Dazhdbog or Dazhbog or Dazbog is the Slavic god of Sun and fire and the son of Svarog. He was also considered and as ancestor of all Slavs, because at this time it was rare for grandson/granddaughter to meet their grandparents.
Myths & Legends[]
There was belief that each winter he is visiting people's homes and gifting gold to good people. That belief passed into Christianity, especially in the Balkans, and visitor was called Položajnik.
During Christianisation, his cult was exchanged with cult of Saint Sava, while Dažbog became lame Daba - the most powerful demon in Hell. Reasons why he was demonized are various, possibly because his cult was the strongest in Serbia or because he was considered also as god of Nav - Slavic underworld and world of dead.
Family[]
Dazhbog is one of the sons of Svarog
Worship and Belief[]
The area of Dazhbog's cult encompassed the lands of the Eastern Slavs and the eastern lands of the Southern Slavs . Dazhbog was included in the pantheon of Vladimir the Great, and his idol stood in Kyiv alongside idols of other gods .
The exclamation “daibog!” has survived to this day in rituals and when drinking strong drinks; in carols, the refrain: “Oh, God grant!”, as well as the expression “to give to God,” that is, “to donate to church needs.” The Ukrainian proverb “send, God, from heaven all that we need,” may be addressed not so much to the Christian God as to Dazhbog. Dazhbog is mentioned in the wedding song “There was a prince with Dazhbog, early and early” . In another song, Dazhbog is glorified as a fertility deity who unlocks summer with keys, that is, revives nature .
In the Ukrainian charter of the 14th century, the proper name Dazhbogovych is indicated
Origins[]
In translations of Greek texts into Slovenian, Helios was translated as Dažbog. In the 6th-century Malalinsk manuscript, Helios is translated as Dazhbog. There, the Russian translator attempted to tell a story set in Egypt, but instead of the names of Greek deities, he used Slavic ones. Dažbog is also mentioned in the Spanish Codex, then the "Letter on Igor's Campaign" and many others. Vladimir the Great placed seven statues of gods in front of his palace in Kiev, and Dazhbog was among them.
Appearance[]
He was imagined as man wearing either wolf or bear fur who becomes older at winter and young at summer.
Wolves[]
His totem animal was wolf, therefore wolf was sacred animal and killing it was considered great sin. Wolves were considered as messengers of Dazhbog, while he himself could shift into white wolf.
Gallery[]
