Prithvi

Prithvi
	Goddess of the Land; The Mother Earth
	Prithu chasing Prithvi, who is in the form of a Cow
Devanagari	पृथ्वी
Sanskrit transliteration	Prithvi
Affiliation	Devi, Bhudevi, Pancha Bhoota
Abode	Dyuloka
Planet	Earth
Mantra	Om Bhumhaya Namah
Mount	Cow, Elephant
Consort	Dyaus Pita
Equivalents
Greek equivalent	Gaia
Roman equivalent	Tellus Mater
Norse equivalent	Jörð

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. In the Vedas, she is the consort of Dyaus Pita but, later in Puranas, she is known as Bhūmi, Varaha's wife.

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 personifications of countries Indonesia and Malaysia, where both countries in certain points have been internally referred to as "Ibu Pertiwi" (in Indonesian and Malaysian Malay).

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

References

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 2007, p. 17.

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

Hindu deities and texts
Gods	Trimurti Brahma Vishnu Rama Krishna more avatars Shiva Ganesha Kartikeya Hanuman Indra Surya Agni Varuna Vayu Kamadeva Yama more
Goddesses	Tridevi Saraswati Lakshmi Sita Rukmini Radha Parvati Sati Mahavidya Durga Kali Shakti Adi Parashakti Navadurga Matrikas more
Other deities	Asuras Rakshasas Yakshas Vahanas
Texts	Vedas Rig Sama Yajur Atharva Upanishads Puranas Ramayana Mahabharata Bhagavad Gita Yoga Sutras of Patanjali more
Hinduism Hindu mythology

Prithvi

In Buddhism

Pṛthvī Sūkta

Epithets

See also

References

Further reading