Prithvi Knowpia

Prithvi
Prithvi
Earth
Other names	Bhumi
Affiliation	Devi, Bhumi, Pancha Bhuta
Planet	Earth
Mantra	Om Bhumhaya Namah
Mount	Elephant
Consort	Dyaus
Equivalents
Greek equivalent	Gaia
Roman equivalent	Tellus Mater
Norse equivalent	Jörð
Indo-European equivalent	Dʰéǵʰōm

Prithvi (Sanskrit: पृथ्वी, pṛthvī, also पृथिवी, pṛthivī, "the Vast One"), also rendered Pṛthvī Mātā, is the Sanskrit name for the earth, as well as the name of a devi (goddess) in Hinduism of the earth and some branches of Buddhism. In the Vedas, her consort is Dyaus, the sky god. Her Puranic equivalent is known as Bhumi, the consort of Varaha.

As Pṛthvī Mātā ('Mother Earth') she is complementary to Dyaus Pita ('Father Sky').^[1] In the Rigveda, the earth and the sky are primarily addressed dually as Dyavapṛthivi.^[2] She is associated with the cow; Prithu, an incarnation of Vishnu, milked her in the form of a cow.

Owing to strong historical Hindu influence, the name is also used for national personifications of Indonesia, where she is referred to as Ibu Pertiwi.

Buddhism edit

In Buddhist texts and visual representations, Pṛthvī is described as both protecting Gautama Buddha and as being his witness for his enlightenment. Prithvi appears in Early Buddhism in the Pāli Canon, dispelling the temptation figure Mara by attesting to Gautama Buddha's worthiness to attain enlightenment.^[3] The Buddha is frequently depicted performing the bhūmisparśa or "earth-touching" mudrā as a symbolic invocation of the goddess. ^[4]

In Chinese Buddhism, she is considered one of the Twenty-Four Protective Deities (二十四諸天 Èrshísì zhūtiān) and is usually enshrined in the Mahavira Hall of Buddhist temples along with the other devas.

Pṛthvī Sūkta edit

The Pṛthvī Sūkta is a hymn of the Atharvaveda (12.1).

Epithets edit

Indonesian depiction of Prithvi in ancient regal attire as Ibu Pertiwi at the Indonesian National Monument

Category	Transliteration	Gloss
Provider	Bhūmi	Soil
	Dhatri	Nursing Mother
	Dharitri	Nurturer
	Janitra	Birthplace
	Medini	Nurturer
	Prshni	Mother of Plants
	Vanaspatinam Grbhir Osadhinam	Womb of Forest Trees and Herbs
	Vishvadhaya	All-Nourishing
	Vishvagarbha	World's Womb
	Vishvamshu	Producer of Everything
	Vishvasvam	Source of Everything
Sustainer	Dhar	Upholder
	Drdha	Steady One
	Ksama	Patient One
	Sthavara	Stable One
	Vishdava	All-Preserving
	Vishvadharini	All-Supporting
	Vishvamhara	All-Bearing
Enricher	Ratnagarbha	Repository of Gems
	Ratnavati	Abounding in Jewels
	Vasundhara	Bearer of Treasure

References edit

^ Leeming, David; Fee, Christopher (2016). The Goddess: Myths of the Great Mother. Reaktion Books. ISBN 978-1-78023-538-7.
^ Doniger O'Flaherty 2007, p. 201, 330.
^ Shaw 2006, p. 27.
^ Shaw 2006, p. 17.

Works cited edit

Doniger O'Flaherty, Wendy, ed. (2007). The Rig Veda: An Anthology: One Hundred and Eight Hymns. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0-14-044989-1.
Shaw, Miranda Eberle (2006). Buddhist Goddesses of India. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-12758-3.