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ArchivesRe: Meaning of the name Susanoo
in reply to a message by Marusero
Here's more evidence. Again, Susanoo's name might be spelled differently in some of these sources, but they are still about him. Some of the sources here will also include some of his full names.
The Meaning of Shinto by J.W.T. Mason
• The root meaning of the word "Susano" is generally interpreted as "impetuous"; and Susano has been regarded as perhaps personifying the primitive idea of storm. (page 101)
Shinto: The Way of Japan by Floyd H. Ross
• Susanoo, Impetuous Male, her [Amaterasu's] brother, also had a prominent role in many of the stories which center in Izumo. (page 35)
The National Faith of Japan by D. C. Holtom
• Another term, mi-koto, is frequently affixed to the descriptive elements of divine names as a substitute for kami. This also will be encountered here and there in the pages that follow and its meaning should be explained at this point. The parts signify: mi (honorific) and koto ("thing" or "person"). The word was originally a title of reverence applied to exalted individuals in the ordinary social life. It is sometimes used of the gods and in such cases is perhaps best translated "deity", as, for example, Susa-no-Wo-no-Mikoto, "The-Impetuous-Male-Deity," the name commonly given the storm god. (pages 25–26)
Religions in Japan by William K. Bunce
• The last of the succession of the deities above the Male-Who-Invites (Izanagi) and the Female-Who-Invites (Izanami). These produced the terrestrial world and gave birth to wind, water, mists, food, mountains, and other natural phenomena which also became deities. The ideas of spontaneous and sexual generation exist side by side in Japanese mythology with complete naivete. The final offspring of this divine couple were the Heavenly-Shining-Goddess (Amaterasu Omikami), the Moon-Ruler (Tsuki-yomi), and the Valiant-Swift-Impetuous-Hero (Takehaya-susanowo). The Sun Goddess ruled the realm of light, including heaven and earth; the Moon God ruled the night; and the Valiant-Swift-Impetuous-Hero ruled the mysterious nether regions. (pages 103–104)
Japanese Religion by Anesaki (don't know Anesaki's first/given name)
• Finally, the divine couple [Izanagi and Izanami] begat the rulers of the world, the Heaven-Illuminating Goddess (Ama-terasu Ohmi-kami), the Moon-Ruler (Tsuki-yomi) and the Valiant-Swift-Impetuous-Hero (Takéhaya Susanowo). The realm of light, including heaven and earth, was assigned to the Sun-goddess, the reign of the night to the Moon-god, while the ocean, together with the domain of hidden things, was entrusted to the rule of the Swift-Impetuous. (pages 25–26)
A Dictionary of Asian Mythology by David Leeming
• The "Impetuous Male," brother of the Japanese Sun Goddess Amaterasu, Susanowo was the ruler of the oceans and the source of rain, thunder, and lightning. Because of unruly behavior when drunk, he was banned from Heaven. (https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195120523.001.0001/acref-9780195120523-e-429)
A Dictionary of World Mythology by Arthur Cotterell
• Takehaya Susanowo, 'valiant, swift, impetuous deity', is the storm god of Shinto, the native belief of Japan. (https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780192177476.001.0001/acref-9780192177476-e-161)
In conclusion, based on the sources shown above along with Piggott's Japanese Mythology and Chamberlain's The Kojiki, Susanoo means "impetuous male", while Susanoo-no-Mikoto means "impetuous male deity" and Takehaya-Susanoo means "valiant-swift-impetuous-male" or "valiant-swift-impetuous-hero". Even though the meaning "wild man" (used in Susanoo's name page) is not too far-fetched, I firmly believe that "impetuous male" is more accurate. I hope all of the information seen here was useful enough.
The Meaning of Shinto by J.W.T. Mason
• The root meaning of the word "Susano" is generally interpreted as "impetuous"; and Susano has been regarded as perhaps personifying the primitive idea of storm. (page 101)
Shinto: The Way of Japan by Floyd H. Ross
• Susanoo, Impetuous Male, her [Amaterasu's] brother, also had a prominent role in many of the stories which center in Izumo. (page 35)
The National Faith of Japan by D. C. Holtom
• Another term, mi-koto, is frequently affixed to the descriptive elements of divine names as a substitute for kami. This also will be encountered here and there in the pages that follow and its meaning should be explained at this point. The parts signify: mi (honorific) and koto ("thing" or "person"). The word was originally a title of reverence applied to exalted individuals in the ordinary social life. It is sometimes used of the gods and in such cases is perhaps best translated "deity", as, for example, Susa-no-Wo-no-Mikoto, "The-Impetuous-Male-Deity," the name commonly given the storm god. (pages 25–26)
Religions in Japan by William K. Bunce
• The last of the succession of the deities above the Male-Who-Invites (Izanagi) and the Female-Who-Invites (Izanami). These produced the terrestrial world and gave birth to wind, water, mists, food, mountains, and other natural phenomena which also became deities. The ideas of spontaneous and sexual generation exist side by side in Japanese mythology with complete naivete. The final offspring of this divine couple were the Heavenly-Shining-Goddess (Amaterasu Omikami), the Moon-Ruler (Tsuki-yomi), and the Valiant-Swift-Impetuous-Hero (Takehaya-susanowo). The Sun Goddess ruled the realm of light, including heaven and earth; the Moon God ruled the night; and the Valiant-Swift-Impetuous-Hero ruled the mysterious nether regions. (pages 103–104)
Japanese Religion by Anesaki (don't know Anesaki's first/given name)
• Finally, the divine couple [Izanagi and Izanami] begat the rulers of the world, the Heaven-Illuminating Goddess (Ama-terasu Ohmi-kami), the Moon-Ruler (Tsuki-yomi) and the Valiant-Swift-Impetuous-Hero (Takéhaya Susanowo). The realm of light, including heaven and earth, was assigned to the Sun-goddess, the reign of the night to the Moon-god, while the ocean, together with the domain of hidden things, was entrusted to the rule of the Swift-Impetuous. (pages 25–26)
A Dictionary of Asian Mythology by David Leeming
• The "Impetuous Male," brother of the Japanese Sun Goddess Amaterasu, Susanowo was the ruler of the oceans and the source of rain, thunder, and lightning. Because of unruly behavior when drunk, he was banned from Heaven. (https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195120523.001.0001/acref-9780195120523-e-429)
A Dictionary of World Mythology by Arthur Cotterell
• Takehaya Susanowo, 'valiant, swift, impetuous deity', is the storm god of Shinto, the native belief of Japan. (https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780192177476.001.0001/acref-9780192177476-e-161)
In conclusion, based on the sources shown above along with Piggott's Japanese Mythology and Chamberlain's The Kojiki, Susanoo means "impetuous male", while Susanoo-no-Mikoto means "impetuous male deity" and Takehaya-Susanoo means "valiant-swift-impetuous-male" or "valiant-swift-impetuous-hero". Even though the meaning "wild man" (used in Susanoo's name page) is not too far-fetched, I firmly believe that "impetuous male" is more accurate. I hope all of the information seen here was useful enough.
This message was edited 12/3/2019, 3:24 PM
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