Bhūmi

Statue of Bhumi

The name "Bhumi" derives from the Sanskrit word 'Puhumi' - the original name of the goddess. She is known by various names such as Bhuvati, Bhuvaani, Bhuvaneshwari, Avni, Prithvi, Varahi, Dharti, Dhaatri, Dharani, Vasudha, Vasundhara, Vaishnavi, Kashyapi, Urvi, Ira, Mahi, Ela, Vasumati, Dhanshika, Hema and Hiranmaya.

Bhudevi is depicted as seated on a platform which rests on the back of four elephants, representing the four directions of the world. She is usually depicted with four arms, respectively holding a pomegranate, a water vessel, a bowl containing healing herbs, and another bowl containing vegetables.[2] She is also sometimes depicted with two hands, the right hand holding a blue lotus known as Kumuda or Utpala, the night lotus, while the left hand may be in the Abhayamudra, the fearlessness or the Lolahasta Mudra, which is an aesthetic pose meant to mimic the tail of a horse.[3][4]

Bhudevi seated on Varaha's lap.

Bhudevi is the consort of the boar god Varaha, an avatar of Vishnu.[5] In Satya Yuga, the demon Hiranyaksha kidnapped the earth and hid her in the primordial waters, Vishnu appeared as Varaha to rescue her. Varaha slew the demon and retrieved the Earth from the ocean, lifting it on his tusks, and restored Bhudevi to her place in the universe and married her. Mangala was the son of Varaha and Bhumi.[6][7]

Narakasura was the first born of Bhudevi. There are two stories about Narakasura's birth. In the first one, he was the first son of Bhumi and Varaha. He was born when Bhūmi requested Varaha for a son. Narakasura later did a penance to received a boon that only his mother would be able to kill him. In the second one, Narakasura's father is Hiranyaksha and was born when Hiranyaksha's horns touched Bhumi.[8]

Sita, the wife of Rama emerged from the earth, thus Bhumi is her spiritual mother. Once, there was a drought in Mithila, hometown of Sita. Janaka, father of Sita was ploughing the ground. Under his plough, he found a baby girl (Sita). After which, rain showered and Janaka and wife, Sunaina, decided to adopt the girl. As Sita was born from the earth, she was also known as Bhumija.[9]

Sita entering the Earth with her mother Bhumi after a feud with her husband Rama.

After receiving the boon, Narakasura became arrogant and proud of his power. He started capturing women and made them his wives forcefully. He captured nearly 16 thousand women. He took the control of heaven from Indra and no one was able to defeat him because of his boon. Narakasura even took the earrings of Lord Indra's mother, Goddess Aditi and gave it to his mother, Bhumi. Bhūmi was requested to kill him. She took an avatar as Satyabhama, daughter of Satrajit. Satyabhama married Krishna and they killed Narakasura.[10]