Prithvi

This article is about the Vedic goddess and consort of Dyaus. For the consort of Varaha, see Bhumi (goddess).

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

For other uses, see Prithvi (disambiguation).

Prithvi
Goddess of the earth
Affiliation	Devi, Bhudevi, Pancha Bhuta
Planet	Earth
Mantra	Om Bhumhaya Namah
Mount	Elephant
Consort	Dyaus
Equivalents
Greek	Gaia
Indo-European	Dʰéǵʰōm
Norse	Jörð
Roman	Tellus

Prithvi (Sanskrit: पृथ्वी, pṛthvī, also पृथिवी, pṛthivī, "the Vast One"), also rendered Pṛthvī Mātā or Pṛthivī Devī, 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, her consort is Dyaus, the sky god. Her Puranic equivalent is Bhumi.

As Pṛthvī Mātā ('Mother Earth') she is complementary to Dyaus Pita ('Father Sky'). In the Rigveda, the earth and the sky are primarily addressed dually as Dyavapṛthivi. 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

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. The Buddha is frequently depicted performing the bhūmisparśa or "earth-touching" mudrā as a symbolic invocation of the goddess.

In Chinese Buddhism, she is considered one of the Twenty-Four Protective Deities and is usually enshrined in the Mahavira Hall of Buddhist temples along with the other devas.

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

• 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.

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