Krun

Who is Krun?

Krun, also known as Akrun, is a prominent figure in Mandaean mythology, holding the title of a "lord of the underworld." According to Mandaean cosmology, Krun occupies the deepest regions of existence and is understood to be the entity that sustains the entire physical world. He is considered the foremost among the five Mandaean lords of the underworld.

Mandaean Cosmology and Significance

The Mandaean sacred text, the Ginza Rabba, specifically the 5th book of its right half, identifies Krun as the greatest of the five underworld lords. The other four lords mentioned are Shdum, Hag, Gaf, and Zartai-Zartanai. Krun's symbolic representation is that of a lion, an image that appears on the skandola talisman. This talisman is a significant ritual object used in Mandaean funerary practices, specifically for sealing the graves of those who have recently died.

Epithets and Astronomical Connections

Krun is most frequently associated with the epithet "ṭura rba ḏ-bisra," which translates from Classical Mandaic to "the great mountain of flesh." This descriptive title likely alludes to his immense power and foundational role in the Mandaean conception of the cosmos.

In a more modern context, Krun gained a connection to astronomy. The Mandaean community, with its roots in ancient Babylonian traditions of astrology, was recognized when a dark region on the dwarf planet Pluto was informally named "Krun Macula" by NASA scientists. This was part of a broader effort to incorporate names from diverse cultures into celestial cartography, although the feature was later renamed Safronov Regio.