(^378) A Wiccan Bible
Parasurama—Male—Near East
(Also known as Parashurama)
Animal associations: Ape, Swallow
Plant associations: Benzoin, Gum Mastic,
Mace, Sandalwood (white), Vervain, Marjo-
ram, Palm (date)
Hindu sixth avatar of Vishnu. He once
served Lord Shiva. During such service, Shiva
gave to him an axe. Later, he went to seek ad-
vise of Lord Shiva, but Ganesha would not al-
low him access to his Lord. In anger, he threw
his axe at Ganesha, who could surely have al-
lowed the axe to pass without harm. Realizing
the axe had been given to the young
Parasurama, Ganesha allowed it to sever the
tip of one of his tusks. This is why Ganesha is
typically shown with one tusk that still has a
point and the other with the point cut off.
Parvati—Female—Near East
Father: Himavat
Husband: Shiva
Animal association: Dove
Hindu goddess who is either one of Shiva’s
many lovers, or (as I believe) Shiva’s wife who
has many avatars/incarnations, including:
Ambika, Bhairavi, Durga, Gauri, Kali, Sati, and
Uma. Parvati can be seen as a Creator god-
dess, independent of Shiva, as her son Ganesa
was created when she blessed dust with the flu-
ids of her body. Because it was clear that in
union there were none who could effectively
stand against Parvati and Shiva, when she won
Shiva’s mind, body, and soul the Earth
trembled in the quake of their love.
Pashadhari—Female—Near East
Husband: Yama
Hindu mother goddess whose symbol is the
noose, associated with creation (penis and va-
gina) and birth (vagina and umbilical chord),
much as the ankh is.
Pasiphae—Female—Mediterranean
Father: Helios
Mother: Cymene
Husband: Minos
Plant association: Ivy (common)
When her husband, King Minos, insulted
Poseidon, he took his revenge by causing
Pasiphae to fall deeply in love with a bull. Such
was her lust for that bull that she commissioned
the construction of a contraption that would
allow her to mate with it. She did and later gave
birth to Minotaur. Ah, now that is revenge.
Patecatl—Male—Central America
Aztec god of healing and fertility. He is also
associated with intoxication and revelry, par-
ticularly fond of alcohol intoxication.
Patol—Male—Central America
Wife: Alaghom Naum
Mayan god of the Tzental tribe. Sometimes
cited as the Mayan chief god.
Pax—Female—Mediterranean
(Also known as Pax Augusta)
‘Peace’—Roman personification of peace.
One of her holidays falls on the day the United
States celebrates its independence, perhaps a
hint that peace is sometimes achieved only af-
ter standing against oppression.
Peitho—Female—Mediterranean
Father: Hermes
Mother: Aphrodite
‘Persuasion’—Greek personification of
persuasion and seduction, especially sexual
seduction.
Peleus—Male—Mediterranean
Father: Aeacus
Son: Achilles by Thetis
Wife: Thetis
Greek god who married Thetis, but did not
invite Eris (Discordia). Some say the invitation
list was made by Zeus, but certainly Peleus
could have objected to the lack of inclusion.
Eris respected the fact that she was not invited,
but sent a gift of a golden apple to the feast,
on which was written kallisti, which means ‘to
the prettiest one.’ Athena, Hera, and
Aphrodite all made claim to the apple insist-
ing that each was ‘the prettiest one.’ To settle
z WB Chap 17.p65 378 7/11/2003, 6:05 PM
barré
(Barré)
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