Mara

Mara, also known as "Mother Mara", "Mother Mild", and the "Divine Mother", is the Goddess of Love, Fertility, Agriculture, and Compassion. She is also acclaimed as the Mother-Goddes

Mythology

According to the creation myth presented in the Anuad, Mara and the aedra (gods) were born from the mingled blood of Anu and Padomay, the good and evil primal forces, respectively, and therefore have a capacity for both good and evil, in contrast to the daedra, who were born from the blood of Padomay, and thus are only evil. The creation myth of the Khajiit acclaims Mara as the Mother Cat and describes the Divine as the daughter of Ahnurr (Anu) and Fadomai (Padomay). The formation of Akatosh, the Dragon God of Time, from the mingled blood of the brothers Anu and Padomay facilitated the formation of Mara and the gods as they learnt to structure themselves. Shezarr's Song, a Cyrodiilic creation myth, acclaims the creation of Mundus to the sacrifice of Mara and the gods whose sacrifices were embodied as eponymous planets. Mara and the gods were subsequently bound to the Earth Bones as a result. The moons of Masser and Secunda are claimed to be the embodiment of the lovers Mara and Shandar, respectively, as created by the Divine.

Different cultures attribute different relationships between Mara and the other gods. The Nords of Skyrim consider Mara a handmaiden of Kyne and concubine of Shor (Lorkhan). However, the Bretons, Altmer, and Bosmer consider Mara to be the wife of Akatosh or Auriel to the Elves. Other faiths acclaim Mara as the wife of Lorkhan or concubine of Akatosh, or, in some cases, concubine of both. In Ark'ay, the God of Birth and Death, Mymophonus the scribe claims that Mara deified Arkay, the God of Birth and Death, so to allow him to teach mortals the necessity of life and death.

In the First Era, the Divine punished Sai, God of Luck, and deprived him of his body for his failure to uphold his pact with Ebonarm, God of War, to spread luck throughout Tamriel in the gods' absence. St. Alessia consulted Mara during her slave revolt against the Ayleids in the First Era. The Warp in the West, also known as the Miracle of Peace.

Teachings

As Goddess of Love, Mara is the bearer of love, and shines the light of love on all mortals. Mara gave life to mortals so that they may love.

The gift of love was bestowed upon mortals by the Divine so to honor Mara, and allow them to understand the true nature of the Divines. Mara teaches that love provides nourishment and life to all mortals. The Divine commands mortals to "live soberly and peacefully. Honor your parents, and preserve the peace and security of home and family". Mara's Benevolence is eternal and those who offer their love to the Divine will never be forsaken. The Warmth of Mara shapes the destiny of mortals and can be felt across Tamriel. Priests of Mara teach that the Divine is omnipresent and her love and affection can be found in the heart of all mortals, thus linking them to Mara. The holy truth declares that love creates life and therefore those who love create more life.

Mara is also the patron of marriage, and the act of union is carried out at her shrines and temples. The Divine teaches that the spark of union between two mortals comes from within and is not based on appearance. The oaths and vows of marriage create life from love and are respected in the name of Mara. The act of union is confirmed upon taking the Pledge of Mara and Mara does not place any restrictions on marriage, thus all may marry, irrespective of gender and race, and unite their souls in the holy union

Mara makes her will known to her priests through visions and commands them to aid those whose love needs guidance. The priesthood of Mara strive to unite all mortals and are intolerant of those who are intolerant of others. Worship of the Divine has been criticized by some for what they consider a "conditional interpretation of love" and her reverence of the institution of the family regardless of the moral condition of families.

Origins and worship

In the Merethic Era, Mara was originally worshipped simply as a fertility goddess, but the sphere of the Divine later extended to agriculture and love. Nir, the female principle of the cosmos credited as the mother of creation, is occasionally associated with Mara as a result of her role as the goddess of fertility and agriculture. Mara is considered a near universal deity as the Divine is featured in the pantheons of all the races of the continent of Tamriel save the Dunmer and Argonians.

Worship in Black Marsh

The majority of the population of the province of Black Marsh venerate the Hist, and, in the Second Era, worship among the Argonians of Black Marsh of Mara and the gods was limited to a small minority of those who had assimilated to the culture of the Empire.

Mara is known to have been worshipped as a member of the pantheon of the Kothringi, the indigenous humans of Black Marsh, and was considered one of their three "mothers in the Around-Us", as well as Dibella and Kynareth.

Worship in Cyrodiil

The Imperials of the province of Cyrodiil venerate Mara and the Divine is considered part of the Cyrodiilic pantheon. A Benevolence of Mara, a cathedral dedicated to the Divine, was located in the Imperial City, the capital of the province, in the late First Era, under the Reman Dynasty.

A Temple of Mara, and later Great Chapel of Mara, is known to have been located at Bravil in the Second Era, respectively.

Worship in Hammerfell

The worship of Mara in the province of Hammerfell is divided between the Crowns, who represent the conservatives, and Forebears, who represent the cosmopolitan Redguards. Mara is known to both Crowns and Forebears as Morwha, a fertility goddess, however, the names Morwha and Mara are used interchangeably among the Forebears. Morwha is considered the favourite wife of Akatosh or Ruptga, to the Forebears and Crowns, respectively. The goddess is always depicted with four arms so that she may "grab more husbands".

Mara is worshipped throughout Hammerfell, including the Island of Stros M'Kai, and is the patron deity of the regions of Antiphyllos, Ayasofya, Ephesus and Ykalon. A Conservatorium of Morwha was located in the city of Hegathe in the late First Era.

Worship in High Rock

Mara, a member of the pantheon of the Bretons, is the patron deity of several regions of High Rock, such as Anticlere, Betony, Glenumbra Moors, and Northmoor.

Worship in Skyrim

The Divine is also worshipped as a member of the Nordic pantheon. In the Second Era, Mara was associated with the Ice Wolves that inhabited the mouth of the White River in the northeast of the province.

Worship in Summerset Isles

The Divine is worshipped in the High Elven pantheon. There is a legend regarding Nenamil, the Archon of Song, who would always sing about the beauty of Mara. Nenamil would feel no greater love than that of Mara's will. And so he would go on a pilgrimage, to see Mara's beauty in person. His journey eventually took him to what is now-known-as Archon's Grove, where he found the Rose-of-Archon. When he saw the flower, he realized that Mara was beauty incarnate. It was found in every exquisite thing, including the rose that he had found, that brought him to this revelation. From then on, Nenamil would preach Mara's beauty and the Rose-of-Archon would honor and represent her. The Rose-of-Archon would be collected by the Sapiarchs for the Day of Divine Reverence, which is honor for Mara, and it lasts for roughly fifty-eight days.