Mara

"Mara says: Live soberly and peacefully. Honor your parents, and preserve the peace and security of home and family."
―Ten Commands: Nine Divines

Mara is a goddess of the Nine Divines. She is also known as Mother-Goddess and Goddess of Love in the Empire, and in Skyrim as handmaid of Kyne. She makes an appearance in almost every culture's pantheon in Tamriel, and at times is affiliated with Nir who gave birth to creation. She may be married to, or act as a concubine of, either Akatosh or Lorkhan, depending on the religion. In Morrowind, Mara appears in the form of Ama Nin.

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.

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.



BC: Skydancer: -/- Gold Poison: -/- Grey Butterfly: -/- White Glimmer: -/- Bright Shadow Eyes: