Dictionary Of God And Godedesses

6 SSaChthonic creator god. Kono [eastern Guinea,West Africa]. One of a pair of creator deities, withALATANGANA. Sa inhabited the primeval swampsbefore the sky or the light existed and before therewere any living things on earth. He had a daughterwho eloped with Alatangana and bore fourteenchildren, three pairs of black and four pairs ofwhite, all of whom spoke different languages andto whom Sa gave the tools of survival.SABAOTHORIGIN Gnostic Christian [easternMediterranean]. Creator god.KNOWN PERIOD OF WORSHIP uncertain originsuntil circa AD 400.SYNONYMS none, but see below.CENTER(S) OF CULT undefined cells within thearea of early Christian influence.ART REFERENCES none.LITERARY SOURCES Nag Hammadi codices.Sabaoth, in Gnostic cosmogony, is one of theseven offspring of the “primal parent” YALD-ABAOTH. The narrative which emerges in suchworks as Origin of the World is confused and inplaces contradictory. Sabaoth rebelled against hisfather, who had become arrogant and impious,and backed the primordial female force SOPHIAwho, having been responsible for Yaldabaoth, washorrified at what she had created. She describesYaldabaoth as “a blind god, SAMAEL.” Sabaoth isjoined by seven benign archangels and in the firstgreat battle of the cosmos comes to rule over all,including the forces of chaos. Arguably Sabaothequates to the god of Israel, YHWH.SabaziosGod. Phrygian [northwestern Turkey]. EventuallyHellenized, identified with ZEUS and DIONYSOSand linked with Dionysiac mysteries, appearingin Athens from circa 400 BC. His device is a righthand cast in bronze and decorated with symbolsrepresenting his benevolence. His influenceextended into Roman culture where he reached aheight of popularity circa AD 200. As late as AD 300there are frescoes of Sabazios in the tomb of Vibiawhose husband was a priest of the god’s cult.Sadaksari (Lokesvara)Variety of AVALOKITESVARA. Buddhist-Lamaist[Tibet]. The form of Avalokitesvara that is incarnatein the succession of Dalai Lamas. Color:white. Attributes: book, conch, jewel, lotus androsary.269