Ragnarok:

The battle between gods and giants

by W.T.J.S. Kaviratne Ambalangoda Spl. Cor.

Ragnarok, known as the Twilight of the Norse Gods and the Last Battle and Destruction of the Universe has become one of the most popular creations in the realm of world literature lingers for ever in the minds of all those who enjoy the poem known as "Voluspa" in Poetic Edda .

This is based on a prophecy made by a dead prophetess known as Volva in Norse Mythology.

The pantheon of gods and goddesses in Norse mythology were mortal beings.

The perils and vicissitudes of life faced by human beings and right way to encounter daily challenges, ignorance and darkness, cause and effect, fate and what is in store for future, impermanence and change and cosmic rebirth are some of the factors symbolically enshrined in Ragnarok and the death of the God Balder in Norse Mythology.

According to the basic tenets of Buddhist scriptures, similar religious concepts of impermanence ('anicca'), constant change of all animate and inanimate things, Action ('karma') law of cause and effect, controlling of one's own destiny or fate by doing the right thing, ,the fruits of every action could be experienced in this life or another birth.

Noble truths

Four Noble Truths of Suffering ('dukkha') the Origin of Suffering, Cessation of Suffering, and Path to the Cessation of Suffering are symbolically explained throughout the narrations in Norse mythology.

Every god and goddess in Asgard and other supernatural beings in other worlds perished during Ragnarok according to Norse Mythology exponded in Edda .

The suffering of Loki due to his bad behaviour and crimes committed is also highlighted as universal law of cause and effect.

Baldur was one of the most beloved sons of All Father Odin the chief of the Pantheon of Norse gods and his wife Frigga considered as the benevolent Goddess of Sorcery. Baldur was very generous and amiable, very popular among the gods and goddesses and he was the most handsome god known by numerous names such as God of Light and Spring

He was seen always in a happy and jovial mood with other Gods and Goddesses in Asgard which was known as the land of Aesir Gods.

Baldur's palace was located in the beautiful field of Ida. Its roof was made out of silver and stood on pillars made of gold.

Nanna was his beautiful wife the love found between Baldur and Ninna was of unique nature and a similar husband and wife so attached to each other in love were not found in any of the other nine worlds.

Even the human beings lived in Midgard had a great respect for Baldur. Both the giants in their land of Jotunheim and the gods (Aesir) in their inland of Asgard though involved in sporadic clashes not resorted to a major war until the death of God Baldur and beginning of Ragnarok.

One morning his mother Goddess Frigga was awakened seeing a bizarre dream that her son Baldur was taken to the Underworld by its ruler Hel. Even Baldur himself had seen similar dreams from a recent date as a harbinger of his death.

The gods in Asgard appointed their leader All Father of Asgard and Midgard Odin to discover the meaning of the portentous dreams.

Gods and Goddesses gathered at Gladsheim which was the high conference hall in Asgard and continued their discussions on how to save Baldur.

Underworld

Odin knew a dead prophetess in the underworld who was an expert on interpreting dreams. He got into Sleipnir his eight-legged horse and rode to the Underworld to consult the dead seeress known as Volva.

Odin rode away nine long nights on Sleipnir believed to the fastest horse in the whole world. He went through dark ways, caves and reached the river Gioll by the edge of the kingdom of Hela . The bridge over the river Gioll had arches made out of crystal and paved with glistening gold.

Modgud the skeleton maiden who guarded the bridge questioned the whereabouts of Odin in disguise. Odin disguised as an old man said that he was ' Vegtam the Wanderer ' and came on a mission assigned to him by Aesir ( Gods and Goddesses ) in Asgard.Odin rode through the ' Iron Wood ' with black trees having leaves made out of iron.Passing the Iron Wood he reached the Gateway of Helheim.

Odin came across the bloody hound called Garm who prevented the ghosts of the dead trying to escape to the world of life.

Odin without going to Hela's hall went towards the grave where the prophetess Volva the Wise was buried.

Using his spells Odin opened the grave and the dead Volva appeared.

Volva inquired Odin who he was and Odin replied he was "Vegtam the Wanderer".

Odin was very keen to know whether there was a festival and of the arrangements and decorations.

Volva responded the Guest of Honour to Helheim was none other than Baldur. As response to continuous entreaties of Odin, the prophetess Volva revealed the killer could be Holdur When she refused to speak but Odin kept on inquiring of the person who could resort to vengeance Volva said a son called Vali would be born to Odin to kill Hordur.

Oaths

Frigga with firm intention of protecting his treasured son Baldur went to every living being in the whole Universe. She met both animate and inanimate things and obtained oaths to the effect that no harm would be done to Baldur.

As a parting question Helheim asked Volva "When all weep for Baldur who would refrain from shedding tears ? "

This final question of Odin exposed himself and Volva responded "You are not Vegtam the Wanderer You are Odin. "

Odin was highly worried about the fate of his son Boldur and reached Asgard with great sorrow and found his wife Frigga in her Hall of Clouds known as Fensalir.

She was highly optimistic of the safety of Baldur but Odin who believed on the prophecy of Volva knew that nothing could stop the impending danger to the life of Baldur.

Baldur's invulnerability had spread far and wide in all the nine worlds. The Gods in Agard and the Giants in Jotunheim, Humans in Midgard, Black Dawarfs and Elves in Svartalfheim, Vanir in Vanaheim were aware of the invulnerability of Baldur.

All of them took part in a kind of sport attacking Baldur using numerous weapons.

First the Guardian of Gods Tyr failed with his sword, Lord of Thunder Thor's Miolnir failed to injure Baldur. Uller the God of archery failed on his several attempts of shooting arrows aiming Baldur.

Loki was also among the Aesir watching the invulnerability of Baldur.

Loki though moved with the Aesir was half Giant and found to be malicious and jealous of Gods in Asgard.

Though avoided taking part in the sport of testing the invincibility of Baldur he played a key role in conspiring to kill Baldur when all others failed. Disguised as an old woman Loki met Baldur's mother Frigga and found about the oaths given by all animate and inanimate things in the Universe promised not to harm Baldur.

Loki came to know that Frigga had not taken an oath from " mistletoe " a tiny plant which Loki found growing on an oak tree.

Unsuspecting Frigga said that she did not care to take an oath from a tiny slender plant of "mistletoe " which could not harm Baldur.

Loki found that only "mistletoe" could bring death to Baldur and with evil intentions, jealousy and hatred Loki the spoiler went towards the West of Valhalla where heroes killed in battle were kept.Loki cut off a branch of the "mistletoe" grown on the oak tree and made a dart out of it while chanting an evil rune having the effect of bringing instant death.

Holdur the blind twin brother of Boldur kept away and listened to the hilarity of the participants.

Loki reached Hodur with the dart made out of "mistletoe" and guided the blind Hodur to shoot it towards the direction of Baldur.

The dart pierced through the heart and Baldur fell down dead to the sorrow shock and anger of all those who were present.

The Gods and Goddesses in Asgard carried the Body of Baldur and kept it on a funeral pyre in his ship known as " Ringhorn . " The ship was filled with all the precious things including his horse. Baldur's wife Nanna died of grief and her body was also kept by the side of Baldur Odin put his ring " Draupnir " on Baldur's finger and whispered something to his ears.

The Aesir set fire to the ship and the Giant Hyrroken pushed the heavily laden burning ship to the deep sea.

Odin knowing the decree of fate cannot be reversed sent his other son Hermod to meet Hel in charge of death appealing to send back Baldur to Asgard. Hel agreed to send Baldur back to Asgard on condition if everything in the whole world dead or alive weep for his death.

Everything except a witch known as Thokk flatly refused to weep for dead Baldur.

Thokk was identified as Loki in disguise by Aesir Gods. Thokk said "Let Baldur stay with Hela."

Thus Baldur had to stay with Hela till Ragnarok the destruction and rebirth of a new world.

Gods in Asgard made plans to catch Loki for designing the most heinous crime of killing Baldur.

Loki in disguise as a fish escaped but Aesir (Gods in Asgard) caught and took him to an island in the land of Hel and tied to a sharp-edged rock.

Above Loki's head the Aesir hung a serpent who dripped its acrid poison upon his face.

After the death of Baldur the situation changed in Asgard. Odin consulted another prophetess called Haid in Midgard who revealed everything happened from the beginning to the end of the Universe , both incidents of the past and what will happen in the future and Ragnarok.

Haid narrated in detail how all Gods in Asgard will be killed except the progeny of them.

The birth of a new world the returning of both dead Baldur and his twin brother Hodur could be seen once again hand in hand. After listening to the prophesy narrated by Haid, Odin remembered what he whispered to his dead Baldur in the funeral Pyre was the word "Rebirth".