Rod (in
Slavic languages
Род), sometimes referred to simply as
god (
Div, Diy; in the
Veda Slovena Diy or Dia), is probably the most ancient deity in the
Slavic pantheon. It is likely that several other
gods, most notably
Svarog, were initially epithets or incarnations of Rod.
Svarog Rod meant
Heavenly Rod. Later on these incarnations separated from Rod and were worshipped as separate entities. Very little is known about actual worship of Rod.
In
Slavic mythology Rod is the first god—progenitor of deities, creator of the
Universe and its manager. He is the supreme universal principle, which established the divine law Pravda (Prav). He is a protector of blood-ties and clan relations, a
patron of kinship and clan unions. At the beginning of Time, at the very beginning of the
Cosmos, only Rod existed and there was nothing around him. According to some believers, he later created the Universe and the three worlds
Jav, Prav and Nav, and arranged everything inside them. Rod also introduced the superior principle of balance between elements and enforced the highest law Pravda, which every creature and power (physical or metaphysical, material or energy) must obey.
The Slavic word
rod has several meanings, including
kin,
tribe, and
giving birth.
His divine consort is known as
Rodzanica or Rodenica, co-creator of the universe.
See also
