Motif family
Theophany and Divine Manifestation
The direct manifestation or revelation of the divine to a human witness. Includes cosmic visions, burning bushes, universal forms, and overwhelming encounters with sacred presence.
36 traditions
282 occurrences
273 mapped motifs
- amazonian
- arthurian
- biblical
- buddhist
- celtic irish
- christian
- christian apocrypha
- comparative
- egyptian
- ethiopian christian
- finnish karelian
- gnostic
- greek
- greek roman
- hawaiian
- hindu
- indigenous australian
- islamic
- islamicate folklore
- japanese
- jewish christian
- jewish pseudepigrapha
- mesopotamian
- nahua
- nahua maya inca
- native american northwest coast
- native american plains
- native american southeast
- navajo
- norse
- roman
- romanian
- sikh
- sufi
- zoroastrian
- zuni
Conserved neighbors: ascent · sacred knowledge · divine judgment
This family has not yet been binned into sub-families; its mapped motifs are listed directly, most widespread first.
Mapped motifs
273 motifs, showing the 60 most attested
- Universal cosmic praise 3 occurrences · 3 traditions
- biblical
- islamic
- sikh
- fiery divine manifestation 2 occurrences · 2 traditions
- biblical
- ethiopian christian
- Storm-fire theophany 2 occurrences · 2 traditions
- biblical
- jewish christian
- anthropomorphic or corporeal deity 2 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- divine adornment before presentation 2 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- Fourfold divine manifestation 2 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- many-formed cosmic deity 2 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- unrecognized deity seized by mortals 2 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- all-pervading divine body and light 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- angelic proclamation of a coming sacred age or figure 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
- animal embodiment of a deity 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- Animal-formed worshipped being concealed by ritual warning 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- christian apocrypha
- Animated wheels with eyes 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- biblical
- Apparition or form emerging from water spray 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hawaiian
- Appearance of Christ in human form with identity proclamation 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- Armed divine epiphany with cosmic reaction 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- armed goddess manifests with cosmic response 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- artistic image modeled on divine poetic epiphany 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- Ascetic command summons divine manifestation 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- awe, worship, and fear before divine manifestation 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- Bacchic epiphany on a ship 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
- Bacchic epiphany through sound, scent, and vine growth 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
- Bacchic vegetation overtaking a ship 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
- battle rout caused by epiphany and voice rather than direct combat 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- Battlefield ambiguity between mortal and god 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- boundary marker as divine presence 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
- burning bush cross-reference 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- jewish christian
- Burning bush vision 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- celestial and auditory signs before revelation 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- christian
- Celestial and human homage to an arriving holy figure 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
- claimed angelic revelation as authority for a rival leader 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- Cloud-concealed supernatural face 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- native american northwest coast
- concealed hero revealed in godlike radiance 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
- Concealed human observer at a supernatural gathering 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- native american northwest coast
- conditional appearance of woodland goddess by hunting success 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- finnish karelian
- Conversion of rival specialists after witnessing a sign 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- Cosmic awe before divine majesty 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- cosmic order falls silent before supreme divine speech 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
- Cosmic praise after divine radiance 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- sufi
- cosmic praise by creatures 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- cosmic praise of God 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- Cosmic ratification by trembling world and mighty light 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
- Cosmic rejoicing and renewal at awakening 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
- cosmic saint whose body spans the universe 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- sufi
- covered sacred image remains visible 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- sufi
- creation joins human praise 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- Creation joins in praise after redemption 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- biblical
- danger of beholding a deity 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- Dangerous sight of deity 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- deities manifested as river reflections 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- navajo
- Deity accompanied by personified powers 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- zoroastrian
- Deity appearing as a mortal 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- nahua
- Deity appears in human guise to validate an image 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hawaiian
- Deity as all-encompassing cosmic form 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- deity causing sudden panic by terrifying voice 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek roman
- deity embodied in boundary marker 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek roman
- deity incarnate in a human medium or avatar 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- deity manifesting as an honored found stone 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hawaiian
- demand for divine signs 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- Demand for visible or celestial proof 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
Each motif link opens its evidence page: every tagged passage with its quote, and a path into the book where the passage lives.