83. And they ask you about Zul-Qarnain. Say, “I will tell you something about him.”
84. We established him on earth, and gave him all kinds of means.
85. He pursued a certain course.
86. Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it setting in a murky spring, and found a people in its vicinity. We said, “O Zul-Qarnain, you may either inflict a penalty, or else treat them kindly.”
87. He said, “As for him who does wrong, we will penalize him, then he will be returned to his Lord, and He will punish him with an unheard-of torment.
88. “But as for him who believes and acts righteously, he will have the finest reward, and We will speak to him of Our command with ease.”
89. Then he pursued a course.
90. Until, when he reached the rising of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had provided no shelter from it.
91. And so it was. We had full knowledge of what he had.
92. Then he pursued a course.
93. Until, when he reached the point separating the two barriers, he found beside them a people who could barely understand what is said.
94. They said, “O Zul-Qarnain, the Gog and Magog are spreading chaos in the land. Can we pay you, to build between us and them a wall?”
95. He said, “What my Lord has empowered me with is better. But assist me with strength, and I will build between you and them a dam.”
96. “Bring me blocks of iron.” So that, when he had leveled up between the two cliffs, he said, “Blow.” And having turned it into a fire, he said, “Bring me tar to pour over it.”
97. So they were unable to climb it, and they could not penetrate it.
98. He said, “This is a mercy from my Lord. But when the promise of my Lord comes true, He will turn it into rubble, and the promise of my Lord is always true.”
99. On that Day, We will leave them surging upon one another. And the Trumpet will be blown, and We will gather them together.
100. On that Day, We will present the disbelievers to Hell, all displayed.
101. Those whose eyes were screened to My message, and were unable to hear.
102. Do those who disbelieve think that they can take My servants for masters instead of Me? We have prepared Hell for the hospitality of the faithless.
103. Say, “Shall We inform you of the greatest losers in their works?”
104. “Those whose efforts in this world are misguided, while they assume that they are doing well.”
105. It is they who rejected the communications of their Lord, and the encounter with Him. So their works are in vain. And on the Day of Resurrection, We will consider them of no weight.
106. That is their requital—Hell—on account of their disbelief, and their taking My revelations and My messengers in mockery.
107. As for those who believe and do righteous deeds, they will have the Gardens of Paradise for hospitality.
108. Abiding therein forever, without desiring any change therefrom.
109. Say, “If the ocean were ink for the words of my Lord, the ocean would run out, before the words of my Lord run out,” even if We were to bring the like of it in addition to it.
110. Say, “I am only a human being like you, being inspired that your god is One God. Whoever hopes to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness, and never associate anyone with the service of his Lord.”
- The Quran, Ch. 18: "The Cave"
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1 Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;
2 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:
3 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.
4 For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.
5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:
6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.
7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.
8 Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.
9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?
10 Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?
11 Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.
12 I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.
13 I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts.
14 Thus saith the Lord, The labour of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall come after thee; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, there is no God.
- Book of Isaiah, Ch. 45
The world Cyrus was born into was one of brutality and bloodshed. His semi-mythical origin story goes that when Cyrus was born, his grandfather Astyages, king of the Medes, ordered that Cyrus be killed, because Astyages had a prophetic dream which foretold that Cyrus would usurp his throne. When Astyages found out that Harpagus, (the royal advisor ordered to perform the murder) had instead presented a stillborn to the king and spared Cyrus, Astyages cut up and served Harpagus’ own son to him as dinner. So yeah, that’s pretty much as bad as it gets.
While Harpagus was punished, Cyrus was spared and sent to live with his father, (The son of Astyages and king of the province of Anshan, near modern-day Shiraz) and would fulfill the prophecy, succeeding his grandfather and ascending to the throne in 559 B.C.E.. Although he ruled Anshan as a loyal vassal to the Median Empire, Cyrus would come to blows with Astyages after his treacherous grandfather launched a surprise attack on Cyrus, who was warned by Harpagus, who understandably defected from Astyages’ side. Amazingly, Cyrus would spare his murderous grandfather, and by some accounts, may have even installed him as a governor.
The most important source for his life is the Greek historian Herodotus. The idealized biography by Xenophon is a work for the edification of the Greeks concerning the ideal ruler, rather than a historical treatise. It does, however, indicate the high esteem in which Cyrus was held, not only by his own people, the Persians, but by the Greeks and others. Herodotus says that the Persians called Cyrus their father, while later Achaemenian rulers were not so well regarded.
The Gold Lampstand
1 And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep,
2 And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof:
3 And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.
4 So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?
5 Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.
...
11 Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?
12 And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves?
13 And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.
14 Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.
- Book of Zechariah, Ch. 4
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The Danubian Neolithic culture, stretching through the valleys from Bulgaria to Germany via Hungary, Slovakia and Austria, ranges from around circa 6000 to 3500 BC.
Undoubtedly one of the world's oldest civilisations, it predates the Sumerian (3500 to 2300 BC) by 2500 years, the Egyptian (3100 to 30 BC) by 2900 years, the Canaanite (3200 to 2200 BC) by 2800 years and the Minoan (2400 to 1500 BC) civilisation by 3600 years. The Danubian Culture was most likely the mother culture of the Hittite (1700 to 1200 BC) and Mycenaean, Achaean (1600 to 1100 BC) cultures.
By the fifth millennium BC, the Danubians had reached a high level of sophistication which included a unified priesthood, political organisations and farming practices. Archaeologists who had uncovered many ancient sites in the Lower Danube (Lepinsky Vir) have now discovered its northern extension in Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. The northern sites, where more than150 temples involving large-scale earthworks were unearthed, date from between 4800 to 4600 BC. These were constructed of earth embankments and wooden palisades and stretched for up to a half mile. The temple sites were built by a highly religious people who lived in communal long-houses that were about 50 meters long grouping sizeable villages.One of these highly organised village and temple complexes at Aythra, near Leipzig, covers an area of 25 hectares.
Also uncovered were two hundred communal long-houses. The population was estimated over 300 people living in buildings grouped 15 to 20. Their economy and lifestyle were based on husbandry raising cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. After 200 years period of growth and consolidation, these pan-tribal mini-states collapsed and dispersed. Their artisans manufactured pots, toys, weapons and tools made of stone, wood and bone and ceramics. They decorated their pottery with geometric designs and carved statues in animal and human shapes. The Danubian nations probably dispersed at a time when they became familiar with copper work since *ayes- is the main common term to designate metal along with bronze, gold and silver. "
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Danu (Sanskrit: दनु, IAST: Danu) is a Hindu primordial goddess. She is mentioned in the Rigveda to be the mother of the eponymous race known as the danavas. The word Danu described the primeval waters that this deity perhaps embodied. In later Hinduism, she is described as the daughter of the Prajapati Daksha and his spouse Panchajani, and the consort of the sage Kashyapa.[1]
As a word for "rain" or "liquid", dānu is compared to Avestan dānu, "river", and further to river names like Don, Danube, Dnieper, Dniestr, etc. There is also a Danu river in Nepal. The "liquid" word is mostly neutral, but appears as feminine in RV 1.54.
In the Rigveda (I.32.9), she is identified as the mother of Vritra, the asura DRAGON slain by Indra.[2]
In the Padma Purana, the children of Danu are described:
From Kaśyapa, Danu obtained a hundred sons proud of boons. Among them Vipracitti, of great power, was the chief. (Others were) Dviraṣṭamūrdhā, Śakuni, Śaṅkuśirodhara, Ayomukha, Śambara, Kapila, Vāmana, Marīci, Māgadha, and Hari. Gajaśiras, Nidrādhara, Ketu, Ketuvīrya Taśakratu, Indramitragraha, Vrajanābha, Ekavastra, Mahābāhu, Vajrākṣa, Tāraka, Asiloman, Puloman, Vikurvāṇa, Mahāpura, Svarbhānu, and Vṛṣaparvan—these and others were also Danu’s sons. Suprabhā was Svarbhānu’s daughter, and Śacī was the daughter of Puloman.
— Padma Purana, Book 1, Chapter 6
In the Brahmanda Purana, it is stated that while Aditi is habitually righteous, and Diti was habitually strong, Danu habitually practices maya.[4]
Danu was struck by Indra's thunderbolt after hearing him kill her son Vritra.[5]
https://restlesssoma.com.au/restlesssoma/index.php?action=post;quote=20802;topic=3532.0
5 Indra with his own great and deadly thunder smote into pieces Vṛtra, worst of Vṛtras.
As trunks of trees, what time the axe hath felled them, low on the earth so lies the prostrate Dragon.
6 He, like a mad weak warrior, challenged Indra, the great impetuous many-slaying Hero.
He, brooking not the clashing of the weapons, crushed—Indra's foe—the shattered forts in falling.
7 Footless and handless still he challenged Indra, who smote him with his bolt between the shoulders.
Emasculate yet claiming manly vigour, thus Vṛtra lay with scattered limbs dissevered.
8 There as he lies like a bank-bursting river, the waters taking courage flow above him.
The Dragon lies beneath the feet of torrents which Vṛtra with his greatness had encompassed.
9 Then humbled was the strength of Vṛtra's mother: Indra hath cast his deadly bolt against her.
The mother was above, the son was under and like a cow beside her calf lay Danu.
10 Rolled in the midst of never-ceasing currents flowing without a rest for ever onward.
The waters bear off Vṛtra's nameless body: the foe of Indra sank to during darkness.
11 Guarded by Ahi stood the thralls of Dāsas, the waters stayed like kine held by the robber.
But he, when he had smitten Vṛtra, opened the cave wherein the floods had been imprisoned.
12 A horse's tail wast thou when he, O Indra, smote on thy bolt; thou, God without a second,
Thou hast won back the kine, hast won the Soma; thou hast let loose to flow the Seven Rivers.
13 Nothing availed him lightning, nothing thunder, hailstorm or mist which had spread around him:
When Indra and the Dragon strove in battle, Maghavan gained the victory for ever.
14 Whom sawest thou to avenge the Dragon, Indra, that fear possessed thy heart when thou hadst slain him;
That, like a hawk affrighted through the regions, thou crossedst nine-and-ninety flowing rivers?
15 Indra is King of all that moves and moves not, of creatures tame and horned, the Thunder-wielder.
Over all living men he rules as Sovran, containing all as spokes within the felly.
- Rig Veda
1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. 2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. 3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. 4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. 5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. 6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. 10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. 12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. 13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.
- Book of the Revelation, Ch. 11
https://michaelstearns.bandcamp.com/album/ancient-leaves
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