Dictionary Of God And Godedesses

Rudra 267ance of the rainbow. He is also regarded as theancestor of several Maori clans.Various traditions are associated with Rongomai.In some regions of New Zealand he is alsoregarded as a god of war and is thought to havediscovered the magic arts during a visit to theunderworld, including the power of kaiwhatu, apreventative charm against witchcraft. Rongomaiis sometimes mistakenly identified with RONGO-MATANE, or Rongo, though the latter is generallyconsidered a distinct personality. As the godresponsible for the well-being of whales Rongomaimay take the form of a whale, a guise in whichhe once challenged MARU, a more widely recognizedNew Zealand war god. Separate mythologyplaces him in the heavens in the form of a comet.RongomataneGod of agriculture. Polynesian (including Maori).He is the father of cultivated food and the specialgardener of the kumara or sweet potato which isa vital crop in Polynesia. In New Zealand the firstsweet potatoes are offered to Rongomatane. Inthe traditions of the Hervey Islands, Rongo is oneof the five sons of the moon god, Vatea, and themother goddess, Papa.Rosmerta (great provider)Fertility goddess. Romano-Celtic (Gallic andBritish). Consort to the god Mercury. Probablylocally worshiped and often depicted carrying abasket of fruit, purse or cornucopia. She and Mercuryfrequently appear together. In addition toher purse, she may bear a twin-headed ax or,alternatively, she may carry Mercury’s caduceus(snake-entwined wand).See also MERCURIUS.Rsabha (the bull)God. Hindu (Epic and Puranic). An unusualavatara of VIŠNU. Said to be similar to the Jaindeity Rsabhanatha and therefore may representan attempt to meld the two religions by absorbingJainism locally.RuamokoGod of volcanoes and earthquakes. Polynesianand Maori. According to tradition, Ruamoko isthe youngest son of RANGINUI and PAPATUANUKUand is possessed by a formidable temper. Whenhis older siblings set about separating the primeparents from their eternal lovemaking in order toallow light into the space between sky and earth,he was enraged and his boisterous tantrumbecame revealed in the violence of volcanic eruptionsand earthquakes.Ruamoko is of less importance than PELE, thechief volcano goddess of Polynesia, who isrevered mainly in Hawaii.RubangaCreator god. Alur [Uganda and DemocraticRepublic of Congo, Africa]. His sacred bird isthe ibis.RudaTutelary god. Pre-Islamic northern Arabian. Anandrogynous being symbolized by the eveningstar. Also ARSU (Palmyra).RudiobusProbably a horse god. Romano-Celtic (Gallic).Known from an inscription at Neuvy-en-Sulliaswhich includes a depiction of a stallion.Rudra (howler)Weather god. Hindu (Vedic). An early deity,largely superseded by ŠIVA, who controls the galesand storms. Often linked with the fire god AGNIand the rain god INDRA. Generally a malignant