John Hopkins....Northern New Mexico

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The Kala (Fortress/Castles) of Ancient Khorasan (500 BC)

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The name "Khorasan" is derived from Middle Persian khor (meaning "sun") and asan (or ayan literally meaning "to come" or "coming" or "about to come"), hence meaning "land where the sun rises".

"Forgotten realms of the Oxus region.....Ruins of thousands of fortresses (Kala) are disseminated at boundless open spaces of the Khorezm steppes.......The ancient cities and fortresses along the Oxus and nearby rivers........It's unknown exactly where antiquity-era Chorsamia was centred, although part of the ruins of Kyrk Molla at Gurganj date back to this period, as do part of the ruins of Itchan Kala in present-day Khiva (Khwarezm's capital). Probably the most impressive and best-preserved ancient ruins in the region, are those of the Ayaz Kala fortress complex, parts of which date back to the 4th century BC. There are numerous other "Kala" (the Chorasmian word for "fortress") nearby, including Toprak Kala and Kz'il Kala. "....http://greenash.net.au/thoughts/2014/10/forgotten-realms-of-the-oxus-region/

Ayaz Kala (fortress 2) of Khwarezm (Chorasmia), today desert but in ancient times green and lush....http://greenash.net.au/thoughts/2014/10/forgotten-realms-of-the-oxus-region/

"In classical antiquity, a number of advanced civilisations flourished in the area that today comprises parts of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan. Through this area runs a river most commonly known by its Persian name, as the Amu Darya. However, in antiquity it was known by its Greek name, as the Oxus....The Oxus region is home to archaeological relics of grand civilisations, most notably of ancient Bactria, but also of Chorasmia, Sogdiana, Margiana, and Hyrcania. However, most of these ruined sites enjoy far less fame, and are far less well-studied, than comparable relics in other parts of the world......most of the ruins have been neglected by the modern world – largely due to the region's turbulent history of late....."...http://greenash.net.au/thoughts/2014/10/forgotten-realms-of-the-oxus-region/

Overview map of the Oxus region, showing major rivers and antiquity-era archaeological sites..... Forgotten realms of the Oxus region......http://greenash.net.au/thoughts/2014/10/forgotten-realms-of-the-oxus-region/

"The Oxus is the largest river (by water volume) in Central Asia. Due to various geographical factors, it's also changed its course more times (and more dramatically) than any other river in the region, and perhaps in the world."

Faizabad Kala....(Fayzabad, Feyzabad, Fazelabad or Faizabad) (Pashto:فيض آباد), Persian: فيض آباد‎) is the provincial capital and largest city in Badakhshan Province, in northern Afghanistan, with around 50,000 people. It is situated in Fayzabad District and is at an altitude of 1,200 m. (3,937 ft.)....It is located in the northeast of Afghanistan, on the River Kokcha. It is the main commercial and administrative center of the Pamir region."

Kaakha fortress, overlooking the Panj river.....(Hava Afghanistan). ....The second fortress intended for protection of the Western Pamir is called Kaakha after a legendary warrior, the king of fire - worshippers. It was constructed later, in the 4th century, on a rocky height in the Panj valley. It seems that the fortress borders the rock with its mud brick wall. Only the sagged clay rampart from the second inner wall has remained. The fortress design is similar to that of Yuachmun: with a citadel and three platforms. The length of the rampart is really impressive - 750 m (!). No buildings were found inside the fortress. Probably the rooms were only in the citadel.The alleged purpose of the fortress was as follows: due to its powerful walls it prevented the invaders, who could come through the valleys of the rivers Panj, Shakhdara and Gunt, from getting to the fertile oases. Today the remains of the fortifications can be seen directly from the highway which passes 15-20 meters from the fortress. In spite of the fact that the fortress it badly damaged you can clearly imagine what a powerful structure with numerous towers it was, how impregnable and formidable it seemed in ancient times...http://www.advantour.com/tajikistan/mountains/pamir/kaakha-fortress.htm......Kaakha Fortress, Pamir.....http://greenash.net.au/thoughts/2014/10/forgotten-realms-of-the-oxus-region/

Igdy Kala.......Igdy Kala is a Parthian fortress dated I century B.C. - IV century A.D. located on the high rocky bank of Uzboy river, creating a narrow and picturesque canyon. It’s situated in 150 km to North from Serdar city........Settlements along the lower Uzboy part of Hyrcania (which was on occasion given a name of its own, Nesaia) were few. The most notable surviving ruin there is the Igdy Kala fortress, which dates to approximately the 4th century BC, and which (arguably) exhibits both Parthian and Chorasmian influence. Very little is known about Igdy Kala, as the site has seldom been formally studied. The question of whether the full length of the Uzboy ever existed remains unresolved, particularly regarding the section from Sarykamysh Lake to Igdy Kala. ... S.P.Tolstov discovered this monument in 1954....in whole the fortress constructed from stone which is non-typical material for Khorezm....http://www.dagtravel.net/en/sightseeing-list/balkan/igdy-kala/

Aerial view of Koykrylgan Kala....Koykrylgan Kala (also spelt Qoy Qirilq'an Qala) is an amazing and enigmatic site. Its circular shape is unique. Koykrylgan Kala is a 4th century BC fortress, but what lay within the fortifications is a mystery. Today, the site lies in a remote part of the surrounding desert. In the 2nd century BC, the complex was destroyed by fire, was rebuilt and remained in use until the 4th century AD. "...http://www.heritageinstitute.com/zoroastrianism/khvarizem/page4.htm

Koy-Krylgan-kala: the Fortress of Lost Rams....Ruins of thousands of fortresses are disseminated at boundless open spaces of the Khorezm steppes, but the remnants of Koy-Krylgan-kala, the Fortress of Lost Rams, are unique. The fortress was discovered by archeologists of the Khorezm expedition casually in 1938. Archeologists were surprised with the form of ancient construction, unprecedented till then in Khoresm: the powerful citadel with the remains of a protective wall was not square and or rectangular as it was used to see, but it was round. Outside, protective constructions had the form of a correct circle with the citadel in the center, it was surrounded with an external fortification with towers. The space between the central building and the wall named the "ring" appeared completely built up. The clay construction was enormous: diameter of the central building was 42 m, height in the best remained part was about 8 m, the diameter of the whole construction - about 90 m......Thousands of fragments of magnificent pottery have been scattered on sandy barkhans round the fortress and among its ruins. Along with other findings, in particular bronze tips of arrows, they were used to identify its age - archeologists found out that it was the most ancient of all the monuments to ancient Khorezmian statehood known by that time. The earliest finds dated back to 4th-3rd centuries BC.... the fortress had two stages of the development. Earlier stage dated back to 4th-3rd centuries BC. The second period of the fortress referred to the first centuries AD."....http://www.advantour.com/uzbekistan/karakalpakstan/koy-krylgan-kala.htm

"Koy-Krylgan-kala was the powerful well fortified fortress with a number of protective walls which were destroyed with time, it was possible to trace them only in a small site. Similar fortifications were peculiar to all monuments of antiquity and the early Middle Ages of Khoresm. According to researches of archeologists, the Fortress of Lost Rams is one of the most ancient monuments ancient Khorezm statehood, the temple complex that partially functioned as a burial of the unknown ancient king or queen.......The fortress population consisted of Zoroastrians, worshipping Anakhita, the goddess of water and rivers, and Siyavus, the god of sun. This monument is interesting in terms of the central complex location. Its western part was built in honour of the goddess Anakhita, and eastern and the southern parts were turned towards the sun rising in honour of the god of sun Siyavush, evidenced by number of figurines and relicts of vessels with images of gods......The fortress history Koy-Krylgan-kala totals a millenium. The remnants of the most ancient ossuaries in the Central Asia were found along with paintings and inscriptions in ancient Khorezmian language. This fortress remains a historical puzzle until now, standing out with its unique design among other fortresses of Ancient Khorezm.".....http://www.advantour.com/uzbekistan/karakalpakstan/koy-krylgan-kala.htm

Khairizem / Khvarizem/ Chorasmia Historical Sites...http://www.heritageinstitute.com/zoroastrianism/khvarizem

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Email....okarresearch@gmail.com

March 2015

John Hopkins....Northern New Mexico

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The Ancient Kala of the Oxus River Region (Part 1)

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"Forgotten realms of the Oxus region.....The ancient cities and fortresses along the Oxus and nearby rivers........It's unknown exactly where antiquity-era Chorsamia was centred, although part of the ruins of Kyrk Molla at Gurganj date back to this period, as do part of the ruins of Itchan Kala in present-day Khiva (Khwarezm's capital). Probably the most impressive and best-preserved ancient ruins in the region, are those of the Ayaz Kala fortress complex, parts of which date back to the 4th century BC. There are numerous other "Kala" (the Chorasmian word for "fortress") nearby, including Toprak Kala and Kz'il Kala. "....http://greenash.net.au/thoughts/2014/10/forgotten-realms-of-the-oxus-region/

Ayaz Kala (fortress 2) of Khwarezm (Chorasmia), today desert but in ancient times green and lush....http://greenash.net.au/thoughts/2014/10/forgotten-realms-of-the-oxus-region/

"In classical antiquity, a number of advanced civilisations flourished in the area that today comprises parts of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan. Through this area runs a river most commonly known by its Persian name, as the Amu Darya. However, in antiquity it was known by its Greek name, as the Oxus....The Oxus region is home to archaeological relics of grand civilisations, most notably of ancient Bactria, but also of Chorasmia, Sogdiana, Margiana, and Hyrcania. However, most of these ruined sites enjoy far less fame, and are far less well-studied, than comparable relics in other parts of the world......most of the ruins have been neglected by the modern world – largely due to the region's turbulent history of late....."...http://greenash.net.au/thoughts/2014/10/forgotten-realms-of-the-oxus-region/

Overview map of the Oxus region, showing major rivers and antiquity-era archaeological sites..... Forgotten realms of the Oxus region......http://greenash.net.au/thoughts/2014/10/forgotten-realms-of-the-oxus-region/

"The Oxus is the largest river (by water volume) in Central Asia. Due to various geographical factors, it's also changed its course more times (and more dramatically) than any other river in the region, and perhaps in the world."

Faizabad Kala....(Fayzabad, Feyzabad, Fazelabad or Faizabad) (Pashto:فيض آباد), Persian: فيض آباد‎) is the provincial capital and largest city in Badakhshan Province, in northern Afghanistan, with around 50,000 people. It is situated in Fayzabad District and is at an altitude of 1,200 m. (3,937 ft.)....It is located in the northeast of Afghanistan, on the River Kokcha. It is the main commercial and administrative center of the Pamir region."

Kaakha fortress, overlooking the Panj river.....(Hava Afghanistan). ....http://greenash.net.au/thoughts/2014/10/forgotten-realms-of-the-oxus-region/

Settlements along the lower Uzboy part of Hyrcania (which was on occasion given a name of its own, Nesaia) were few. The most notable surviving ruin there is the Igdy Kala fortress, which dates to approximately the 4th century BCE, and which (arguably) exhibits both Parthian and Chorasmian influence. Very little is known about Igdy Kala, as the site has seldom been formally studied. The question of whether the full length of the Uzboy ever existed remains unresolved, particularly regarding the section from Sarykamysh Lake to Igdy Kala.

Aerial view of Koykrylgan Kala....Koykrylgan Kala (also spelt Qoy Qirilq'an Qala) is an amazing and enigmatic site. Its circular shape is unique. Koykrylgan Kala is a 4th century BC fortress, but what lay within the fortifications is a mystery. Today, the site lies in a remote part of the surrounding desert. In the 2nd century BC, the complex was destroyed by fire, was rebuilt and remained in use until the 4th century AD. "...http://www.heritageinstitute.com/zoroastrianism/khvarizem/page4.htm

Map of Khairizem / Khvarizem/ Chorasmia Historical Sites...http://www.heritageinstitute.com/zoroastrianism/khvarizem

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Email....okarresearch@gmail.com

March 2015

John Hopkins....Northern New Mexico

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The Shaivite Yogini Poetess Lal Ded of Kashmir (1320–1392 AD)

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"Lal Ded, Lal Didi, or Lalleshwari (1320–1392) was a Kashmiri Saivite mystic, whose mystic poetry (called vatsun or vakhs, i.e. that which flows, or speech, the Aryan name for the Oxus River near Balkh, the original Saraswati) constitute some of the earliest compositions in the Kashmiri language."....http://shayarmarket.blogspot.com/2014/08/lal-ded-shiv-chuy-thali-thali-rozan.html

"Lalleshwari (1320–1392) was a mystic of the Kashmiri Shaivite sect. She was a creator of the mystic poetry called vatsun or Vakhs, literally "speech". Known as Lal Vakhs, her verses are the earliest compositions in the Kashmiri language and are an important part in history of Kashmiri literature. She inspired some of the later Sufis of Kashmir.....She is also known by various other names, including Lal Ded, Lalla, Lal Diddi, Laleshwari, Lalla Yogishwari and Lalishri."....Richard Carnac Temple (1 August 2003). Word of Lalla the Prophetess. Kessinger Publishing.

"Whatever this body of mine experienced became
the sadhana of Saiva Tantra
illumining my path to Parmasiva."
(An example of Lal Vakh in Kashmiri:
yi rasini vichoarum thi mantar
yihay lagamo dhahas partsun
suy Parasivun tanthar )

"The Rishi order of Kashmir is a Sufi tradition associated with religious harmony. Many of the saints held dear by Kashmiris to this day were Sufi Rishis. The original Rishis include Sheikh Noor-ud-din Wali also known as Nund Rishi. The Rishi order has made an important contribution to Kashmiriyat, the ethnic, national, social and cultural consciousness of the Kashmiri people, as well as a distinctive contribution to global Islam. The 17th-century poet Baba Nasib sums up the impact of the Rishi order thus: "The candle of religion is lit by the Rishis, they are the pioneers of the path of belief. The heart-warming quality of humble souls emanates from the inner purity of the hearts of the Rishis. This vale of Kashmir, that you call a paradise, owes a lot of its charm to the traditions set in vogue by the Rishis."….Kashmiris use the Hindu epithets Rishi or Baba to describe these Sufi saints. The Shaivite yogini Lal Ded was a key influence on Nund Rishi, and is said to have suckled him at her breast when he was an infant. Sufi Rishis were certainly aware of yogic practices, as evidenced by the poet Shams Faqir's praise of Lal Ded: "Lalla achieved the fusion of her vital air and ether, and thus realized God." However, the Sufi Rishis made an effort to clearly distance themselves from certain Hindu practices. Some were farmers, and Nund Rishi himself is said to cultivated land in order to demonstrate the spiritual and social importance of manual labour, abhorred by the Brahmins. "

"Lalleshwari was born in Pandrethan (ancient Puranadhisthana) some four and a half miles to the southeast of Srinagar in a Kashmiri Pandit family. She married at age twelve, but her marriage was unhappy and she left home at twenty-four to take sanyas (renunciation) and become a disciple of the Shaivite guru Siddha Srikantha (Sed Bayu). She continued the mystic tradition of Shaivism in Kashmir, which was known as Trika before 1900.....

"Her poems (called vakhs) have been translated into English by Richard Temple, Jaylal Kaul, Coleman Barks, Jaishree Odin, and Ranjit Hoskote."

"Vatsun is derived from Sanskrit ‘Vachan’ meaning word/speech. This is because it has no particular pattern of versification or rhyme scheme. The metres and rhyme schemes of vatsun are varied, but generally each unit is a stanza of three lines followed by a refrain (vooj). Vatsun bears a resemblance to Urdu lyric. Vatsun is also similar to the ghazals of the Middle East and iambic pentameter of the Western world......In poetry it is a popular age-old folk-form dating back to the fourteenth century, when Lal Ded and Hazart Sheikh-ul-Alam (alias Nund Rishi) wrote in Kashmiri language the devotional poetry depicting their mystic experiences, love for God, love for others, and folk dancing."..."Vatsun." Encyclopaedia of Indian literature vol. 5. 1992.

"Lal Ded....b. 1355......Born in modern-day Kashmir, 14th-century Kashmiri saint and mystic poet Lal Ded (Mother Lalla), also known as Lalla or Lalleshwari, was married at the age of 12 into a family that was reported to have regularly mistreated her. After becoming a disciple of Sidh Srikanth, she renounced her material life and marriage to become a devotee of the god Shiva. As a mystic, she wandered naked, reciting her proverbs and quatrain-based poems. Lal Ded often used her poetry as a peaceful means of engagement with both Shaivism and Sufism.....Her poetry has been translated widely, including English translations by Jane Hirshfield in Women in Praise of the Sacred: 43 Centuries of Spiritual Poetry by Women (1994), Coleman Barks in Naked Song: Lalla (1992), and K.C.I.E. Sir George Grierson in Lalla-Vakyani or The Wise Sayings of Lal-Ded, A Mystic Poetess of Ancient Kashmir (1920). ".....http://www.poetryfoundation.org

"I was passionate, filled with longing,
I searched far and wide.
But the day that the Truthful One
found me, I was at home."
Lal Ded, “[I was passionate]” translated by Jane Hirshfield, from Women in Praise of the Sacred (New York: Harper Collins, 1994).

"The leading Kashmiri Sufi figure, Sheikh Noor-ud-din Wali, also known as Nooruddin Rishi or Nunda Rishi, was highly influenced by Lal Ded. One Kashmiri folk story recounts that as a baby, Nunda Rishi refused to be breast-fed by his mother. It was Lal Ded who breast-fed him. Lal Ded and her mystic musings continue to have a deep impact on the psyche of Kashmiri common man, and the 2000 National Seminar on her held at New Delhi led to the release of the book Remembering Lal Ded in Modern Times.....A solo play in English, Hindi and Kashmiri titled 'Lal Ded' (based on her life), has been performed by actress Mita Vashisht all over India since 2004."

"Lalleshuri (Lal Ded) of Kashmir.....Her poetic compositions or VAAKHS as they are popularly called are the extempore outpourings of a highly awakened YOGINI and exhibit high quality poetry with a deep philosophical content..... Lalleshuri communicated her spiritual teachings in the language of the common man using verbal medium only......The VAAKHS of Lalleshuri.... a highly awakened SHAIVITE YOGINI and a religious philosopher. Her sayings about the futility of worldly existence and the escape route through the practice of Yoga have received wide recognition.... Her poetic compositions were instantly committed to public memory and sung as divine songs to make retribution to God for ones sins. A highly awakened soul, a YUGPURSHA and a living incarnation of Lord Shiva, she gave out rare gems of VAAKHS in the common man’s word showing a clear path towards self realization.".....http://www.shehjar.com

"Lalleshuri is a great interpreter of the divine word AUM. She extensively explains the validity of AUM in achieving higher stages in yoga through PRANAYAMA and advancement of self by mastering efficiently the recitation of AUM. She says one who is able to master the recitation of this divine word with the rhythm of his breath without any digression of thought can form an easy bridge between him and the universal consciousness. LALLA says further that she gradually mastered the recitation of AUM in a way that she began feeling a strange sensation and with it her whole ego vanished, and thus detached from the world she was enlightened.".....http://www.shehjar.com

"Lalleshuri has given exhaustive description of KUDALINI SHAKTI and the exercise of KUNDALINI JAGRAN. The KUDALINI SHAKTI is a latent energy in the form of a coiled serpent with its abode in the lower end region of the spinal cord of the human body. On purification and awakening of this energy which is a systematic YOG-KRIYA the divine energy takes an upward course through spinal cord called KUNDALINI JAGRAN performed with the inhalation and exhalation of breath (PRANAYAMA) and gradually with sustained effort the energy reaches the top of the head of the YOGI. On acquisition of this energy the seeker attains the final and most comprehensive truth about the entire universe. This is the highest stage in YOGA and when the seeker reaches this stage all his passions for worldly pleasures retire and he is freed from the cycle of birth and death, a stage of eternal bliss. Lalleshuri calls KUDALINI SHAKTI in the form of a coiled serpent a SHAH-MAR (king serpent) and calls upon the seeker to lift the lid off the container of this energy by the power of exhalation and inhalation of breath and dive deep into the supreme consciousness.".......http://www.shehjar.com

"Mita Vashisht has worked in off-beat cinema as well as in commercial roles. She has worked in theatre and has written scripts as well. Since 2004, she has performed her solo play in English and Hindi, titled, Lal Ded, based on life of medieval Kashmiri mystic Lal Ded, all over India.".... C.S. Lakshmi (1 May 2005). "Songs of a mystic"

The Emir of Bokhara and His Country: Journeys and Studies in Bokhara... By Ole Olufsen

The Vakhsh River (Tajik: Вахш), also known as the Surkhob (in north-central Tajikistan) and the Kyzyl-Suu (in Kyrgyzstan), is a Central Asian river, and one of the main rivers of the nation of Tajikistan. It is a tributary of the Amu Darya river.

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Email....okarresearch@gmail.com

March 2015

Northern New Mexico

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Chinnamasta: Masta, Mazda, Kali & Vajrayogini

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"Chhinnamasta temple......the Goddess Chinnamasta (the beheaded Goddess Kali), one of the ten forms of the Goddess Durga."

"Chhinnamasta (Sanskrit: छिन्नमस्ता, Chinnamastā, "She whose head is severed"), often spelled Chinnamasta and also called Chhinnamastika and Prachanda Chandika, is one of the Mahavidyas, ten Tantric goddesses and a ferocious aspect of Devi, the Hindu Divine Mother. Chhinnamasta can be easily identified by her fearsome iconography. The self-decapitated goddess holds her own severed head in one hand, a scimitar in another. Three jets of blood spurt out of her bleeding neck and are drunk by her severed head and two attendants. Chhinnamasta is usually depicted standing on a copulating couple......Chhinnamasta is associated with the concept of self-sacrifice as well as the awakening of the kundalini – spiritual energy. She is considered both as a symbol of self-control on sexual desire as well as an embodiment of sexual energy, depending upon interpretation. She symbolizes both aspects of Devi: a life-giver and a life-taker. Her legends emphasize her sacrifice – sometimes with a maternal element, her sexual dominance and her self-destructive fury. Though she enjoys patronage as part of the Mahavidyas, her individual temples – mostly found in Northern India and Nepal – and individual public worship is rare, due to her ferocious nature and her reputation of being dangerous to approach and worship. Her individual worship is restricted to heroic, Tantric worship by Tantrikas, yogis and world renouncers.....Chhinnamasta is recognized by both Hindus and Buddhists. She is closely related to Chinnamunda – the severed-headed form of the Tibetan Buddhist goddess Vajrayogini.".....

"Mazda", or rather the Avestan stem-form Mazdā-, nominative Mazdå, reflects Proto-Iranian *Mazdāh (female). It is generally taken to be the proper name of the spirit, and like its Sanskrit cognate medhā, means "intelligence" or "wisdom". Both the Avestan and Sanskrit words reflect Proto-Indo-Iranian *mazdhā-, from Proto-Indo-European *mn̩sdʰeh1, literally meaning "placing (*dʰeh1) one's mind (*mn̩-s)", hence "wise"....The name was rendered as Ahuramazda (Old Persian) during the Achaemenid era, Hormazd during the Parthian era, and Ohrmazd was used during the Sassanian era."...Boyce, Mary (1983), "Ahura Mazdā", Encyclopaedia Iranica 1,

"Chhinnamasta is popular in Tantric and Tibetan Buddhism, where she is called Chinnamunda ("she with a severed head") – the severed-head form of goddess Vajrayogini or Vajravarahi – a ferocious form of the latter, who is depicted similar to Chhinnamasta......Buddhist texts recount the birth of the Buddhist Chinnamunda. One tale tells of Krishnacharya's disciples, two Mahasiddha sisters, Mekhala and Kankhala, who cut their heads, offered them to their guru and then danced. The goddess Vajrayogini also appeared in this form and danced with them.".....Kinsley, David R. (1997), Tantric visions of the divine feminine: the ten mahāvidyās

"Chhinnamasta is described as being as red as the hibiscus flower or as bright as a million suns. She is depicted mostly nude and with dishevelled hair. She is described to be a sixteen-year-old girl with full breasts, having a blue lotus near her heart."

"Worship: While she is easily identified by most Hindus and often worshipped and depicted as part of the Mahavidya group in goddess temples, Chhinnamasta is not so popular as an individual goddess. Her individual temples as well as her public worship are rare. Her individual worship is restricted to heroic, Tantric worship by Tantrikas (a type of Tantric practitioners), yogis and world renouncers. The lack of her worship is attributed by Kinsley to her ferocious nature and her reputation of being dangerous to approach and worship.....Her hundred-name hymn and thousand-name hymn describe her fierce nature and wrath. The names describe her as served by ghosts and as gulping blood. She is pleased by human blood, human flesh and meat, and worshipped by body hair, flesh and fierce mantras.".....Kinsley, David R. (1997), Tantric visions of the divine feminine: the ten mahāvidyās,

The Chintpurni, Himachal Pradesh temple of Chhinnamastika is one of the Shakti Peethas

Chinnamasta Bhagawati (छिन्नमस्ता भगवती) is one of the famous temples of Eastern Nepal. It is situated in Chinnamasta VDC, Saptari, 10 km from Rajbiraj and also near to Indian Border. This Temple is a main attraction for Nepal and Indian Pilgrims

The Rough Guide to Nepal......by Dave Reed, James McConnachie

"Aparajita.......Buddhist - An aspect of Ratnasambhava. Known as Aparajita, Durga, Durga, Durga, Agni- Durga, Arya, Aticanadika, Bhadrakali, Camunda, Candanayika, Candarupa, Candavati, Candogra, Chinnamasta(ka), Dasha-Bhuja, Devi, Durgha, Kali, Kapalini, Karali, Kaushita, Kirati, K(a)umari, Mahadevi, Mahamari, Mahisha-Mardini, Pinga, Pracanda, Pramuni, Raktadanti, Rudra(carcika), Rudrani, Shakti, Shas(h)t(h)i, Simha-Rathi, Simha-Vahini, Ugracangika, Uma, Yogini, Java Ambu Dewi, Pacific Islands Batari, Ratnasambhava, Ratnasambhava, Jambhala, Prasannatara, Ratnaheruka, Ratnapani, Hindu Yama, Japanese Hosho, Rudra, Rudra, Bhava, Bhima, Boar of the Sky, Ekadasarudra, Girisha, 'howler', Ishana, Lord of the Mountains, Mahadeva, Nilalohita, Pas(h)upati, 'roarer', Sarva, Shambhu, Ugra, Assyrian Assara Mazas, Greek Dionysus or Persian Ahura Mazda.".....http://www.mythologydictionary.com/aparajita-mythology.html

"Karalika: A hell probably associated by its name with Chinnamasta Devi, the goddess of the severed head."

"......a large stone relief from Tamtoc, Mexico, in the Huastec cultural zone. It shows three women, one with upraised arms and the other two headless. (Chinnamasta in reverse? just kidding.) Early reports saying that the find dates from the Olmec era are being disputed."....http://www.suppressedhistories.net/newresearch2007.html

Manasa Shakti Peeth is Located at Tibet. This Shakti peeth is placed just beside the most pure and sacred water body specifically known as Lake Manas sarovar....Devi's Daksha Hasta (Right Hand) fell at Manasa where She is known as Dakshayani and the Bhairava is called Amara."

Benard, Elizabeth Anne (2000), Chinnamasta: The Aweful Buddhist and Hindu Tantric Goddess, Motilal Banarsidass

Donaldson, Thomas E. (2001), Iconography of the Buddhist Sculpture of Orissa, New Delhi: Indira Gandhi Nation Centre for Arts (Abhinav Publications)

Kinsley, David R. (1988), "Tara, Chinnamasta and the Mahavidyas", 0-520-06339-2&q= Hindu Goddesses: Visions of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Tradition (1 ed.), University of California Press

Kinsley, David R. (1997), Tantric visions of the divine feminine: the ten mahāvidyās, University of California Press.

van Kooij, Karel R. (1999), "Iconography of the Battlefield: The Case of Chinnamasta", in Houben, Jan E. M.; van Kooij, Karel R., 90-04-11344-4&q=Chinnamasta Violence Denied, BRILL

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Email....okarresearch@gmail.com

March 2015

John Hopkins....Northern New Mexico

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Arnold Toynbee: Oikoumenê & the Central Asian 'Roundabout'

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"The historian Arnold Toynbee (1889 – 1975) has described Afghanistan as a “roundabout of the ancient world” due to the masses of people that have passed through this region over the centuries. In modern times too, many of the world’s armies have passed through temporarily establishing control over this region, and still it refuses to be colonized."

"Oikoumenê .....Ecumene (also spelled œcumene or oikoumene) is a term originally used in the Greco-Roman world to refer to the inhabited universe (or at least the known part of it). The term derives from the Greek οἰκουμένη (oikouménē, the feminine present middle participle of the verb οἰκέω, oikéō, "to inhabit"), short for οἰκουμένη γῆ "inhabited world".....

Ptolemy's description of the Oecumene ...A printed map from the 15th century (1482, Johannes Schnitzer, engraver).

"Anyone who, unlike me, already knows something about Afghanistan or Central Asia, or has read the posts here back to only June 26, should be able to understand the next passage......Europeans have a saying that “all roads lead to Rome”. .....From a European standpoint they may look as if they do. But Europe is one of the fringes of the Old World, and eccentric positions produce distorted views. Plant yourself, not in Europe, but in ‘Iraq, which is the historic centre of our Oikoumenê. Seen from this central position, the road-map of the Old World will assume a very different pattern. It will become evident that half the roads of the Old World lead to Aleppo, and half to Begrám. The second of these two names marks the site of the historic city of Kapisha-Kanish, at the southern foot of the Central Hindu Kush, where three roads meet after crossing the mountains.....Why particularly Aleppo and Begrám? I referred to the geopolitical significance of Aleppo in this post. Begrám is a staging-post en route to India. Cyrus the Great and his successor Darius captured it, though they did not cross the Indus. Alexander established a colony nearby named Alexandria of the Caucasus. Caucasus Indicus was an ancient name for the Hindu Kush. Another name for Begrám has been Kapisa.".....by: David Derrick....Reith Lectures 3.... The Old World’s eastern roundabout.....July 1 2008....https://davidderrick.wordpress.com

What the Ecumene (inhabited world) may have looked like according to Herodotus (5th century BC).

"......the Oikoumenê. He uses that word here to mean the “civilised” world, or rather the world in process of civilisation, but in a later book, Mankind and Mother Earth, he acknowledges that its literal Greek meaning is wider: “the Inhabited (Part of the World)”. ...https://davidderrick.wordpress.com

" Christianity: Ecumenism...of Classical Greek words: oikos, meaning a “house,” “family,” “people,” or “nation”; oikoumenē, “the whole inhabited world”; and oikoumenikos, “open to or participating in the whole world.....ideology that had prevailed since Constantine (4th century) and Justinian I (6th century)—according to which there was to be only one universal Christian society, the oikoumenē, led jointly by the empire and the church—was still the ideology of the Byzantine emperors. .”.....http://www.britannica.com

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00dwmfk

"During a trip across Afghanistan in 1960, the great British historian Arnold J. Toynbee reflected that "Afghanistan has been deluged with history and been devastated by it". .....Arnold Toynbee on history and Afghanistan...Adam Curtis clip.

"Afghanistan was for millennia at the crossroads of empires and host to passing trends and peoples.....at Tepe Fullol, we see stunning Bronze Age goblets made of gold, sifted from the mighty Oxus River (known today as the Amu Darya), inscribed with representations of bulls familiar in ancient Mesopotamia, more than 2,000km away. The exhibits from this site link the area with what has become known as the "Oxus cultural complex", a region that stretched further back in time, and across a wider expanse, than previously thought......This "Oxus civilisation" had an impact on the cultures of the Indus and Mesopotamia as far back as 2200BC. The lapis lazuli and tin mines of Tepe Fullol had made early inhabitants rich through trade, and the burial grounds found here also give evidence of the early influence of the Zoroastrian religion."....http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk

"Toynbee began his Study of History in 1922 , inspired by seeing Bulgarian peasants wearing fox-skin caps like those described by Herodotus as the headgear of Xerxes’ troops.....Toynbee was severely criticized by other historians....the critique has been leveled at his use of myths and metaphors as being of comparable value to factual data....Toynbee argued that "Civilizations die from suicide, not by murder." .....He expressed great admiration for Ibn Khaldun (1332 - 1406 AD...Tunisian historian) and his book Muqaddimah ("Introduction", known as Prolegomena in Greek)." .....https://www.alislam.org

“All roads lead to Balkh,” uttered Gurdjieff, referring to the Sufic origin of all systems. Yesai Narai writes, “Balkh is the town often associated with Padmasambhava, and Rabia and Rumi as well. Although Padmasambhava is usually thought to be Indian, it is possible that he is from the Afghanistan region also associated with his name.” ....http://balkhandshambhala.blogspot.com/2012/10/balkh-and-sufism.html

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Email....okarresearch@gmail.com

March 2015

John Hopkins....Northern New Mexico

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