Dayan Deerh- Mongolian GodDeity"God of War"
Also known as: Dayisun Tngri, Dayisun Tengri, and Даян Дээрх
Description
Mongol warriors made offerings to Dayan Deerh before campaigns: animals sacrificed, blood sprinkled toward the sky, prayers spoken over the horsehair spirit banner. The war god answered those who fought for their people. He did not answer cowards.
Mythology & Lore
The Spirit Banner
Before a campaign, the army raised the sulde, a standard topped with horsehair from the commander's best stallions. Warriors slaughtered animals at its base and sprinkled the blood skyward while calling on Dayan Deerh for victory and protection from enemy blades. Individual soldiers carried amulets blessed in his name, worn against the skin beneath armor.
His power came from Tengri, the Eternal Sky. When Genghis Khan swept across the steppe and beyond, Mongols attributed the conquests to Tengri's mandate. Dayan Deerh carried that mandate to the battlefield. He favored those who defended their people and kept their oaths. A warrior who broke faith fought alone.
Geser Khan
The Mongolian Geser epic tells of a warrior sent from heaven to destroy the demons plaguing the world. Geser Khan descends as an ugly, sickly child, concealing his divine nature until the moment comes to fight. He slays the mangus demons one by one, each victory won through martial skill and heaven's favor. Mongol warriors who prayed to Dayan Deerh before battle saw in Geser the proof that the war god kept his word.
Relationships
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