GÖKOTTA

Foulsham & Banfield :: Teddie Gerard, bromide postcard print, 1916, published by J.J. Samuels (Arcadian series). / src: NPG

From Amoris Divini et Humani Antipathia, 1629.

Tempting: over 800 vintage devils.

Gustave Le Gray (1820-1884)

This procession of ghosts haunts the Western Ontario yearbook of 1961.

Here are some of the best vintage photos I’ve collected.

Bouquet of violets, Edouard Manet

Medium: oil,canvas

And so the story goes that the gods (deva), demons (danava) and men (manava), all children of Prajapati - the lord of all beings - were unhappy and approached the Wise One, their father, for a solution that would dispel their despondence. The Prajapati deep in meditation opened his eyes for but a moment, uttered the syllable Da, and resumed his meditative trance.

Da. What did he mean by Da, his children pondered …

We kno! The gods thought. Da stands for Damana - restraint. We should not give ourselves up to enjoying the pleasures of paradise but instead should control our senses. And the gods found happiness in self-restraint.

Oh! Thought the demons. Da stands for Daya - mercy. We should stop being cruel and should show mercy to those we defeat. And so the danavas found happiness in compassion.

Aha! Said men, Da stands for Dana - giving. The Father expects us to always give to our fellows in need. And so men found happiness in generosity.