Asatru - Who Is Odin?



WHERE DID ODIN COME FROM? 


When the Viking longships scudded through the misty northern seas into the far-off western world, or rode down the rivers of Russia to the Black Sea and into the Mediterranean, the old stories of Gods and Giants battles that had been told around campfires for hundreds of years were still being passed down from generation to generation. 


  • An Icelandic scholar named Saemund, the Wise, wrote down as many of the tales as he could because he was worried they would be lost. 
  • They were dubbed the Elder Edda. 
  • About a century later, another Icelander, Snorri Sturleson, a monk, compiled the same tales, as well as a few more that were as interesting. 
  • The Younger, or Prose Edda, was the name given to this compilation. 


What are these legends from the past? They speak of the creation of the world, the arrival of the Gods, and the ultimate conclusion in the flames of Ragnarok. 


  • These two volumes are the canonical holy books of the Asetru's resurgent faith, as well as foundation texts for understanding of the ancient Teutonic religion and civilization. 
  • It is a response to Snorri's inquiry in Who Was Younger Odin? by Sturleson. 
  • We turn to Edda for help. 
  • From the Younger Edda's Prologue Sturleson is a liar "Nearby was constructed the most renowned center in the world, where all palaces, which we call halls Turkey Troy by name, were built. 
  • Because it was so richly furnished, the town was constructed on a far bigger scale than others at the time, and in many respects with better competence. 


There were twelve kingdoms with one over-king, each with a large population. 


  • There were twelve chieftains in the Citadel, and these individuals surpassed other men living in every human manner at the time. 
  • Munon or Mennon was the name of one of the monarchs. 
  • He Troan married and had a son named chief Thor king we Priam call who was Thor, called He was brought up in Thrace by a duke named Loricus and inherited his father's weapons when he was 10 years old. 
  • He was as beautiful to look at as Ivory and oak when he took his place among the other men his hand was lovelier than gold.
  • He had come to his full strength at the age of twelve, and he lifted ten bear pelts from the ground.



Odin, as well as his wife, had the gift of prophecy, and through his magic, he discovered that his name would be renowned across the globe and revered above all others. 


  • He h a d t h e c o u n t r y now c a l l e d Westphalia; h I s son, F r j o d I g a r, whom we c a l l F r o d I h I s son Freovin; Odin's third son was known as S I g I and his son R e r I r was known as R e r I r; his p an I r r u l e d over what is now known as France, and t h e f a m I l y known as the Volsungar came from there. 
  • A l l of them have produced excellent and many k I n d r e d s. 
  • Then Odin s e t o f  Reiogotaland, n o r t h and c o m I n t o t h e l a n d c a l l e d, seized possession of all he desired in that country. 
  • He appointed his son S k j o l d to rule the region; his son was F r I o l e I f; and from then on, he was known as Skjoldungar; they were kings of Denmark and what was then known as the North Cape. 


After that, Odin moved to what is now known as Sweden. 


  • When he heard of the e x p e d I t I o n of the men of Asia, the Aesir were c a l l e d, he went to meet them and gave Odin as much power over his realm as he wanted. 
  • Their travels were accompanied by such wealth that everywhere they went in a nation, that area had excellent crops and peace, and everyone thought it was because of them, since the natives had never seen anybody like them for their looks and intellect. 
  • The plain and natural resources of life in Sweden appealed to Odin, and he chose for himself a town-site now known as Sigtuna. 
  • There, he appointed chieftains on the model of Troy, establishing twelve mlers to administer the laws of the land, and he drew up a code of laws that had held in Troy and to which the Trojans were accustomed. 


After that, he went north until he reached the sea, which they believed encircled the whole globe, and put his son in charge of the kingdom that is now known as Norway. 


  • This aon was known as Saeming, and according to the WALEYGJATAL, the kings of Norway trace their ancestors back to him, along with the earls and other rulers. 
  • Odin also retained a son named Yngvi, who became King of Sweden after him, and from him came the Ynglingar dynasties. 


The Aesir and several of their sons married women from the surrounding regions. 


  • They landed in Germany, and their families spread so far north that their language, that of the Asian males, became the official language of all these nations. 
  • Men assume that these names arrived with this language, and that the Aesir carried it here to the north of the globe, to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Germany, since their lineages are written down. 
  • However, there are certain old district and place names in England that must be interpreted as coming from a foreign language."


You may also want to read more about Asatru, Norse Paganism and Nordic Pagans here.


You may also want to read more about Paganism here.

Be sure to check out my writings on Religion here.



Online Resources


American Asatru Associations




Icelandic Asatru Association


Ásatrúarfelagi≥ (Asatru Fellowship of Iceland). At http://www.asatru.is.


Icelandic Photography



Statistical Information


  • Hagstofa Islands (Office of Statistics, Government of Iceland). 2004. “Ísland ítölum 2002–2003” (Iceland in Numbers). Reykjavík, Hagstofa Islands. At http://www.hagstofa.is.


Asatru Publications Available Online


  • “The Asatru Folk Assembly: Building Tribes and Waking the Spiritual Path of OurAncestors.” Available at http://www.runestone.org/

By Jai Krishna Ponnappan
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