Prithvi

Prithvi or Prithvi Mata (Sanskrit: पृथ्वी, pṛthvī, also पृथिवी, pṛthivī) "the Vast One" is the Sanskrit name for the earth as well as the name of a devi (goddess) in Hinduism and some branches of Buddhism. She is also known as Bhūmi in later texts like Puranas. In the Rigveda, she is the consort of Dyaus Pita. But later in Puranas, she was renamed as Bhūmi and identified as lord Vishnu's wife. She is considered to be an avatar of goddess Lakshmi in the Puranas.

For other uses, see Prithvi (disambiguation).

"Dharti Mata" redirects here. For the 1938 film, see Dharti Mata (film).

Prithvi
Goddess of the Land The Mother Earth
Prithu chasing Prithvi, who is in the form of a Cow
Other names	Bhudevi
Devanagari	पृथ्वी
Sanskrit transliteration	Prithvi gowda
Affiliation	Devi, Bhudevi, Pancha Bhoota
Abode	Vaikuntha, Dyuloka
Planet	Earth
Mantra	Om Bhumhaya Namah
Mount	Cow, Elephant
Personal information
Consort	Dyaus Pita (According to the vedas) Varaha(According to Puranas)
Children	Mangala and Narakasura

As Pṛthvī Mātā ("Mother Earth") she is complementary to Dyaus Pita ("Father Sky").[1] In the Rigveda, Earth and Sky are primarily addressed in the dual as Dyavapṛthivi.[2] She is associated with the cow. Prithu, an incarnation of Viṣṇu, milked her in cow's form.

Despite strong historical Hindu influence, the name is also used for national personification of Indonesia and Malaysia, where the country is internally referred as "Ibu Pertiwi" (in Indonesian or Malay language).

In Buddhism

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]

Pṛthvī Sūkta

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

Epithets

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

See also

• Vasudhara
• Phra Mae Thorani

References

1. Leeming, David; Fee, Christopher (2016). The Goddess: Myths of the Great Mother. Reaktion Books. ISBN 978-1-78023-538-7.
2. Doniger O'Flaherty 2007, p. 201, 330.
3. Shaw 2006, p. 27.
4. Shaw 2007, p. 17. sfn error: no target: CITEREFShaw2007 (help)

• Doniger O'Flaherty, Wendy, ed. (2007). The Rig Veda: An Anthology: One Hundred and Eight Hymns. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. ISBN 9780140449891.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Shaw, Miranda Eberle (2006). Buddhist Goddesses of India. Princeton University Press. pp. 27. ISBN 978-0-691-12758-3.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

Further reading

• Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend (ISBN 0-500-51088-1) by Anna Dallapiccola
• Hindu Goddesses: Vision of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Traditions (ISBN 81-208-0379-5) by David Kinsley